A GROUP of hardy volunteer tree planters are helping revive the wild Gameshope Valley above Tweedsmuir.

Saturday started in bright sunshine when the group of 30 local enthusiasts – with an age range of almost 80 years – set off up the valley near Talla Reservoir, with its brilliant pattern of light snow, to plant native Scottish trees.

A half hour walk – longer for some and shorter for others – brought the volunteers to the prearranged planting site.

A brief introduction by Dr Jane Rosegrant, director of Borders Forest Trust, was followed by a demonstration of how and where to plant a tree by trustee Hugh Chalmers and then ecologist Stuart Adair talked about the suitability of the various soil types for different trees.

Ready to get their hands dirty, the group selected small saplings from various boxes previously delivered by quadbike and carried them up the boulder-strewn hillside, together with voleguards and bamboo canes.

Over the next few hours, with alternating sunshine and spatters of snow, the first 400 trees were planted.

This was an occasion chosen to celebrate the acquisition of Talla and Gameshope by Borders Forest Trust.

With planning largely completed the Trust shall strive over the coming decades to re-clothe this beautiful but denuded valley with its long-lost natural vegetation cover.

Talla and Gameshope, together with Carrifran Wildwood and Corehead Farm and the Devil’s Beeftub, make up over 7500 acres of remote hill land owned by Borders Forest Trust in the Tweedsmuir and Moffat Hills.

A spokeswoman for the Borders Forest Trust said: "The Trust has a vision of this wild and remote area restored to a more natural, beautiful and valued area, bringing pride and economic benefits to the local communities.

"This is a bold and ambitious initiative, but Borders Forest Trust has a track record.

"At Carrifran Wildwood, for example, two decades of effort by volunteers, dedicated staff and local contractors have already transformed the valley, as any visitor will attest.

"The Trust can now demonstrate that with sufficient effort we can change these austere uplands – marginal ground for sheep farming – into a magnificent mosaic of rich moorland and diverse broadleaved woods, for future generations of wildlife and people to enjoy."

Borders Forest Trust was established in 1996 to help restore native woodland to Southern Scotland, and to use partnerships to foster a woodland culture in the local community.

They try to demonstrate excellence in ecological restoration on their properties and in the help they give to others, and to encourage understanding of the natural world through educational initiatives at all levels from primary school pupils to postgraduate students.

The spokeswoman added: "The work of the Trust depends heavily on volunteers, and we welcome especially those who can commit to coming regularly.

"At Carrifran, for instance, a group of volunteers turn out almost every Tuesday – some of them for up to 13 years – and our boundary wardens have checked the perimeter fence and made running repairs almost every month since 2001."

The Borders Forest Trust has punched well above its weight, and has already planted over a million trees.

Although they get some funding from various grant giving bodies, they also depend heavily on individual contributors.

Membership fees are modest, and members receive two news-filled reports each year.

For more information log onto www.bordersforesttrust.org or check out the social media sites.