Now we are in the midst of autumn, we are encouraging locals in the Central Scotland Forest area to discover and explore the vibrant forests and countryside in their local area as the trees change colour.

With so much forest area in the region, there are plenty of opportunities for residents to experience nature first hand and there is easy access to many walking paths in nearby forest areas.

Simon Rennie, Chief Executive of CSFT, said: “Autumn is a beautiful time to explore the outdoors to search for different woodland creatures and to experience the trees changing colour.

“The onset of autumn can vary by a few weeks to a month or two depending on the weather we’ve experienced during the year.  Because we had a warm and dry spring and have had a lot of rainy spells recently, autumn arrived slightly earlier this year.”

The whole family can enjoy days out exploring local forest areas and the children can be kept entertained by kicking up the leaves, jumping in puddles and looking out for some of Scotland’s most unusual and striking trees including Ash, Aspen, Birches and Elm.

In the early autumn months, Ash trees can be identified by their bright yellow leaves.  Birches are the most common native tree in Scotland whilst Elm trees can be easily recognised, having the largest leaves of any native Scottish tree which do not fall until late autumn.

Simon added: “2011 is the United Nation’s International Year of Forests and at CSFT we have been supporting the cause by raising awareness on conservation and sustainable development of forest areas.

“Also for every five new followers we gain on Facebook and Twitter, we have been planting a tree so it’s a great way for the wider community to contribute to improvements in their local environment.”