NRN PARTNER: Selkirk Hill

SELKIRK HILL

Location:
Selkirk, Borders
Area Committed:
158 acres
A pine marten stands alert in a green field dotted with yellow buttercups. Its fur is dark brown with a distinctive creamy yellow throat and chest.
Dense green trees under a bright blue sky. Hills are visible in the background.
Close-up of multiple slender horsetail plants with distinctive ribbed, brown cone-shaped tips and green segmented stems. The plants are surrounded by
A black and white pied wagtail bird stands on a heap of sticks and manure, surrounded by a swarm of dung flies, backlit by the sun.
Landscape featuring a grassy meadow with scattered shrubs and small trees. The foreground has a mix of green and dry grass, leading to denser greenery
A dense gorse bush with vibrant yellow flowers surrounded by dark green spiky foliage. The background features a mix of trees with hints of sunlight s

Selkirk Hill is an expanse of open land situated southeast of the historic Borders town of Selkirk. Held in trust by the Scottish Borders Council for the Common Good, the land is managed on behalf of the town's inhabitants. As a vestige of the ancient Ettrick Forest, the site now features a golf course, a former curling pond, and the historical site of a smallpox hospital. This landholding offers a vibrant mosaic of woodland, grassland, and heathland, supporting local wildlife while serving as a cherished amenity for the community.

Key rewilding commitments:

  • MORE SPACE FOR WATER: Install leaky dams on the burns that cross the site – to create more standing water for the benefit of invertebrates and other wildlife.

  • RETURN MISSING SPECIES: Explore opportunities for enrichment planting of missing or poorly represented native tree species (juniper, wych elm, elder, yew).

  • LET NATURE LEAD: Prioritise non-native tree species for removal when creating more open heathland areas (to increase the diversity of the habitat mosaic).

  • REINSTATE NATURAL GRAZING: Explore introduction of native cattle to open woodland and scrub, graze grasslands, improve soil health and habitat for pollinators, and create disturbance that facilitates natural vegetative succession.

  • CONNECT WITH COMMUNITIES: Maintain the path network for community access and ensure that the site remains available for community and educational events.