Douglasdale Community Woodland

A real asset for the community

The group was awarded a community asset transfer from South Lanarkshire Council for the purchase of the land at Douglas West Woodland on 30th June 2021. The asset transfer has been a focus of the group's for many years now, with lots of time and effort being put in by volunteers to get us to where we are today.

The group has already been completing work in the woodland, from maintaining path network of the woodland, to planting our beautiful cherry blossom trees in March. 

The asset transfer will allow the group to take greater ownership over the woodland, and we have big plans for the area going forward.

The group has carried out feasibility studies on the land, and our main aim is making the woodland more accessible, and create opportunities that will be of significant benefit to the wider community.

The History Behind it

The Community Woodland was established in the early 90's from the old mine site of the Douglas Castle Colliery. The site was purchased from Douglas & Angus Estates by Strathclyde Regional Council.

A plan was then formed to turn this former industrial site in to a new Community Woodland, by first removing the Southern Spoil Tip, and demolishing any remaining derelict buildings on site. This was completed by the mid nineties.

The Central Scotland Forest Trust then secured Forestry Commission Scotland grant funding and established the land as a community asset.

A big thanks

None of this would have been possible without the help of our amazing members, volunteers, funders, and South Lanarkshire Council.