Plans for a rural skills training centre in the north of the Stewartry are set to receive a funding boost.
Carsphairn Community Woodland (CCW) Ltd wants to create the facility in Muirdrochwood in a bid to convince young people to stay to live and work in the area.
And council officials are proposing granting more than £130,000 towards the scheme, which would cover more than a third of the costs.
The suggestion is due to be discussed at next week’s meeting of the economy and resources committee.
CCW bought a 49-hectare section of Muirdrochwood in 2021 and began operating a community forestry and wood fuel business, helping to create two jobs.
A report for Tuesday’s meeting says one of the main goals of the group is the “creation of forestry related employment and training opportunities and to create opportunities for smaller contractors who are better suited to the scale of the community forest that it manages”.
The report adds: “This investment will assist the local community in Carsphairn to address some of the economic pressures that are causing outward migration of its young people, helping them to live locally and to flourish.”
The project was granted more than £9,000 last year to work on proposals for the scheme, with CCW creating detailed designs and gaining planning permission.
The total cost of the development is £343,786, with council officials recommending that £131,960 is provided from the local authority’s place based investment programme when the committee meets next week.
The group is also hoping to receive £140,000 from The Holywood Trust towards the work.
Economy and resources committee vice chairman, David Inglis, said: “Our region has a shortage of training provision for rural skills and the forestry industry.
“A recent assessment identified a requirement for 1,700 workers in the agriculture, forestry and fishing industry in our region between 2026 and 2033, to account for industry growth and replacement of existing staff.
“Providing members agree, the CCW investment will assist the local community in Carsphairn to address some of the economic pressures that are causing outward migration of its young people, helping them to live locally and to flourish.”
