Gifford Community Woodland extends to 22 hectares (55 acres) and is made up of Speedy and Fawn Woods at the end of Station Road in Gifford, East Lothian. The woods were purchased by Gifford Community Land Company (GCLC) in 2017 on behalf of the local community.

You can…

• Read the latest notes from any Meetings on our Documents page by clicking here,
• Support us and become a Friend of Gifford Woods by clicking here, or
• Join one of our forthcoming Events, which are listed on this page.

Our longterm vision is a restored native woodland supporting broad biodiversity which is an asset to the local community for leisure, health and learning.

Roo Hardy, Chair of Gifford Community Woodland

To support the sustainability of the woodland, and thanks to the great work of community volunteers, a £75,000 award was secured from the Heritage Lottery in 2019 – 2024.

Now that period is over we look towards the next five years, focusing on what we can afford with current woodland income and ambitious plans if we’re able to raise even more. We’re thrilled to report that we’ve secured 87% of our annual income target already for 2024-25 – another big thank you to all our supporters!

Our priorities moving forward will be:

1. Caring for the Woods
We aim to make Gifford Woods more resilient and biodiverse by managing invasive species like
rhododendrons and monitoring wildlife. This will rely on both our Project Manager and Volunteer Days. A special thank you to our ‘Friends of Gifford Woods,’ whose kind donations fully cover these essential efforts – we really couldn’t do it without you. If you’re reading this and want to help? Volunteer dates are on our Events page, or you can support us by becoming a Friend by if you aren’t already by clicking here.

2. Sharing in the Woods
Maintaining our accessible paths and doing regular tree inspections are both key to ensuring everyone can enjoy the woods. We’ve secured a one-year National Lottery ‘Awards for All’ grant to help with this, and the rest will be funded through events like the Flower Show Teas and Church Fete…so join our Mailing List to make sure you hear about such fundraising activities coming soon!

3. Learning from the Woods
We’re committed to offering educational activities for ALL ages, from school trips to adult learning. Thanks to a small Tesco grant and Yester Parent Council support, we’ll continue programs in Autumn 2024 and Spring 2025 with Yester Primary School P2 class. However, ongoing fundraising is needed to continue these activities into the future, so Trustees are busy researching and writing applications – but if you’re aware of any other funding opportunities please do let us know!

4. Covering our Overheads
Of course, there are also some basic running costs, such as insurance and volunteer support. Thankfully these are covered for the year, largely thanks to the sale of birch sap and logs.

We rely on volunteers to help us manage the woods

A massive thank you to all the volunteers who have been helping us in the woods.

While Nev is working hard to keep the woods healthy and resilient, it’s definitely a case of many hands make light work. We would love for you to get involved. No experience is necessary and it’s such rewarding fun. Please do join us! Have a browse of our upcoming volunteer activities here.

Find out what we’ve been up to: you can view all our latest documents such as Woods Reports and Meeting Notes on our Documents page (click here).

Or for a quick look at what’s been happening since you bought Gifford Woods 5 years ago, see our summary infographic: