Melissa introduced Irene McCreath who along with her daughter Naomi had brought along four very special visitors. Members were invited to go outside where they were introduced to Fleur, Alex, Penelope and George.

The concept of rewilding seems to be everywhere. With its potential to address the twin crises of global heating and biodiversity loss, that’s understandable.

When I came to live in the beautiful Glenkens, six years ago, I was quite unprepared for the speed and scale of local land use change, and the affect this would have on my ability to set up in business.

The land use of the Glenkens and wider Galloway is undergoing change at a pace and scale that has not been seen since the creation of the Forest Park.

The speed of land use change in Galloway is extraordinary.
In what seems like no time at all, extensive areas of traditional hill farming country have gone to commercial forestry, and given the time delay between approval and delivery of new forest projects, it’s hard to grasp the enormity of what’s coming next.

The Glenkens has a rich and diverse farming heritage. A patchwork of small family owned or long term tenanted farms sits alongside larger estates and holdings. Our mix of uplands and lower lying land create opportunities for different soil distribution and habitat types.