A team of 13 volunteers from project teams working on SSEN Transmission's nearby Errochty Grid Supply Point (GSP) project including volunteers from their contractor Burns & McDonnell downed their usual tools to help support the planting at Dun Coillich community woodland.
Together the volunteers worked to plant over 200 native hazel trees, as well as clearing bracken around some of the newly planted trees to give them space to grow.
Dun Coillich community woodland is located in Glengoulandie, just to the east of Schiehallion within Highland Perthshire, and covers some 420 hectares of land. The area is community-owned and managed by Highland Perthshire Communities Land Trust (HPCLT), who are working to create a mosaic of native woodland and semi-natural habitats beneficial for the local community, local economy and local wildlife.
Thanks to the ecological restoration efforts of the Highland Perthshire Communities Land Trust (HPCLT), the area is widely recognised as a biodiversity hotspot. The land supports a variety of wildlife, including adders, water voles, breeding hen harriers, and black grouse, highlighting the importance of creating and managing a mosaic of habitats including heath, bracken, and mixed woodland.
SSEN Transmission is investing £20bn to upgrade the electricity network in the north of Scotland to unlock the country's renewable energy resources in support of national net zero and energy security targets. Planting initiatives such as this underline SSEN Transmission's commitment to delivering a "greener grid" , focusing on habitat restoration and creating biodiversity growth across the network in the north of Scotland. The company is committed to delivering 10% Biodiversity Net Gain on all new sites, working to actively improve sites for the benefit of local communities, flora and fauna.
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The project team are already in discussions with HPCLT about carrying out a further environmental initiative on an additional five hectares, helping to establish mountain woodland at Dun Coillich as part of a biodiversity net gain project linked to the ongoing development at Errochty GSP.
Commenting on the volunteering work, Joanna Thow, Consents and Environment Manager for SSEN Transmission said:
"Looking after the environment and promoting biodiversity is a key part of all of our projects, and as a team we are keen to leave a positive environmental legacy as part of our work on the Errochty Grid Supply Point Project. When we heard about the Dun Coillich Woodland and the incredible work the Highland Perthshire Communities Land Trust are doing to restore the habitat there, we reached out to see how we could help.
"I think everyone really enjoyed learning about the fantastic work being done at Dun Coillich, and we're so pleased to play even just a small part in helping to restore this beautiful area to support such a rich variety of wildlife.
"We look forward to hearing more about the progress at Dun Coillich and exploring further ways to get involved."
Willie McGhee, Forest Manager at Highland Perthshire Communities Land Trust, said: "HPCLT are very grateful to SSEN Transmission and their team of volunteers for pitching in and helping us to create a new Oak-Hazel native woodland at Dun Coillich. It was good to see the enthusiasm and commitment of the staff, getting stuck into planting trees on a bracken covered hillside and we very much hope to see them back again for future tree planting, although next time it may be a wee bit higher up the hill and require more grunt!"
Steve Morgan, Environment Director at Burns & McDonnell UK, said: "Burns & McDonnell are delighted that three of our Environment & Sustainability (ENS) team in Scotland were able to join SSEN Transmission and HPCLT for the woodland planting at Dun Coillich. We are the Principal Contractor delivering the Errochty GSP project, and being able to support the Dun Coillich efforts exemplifies the environmental and social value we are committed to giving back to the communities within which we work."
SSEN Transmission's Errochty Grid Supply Point (GSP) project involves creating a new substation to facilitate the connection of additional renewable energy generation from the nearby Tummel Power Station, as well as new components and electrical infrastructure to allow that power to connect into SSEN Distribution's electricity network for homes and businesses in the area. The project is currently under construction and is expected to be completed at the end of 2025.
