SSEN Transmission volunteers help community woodland flourish in Highland Perthshire
26 August 2026
Teams support Dun Coillich woodland as native tree planting programme continues to take root
Image: Dun Coillich team members with volunteers from SSEN Transmission
Volunteers from SSEN Transmission have rolled up their sleeves to help maintain and enhance Dun Coillich, a community-owned woodland in Highland Perthshire, as part of the company's ongoing support for local nature restoration initiatives.
Nine volunteers from across the business spent the day carrying out essential maintenance work at the woodland, helping to open up pathways and remove encroaching vegetation to ensure trees can continue to thrive. Armed with secateurs, loppers and pruning saws, the team worked together to carefully manage trees with low growing branches, to help let light into the woods and improve access throughout the woodland.
Image: The volunteers carried out essential maintenance work at the woodland
Owned by Highland Perthshire Communities Land Trust, Dun Coillich has benefited from long-standing support from SSEN Transmission and its parent company SSE. Previous initiatives have included rural skills courses funded by SSE Renewables, providing young people with valuable experience in montane tree planting and other practical countryside management skills needed to care for woodlands at Dun Coillich.
During their visit, volunteers also saw first-hand the progress of a major native tree planting programme supported by SSEN Transmission's Errochty Grid Supply Point project, which is being constructed in nearby Tummel Bridge.
Almost 2,000 native trees, including downy birch, juniper and montane willow, have been planted across 5.5 hectares of steep hillside at Dun Coillich. The planting forms part of SSEN Transmission's compensatory tree planting programme, which ensures that for every tree removed to facilitate vital electricity infrastructure, a replacement tree is planted and, where possible, replaced with a native species.
The latest planting builds on previous woodland creation work linked to SSEN Transmission's Kinardochy substation project, through which around 15,000 trees have already been established at the site in recent years.
Image: The steep slope at Dun Coillich where the remaining native trees will be planted.
Over time, the new woodland will mature and provide valuable habitat for a wide range of native species while enhancing biodiversity in the local area. The final phase of planting is due to be completed later this year.
In a further example of the project's lasting local benefits, former rural skills trainee Tony Marshall oversaw SSEN Transmission’s tree planting programme at Dun Coillich, putting the skills and experience gained through the training initiative into practice.
Damian Hind, Consents and Environment Manager at SSEN Transmission said:
"Dun Coillich is a fantastic example of what can be achieved when communities, land managers and businesses work together to support nature restoration. We've been proud to support the woodland for a number of years, and it was great for our volunteers to see the progress of the native tree planting programme while also helping with practical woodland maintenance work on the ground.
"As we continue to invest in the electricity network needed for Scotland's clean energy future, we're equally committed to ensuring nature can thrive alongside our infrastructure. Partnerships such as this play an important role in helping us deliver that ambition."
Willie McGhee, Forest Manager at Highland Perthshire Communities Land Trust said:
“We have a great working relationship with SSEN Transmission and are grateful for the support they have given in respect of deer proofing our native woodlands, and for the ongoing partnering, giving SSEN Transmission employees the opportunity to get hands on with respect to woodland management.”
Supporting Dun Coillich is one of many ways SSEN Transmission is helping to restore and enhance nature across the north of Scotland. The company has committed to investing at least £100 million in nature restoration initiatives as it delivers its £29 billion programme of electricity transmission network investment, helping ensure that nature can thrive alongside the infrastructure needed to support the transition to a low-carbon future.
Organisations and groups delivering nature restoration projects are encouraged to get in touch to discuss how SSEN Transmission can help support potential funding opportunities for biodiversity net gain initiatives. To learn more, please contact SSEN Transmission’s Nature team on transmissionnatureprojects@sse.com