Native woodland is returning across the hillsides above Loch Katrine as a once-in-a-generation restoration gathers momentum around one of Scotland's key drinking water sources.

Led jointly by Scottish Water and Forestry and Land Scotland, the programme aims to reinstate more than 4,000 hectares of native trees across the catchment by 2040, strengthening the supply for over a million people in Glasgow.

Two years into delivery, visible progress is being made: around 600 hectares are naturally regenerating, 100 hectares have been newly planted, and more than 25km of deer and seed-island fencing has been installed. By 2030, over a million trees are expected to be growing around Loch Katrine.

Blending targeted planting with large-scale natural regeneration, the scheme is among the UK's most ambitious woodland creation programmes and underpins Scottish Water's commitment to building source resilience, responding to climate change and enhancing biodiversity.

Stephen Garbett, Woodland Project Manager at Scottish Water, said: "The woodland creation project at Loch Katrine is a once-in-a-generation opportunity and is already one of the most ambitious programmes of its kind in Scotland.

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"By combining targeted planting with natural regeneration, we are creating the conditions for woodland to expand naturally over time, ultimately restoring more than 4,300 hectares across the catchment."

He added: "There are very few examples of woodland being created at this scale in the UK. While natural regeneration takes longer, it allows trees to establish across areas where planting isn't possible and delivers a far more cost-effective and sustainable outcome in the long term."

Dr Mark Williams, Scottish Water's Head of Sustainability and Climate Change, said: "We are increasingly looking at nature-based solutions as a vital asset in protecting our water sources and adapting to future environmental challenges.

"The woodland creation and natural regeneration work at Loch Katrine are key to helping stabilise the landscape, protect soils and allow nature to take its course. Along with our work on peatland restoration, this is making the catchment more resilient to climate change.""

James Hand, Operations Forester at Forestry and Land Scotland, said: "We're seeing natural regeneration already beginning to spread from existing native seed sources along the loch shore, although this process takes time.

"Using locally sourced species is key to long-term resilience, and our approach combines larger deer-fenced planting areas with smaller 'seed islands' to encourage woodland to establish and spread naturally."

He added: "Managing grazing pressure is critical. By reducing deer populations and protecting key areas, we're enabling woodland to recover gradually while also safeguarding important habitats and species."

The work is supported by extensive land management, including deer control, over 60km of fencing planned in the first 10 years of delivery, and targeted habitat measures to help woodland recover in a challenging upland environment.

The site also contributes to the Great Trossachs Forest – an initiative led by FLS, Woodland Trust Scotland, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority and the RSPB – which will see a rich, wildlife-filled mosaic of habitats stretching 16,500 hectares from Callander in the east to the shores of Loch Lomond in the west.

Alongside the woodland creation, more than 200 hectares of peatland have been restored to further strengthen the catchment's resilience, with additional phases to follow.