A new film on Cormonachan Community Woodlands

A new film (8:12 mins) on Cormonachan Community Woodlands was released on Tuesday 14th March 2023 by the Community Woodlands Association and can be viewed here:-

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The Wee Goil – December 2022

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Upper Cormonachan Heritage Paths Project now Under Construction

We are very pleased to inform you that on Wednesday, 19th October 2022, the commencement of the £1/4 M construction of the Upper Cormonachan Heritage Paths Project has started.
The first BL Groundworks excavator arrived at Upper Cormonachan and it commenced work from the Forest Road down into the woodlands.
The whole area during construction (19th October to January 2023) will be closed to the public on the map for the area shown for safety reasons.
The map shows the closed new path route from the Contemplation Shelter. Temporarily, we have left open access to the Amazonian’s Oak tree and plaque planted for COP26 in November 2021 until the excavator reaches that area.
BBC – The One Show will be filming the start of the path construction, Cormonachan Falls and our Cormonachan Woodlands Rhododendron ponticum clearance programme on Monday 24th October and anyone interested in helping our Volunteers Leader, Frances Walker with cutting back the Rhododendron in the Clach Bhadach area to the north of the woodlands will appear on television. If you can help, please e-mail Frances at Volunteers@cormonachan-woodlands.co.uk.
The BBC programme is to show there are good news follow ups to COP26 when COP27 commences in November. As part of the Amazonian’s visit to see our part of Scotland’s Rainforest, the Scottish Rainforest Alliance are sending their representative, Gordon Gray Stephens, who was present with the Amazonians last year, to be interviewed with Dee Locke as Secretary of Cormonachan Community Woodlands.
The new car park at Cormonachan Falls will most likely be constructed in January 2023 and there will be an official opening of the new 2 km paths connecting Cormonachan Falls, the Medieval Settlement, access to the Forest Road and the extended paths to the Contemplation Shelter to join the existing 2.5 km giving an increased walking area of 4.5 km in the spring of 2023.
If you can help Frances for a short time on Monday, it would be very appreciated.
If you haven’t yet visited Argyll Arts Collective’s ‘Woodlands Art Trail’ in the woodlands, it is open until 30th October and is a FREE event. We do of course hope visitors will contribute to the maintenance of the paths using the Donations Post by the Contemplation Shelter.
Cormonachan Community Woodlands, Loch Goil, Argyll
63.9 ha of Ancient Semi Natural Woodlands and part of Scotland’s Rainforest that received the Highly Commended Award in Scotland’s Finest Woods Awards 2022.

 

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“The Ghost Rainforest”

07/11/2021 Picture Duncan McGlynn Indigenous people from the Amazon Rainforest perform a sacred blessing ritual to a Scottish rainforest, Cormonachan Community Woodlands in Argyll, Scotland. The group from Association Jiboiana were in Scotland to attend COP26 in Glasgow but made the special visit to the woodlands and film. ©Duncan McGlynn 

 

“The Ghost Rainforest” – A short 10 minute film released on 17th August 2022.
Watch by clicking this link:-
Told from the perspective of indigenous activist Narubia Werreria, ‘The Ghost Rainforest’ follows a group of five indigenous leaders and activists from the Amazon, making an emotionally charged journey to the last remnant of a lost ecosystem; a desperately rare temperate rainforest habitat on the West Coast of Scotland.
Featuring: Narubia Werreria, Thaline Iny Karajá, Val Munduruku, Siã Huni Kuin & Busã Huni Kuin.
Filmed at Cormonachan Community Woodlands between Lochgoilhead and Carrick Castle, Loch Goil, Argyll during COP26 in November 2021.
Made possible by The Alliance for Scotland’s Rainforest, Association Jiboiana & Raleigh International.
Funded by the Woodland Trust, Plantlife, RSPB, John Muir Trust, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority, Reforesting Scotland, Scottish Land and Estates and private individuals.
An Earthrise Studios Production.

 

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Cormonachan Community Woodlands was awarded “Highly Commended” in Scotland’s Finest Woods Awards 2022

Jacqui Matthews, Mairi McAllan & Dee Locke

Cormonachan Community Woodlands between Lochgoilhead and Carrick Castle was awarded “Highly Commended” in Scotland’s Finest Woods Awards (www.sfwa.co.uk), Community Woodlands Award (Small community woodland group competition) on 24th June 2022 at the Scottish Government’s Pavilion at the Royal Highland Show and Dee Locke, Secretary and Jacqui Matthews, Woodlands Manager, accepted the award and plaque from Màiri McAllan, Minister for Environment and Land Reform, who presented the Awards, said: “Scotland boasts a strong woodland heritage that is admired by many countries and its international reputation for good woodland management is well deserved”.
Please note if you wish to see the video of the presentation click on the link to www.sfwa./co.uk and open the video going to 34.38 to 35.56 where Cormonachan Community Woodlands presentation is shown.
Photo: Julie Broadfoot
Our Plaque
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Volunteers Day Report of 14th April 2022

Six National Park Volunteers clearing cut down Rhododendron ponticum in the Clach Bhadach path area in the north of Cormonachan Community Woodlands.

Under the team leadership of Jacqui Matthews, Cormonachan Community Woodlands, Woodlands Manager, she led nine volunteers (3 local and 6 National Park volunteers) on Thursday 14th April 2022 between 10 am and 4 pm clearing the already cut down Rhododendron ponticum from the old tunnel between the north road entrance and the Clach Bhadach area lower path and stacking these branches to an open area ready for burning during the summer. In the afternoon, the National Park volunteers helped Jacqui move the six ‘Wee People’ sculptures from being on their own to being in a group just north of the ‘Have a Go Stones’ and ‘Labyrinth’ area on the top path. It was a fun job to do and it was reported that the day was enjoyed by all. Thank you to all these volunteers, it makes such a difference to have help to look after the maintenance of the woodlands and to improve the walks for our visitors.

The National Park volunteers setting up the new site for the six ‘Wee People’ to be in a group together.

The National Park volunteers and Jacqui (right) with the ‘Wee People’…

The six ‘Wee People’ grouped together as hopeful volunteers!

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Dunoon Observer 25th March 2022

The Dunoon Observer 25/03/2022
This is just to report that Crowdfunding did not work for this type of appeal. Cormonachan Community Woodlands had already raised £18,400 locally before we tried to use the Crowdfunder system.
Now that this Crowdfunder appeal has closed, we have raised a further £1,020 plus £245 in gift aid from 10 supporters and a further £119 direct, making £19,814 added to the ‘Upper Cormonachan Heritage Paths Project’ in donations.
As we have been offered £106,879 from NatureScot through the Agri-Environmental Climate Scheme for Improving Public Access, we have now an application submitted for the balance of the pathways construction cost of £253,146 with the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
If this is successful and we’ll know by June 2022, the work will commence on 1st September and be completed by 31st December 2022.
We have huge support for the project from Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park, Argyll & Bute Council’s Economic Dept. and 28 letters of support from politicians, community organisations, local businesses, many other organisations and of course, our local and associate members.
We would like to thank everyone who has supported this project so far and for future supporters, as we still welcome new support…
When the project has been completed there will be access to the new pathways from the existing paths at the Contemplation Shelter, from the Forest Road above the woodlands and from a new car park below Cormonachan Falls and the Medieval Settlement. There will also be five bridges and four view points giving panoramic views over the waterfalls and Loch Goil.

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Reforesting Scotland in Cormonachan Community Woodlands

Just published in the Journal of ‘Reforesting Scotland’ – Spring/Summer 2022 edition on pages 22 & 23 there is an article on ‘A rainforest blessing: finding common ground’
Global solidarity in Cormonachan Community Woodlands.
We now have to wait for another film called ‘The Ghost Rainforest’ to be screened sometime in the near future that includes Cormonachan Community Woodlands.
We hope you enjoyed watching ‘Loggerheads’ Episode 5. If you missed it you can still watch it on BBC iPLAYER for the next year…

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‘Loggerheads’ BBC Scotland Channel – Series 1 (6 x 30 minutes) commencing 8.30 pm on Thursday 17th February 2022…

‘Loggerheads’ BBC Scotland Channel – Series 1 (6 x 30 minutes) commencing 8.30 pm on 17th February 2022…
Max, the Logger Horse working with the Loggerheads Teams
Are you ready for some blood, sweat and sawdust? In this series two teams of charismatic wood workers go deep into the forests of Scotland on a mission. They must each crop down a sustainable tree and use it to create a lavish woodwork project for a local community. Going up against each other, they then have 24 hours to complete the best project. It could be stargazing tower, a playful climbing frame or a unique art of art. Which rough handed, yet big hearted team will meet the best brief?
At the same time each week for six weeks you will be able to watch the teams work in different forest and woodlands areas of Scotland.
Cormonachan Community Woodlands features in the whole of episode five on Thursday 17th March 2022. Put a note in your dairy to watch ‘Loggerheads’, it is a fun series of programmes hosted by Farmer Jim! It will also be available on BBC iPlayer.

Don’t forget to support our funding appeal for the Upper Cormonachan Heritage Paths Project by visiting:-

Enjoy the ‘Loggerheads’ series especially the one in Cormonachan Community Woodlands on Thursday 17th March at 8.30 pm.
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Count us in for community win

News from the Scottish Rural Network
https://www.ruralnetwork.scot/news-and-events

Person with arms outstretched in waterfall in woods
Cormonachan Falls
Lisa Paton
Wednesday 9 February 2022 – 12:58

Congratulations to Cormonachan Community Woodlands Ltd – the first group to successfully complete their project funded by the Rural Communities ‘Ideas into Action’ (RCIIA) Fund.

The £1.8m of funding is part of the Scottish Government’s commitment to trial new and innovative approaches to community-led local development (CLLD) with 120 not-for-profit community groups successful in securing funding.

Cormonachan Community Woodlands on Loch Goil’s western side between Lochgoilhead and Carrick Castle in Argyll is an area of Ancient Semi Natural Woodlands, part of the Scottish Rain Forest and home to red squirrels and pine martens. The charity behind the woodlands received funding to install a second People Counter for the off-road access and – already in place – the group intend to use the data gathered to help with event planning and future development of the site.

The first People Counter in the main car park entrance was installed in October 2020 and, in the first full year of recording visitor numbers, almost 10,000 visitors used that entrance. This was a surprise to the group – previous estimates had put the numbers in the region of 4,000. This information is now being used to help with planning and future fund-raising.

Dee Locke, from Cormonachan Community Woodlands, says the second counter will be of great benefit:

“The second access off the road at Clach Bhadach has been even more unknown so we asked local hospitality businesses (guest houses, B&Bs & the nearby cafe) where they thought their visitors entered the woodlands. Apparently, many do just walk to the woodlands and use this small first entrance so we will have to wait a year for the yearly total but we will have the monthly totals recorded with immediate effect.

Knowing the numbers of visitors to our woodlands on a daily and monthly basis is extremely helpful in planning events as we hold Woodlands Artworks and Sculptures events each autumn, Walking Theatre events earlier in the year with occasional Open Days. We have a Red Squirrel Hide in the woodlands to watch our red squirrels and our Contemplation Shelter with an astounding view over Loch Goil.

This last year we had the indigenous Amazonians attending COP 26 visit and plant an oak tree to commemorate their visit with 100 press and various organisations attend the event. We also had the BBC Scotland’s episode of ‘Loggerheads’ filmed in the woodlands [the series starts 17 February at 8.30pm and on BBC iPlayer].”

As a charity run 100% by volunteers, the group relies on donations and grants to fund projects and keep all events and access to the woodlands free year round. Having the data to demonstrate just how well-used these stunning woodlands are will help with their future ambitions.

At present, the group are trying to raise funds for a major project: the ‘Upper Cormonachan Heritage Paths Project’ will extend the path network from 2.5km to 4km and open access to the Medieval Settlement and the beautiful Cormonachan Falls. Costing £250,000 the group have so far raised half of this and are now looking for crowd funding for the other half – every donation will help.

We wish the Cormonachan Community Woodlands all the best with their future plans. It’s great to see that the RCIIA funding is helping put their ambitious ideas into action for the benefit of the community. If you want to find out more, or get involved as a volunteer or to take part in an event, visit their website.

Funding Appeal – https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/upper-cormonachan-heritage-paths-project – Please support us – Thank you.

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