Residents have raised concerns over a raft of new commercial forestry planting proposals around Carsphairn.
People in the Stewartry’s remotest settlement have already complained that too many windfarms are being built in surrounding hills.
Now the community council has learned of four bids to plant hillsides overlooking the village, mostly with Sitka spruce.
The Daltallochan Hill, Furmiston, Marbrach and Carminnows schemes total more than 1,000 hectares – around four square miles.
Some native hardwood planting is envisaged but if approved the plantings would reduce hill grazings.
According to Carsphairn Community Council’s Katch Holmes, the proposals range from “local farmers diversifying or, predominantly, absent private investors”.
“All plantations feature one overriding crop, Sitka spruce,” Ms Holmes told the News. “All are applying to Scottish Forestry’s Woodland Creation Grant Scheme.
“Over 50 per cent of Carsphairn’s plantable land is already planted with monoculture plantations.
“It is therefore of particular importance that these last areas are given real community consideration when developing.”
Ms Holmes said the greatest concern surrounded the biggest scheme at Daltallochan Hill.
The proposal covers the western foothills and slopes of Cairnsmore of Carsphairn.
It would border the main walking routes up the mountain, Galloway’s fourth highest.
“This would see the first hills on entrance to the village, Holm Hill on the A713 and Craig of Knockgray, covered in Sitka spruce,” Ms Holmes said.
“It covers 680 hectares and includes the Green Well of Scotland as well as further archaeological sites and core path 487.
“In Carsphairn there is such a small amount of people tasked with the responsibility of caring for so much land.
“The way we use land is changing and no one is denying that.
“We just want the land that is left developed in the most ecologically and community friendly way possible.”
Carsphairn Community Council chairperson Liz Holmes has questioned whether local people would benefit.
She said: “Forestry claims to create jobs but how many local jobs are these plantations actually creating?
“Can the community actually use any of these plantations for recreation? People cannot walk through Sitka spruce forest as they currently exist around here.
“There are currently no hardwood native woodlands in Carsphairn.
“If public money is being used to subsidise these private plantations then communities should surely be benefiting.”
The Daltallochan scheme is being developed by West Yorkshire-based E J Downs Forestry “on behalf of clients”.
Mr Downs said: “We are in consultation with the community and will be holding a meeting with them.
“We have been open with them and are continuing with that.”
