Aird and Loch Ness Ward Forum
Thursday 22nd September
Stratherrick Hall, Gorthleck
Present
Councillor Margaret Davidson (Chairperson)
Councillor Helen Carmichael
Councillor Drew Hendry
Chief Inspector Graeme Murdoch, Northern Constabulary
Julian Fryer, Area Operations Manager (Highlands and Islands), Forest Enterprise
Doug Mitchell - Head of Planning Inverness Ross and Skye FD
Guy Pembroke - Design Plan Forester Inverness Ross and Skye FD
Keith Black - Harvesting and Marketing Forester Inverness Ross and Skye FD
Mike Stephens, Principal Engineer, TEC Services, Highland Council
Charles Stephen, Ward Manager, Highland Council
N. Kirkland, Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service
Frank Elam, Boleskine Wetland Project
Margaret Fraser, Boleskine Wetland Project
Eddie Fraser, Boleskine Wetland Project
Liz Merther, Stratherrick and Foyers Community Council
Katherine Grant, Stratherrick and Foyers Community Council
Donald Forbes, Stratherrick and Foyers Community Council
Molly Doyle, Strathglass Community Council
Heater Redmond, Strathglass Community Council
Edward Redmond, Strathglass Community Council
Iain Cameron, Dores Community Council
Alex Sutherland, Stratherrick and Foyers Community Council
Plus 30 members of the public
Apologies
Councillor Hamish Wood
Francis MacWilliams, Inverness West Community Council
Introduction
Councillor Davidson welcomed everyone and introduced colleagues from Forest Enterprise and from Highland Council.
Community Safety
Chief Inspector Murdoch outlined the plans by Scottish Government for a single police force in Scotland.
Q. Why has this decision been made?
A. There is a need to make structural changes to make savings. This will maintain police officer numbers on the beat.
Presentation on Timber Operations by Julian Fryer
Please see presentation slideshow.
Q. What is the relationship between private estates and Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS)?
A. FCS approves felling on private estates.
Q. How does the community engage in the Forest Design Plan?
A. FCS starts with stakeholders.
Q. Are the Forest Design Plan maps online?
A. Yes, when the FDP goes onto the public register after stakeholder consultation, it can be viewed on line over a 28 day period. After that period, it is removed.
Q. Will the FCS Forest Design Plan inform the community of how much timber will be extracted from given areas?
A. Yes – see the presentation. The Forest Design Plan stakeholder engagement process is the focus for the community. Private sector timber will not be represented through this medium.
Q. Should FCS look at road damage caused during timber operations?
A. FCS is a legitimate business that uses the public roads as others do. FCS liaises with TEC Services via the Agreed Route Procedures. Over the next 3 years FCS will extract 21,000 tonnes from the Gorthleck area, which equates, on average, to 2 lorries per day. This volume may flux for reasons such as windblow clearance and plant health issues.
Q. In Highland, 50% of timber operations are private. In the Gorthleck catchment, the split is 60% public and 40% private. Are their penalty clauses on their performance?
A. FCS cannot answer for the private sector.
Comments
B862 should not be a route for timber transport.
We would be happy to have the damage to roads sorted.
Mike Stephens. The Agreed Routes Procedure (www.timbertransportforum.org.uk ) is the starting point for consultation. The Council has a responsibility to promote the economy of the area and to look after the roads asset.
FCS/FE always liaise regarding timber extraction. Problems arise if landowners decide to extract without notification.
Alex Sutherland pointed out that a felling licence is required.
A. Felling licences are not always applied for to extract small amounts.
Q. Can FES inform Community Councils’ about extraction operations?
A. FES do notify Community Councils’ about the Forest Design Plan when it is being compiled – this one in 2005. Dores Community Council agreed they saw the Forest Development Plan in 2005.
Communities want to be informed when extraction operations are happening.
Q. Do TECS inspect roads prior to harvesting operations?
A. MS – yes, but it is difficult to prove who causes damage to roads because HGV’s operated by various industries also use the roads. The frequency of heavy loads travelling along roads has an impact – the higher the frequency of heavy loads the more damage.
Comments from the floor highlighted that 4 or 5 timber lorries often travel in convoy. It was also noted that a lot of the rural roads are in a poor state that have no timber traffic using them. It was noted that it is difficult to apportion blame
JF asserted that roads that had little or no investment for 15 years or more can incorrectly be labelled as deteriorating due to timber traffic. The impact that timber traffic has on the road is only an element of the history and use of the road.
Action
Councillor Davidson suggested a Communications Group be set up to include FCS/TECS/ Highland Council Forestry Officers/Community Councils representatives. This would ensure local communities receive up to date information relating to current and impending extraction operations.
JF responded that this will be difficult to achieve and FCS provides this information via the Forest Design Plan process and annual liaison with operational stakeholders e.g. TecServices.
Alex Sutherland asked if FCS will repair footpaths that have been damaged by timber extraction operations.
JF responded that this is the case for formal footpaths, but informal footpaths can be overlooked for the mere fact that we are not aware of their existence.
Q. How long after harvesting will sites be replanted?
A. Generally 5 years (fallow period) – although local circumstances may vary this.
Q. Are there any restrictions on the weight of vehicles used for timber extraction? Can you run limited weights?
A. Yes – we can also use a central tyre configuration.
Q. When deciding routes is anything done to pre-empt any damage?
A. TECS requests appropriate improvements and for the road to be in the same condition as when work started.
JF advised the Highland Timber Transport Group promotes good partnership working and has input circa £250,000 across Highland for road improvements. It prioritises and directs where the funding goes – mainly to much more rural and isolated areas such as in Sutherland.
Q. Does timber get transported on internal estate roads network?
A. Some does where this is possible.
Hugh Nicol asked if speed surveys can be carried out at Gorthleck because traffic travels fast through there. He also noted there was no school sign.
Action
TECS to conduct speed survey at Gorthleck.
TECS to liaise with Education regarding school sign.
Action
JF agreed to raise the profile among timber traffic contractors of Wait a Minute and work on minimizing convoys.
Red Band Needle Blight (RBNB)
RBNB is a plant health issue that affects pine of which coverage is about 20% of the standing stock.
Q. What do you do with infected timber?
A. If caught in time, the timber can still be utilised for its original purpose.
Pass of Inverfarigaig
Alex Sutherland commented that the pass is an important strategic route for local people – it will be closed for 26 weeks.
JF apologised for inconvenience and agreed to meet afterwards with AS.
FCS has done significant work in the area to eliminate problems from trees.
A request for information to be made available on the plans for harvesting at Trinloist between now and summer 2012 and the routes to be used.
Main road at Boleskine Cemetery (B852)
Mike Stephens advised the meeting that the wall on the culvert is falling away and the repair work will require the road to be closed for about 2 weeks. He advised this situation will need to rectified this year as it will not last through another winter.
Actions
• Set up Communications Group
• Provide details of FCS activity for next 2 years
• Better communications regarding routes and road closures
• Speed survey and school sign at Gorthleck