NEW DEAL PROPOSED FOR GLENTRESS FOREST USERS

Glentress Forest is part of the Tweed Valley Forest Park, which encompasses seven forests. The proposed new visitor centre is intended to be a modern, attractive gateway centre for the whole Forest Park, as the Commission's Scottish Borders District manager, Christina Tracey, explained:

"Glentress Forest has been a fantastic success as a visitor attraction, drawing 250,000 visitors a year, but it is becoming more difficult to provide a quality service to the growing numbers of visitors with the tight space we are operating from at present.

"We have been very fortunate to acquire 12 acres nearby with panoramic views of the Tweed Valley, where we are planning to provide more and better facilities and overcome the space restrictions that our present site imposes.

"We'd like to hear what comments and suggestions local people and forest users have about our plans, so we're holding an open weekend on Saturday and Sunday the 15th and 16th of October for the public to come along and see what we're planning and ask us any questions they have about it.

" We'll also publish details on our website, www.forestry.gov.uk/glentress."

• an information and orientation area to help visitors find the forest park's facilities and attractions;
• a café with indoor and outdoor seating;
• an osprey and wildlife viewing facility;
• a bike hire and retail outlet;
• toilets and showers; and
• car parking, included dedicated areas for mountain bikers' parking.

1. The Tweed Valley Forest Park receives about 364,000 visitors a year, with 250,000 visitors calling into Glentress Forest alone. Glentress hosts one of the 7stanes network of mountain biking trails across southern Scotland, and saw visitor numbers rise by 55% between 2002 and 2003, reflecting the fact that it has become the number one visitor attraction in the Scottish Borders and one of the top mountain bike centres in the UK, catering for all abilities. Visitor facilities in the forest have developed over the past few years. As well as traditional forest walks, car parks, opportunities for watching live pictures of ospreys in the Tweed Valley, and several community-based recreational projects combine to make the forest a vibrant, well-used and popular leisure resource.
2. Forestry Commission Scotland serves as the Scottish Executive's forestry department. It manages more than 660,000 hectares of national forest land owned by Scottish Ministers for multiple public benefits such as sustainable timber production, public recreation, nature conservation, and rural and community development; supports other woodland owners with grants, felling licences, regulation and advice; promotes the benefits of forests and forestry; and advises Ministers on forestry policy. For further information, visit www.forestry.gov.uk/scotland