At Glensaugh we are engaged in the on-going management of the Agroforestry plot system, which is now being managed as a demonstration for visitors. The photograph shows our new sign-board, which is placed alongside the track leading to the Croft & Birnie plots. The woodland alongside the sign is also being brought under management as the new Compartment 2. Within the Agroforestry plots we recently removed tree guards from five of the plots, where we were assisted by three Latvian women who we hired in through the machinery ring. Farm staff removed the tree nets from the site and these were subsequently bagged up (akin to bagging bed springs) and sent off site for recycling.

Since the Agroforestry site is no longer managed on an individual plot basis we are continuing to remove redundant internal fencing, which in a recent case also involved us in digging out a partially buried rabbit net. We are quite pedantic about the removal of scrap wire from Glensaugh and many lorry loads are taken off each year. A recent wire injury to a calf underlines the danger of leaving scrap wire lying on the ground (the calf survived incidentally but required expensive veterinary treatment).

Embedded within the Croft & Birnie site is a scheduled ancient monument (from which the name “Croft” is derived). At a recent inspection of the site we discussed its on-going management. The site will be grazed by sheep in future, but not cattle, and once again redundant internal fencing will be removed to improve its amenity.

Returning to the theme of public access, it is useful that the Agroforestry trail, which is designed as an educational tool, will in fact become a spur from the new access trail which is aimed at the general public. There will be added value to both, and our ancient monument work will add another point of interest for visitors.