Plans to transform former Fife airfield into a site full of trees not tarmac

Volunteers are being encouraged to get involved in tree planting at Kilminning Community Nature Reserve on the weekend of March 19 and 20 to help transform the area of Kilminning Coast by Crail Airfield.

It’s all about creating an area full of trees – not tarmac.

South Kilminning is now under ownership of the Crail Community Partnership. It has plans to rewild the site, removing the tarmac and replacing it with trees, meadows and a wetland.

In 2020, the community in Crail, after getting organised during a two-year long public consultation process – a charrette - to identify its priorities for the future, made a number of successful Community Land Asset Transfer applications to Fife Council to improve the local natural environment.

Kilminning is located on the coastal path between Crail and Fife Ness.

The area is largely covered by tarmac left over from its use as an airfield.

But trees and shrubs have begun to take over, making Kilminning a magnet for migrant birds, as one of the only bits of wooded habitat on Fife Ness.

A spokesperson for the partnership said: “We plan to create a much more interesting and biodiverse space for nature and for people.

“We plan to remove much of the tarmac – although leaving enough for access and parking – to create space for more trees, for water and so for more wildlife.

“We plan to greatly increase the tree and shrub cover, and to connect Kilminning to other sites around Crail via a network of wooded paths.

“We will be planting 2000 trees and 100m of hedging on the Saturday, March 19, and Sunday, March 20.

“The event is a collaboration between Footprint East Neuk and Crail Community Partnership, with funding for the trees from the Crown Estate.

“We will have some tools but anyone that wants to help us on the day please bring along tree or general planting tools.”

Tree planting will take place between 10:00am and 4:00pm both days.

More details can be found on the Footprint East Neuk website www.footprinteastneuk.com/events.

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