Borders Forest Trust undertook an integrated study to allow for the sensitive ecological restoration and expansion of a rare surviving habitat and provide a resource for more widespread recognition and restoration of ancient wood pasture, slope alder wood pasture in particular. The hope was that this work will further facilitate the restoration of these important woodlands, showcase best practice and promote collaboration in an upland context.

The integrated ecological and historical case study of Dairywood has created a detailed picture of the woodland on which to build a plan for the restoration and expansion of this habitat, and created a learning resource and demonstration site for other organisations and future work.

Individual reports produced:

• Dairy Wood Dendrochronology report by Coralie Mills
• Historic Woodland Synthesis report by Coralie Mills
• NVC data and NVC map by Ben and Alison Averis
• Old Map Report Part 1 by Peter Quelch
• Old Map Report Part 2 by Peter Quelch

“Wood pasture may offer a structure that can reunite forester, farmer and naturalist in restoring and maintaining a valued habitat and a sustainable multiple land use (Stiven & Holl)”

Coralie M Mills, Nicola Hunt and Catriona Patience were awarded the George Campbell Memorial Trophy by RSFS for their account – Back to the future: Investigations to inform the restoration of Dairy Wood, a historic wood pasture near Moffat (Vol 79 No 1, Spring 2025) – publicly available to read here.