Balancing amenity and commercial concerns in Mull's community woodlands

摘要

The 699ha that make up North-west Mull Community Woodlands are unusual in many ways -perhaps the most significant is that they were the first to be sold to a community body under the National Forest Land Scheme in 2006 by Forestry Commission Scotland.Also of major significance is the distinctive view taken of the use and management of the woodlands. Although primarily conifer plantations with little amenity or production infrastructure when purchased, the community company's objectives were to develop the amenity value whilst maximising the commercial return and diversifying the land use. In the future, the overall open space and broad leaf planting will be doubled.