COWDENBEATH environmental enterprise, Living Solutions, plans to take its forestry expertise on to the greens, having developed innovative skills in delivering low impact forestry techniques, which are ideally suited to golf courses. Working across a wide range of forestry disciplines, the dynamic team, who are all fully qualified, have become adept at removing troublesome and dangerous trees and complex root systems for farms, estates, housing associations and local woodlands, across Central Scotland.

Using equipment such as the bespoke “OxTrac” skidder/forwarder, which is a low impact forestry machine means they are capable of working in continuous cover woodlands, wetlands and boggy areas and pathways, big machines cannot access.

Commenting on forestry work on golf greens, Paul Cruise, Development Manager at Thistle Industrial Estate based, Living Solutions, said, “We are coming into the winter months when trees are more likely to be windblown and this can cause havoc near greens with large roots spiking through from the rough.

“This is exactly where we can help as we have the right low impact machinery to work near golf greens - the Oxtrac leaves little or no imprint on the ground it drives over and work would be carried out with minimal disruption to the course”.

Paul added, “We can also assist and advise on the sale of timber to small mills and firewood merchants which can help offset the cost of tree works being carried out and have our own timber processing unit where we can mill, kiln dry and process the wood felled on the course into products such as benches and way markers for the course”.

Commenting on a recent project for St Andrews University, Dr Roddy Yarr, Environment and Energy Manager said, “I was very impressed by the team’s equipment and the professional approach they adopted in tackling what was a very challenging steep bank adjacent to the Eden Estuary. They worked alongside Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), Fife Coast and Countryside who oversee the natural designations that apply to the estuary and Living Solutions played their part well in this process leaving the site in a very tidy and orderly condition.” Recent contracts include working with Fife Council, Ore Housing Association and the Forestry Commission with strong team capability to tender for contract work across a wide range of forestry, landscaping and woodland management Living Solutions www.living-solutions.org is a vibrant and burgeoning social enterprise based in Cowdenbeath and has been in operation for almost 10 years and is a social enterprise and recognised charity which was established in September 2005.

It started working for a local housing association with a small team of volunteers. This gradually developed to include woodland maintenance work, at first for a local landowner and then the Forestry Commission.The operation moved to an industrial unit in Thistle Industrial Estate enabling them to start processing the trees felled into timber to sell or into products such as fencing, decking, benches, bespoke products and components for affordable housing.

They now provide a range of opportunities to around 25 individuals per year, aimed at increasing skills, qualifications and confidence and helping people into employment.