A community group is Morvern, Argyllshire, is set to acquire control of a local woodland.

The announcement follows an award of £50,250 from the Scottish Land Fund.

Since 2004, Morvern Community Woodlands has managed the Achnaha Wood, and following the funding earlier this week, the group can now purchase the eight hectares of woodland under the National Forest Land Scheme, and secure the land's future for the local community.

Welcoming the award, Sam Firth of Morvern Community Woodlands, said: "The Morvern Community Woodlands Company is delighted to have been awarded this grant from the Scottish Land Fund, which not only enables us to purchase the woodland, but gives us the opportunity to develop its use within the community.

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"Achnaha Community Wood is a wonderful place which is very important to our small community. Bringing this woodland into community ownership will ensure it remains accessible to all for generations to come and will enable us to build on the success we have had managing the woods. We are very grateful to the Scottish Land Fund for giving us this opportunity."

Aileen McLeod, Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform, added: "Community ownership will bring benefits to local people including the further development of skills in forestry management, the extension of recreational facilities and the further development of the wood.

"Morvern Community Woodlands is a great example of how the Scottish Land Fund is making a real difference to communities throughout rural Scotland. Projects like this help fulfil the Scottish Government's commitment to secure more land into community ownership by 2020."

(JP/CD)