It’s now been a year since we (led by artist ts Beall and myself) launched The Dispersed Memorial Forest as part of Remembering Together Dumfries and Galloway (visit the website here) and over the summer when I’ve been out and about near one of the five sites, I’ve popped over for a visit to see how the trees are growing and how the site markers are settling into the landscape.

Over at Threave near Castle Douglas, the bench was finally installed in the Spring this year after a delay over the Winter. It’s been worth the wait though, with beautiful granite finishing from Galloway Granite over in Newton Stewart and oak seat made and installed by Phil Daube. (Bronze work, granite installation and paving detail I completed). The Dispersed Memorial Forest trees have been planted as part of the wider 100 year land restoration works at Threave Nature Reserve, a really special location a short walking distance or drive from the town, and conveniently near the A75 if you are passing through.

I also stopped over at the Moffat site, where The Dispersed Memorial Forest is located within the Moffat Nature Reserve (signposted on your way into Moffat from the motorway/Dumfries direction). The trees are growing beautifully – and a few are even taller than me within a year of planting! – and the bronzes are looking wonderful. The site is hidden a little within the wider Nature Reserve, details on the website.

During the development of the project we created countless maps, graphics and site plans and visualisations for the project – including some card maps to help locate the works. As the Forest continues to grow and root into the places where it was planted, I hope that people, both locally and from further afield can find and experience a little moment of reflection in the sites for themselves.