Garries Wood Report

Garries Wood Report
A report by Solway Heritage on the condition of Garries Wood and recommendations for its future management has been produced.

Solway Heritage was asked by the Gatehouse Development Initiative to carry out an assessment of Garries Wood with a view to making recommendations for improving the site for biodiversity, habitat enhancement and future management.

Summary of Recommendations

1 Remove invasive alien and garden species from within Garries Wood.

2 Raise awareness of the need to prevent dumping of garden waste within the woodland.

3 Raise awareness of the biodiversity value of lowland burns and ditches.

4 Map the distribution of snowdrops throughout the wood.

5 Increase the coverage of native ground cover species such as snowdrops by transplanting.

6 Upgrade sections of footpath that are in poor condition.

7 Create habitat piles from the dead wood lying throughout the wood.

8 Introduce thinning in the sections of woodland where saplings have become dense.

9 Introduce a cycle of coppice rotation throughout selected areas of dense, immature woodland to open up the woodland canopy.

10 Plant appropriate native trees/shrubs in selected areas.

11 Cut back undergrowth in 1m strip each side of path.

12 Construct path link between woodland path and feature seat and links to create a circular path around the woods.

13 Thin out the immature trees and saplings from along the length of the
streamside to open up the waterway.

14 Promote the woodland, including the historic features, to the wider public.

It is unlikely that resources will be available to undertake all of the above recommendations and a rolling programme of works will need to be established
with the continuing input and support from the interested parties.

Download the full report.

Garries Wood Assessment and Management Proposals
(Report 2010) (pdf)