CROFTERS are being invited to a free forestry event to hear about the benefits – and help available – for planting trees as part of their business.

The Tea and Trees with Crofters event is being held online on Tuesday September 28, from 6pm til 7pm.

It is part of the Integrating Trees Network programme which is run by Scottish Forestry and the Scottish Government, with the aim of letting crofters hear from other crofters who have grown trees to boost their business.

Scottish Forestry’s forestry and farming development officer, Lyn White, said: “This event aims to bring crofters together to chat about woodland projects along with specialists from Scottish Forestry and the Woodland Trust, who operate the Croft Woodland Project.

“We also have Andrew Hall, a Shetland crofter who has successfully integrated trees into his business. His experiences are well worth hearing. It’s also a way to make connections and simply learn from others what the challenges might be and ways to overcome them”

The event is the second Tea and Trees with Crofters to be held, with the first one attracting the crofting communities from all over Skye, North Uist, Applecross. Lewis and Sutherland.

Lyn added: “It was a great hour of discussion, full of folk sharing their experiences of tree planting, asking funding advice and even highlighting how the trees can provide benefits to bullocks and bees.”

Places are limited for this event so crofters are urged to book promptly, via https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tea-and-trees-with-crofters-tickets-169128320359