The planning process included:
- Ecological Site Classification and Silvicultural Prescriptions
- Landscape Design
- Public and Agency Consultation
- Scottish Rural Development Programme (SRDP)
An Ecological Site Classification was used to guide species choice across various soil types.The site was prepared using a continuous-acting mounder on flatter areas and an excavator on steeper slopes to provide suitable micro planting sites to aid establishment. Seedlings were planted out at variable spacing with high densities on the fertile grasslands and lower densities on the upper margins. The entire area has been enclosed from deer until successfully established. Landscape design took into account historic features such as hut circles and crofting farmsteads, working them into an intricate matrix of open ground.
The SRDP provided support in excess of 600,000 over a five-year establishment period.