PROJECT
Shandon Woodland Community Group
The Shandon Woodland Community Group (SWCG) is a local, community-led effort to care for the native, broadleaved woodland and mixed burns adjacent to the village of Shandon in Argyll and Bute on the west coast of Scotland.
The ~235 acre (95 hectares) woodland contains ancient, long-continuous, riparian and regenerating woodland, alongside estate remnants, informal paths, moorland and damp pasture.
Ownership is fragmented across several entities including Network Rail, the Ministry of Defence, the Defense Infrastructure Organisation, Faslane Naval Base, the Luss Estates Company and various private landowners. Despite this, the woodland functions as a continuous ecological and community space supporting rich biodiversity.
Why the Woodland Matters
Ancient Woodland
Shandon woodland contains some of the oldest continuously wooded areas in Scotland, where natural regeneration has occurred for centuries. These sites are irreplaceable reservoirs of biodiversity, soils, and heritage.
Natural Flood Protection
Shandon Woodland trees and soils absorb an estimated ~2.18 million litres of rainwater a year, reducing runoff that would otherwise flow down the hillside, overwhelm burns, and flood nearby roads and homes.
Scotland's Temperate Rainforest
The woodland is part of one of the world’s rarest habitats: ancient, native broadleaved woodland in the hyper-oceanic zone. It exists only in small fragments across five countries, and Scotland’s west coast holds the largest remaining tracts.
Biodiversity Hotspot
Home to a remarkable range of wildlife, including insects, amphibians, invertebrates, mammals, and at least 70+ species of birds recorded locally.
Everyday Wellbeing
The woodland offers a quiet, restorative space for local people to walk, sit, reflect, and reconnect with nature.
Living Legacy
This woodland is part of Scotland’s natural heritage and our collective legacy of care, strengthening local and global climate resilience for future generations.
Who We Are
We’re Shandon residents working with landowners to care for our shared woodland. Formally, we’re a project of the Rhu & Shandon Community Trust, which provides governance, partnership and accountability, while we operate with community independence. Our aim is to support the woodland’s natural vitality and biodiversity, allowing it to flourish on its own terms as part of Scotland’s living landscape.
Learn More...
See our woodland's map
Browse our photo gallery
Discover our woodland's plants
Meet the trees
Visit our birds
Explore our e-learning
Are you a Shandon resident?
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