Looking to the Future - An Update

Back in December our North East Advisor submitted a proposal for the creation of 480ha of new native pinewood in the North East (see Blog posted 10/12/10) to the Scottish Rural Development Programme.

The proposal was considered, along with a number of other forestry schemes, by representatives of a number of Government Environmental Agencies last month.

We were notified of the successful outcome of these deliberations recently and our North East manager and the landowner are delighted that the proposals were approved!

The planning work of engaging contractors and ordering plants from tree nurseries is now underway.

Will keep you posted on progress over the coming 12 months.

Juniper is one of the native species included in the pinewood proposals

Smoke Signals

This is the time of year for staff on a number of Highland Estates to undertake their annual management of heather moorland known as muirburn. This practice is usually signaled by a distant plume of smoke on our hills, particularly in the East of Scotland. The aim of burning small patches of heather is to create a mosaic of growth stages. Young regenerating heather shoots provide a food source for many moorland residents such as grouse and livestock as well as providing nesting habitat for golden plover and skylark. More mature heather provides nesting habitat as well as cover from adverse weather and predators for many species including the mountain hares. There is a Muirburn Code which Estates must follow to ensure burning is completed under the correct conditions, within the designated season and with no damage to other important habitats such as native woodland and montane (high altitude) heath.

Any mistakes can be costly not just for wildlife but also for those undertaking muirburn.

Glen Lyon Pines

Looking up Glen Lyon

Spring canopy

Looking across a west coast loch into a mixed woodland canopy, you can see that spring is getting going as tree canopies start to change colour. Some trees are more easily identified than others. The darkest colour is birch ( for example at bottom right), with alder showing a slightly browner dark to its left. The lighter brown is larch, which is scattered through the wood, while the palest trees are a mix of oak, ash, sweet chestnut, sycamore, and even some aspen. The round tops of the scots pine on the ridge and the pointy sitka spruce on the hill behind remain evergreen.

Rhodi' bashing

Our volunteers have started doing some work at Scone Palace, Perth. We have been clearing the Rhododendron that shades out native plants including tree seedlings, and makes the ground acidic so that little else can grow. It is important to realise that there are 100's of species of Rhododendron but that only one species, Rhododendron Ponticum is causing the problems. Most of them originate from garden escapees in Victorian times. Though beautiful to look at with their large pink flowers, and fine if contained in a garden, they cause a lot of problems if allowed to go wild in a native woodland.

Here we are using a traditional cutting method (known as rhodi' bashing), although the latest thinking is that it is much more effective to lever and mulch. This literally means to lever it out by the roots and put down a mulch of perhaps leaves or compost to prevent further growth from any roots that were missed. It takes a lot longer and is harder work but the theory is that you don't then have to do it again year after year.

We will be at Scone Palace again in April, this time transplanting snowdrops. So you will get to see them for free while doing your bit for native woodlands. If you are interested click on http://www.scottishnativewoods.org.uk/ for details (or click on our logo from here)

By the river.......

This very striking image is by wildlife artist Alistair makinson, who helped us greatly with fundraising for our Tay Western Catchments Project.

You can see more of his work at: http://www.alistairmakinson.com/

oak in evening sunshine

A full canopied oak tree showing up well in a bit of Spring sunshine in Argyll. The tree has the usual features of Argyll oak, covered in mosses & liverworts. It was probably planted: the dyke in the picture was built to protect a new woodland in the first half of the nineteenth century.

PAWS Thinning in Fife

Out and about in Fife, looking at some of the sites where the Alstor is proving its worth in Plantations on Ancient Woodland Sites. As the first stage of restoration, we have started to thin the conifers out to let more light onto the woodland floor.

The hand fellers have left a very tidy job here. Well presented logs means that the Alstor can carry large volumes of timber to the roadside every day.

Rainforests in Morvern

Out and about in the temperate rainforests of Morvern yesterday, as a part of our Atlantic Hazel Action Group Project. The workshop on managing woodland plants allowed woodland managers and owners to look at some of Ardtornish's woods, while learning from leading experts on bryophytes, lichens and fungi.

Harbinger of spring

Aspen propagation

Highland Aspen Group organised a training day for volunteers. We collected roots and learned how to graft. More at www.aspen2020.blogspot.com

Butterbur

White butterbur Petasites albus near Loch Ness. This non-native produces distinctive flowers very early in the season. More at www.scottish-invasives.blogspot.com

Bracket Fungus on a birch tree

Hazel catkins oot the noo.....

They have been out for about 10 days or so now in Highland Perthshire.

Scots Pine below Clunie Dam