New video showcases expertise of Projects Team
A new video showcases the expertise of the Scottish Woodlands’ projects team in clearing trees from large wind farm sites.
The film focuses on Windy Standard 3 in Dumfries & Galloway, where Scottish Woodlands is clearing almost 300 hectares of trees, and marketing around 90,000 tonnes of timber.
The clearance is being carried out to allow the construction of 20 new turbines by Fred Olsen Renewables at one of the longest-established wind farms in Scotland. Phase 3 will have 87.6 Megawatts of capacity, and produce energy for 130,000 homes annually.
Matt Parr, General Manager, Projects, for Scottish Woodlands, says in the video: “We started discussing the project in 2024 to ensure important strategic planning dates were met to ensure the smooth running of the project. Work started in May 2025, and we anticipate it will take about 18 months."
“The relationship with Fred Olsen has been fantastic. On a project of this size, problems are always going to occur, so a strong bond and trusting relationship means these can be ironed out, and corrected very easily on site.”
Eirik Brandsdal, Project Director for Fred Olsen Renewables, says: “Establishing a close collaboration with Scottish Woodlands has been key to maintaining the progress and sorting out challenges when they arise. It's been working very well."
“You communicate in a good way when things arise, so we can make the right decisions and I feel that's been well done by the project team in Scottish Woodlands.”
Anthony Wrightson, Assistant Projects Manager at Scottish Woodlands, explains: “Large projects like this are complex, so the more cohesion you have with the people you work with, the smoother you can have a project like this run throughout.”
Andrew Tuft, Harvesting and Marketing Director for Scottish Woodlands, says: “I work very closely with the projects team on a project like this, dealing with the marketing of the timber that comes off the site."
“The first task we had was to look at the vast area of forest that had to be felled - to assess volumes and look at crop quality. We're assessing there will be about 90,000 tonnes of timber by the time we have completed our operations here."
“The main species is Sitka spruce, which fits very well with the UK timber processing industry. On average, the markets we are dealing with here are within a 40-mile radius, so relatively low miles to market.”
About 45% of the timber from Windy Standard 3 will go into construction markets, for new housing and square-edged fencing. Around 20% will be used for pallet wood, and 20% to produce high-quality magazine paper and other paper products. The final 15% will be used for wood briquettes and wood pellets.
Most of the cleared area will be replanted. Where this is impossible due to the wind turbines, compensatory planting will be carried out elsewhere.
Mr Tuft concludes the video by saying: “It's really good to see a project like this come together and be delivered to schedule to very high standard.”
Mr Parr says: “There are very few companies which have the skills and ability to deliver this type of project, due to the immense coordination and intricate detail of the documentation. Scottish Woodlands is exemplary in these respects.”
Watch the video here
Contact the Projects Team by calling 01738 625128, or 07778 469440, email Matt Parr on matt.parr@scottishwoodlands.co.uk or go to the website: www.scottishwoodlands.co.uk
