Kinneil Foreshore to be upgraded
14 November 2006
Bo'ness Kinneil Foreshore Woodland
Planned Improvements 2007
Falkirk Council has secured funds and commissioned CSFT to deliver a five year programme of improvements at Kinneil Foreshore Woodland commencing early 2007. The main aims are:
• To commence tree thinning to allow space for maturing trees to develop properly.
• To protect and manage the grasslands and open space as a habitat for wildlife.
• To develop the recreational and educational potential for woodland users.
• To protect the adjoining designated wildlife sites from undue disturbance.
Bo’ness Kinneil Foreshore Woodland is a 23 hectare(ha) site comprising mixed woodland and open grassland on the site of the former Kinneil Colliery. The site is adjacent to the A904 road and is crossed by the Bo’ness and Kinneil Steam Railway. The reclamation works of the bing, colliery and former landfill site commenced in 1984 and the planting work was completed by 1986.
The site, lying just to the west of Bo’ness, is an important recreational and wildlife resource for the area consisting of 10ha of mixed broadleaf plantation woodland, with the other 13ha being rich grassland and open ground. The site also has 2.5 kilometres of whin (rock) dust paths traversing the site. The woodland is now 20 years old, however, there has been very little active management on the site, except some minor upgrading to the footpaths 3 or 4 years ago.
The site has been allocated funds from the Forestry Commission Scotland’s ‘Woodlands in and around Towns’ scheme. The scheme sets out a 5 year management strategy for the area, including:
• 9.98ha of non-commercial thinning
• 2.5km upgraded paths
• Creation of new car park(c200m2)
• 350m new paths linking the car park to the main site
• Installation of 6 benches/signs/interpretation boards
• 2 kissing gates/access controls
Ongoing maintenance (over 5 years):
• 9ha grassland management
• 2.5km path maintenance
• Litter removal – 6 times per year
• Scrub/vegetation clearance
What to see at Kinneil
The Kinneil Foreshore, lies to the west of Bo’ness, adjacent to the Forth Estuary Special Protection Area, the Firth of Forth Site Special Scientific Interest and an important wetland RAMSAR site for birds.
The area is a mixture of habitats – woodland and scrub, open grasslands, playfields and flowing water – hosting a range of locally and nationally important species.
Throughout the site you can observe:
Mammals
Roe Deer, Foxes, Rabbits, Pippistrelle bats
Birds
Cormorants, Curlew, Dunlin, Goldeneye, Plovers (ringed, red and grey), Eider, Red shank, Pink Footed Goose, Shelduck. Common garden birds, eg chaffinch, sparrow and swallow, inhabit the woodland. Owls, species unknown, may also be present.
Butterflies & Moths
Common Blue, Small Tortoiseshell, Large White, Meadow Brown, Painted Lady, Six Spotted Burnet Moth
Plants
Common Spotted Orchid, Yellow Rattle, Common Mouse-ear, plus summer meadow wildflowers (oxeye daisy, poppy, knapweed, scabious etc)
Trees
Birch, Alder, Willow, Scots Pine, Sycamore, Ash, Oak, Rowan.
For more information about the site or the works planned – contact Mike Ewart, CSFT Sustainable Development Officer, on 01501 824795
