COMMITTEE

• Chairman - Lesley Muirden 01721 730215
• Vice Chair - David Sales 01721 730355
• Treasurer - Karen O'Hanlon 01968 676246
• Membership Secretary - Neil MacDonald  01968 674136
• Fundraising and Volunteer co-ordinator - Wendy Cunningham 01721 730390
• Fundraising and Volunteer co-ordinator - Des O'Hanlon 01968 676246

Volunteer Days.

Friends of Leadburn Community Woodland run volunteer days on the last Sunday of every month.  Thank you very much to all who turned up to help last year- even in some appalling weather!  In April, we were able to plant trees; the other days have mainly involved clearing some of the re-growth from the raised bog. For our fifth volunteer day (29th July) we welcomed a much needed boost in manpower provided by 12 members of the Lothian Conservation Volunteers.

Volunteer days in early 2008 are: Sunday 27th January, 24th February, 30th March and 27th April.  All are welcome.  Start at 10am - but whatever time you can spare will be very welcome - whether 1 hour or 6.  Meet at the layby on the A703.  Tools provided but make sure you are warmly dressed

Planting so far has concentrated on native deciduous trees. Most of these have had to be protected by tree shelters because roe deer are present. We have planted 374 trees so far, including 116 sessile oak,90 common alder, 30 silver birch, 30 goat willow and 30 Scots pine. The rather poor summer has meant that almost all of the tubed trees have grown very well; we believe that we have only lost one of them so far.

LEADBURN COMMUNITY WOODLAND

Most Eddleston residents will be familiar with the area of clear fell at Leadburn on the left hand side of the A703 before the Leadburn crossroads.  Perhaps you pass it on a daily basis on your commute into Edinburgh.  This is the time to start looking at it with new eyes.  Instead of just a rather bleak area covered in trash and tree stumps it could be transformed into an area of native trees, warm and alive with wildlife, well used by local people for recreation.

Leadburn Wood is an area of former conifer plantation, previously owned by the Forestry Commission. It was clear felled in 2001/2 and, due to its unsuitability for commercial forestry, the Commission chose to sell the site after the timber had been extracted.

The Friends of Leadburn Community Woodland was formed in 2005 and purchased the site in February 2007. Financial assistance with the purchase was received from the Scottish Land Fund and from the European Community Scottish Borders Leader+ 2000-2006 Programme.

Newsletter

For more pics and up to date info, have a look at our newsletter in the online library

VOLUNTEERS

This is an early picture of some volunteer helpers having a first look at what needs to be done.  Keep looking here for updates and for links to regular newsletters

The woodland was opened officially on 1st April by Jeremy Purvis, our local MSP. Jeremy has followed the progress of this project since the initial stages and was pleased to come along and plant the first tree. The tree chosen was a sessile oak and is the single tree in the hollow next to the railway on the western side of the site. We are pleased to say that it is still alive and thriving! A sizeable group of members and supporters were there on the day to continue planting trees and also to share in the celebration cake baked by Jill Sales. This was a real work of art, complete with our logo and decorated with leaves.   Here is a photo of Jeremy's tree

Membership