ABOUT US
FORRES FRIENDS OF WOODS AND FIELDS
Forres Friends of Woods and Fields is a local grassroots environmental charity based in the community of Forres, Moray in Scotland, aiming to restore our woodlands, support local food sustainability and aid the mental and physical well-being of the community.
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The charity is supported by the team of trustees with varying backgrounds and expertise and a large volunteer group, who aid with tree planting, cleaning and clearing, and growing, amongst other activities.
Our Woods
An 8-acre managed woodland
At the centre of the community of Forres, Scotland, sits a piece of beautiful oak woodland, the Kennel Wood, part of the larger Sanquhar Woods. Forres Friends of Woods and Fields aims are to conserve and regenerate this area so it can not only be enjoyed by the Moray community but also by the local wildlife. We moreover manage a smaller area of riparian woodland along the Mosset Burn, towards the flood scheme - a different habitat of wetter ash-alder wood.
The management of these woodlands includes planting tree saplings, forest flowers and other flora to generate growth and biodiversity, and also restore the habitat of many forest animals. Managing invasive species, such as laurel and rhododendrons, is also a large part of our strategy.
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Such habitat restoration will help the local red squirrels, badgers, pine martens and tawny owls survive and thrive. Our mission is to create abundant wildlife and to become a nature-based education hub for children and adults alike.
Our Fields
18-acres for a Community Growing Garden, Orchard and
The Upper Chapleton Field is a dedicated growing space, with one-acre Community Garden and the smaller Children's Garden. In these gardens, we work and grow together with nature, helping it thrive, using regenerative agricultural practices. And you can of course eat the literal fruits of our labour!
Kennel Field is envisioned have a large orchard with a variety of heritage fruit trees. Alongside the bank of the Mosset Burn, one can have a wee rest or a picnic. Members and volunteers can in the future learn how to grow their own food, learn about soil ecology, organic gardening practices, and, most importantly, find a connection with each other.
Together, we can enjoy the fruits of our labour from farm to fork.