Thousands object to Woodland Trust plans to fell Loch Leven woodland

After meeting with local campaigners, the Woodland Trust is reconsidering its controversial plans to fell almost an entire Loch Leven woodland to “see where adjustments can be made”.

Over 2,000 people have signed a petition against the Woodland Trust’s proposal to fell most of the trees on Portmoak Moss – known locally as The Moss – and restore it to an open peatland habitat.

The UK’s largest woodland conservation charity wants to restore the ancient lower raised bog, which it says is “far more valuable for biodiversity and carbon sequestration than the woodland”.

But over 2,000 members of the public have signed a petition on change.org opposing the mass tree felling.

Kinross-shire ward councillor Willie Robertson recently organised a meeting at the woods to discuss the plans. In attendance were three senior representatives of the Woodland Trust, all four Kinross-shire ward councillors, Portmoak Community Council chairman Andy Miller, David Batchelor from the Portmoak Community Woodland Group, Rory Sillar from the Protect Portmoak Moss campaign and Perth and Kinross Council senior access officer Dave Stubbs.

Portmoak Moss woodland The Woodland Trust

Woodland Trust Scotland spokesman George Anderson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “The lowland raised bog at Portmoak formed over thousands of years and is a rare and special natural feature.

“The non-native conifers making up most of the trees we propose to fell were planted by the Forestry Commission as a commercial crop a few decades ago. They have much lower nature conservation value than the bog.

“We respect that some people like the trees and don’t want The Moss to change, but – regardless of our proposals – change is inevitable. The plantation is now at the end of its life. If we don’t cut the mature trees down, they will almost certainly fall in future storms, causing more damage to the peatland, posing a risk to public safety and impeding people’s access.

“Everyone’s comments have been noted, and we are looking again at our plans to see where adjustments can be made.”

The Woodland Trust confirmed it plans to share its next steps and thinking by the end of February 2026.

It is currently liaising with Portmoak Community Council to hold an open meeting in the spring, to give people an opportunity to ask questions about the revised proposals it is drawing up. Once a date has been arranged, it will be advertised locally and on social media.

Cllr Willie Robertson (in black jacket on the right) with campaigners at Portmoak Moss LDRS

Portmoak Community Council’s chairman, Andy Miller, said he and the community council were keen to help find a solution “to help defuse the current situation”.

Protect Portmoak Moss campaigner Rory Sillar added: “Those opposed to this proposal consider the current Woodland Trust plan to be brutal and extreme.

“We know there are stands of non-native trees within the moss but there are also many indigenous trees such as Scots pines and silver birch. Portmoak Moss has a huge range of biodiversity which we want to protect including red squirrels, pine martins, green woodpeckers and much more. We would really like the Woodland Trust to think again.”

Cllr Willie Robertson is pleased the Woodland Trust is listening to locals’ concerns.

The Liberal Democrat councillor said: “I am pleased that the Woodland Trust came to the site meeting to listen to the concerns of all those who love and use Portmoak Moss. It is a wonderful resource and its long term future must be protected for future generations.

“I think the representatives of the trust were amazed at the number of people we met of all ages walking on the paths during our visit. It would be a terrible result if the access people currently enjoy were to be compromised by what the Woodland Trust currently plans to do.”

Portmoak Moss sits on the southeastern edge of the Loch Leven Nature Reserve. It was acquired by the Woodland Trust in 1996. The conservation charity began the “forest to bog” restoration process at The Moss in 2000.

Twelve hectares of non-native conifer woodland were felled and restored as an open peat bog in the central area of The Moss between 2000 and 2005.

Since then, drains have been blocked, cut peat edges have been re-profiled, and regenerating trees have been removed. While this has improved the bog habitat, the charity said there are signs the trees are drying out the bog, and it is not wet enough to maintain itself.

Should the proposals go ahead, the felling is expected to start in autumn 2026, with peatland restoration work taking place over the winter 2026/27 and taking around four to five months in total. During that time, there would be some temporary path closures for public safety.

The charity has pledged to retain small areas of mainly native woodland in The Moss, particularly around Wellburn and the car park.

It has assured the Local Democracy Reporting Service it will work with NatureScot and licensed ecologists to ensure any squirrel dreys or bat roosts are not in use before felling, and appropriate mitigations are in place, through a species protection plan and licence from NatureScot.

Such measures might include maintaining “escape corridors” allowing red squirrels to escape to the retained woodland near the car park, where they can disperse to Kilmagad Wood and woodland around Loch Leven.

A PKC spokesperson said: “The Woodland Trust has ambitious plans for peatland restoration at Portmoak Moss in order to increase biodiversity in the area.

“Concerns have been raised about public access, and we have offered advice to the Woodland Trust about managing access during the works and upon completion.”