Iconic hill with views of Wallace Monument at heart of new eco project near Bannockburn battlefield

A popular beauty spot in the Ochil Hills with commanding views to the Wallace Monument is at the centre of new plans to plant trees and boost Scotland’s native wildlife.

Dumyat, not far from the city of Stirling and a few miles from the historic Bannockburn battlefield, is popular with visitors and locals alike because of its rugged territory and stunning hilltop viewpoint.

The site is also steeped in history, with the remains of an ancient hill fort dating back to Roman times as well as former copper and barytes mining sites.

Now Future Forest Company, which has recently bought the 480-hectare Dumyat estate, is working on a scheme aimed at maximising the ecological value of the site to help tackle climate change.

Future Forest Company has plans to plant around 250,000 native trees at Dumyat, boosting natural habitat for wildlife and helping store up climate-warming carbon

The firm is intending to partially reforest the site with around 250,000 native trees, restore degraded natural habitat to increase species diversity and improve facilities for people.

Planting will not take place near the summit of Dumyat or at sensitive features, including the hill fort, which will be buffered.

Natural regeneration of trees and plants will be encouraged to progress on some of the area’s steepest and least accessible terrain, providing homes for a diverse range of mammals, birds, reptiles, insects, plants and fungi and performing an important role in capturing climate-warming carbon.

Dumyat is popular with visitor and locals alike and offers breathtaking views across the local landscape -- including the Wallace Monument

Dumyat will provide local jobs and volunteering opportunities while also serving as an educational and research resource for schools and universities.

And the local community and anyone with a special interest in the future of the site is being invited to help Future Forest Company draw up its vision.

The company, which aims to plant 50 million trees across the UK by 2025, already has a number of projects up and running, including several in Scotland.

Future Forest Company is already working at sites on the Isle of Mull, at Brisbane Mains near Largs and Brodoclea near Glasgow.

Jade Rein, Future Forest Company co-founder, said: “Dumyat is a fantastic site for our next reforestation project and we look forward to returning the site to woodland by planting native trees, reducing the impact of carbon emissions.

“We know how much Dumyat means for local communities in Stirling, Clackmannanshire and the surrounding area, so look forward to working closely with residents and organisations to protect the planet for future generations, whilst ensuring access to Dumyat continues.”

Future Forest Company will host a community consultation drop-in session at Stirling University Innovation Park on March 21.

The in-person event will be open for all to attend, allowing local residents and those who currently use Dumyat for recreation purposes to meet with the team, hear more about the plans and discuss how communities can work together with the firm on the project.

An online survey will also be available to provide further opportunities for feedback on the plans.

Future Forest Company estate manager Jamie Adcock said: “We’ve spent the last six months gathering all the information we need to make educated decisions about how we manage the land, including surveys of archaeology, breeding birds and vegetation, amongst many others.

“It’s now important we take into account the public opinion on our plans in order to make decisions that will positively impact the local community and wider users of the site.”

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