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Inchture Redwoods Saved

02/09/2009
Carse of Gowrie

Work begins this Wednesday (11 February) on a project to save the avenue of historic giant redwoods at Inchture. In recent years, water trapped between the school and the important heritage trees has formed a large pond, which is slowly drowning the roots and killing these giants of nature.

Children of Inchture Primary School, along with their parents, are working with Perth & Kinross Council Community Greenspace team and Perth & Kinross Countryside Trust (PKCT) to improve the area of wetland adjacent to their school. The project aims to provide a new educational asset for the school, and to enhance the area for public access.

Robbie Gordon, PKCT project officer said: “The children were excited to learn that ‘their’ trees have an amazing history. Giant redwoods planted in the Carse of Gowrie were the first to ever be planted outside their native California. And it was all as a result of the efforts of local farmer and fruit grower, Patrick Matthew, whose sons sent him seeds they collected from Calaveras Grove, California in 1852, whilst panning for gold nearby.”

Amongst other things, the project will clear the site of dead trees and rubbish, and manage the wetland to provide wildlife habitat for a range of plants, animals and invertebrates. Bird and bat boxes will provide roosting and nest sites, and suitable native tree species will be planted around the area to replace those lost in the past.

The safe new educational facility will allow school pupils, and members of other organisations in the area, to study the ecosystem of a wetland at close quarters. The natural and cultural heritage of the area will also be researched to provide further interpretation around the site.

Lesley Lennon, Head of Inchture Primary School said: “The children are eager to get started on this project and are looking forward to helping out at every stage. The school also operates a programme of life skills’ activities to engage pupils with additional support needs in meaningful learning, and this project offers excellent opportunities for enriching this programme.”

Local members of the community alerted PKCT to the plight of the redwoods in late 2006. In 2007 the US Consul unveiled an interpretative panel telling the story of the redwoods and two new giant redwoods were gifted to the school and the community to replace the two that had recently died due to the water problem.

The project is funded by the Breathing Places programme, SITA Trust (Tayside Biodiversity Fund), Quality of Life Trust, and PKCT.