ForestHarvest: non-timber forest products in Scotland

TRADING

Case study: Borders Bulbs

Snowdrop bulb harvesting is a controversial business. It requires uprooting an entire plant, so legally can be done only with the permission of the landowner. It significantly disturbs the existing woodland flora, so some conservationists say it shouldn't be done at all (even though the snowdrops in Scotland aren't native, but introduced - a wide range of decorative varieties were planted for display along the drives of big houses).

There is a lucrative trade in bulbs throughout Europe, and plenty of harvesters are targeting woods in southern Scotland. Many are casual contractors from outwith the area. The snowdrops, and the wealth generated by selling them, typically down to East Anglia. Snowdrops are even the object of wildlife crime - bulbs gathered wholesale, without permission, can end up being sold as "nursery grown", "cultivated stock" by the less scrupulous dealers.

In complete contrast, Borders Bulbs is based in the Borders, where many of the snowdrops are to be found. The business depends on agreements negotiated with local landowners, and on intimate knowledge of specific local sites. Proprietor Keith Whellans reckons to harvest snowdrops on a 4-5 year rotation, estimating the sustainable harvest in each area, then taking less than that. After sorting, any bulbs to small to sell are put back into woodland, effectively splitting up the plants and distributing them over a wider area. He sees this as a management strategy which over time will increase, rather than decreasing the yield - "positive reinforcement of sustainability".

In practise, during snowdrop season, this means working round the clock. ("By April/May I never want to see another one.") But he'll probably be back next year, all the same, working the same places, seeing how they change with time, with harvesting, with climate - "No two woods are the same, no two years are the same."

Business directory entry for Borders Bulbs

The Scottish Bulb Collection Code