Christmas time in Glenlyon

This stag in Glenlyon has managed to find his way in to a fenced enclosure and was busily browsing on some willow trees on Boxing Day. It is well sheltered in here, and because the trees are well established, it will do no real harm. But it just goes to show that fences can easily be breached and have to be maintained well if they are going to be used, as woodlands habitats are very attractive to deer, fences or no!

Two hinds and a calf....

High up on the mountain

A different stag

"I'm not a deer......"

......I'm a coo......!!

The native pinewoods at Meggernie in Glenlyon

Closer......

On the upper woodland edge.......

Big tall pine tree

Birch woods at Innerhadden, Kinloch Rannoch

For those of you who are getting fed up with the cold, here is a much warmer autumn photo of the birch woods at Innerhadden, Kinloch Rannoch, on the south shore of Loch Rannoch.

We are currently doing a Forest Plan for this area, setting out the management priorities for the next 20 years. The photo was taken by our North-east manager, Carol Robertson.

Jimmy's Pigs

These are Jimmy Lambie's pigs in lower Glenlyon, a mixture of Gloucester Old-spot and these iron-age type pigs which have just recently appeared. Pigs can fulfil a very useful function in native woodlands, turning over soil and providing germinating spots for seedlings and ground vegetation, and controlling bracken.

It is notoriously difficult to photograph a dark animal on a white background......

Closer......

You can see the markings a lot better here.... these pigs are in good condition and are clearly being well looked after.

Frosty day in Aberfeldy

The frost never lifted today at all, this is Wade's Bridge at 2pm. Looks like it will be minus double figures again to-nite, if it is not that already.

Aspen trees in the Poplar Avenue

Birch trees on Aberfeldy Golf Course

Riverside path to Kenmore

Silver birch by the Tay

Woodland walk above Weem

This is a great little walk around the hill above Weem, on the opposite side of the Tay from Aberfeldy. It starts from the Forestry Commission carpark/ picnic area, and takes an hour or so.

Overlooking Aberfeldy.....

Ivy on Xmas Day

Looking down.....

Newly planted trees on Aberfeldy Golf course

Here are a few photos out and about on Xmas morning.........

Looking west to the mountains

Trees and mist again

Aspen trees in the mist

Some-one has been having fun.......

Merry Xmas from Aberfeldy

Birch trees in winter

Pink winter sky

Closer.......

Riverside walk beside the Tay

Here is the film that the Postcode Lottery made with us when we were awarded nearly £10,000 towards our projects. This film was also shown at the Copenhagen Summit

Snow in Aberfeldy

The Tay To-day

Waterfall in winter

Lots of snow in Highland Perthshire today.........

The Moness Burn

Beech regeneration under oak trees........

Nae trees........

This is Corrour, a 52,000 acre estate near Fort William. Corrour have a very ambitious long term vision to restore a full range of natural habitats, including native trees, across this area. They are starting by reducing deer numbers. To the left here is a conifer plantation which will be felled over a period of time, and restored to a mixture of native trees and open bog habitats. It is then envisaged that this area will start to regenerate outwards on to the open hill here. Scottish Native Woods are currently helping put together a habitat management plan for the wider area, extending to Ben Nevis, below, covering almost 250,000 acres, looking primarily at herbivore impacts, with the aim of bringing two major designated sites back in to favourable condition. Corrour are right in the centre of this area and crucial to the overall success of this project.

No doubt, more from this again.........

Native Woodland in Glen Nevis

Scottish Native Woods have recently been asked to put together a management plan for the various designated habitats on and around Ben Nevis, including the woodlands here in Glen Nevis. This is a very rugged country....... the area carries the SSSI and SAC designations, and a working plan for getting features in to favourable condition has to be in place for March 2010.

Closer.......

Scots Pine Woodland in Glen Nevis

Native woodland on the lower slopes of Ben Nevis

Loch Ericht, Dalwhinnie

Two more pine trees.......

Anyone who regularly drives from Crieff to Dunkeld/ Aberfeldy will recognize these two trees on the road above Gilmerton. They are extremely dominant in the landscape. It is unusual to see two young-ish Scots Pine growing in a fertile field like this, and I have often wondered how they have got here, or who encouraged them. And which came first? The road or the trees?

They are probably survivors from a larger group of trees as the tree on the right looks as though it has grown up among other pine trees.

Just the one......

Sun going down.....

It is useful to be able to identify trees from their siluhoettes....here are larch on the left and spruce to the right......

Trees & mist in Glen Turret, above Crieff

Loch Lubnaig in the Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park

These photos were taken yesterday by Loch Lubnaig, in the heart of the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park. Everyone seemed to be pulling their cars over at this spot to take photographs. The loch was like a mirror, with the mist just starting to clear.

Looking up Loch Lubnaig......

Alders by Loch Lubnaig

Closer.......