Success Stories

Tweed Rivers Heritage Project (Archived)
Much more than just a blue line on a map

The Tweed Catchment covers an area of 2000 square miles, with 2000 miles of river and streams supporting a rich and varied wildlife resource. The catchment is of outstanding scenic and landscape value, with the river providing the focus for the economic, cultural and landscape development of the region.

The Borders region is fundamentally a rural community and the river is one of its greatest assets and resources. The project came from recognition of the need for the many individuals and organisations concerned to look at how the Tweed affects areas of life and to take an integrated approach to protecting and enhancing the region’s rich river heritage.

Working Together Icon The Forum is an umbrella organisation with a membership of over 30 statutory and non-statutory bodies with an interest in the river and its management. As all the relevant parties are represented at the Forum many potential conflicts, such as those between conservation and recreation, can be viewed in the wider context and an appropriate balance struck.

The Tweed Forum’s objective is to promote the wise and sustainable use of the Tweed and its tributaries through a holistic and integrated approach to its management and planning. Under its key objective there are four key work areas: the natural heritage, access and recreation, built and cultural heritage and education and interpretation. Each of these areas has a series of projects which total over 30 in number.

Examples of projects include:

Ponds for Biodiversity (Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group) – to restore former ponds, and create new ponds where strategically and ecologically important, in order to enhance the Biodiversity amenity and landscape of the Borders.

Tweed Valley Forest Recreation Improvements (Forest Enterprise) – strategically a very important set of projects aimed at increasing the recreational opportunities in a sustainable way at key sites along the Upper Tweed.

Tweed Trails (Southern Upland Partnership) – an ambitious, catchment wide, community driven initiative to create a network of multi-use access routes in order to increase the opportunities for both local and visiting walkers, cyclists and horse riders.

Euro Route: Lyne to Broughton (Scottish Borders Walks) – part of the Inverness to Nice route providing good access along the scenic upper reaches of the Tweed.

Stow Bridge Restoration (Scottish Border Council) – a popular and striking landmark in full view of one of the ‘gateway’ routes into the heart of the Borders.

Cessford Castle (Roxburgh Estates) – to consolidate one of the finest remaining examples of a 15^th century castle and provide appropriate access and interpretation.

Buccleuch Access Project (Buccleuch Estates) – provides access improvements to Foulshiels, the birthplace of Mungo Park, through the restoration of a bridge over the River Yarrow and a footpath.

Tweed Community and Semi-Natural Woodland (Borders Forest Trust and Forest Enterprise) – a community based scheme to conserve and enhance remaining fragments of woodland whilst educating, training and encouraging stewardship amongst local communities and creating a walk along the Tweed downstream of Peebles.

communicating with visitors Tweed Interpretation Project (Scottish Borders Council) – aims to co-ordinate all interpretation elements on the ground, highlighting key sites along the Tweed and putting across a coherent and integrated identity for the Borders.

For further information about the Tweed Forum and their projects:

visit their website: www.tweedforum.com

or contact:
Luke Comins
Project Officer
The Tweed Forum
South Court
Drygrange Steading
MELROSE
TD6 9DJ

Tel: 01896 849 723
Fax: 01896 849 129
Email: info@tweedforum.com

This case study updated on 10 June 2003