A dedicated team of villagers are celebrating their move from forming a WhatsApp group to becoming local landowners.
Easter Breich Wood Community group set itself up on-line as a steering committee during the pandemic when a “For Sale” sign appeared at the entrance to the woodlands near Oakbank Cottages in open country between West Calder and Seafield to the north. The woods are popular with villagers from Polbeth, Seafield and West Calder.
This month the group celebrated as they became new owners of the woodlands and a registered charity, having secured the support of the Scottish Land Fund to buy the 19 hectares.
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The woodland is bordered by the River Almond and the Breich Water. It is frequently used for walking, cycling, running and horse-riding by local people, and is home to a diverse range of wildlife.
The paths that pass through the woodland are part of the Shale Trail, which is a 25km route from West Calder to Winchburgh, commemorating West Lothian’s shale mining heritage.
The woodlands were put on the market two years ago by the Green Action Trust. In the two years since, a variety of fund-raising supports and bids to the Scottish Land Fund, plus the overwhelming support of local people has enabled the charity to buy the woods.
Niamh Coyne, one of the group said: “Through early discussions, it became clear the Group did not want to see the woodland sold to a new private owner, and so began their journey to purchase the woodland on behalf of the surrounding local community. The group was overwhelmed with the amount of support gained, with around 300 local residents in the weeks and months that followed.”
Stage 2 funding was secured from the Scottish Land Fund last September and conveyancing finalised last month.
Niamh said: “Easter Breich Wood Community Group would like to extend their thanks to each and every person who has supported the group during the application process, and we hope you continue to enjoy the beauty, peace and wildlife the woodland has to offer the local community.
"We are so grateful to West Calder and Harburn Community Development Trust for all their help and support throughout the process so far, and we look forward to working closely with the Trust in the coming months to coordinate management of the woodland and host volunteer days and events.”
