NEW woodlands involving 300,000 trees will be planted in the upper catchment of the River Tweed in a £1.25m scheme.

The project – involving Borders farmers – is part of the £25m Destination Tweed river restoration initiative.

Thousands of native trees are set to be planted in the upper catchment over the next four years, largely on hill sheep farms, creating 200 hectares of native and riparian woodland.

Upper Kidston, Edston and Lyne farms near Peebles have been the first to participate in the project, planting a combined 44,000 trees.

It is being managed by Borders environmental charity Tweed Forum. 

Project manager Hamish Robertson said: “We’re extremely grateful to Borders farmers for their involvement in this initiative.

“The project is enabling the integration of sheep farming, forestry and conservation at a catchment scale, addressing climate change, wildlife habitat challenges, water quality issues and more while providing many additional benefits for the farms.

“It will also enhance the visitor experience for anyone using the new River Tweed Trail and create a significant and lasting legacy for hundreds of years to come.”

Matt Griffin, the farm manager for Neidpath Farms, part of Wemyss and March Estate, is responsible for Edston and Lyne farms.  

He said: “We already operate a nature-based farming approach across the businesses and this native tree-planting is a natural progression.

“Fixing the broken water cycle to improve soil structure and build ecological, environmental and economic resilience is a core aim. Managing our waterways through this kind of riparian planting and excluding stock from riverbanks also helps to reduce nutrient loss from the soil into nearby streams.

“This work will help to future proof the management of the land as policymakers increase their focus on agriculture’s environmental impact and sustainability.”

Farms are responsible for tree maintenance but also benefit from the provision of shelter and shading for livestock, new fences, increased farm biodiversity and the carbon credits generated by the project, which can be used towards the business carbon audit.

Destination Tweed has the creation of a 113-mile source to sea River Tweed Trail at its core, but also includes a series of landscape-scale restoration projects to enhance the character and biodiversity of the river environment.

A Destination Tweed spokesperson said: “The new woodlands will offer many benefits including slowing the flow of surface water run-off after heavy rainfall and acting as a buffer to improve water quality.

“Ecological and riparian woodland networks will enhance habitat for wildlife including priority species such as otter and black grouse, with partial shading of watercourses helping to regulate water temperatures and assist the survival of Atlantic salmon.

“The woodlands will be close to, or highly visible from the proposed River Tweed Trail, enhancing the beauty of the environment for those using the new route.”