Tree population set to sprout after funding boost

Jonathan Hawick of Scottish Forestry and Georgia Smith of Shetland Amenity Trust at the tree nursery.

A tree nursery in Lerwick is set to expand its production after an almost £10k cash boost.

The Shetland Amenity Trust is looking to more than double the number of trees it grows in the isles, from 18,000 this year to 45,000 by next year.

Despite Shetland’s reputation as being ‘treeless’, Scottish Forestry said demand for trees was now growing in the isles.

And it has provided a grant of £9,500 to help the tree nursery expand its production.

In response to the increased interest in planting, Shetland Amenity Trust’s tree nursery in Lerwick is expanding its production with the help of a £9,500 Scottish Forestry grant.

Jonathan Hawick of Scottish Forestry said they were “really pleased to see the growing level of interest in planting trees”.

“This nursery has a crucial role to play in providing suitable, well adapted trees to folk in Shetland,” he said.

“The trust is carrying out excellent work collecting seeds, including from Shetland’s few remaining native woods, and growing them on.”

The amenity trust has collected seeds from sites such as the Burn of Valayre to plant them in other woodland areas.

Georgia Smith from the trust said: “These trees are really important to continue with the genetic diversity of Shetland’s native trees which are well adapted to our conditions.

“We also grow some hardy species from overseas, such as Willows and Alder from Alaska, to help provide windbreaks and shelter.”