Tree planting linked to the Cross Tay Link Road should not distract from the project’s huge carbon footprint, say campaigners.
Dr Jill Belch is campaigning against the Cross Tay Link Road (CTLR) and has welcomed contractor BAM Nuttall’s support for the “excellent” Denmarkfield Rewilding Project.
The contractor is helping volunteers create a 43,000 square metre broadleaf wood.
It is located at Denmarkfield, approximately two miles north of the Inveralmond roundabout in Perth.
‘Congratulations’ to community team
Jill, who is also a Scone community council member, said: “It’s great to see this community benefit provided by BAM, as they are legally required to do.
“The local community have worked very hard to develop and fund this excellent rewilding project. Huge congratulations to them.
“This is separate, of course, from the large carbon footprint of the Cross Tay Link Road. This involves the destruction of trees, habitat and pouring of concrete, which has in itself a huge carbon footprint.
“We must not be misled by this wonderful rewilding initiative and community benefit into thinking that another road is good for the climate or for air pollution.”
Cross Tay Link Road team breaks ground at rewilding project
A BAM Nuttall team recently broke ground at the site.
Members of the Friends of Denmarkfield community group and Denmarkfield Rewilding Project staff joined them.
The team planted more than 600 trees. The contractor will plant a further 4,200 before the end of 2023.
The will include a mixture of oak, birch, rowan, hazel, aspen, holly, wild cherry, crab apple, dog rose, blackthorn and hawthorn.
William Diver is a BAM Nuttall project director.
He said they had sourced all the trees through Scottish suppliers.
“(They) are indigenous to this region so, once established, will be sympathetic to vegetation locally in the surrounding area.
“This is a major rewilding project and a great example of our commitment to providing additional value to local communities as part of the Cross Tay Link Road project.”
Ellie Corsie is project manager at Rewilding Denmarkfield.
She thanked the CTLR team for supporting their rewilding project.
“With the trees and fencing they have provided we are able to implement our ambitious and unique woodland creation project, which will benefit biodiversity and the climate,” she added.
The CTLR project includes a bridge over the River Tay and six kilometres of a new road linking the A9 and the A93 to Blairgowrie and the A94 north of Scone.
Conversation