Riparian management (of a kind)

The River Enrick in Glenurquhart periodically floods and rips out sections of riverbank. A typical high-energy river, in fact. Over the years, many sections have been reinforced with rock armouring. Unfortunately, heavy machinery can also bring problems. Japanese knotweed was introduced to Glenurquhart in the 1970s, almost certainly on machinery during river engineering works. So we'll be watching this space!

Aspen in Strathspey

Many Aspen trees are starting to look autumnal. This clone by the river Spey is starting to turn.

Distinguishing one Aspen clone from another is probably easiest in the spring (when trees are coming into leaf) and again in the autumn (during leaf-fall). This clone had already lost most of its leaves on 28th September, while a neighbouring clone was fully clothed in green leaves.

Forest School Training course

The Howe of Fife Forest Education Initiative cluster group was awarded £10,000 from the Big Lottery Awards for All Scotland, to set up a Forest School training course in Fife. The FEI cluster group is chaired by Scottish Native Woods' Community Education Officer. The course which lasts 9 months will enable these trainees to lead their own Forest School group.

Whittling

This Forest School trainee is whittling a stick; something that we all used to do as children but nowadays the skill has been lost and knives are classed as unsafe. Forest School trainees learn the basics of safety so that they can pass the skills onto children. It doesn't happen straight away though, most groups of children would need many sessions before they moved onto using knives. They would work their way up via handling sticks without any tools, then potato-peelers.
For more information on Forest School and FEI see the FEI website www.foresteducation.org.

Dew care and attention

While walking in the wet woods today I heard the gruff roar of a rutting stag. I also saw a fantastic site. All the bushes and grass were covered in dew soaked webs. Normally invisible it shows how abundant life is and how intricate each web. If the sun had been out it would have been even better; but this isn't a sight that you can see very often, the conditions have to be just right. This one is on Gorse, sometimes locally known as Whin.

Out & about in the woods in autumn........

Autumn is an excellent time to be out and about in your local woods. You can see changes every day now with the days getting shorter, frost coming in and leaves starting to change colour.

Enjoy........

Tutsan

Tutsan is a species of Hypericum or St John's Wort, native in the west of Scotland, but it often turns up as a garden escape.

Autumn in the Birks of Aberfeldy

Leaves are turning colour......

Woodland fern

Nice woodland walk

Pine trees in Glen Quaich

Two more great photos from Kristina Hayward

Schiehallion in the distance

Giant hogweed

Giant hogweed is one of a handful of introduced plant species which have 'hopped over the garden fence' and run amok in the wider countryside. For more on INNS, visit http://www.scottish-invasives.blogspot.com/

Brian Allison Retires

As native woodland advisors, we work very closely with the various Forestry Commission woodland officers covering our areas. FC are always very flexible and helpful, and tremendously knowledgeable about their subject areas, and definitely a cut above any of the other land-use agencies in the pragmatic manner in which they deal with problems.

Brian Allsion (above) was the FC woodland officer for Moray and definitely one of the very best. He retired this week after an amazing 45 years working (officially) for the Forestry Commission. His father and grandfather were also forestors, and will in fact have been learning and developing his trade from the day he learned to walk, following his father around looking at work sites.

Everyone who worked with Brian holds him in very high regards, both for his knowledge and experience and also his tremendous energy and sense of fun that he brings to everything that he does.

His retirement party was held in the Stewarts Hall in Huntly on 17th September, and here is is entertaining us with his many stories and experiences from over the years.

Like many forestors, he is very scathing of the new Scottish Rural Development Programme (SRDP), and his advice to other forestors was Scream and Retire......Dinnae Participate!

Brian is still a very energetic man and no doubt we will be hearing of his exploits for many years to come yet. Well done Brian, and well done to the FC staff in Huntly who put on this great occasion.

Proud of his present......

Brian (centre) was presented with this wonderful picture from work colleagues and friends. He is a very keen stalker, and no doubt will be looking forward to finally finding such a beast somewhere in Buchan or Moray. The picture is by A Davidson, and so life-like it could pass as a photograph.

Gavin Legge opens the speeches.....

Gavin Legge opens the speeches and speaks on behalf of Brian's fellow woodland officers.

Well done Gavin.....

The Conservator speaks.......

John Risby, ex-Grampian Conservator, now Conservator in Highland, sings Brian's praises.

The Forestry Commission Huntly girls recite a poem for Brian

VIDEO- Stewarts Hall in Huntly

This is a great Town Hall, with a great north-east feel about it. A great venue for an informal frendly party like this.

VIDEO- And again..........

Hazel features in Mull Grazing Workshop

Scottish Native Woods joined forces with the Argyll Island Native Woodland Project to organise a woodland grazing workshop on Mull. The workshop looked at the benefits of conservation grazing in Atlantic hazelwoods. Some Atlantic hazelwoods have "glue fungi", causing bits of deadwood to stick to living trees.

We also took delegates to a wood with hazel glove fungi. This is a Species Action Framework species, a weird looking flagship for Atlantic hazelwoods!

A good mixed audience of farmers, foresters and conservationists came together to discuss woodland grazing. Here are some of them framed by the massive branch of a veteran oak tree, which bears witness to a history of wood pasture.

Bighearted Scotland Awards Dinner

Some of us with our guests at the Bighearted Awards - over £60,000 was raised for the 6 member charities

Light shining through.........

Another day spent looking at plantations on ancient woodland sites (PAWS), this time down at Stanley near Perth. Ancient woodland remnants can survive under these conditions. This stand of Sitka Spruce could potentially be gradually thinned over a period of years to let in more light and revive the ground vegetation.

And again........

Planted oak woodland near Perth

Looking up....

....branches are a bit brittle.

Red squirrel signs........

Autumn is here.....

Autumn is definitely here now, with all sorts of bits & pieces falling from the trees last night.

Ash trees are known to be more brittle than most, although they are the most securely rooted of all our native trees.

Signs of climate change?

This Peacock butterfly is feeding on Buddleia near Loch Ness. Peacocks have been steadily moving their range further north. Fifteen years ago, they were rare in Highland.

Meanwhile, Buddleia is an introduced shrub which is starting to 'naturalise' in parts of Highland. The changing status of both species may well be attributable to changes in weather.

Green hazel nuts

Hazel nuts are now starting to ripen. They have a different taste when they are green.

It looks like it could be a good "nutting" year.

Spraying Japanese knotweed

The third year of spraying the largest stand of knotweed in Highland. It is generally considered that a five-year programme is necessary to ensure eradication.

Himalayan Balsam

As invasive plants go, this is one we really shouldn't have to struggle with. It is an annual plant with a short shelf-life. Prevent it from seeding for 2 years, and the problem is solved. Just pull it up before it flowers.

Young planted woodland

This is a young woodland that I planted in 1993 in Co. Tyrone in N. Ireland. It includes 46 different species of native and non-native trees and shrubs, and is an excellent place for people to practice their tree ID.

Although very young yet and planted on former farmland, this woodland has long since had many of the characteristics of a functioning woodland eco-system, with ash, aspen and blackthorm regeneration coming up thick and fast under the canopy of the older trees and already diversifying the overall structure.

Many people do not plant trees because they say "they will never see them". Well, plant your trees when you are young and dont leave it too late, and then you can both see them and enjoy them. As is seen below, some of the trees in this woodland will soon also be off a utilizable size.

Looking down a ride

This was left as an open ride in 1993, six metres wide. We were able at that point to drive a tractor down here and cut hay from this open strip for 3-4 years after planting....cant do that now!!

Crab Apple...Malus sylvestris

Young Wych elm

.......so far escaping the dreaded Dutch elm disease.

Ash in a young mixed woodland

Ash is often a good species to plant on fertile sites that are reasonably base rich and not too prone to frost. fast growing stems are often this greeny colour.

Ash tree, planted in 1993