The Westmuir Community Development Trust Charity was set-up in 2004 and its first project was the development of the Community Woodland located alongside our village. It quickly became a treasured place for people in the area to walk and enjoy accessing a locally scarce small area of acidic wet grassland and lowland heath. The Community Woodland which is rich in nature contains four distinct habitat types: birch woodland, dry/wet dwarf shrub heath, wet grassland associated with open ditch and scrub. A small car park, a network of paths and recycled plastic boardwalk has been developed and there has been ongoing sensitive planting of native trees and shrubs to enhance opportunities for nature.
The group have collaborated with experts to identify and gain advice on the invertebrates, plants, fungi and reptiles (common lizards) present in the woodland and how best to support and increase their numbers.
In 2024 the Westmuir Community Woodland was given the status as an Angus Local Nature Conservation Site and was awarded the Best Small Community Woodland in Scotland by the charity Scotland’s Finest Woods.