Community invited to shape plans and get involved in new Liaison Group
Proposals for Broadford Community Woodland were enthusiastically received at a celebration and consultation event in Broadford Village Hall on 30 April. Attendees heard about proposals for the woodland and shared ideas (and cake!) during the Q&A session. We were all also inspired by speakers from Applecross Community Woodland and Tormore Forest, who shared their experiences of developing and managing community woodlands.
A Community Liaison Group was also launched at the event. More information below, or contact us to find out more.
The event was supported by the Highlands & Islands Climate Hub Community Climate Action Fund.
About Broadford Community Woodland
In March 2026 Broadford & Strath Community Company (BSCC) completed the purchase of Broadford North Wood on behalf of the community. The purchase was made possible through funds from the Scottish Land Fund and Highlands & Islands Enterprise. BSCC supported other acquisition costs.
The 12.4 hectare forest is situated in a prominent position overlooking Broadford Bay. The new acquisition expands the current Broadford Community Woodland and opens up a range of exciting new opportunities.
Vision and plans
At the consultation event we set out a vision for the expanded community woodland:
“To create an accessible, nature-friendly mixed woodland that will bring social, environmental and economic benefits now and for future generations.”
To achieve this we are planning to:
- Promote the expanded woodland as a venue for community volunteering and learning
- Restructure the woodland in favour of locally grown native species to support nature and biodiversity – grown in BSCC’s Community Tree Nursery as far as possible
- Create new paths so that people can access the woodlands for leisure, health and enjoyment
- Encourage diverse habitats by retaining / restoring peatland and wetland areas, and tackling invasive species
- Develop appropriate small-scale woodland enterprises to generate income that will support long-term sustainability.
To enable this we intend to harvest the mature timber in Broadford North Wood. The plans can be seen in the Concept Map that was presented at the event.
A draft management plan was also presented which gives more detail about the proposals. This has been shared with stakeholders including neighbours and other organisations.
If you missed the event you can view our presentation slides here.
Look back through our news pages for information about previous consultations and the bid to buy the woodland.
Next steps and getting involved
BSCC is currently fundraising for a part-time Community Woodland Manager to take these plans forward.
We are also setting up a Community Liaison Group to ensure that local people have a say in how we develop and manage the woodland. The group will
- Contribute to the project through consultation and discussion
- Act as a sounding board for the BSCC project team
- Support engagement with the wider community
- Act as advocate for the project.
Members do not require specific skills or experience though knowledge of forestry, environment and/or community development is welcome. All members should have an interest in community woodlands and a willingness to contribute.
The time commitment would be a meeting approximately every 2 months, plus review of documents by email from time to time. You can download the full terms of reference here.
Interested? Email us in the first instance with a brief explanation of why you are interested in joining the group.
Volunteer opportunities
If you prefer more hands-on involvement why not come along to our weekly woodland volunteer sessions? These currently run on a Thursday but we also have weekend activities planned. Find out more here, and contact Phil Knott to join the mailing list.