Mar Lodge has key role in the survival of the montane willow

The estate is recognised as one of the most important nature conservation landscapes in the British Isles with over 40% of the covered by national and international nature conservation designations.

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The NTS say the montane zone of woodland is in serious decline across the UK and particularly in Scotland.

"Upland montane scrub species should be thriving in the uplands of Scotland, however like Caledonian pinewoods they have suffered from overgrazing by deer and sheep and need help in recovery," said the NTS.

A recent survey showed that downy and whortle-leaved willow now occur at only a few locations on the estate.

"The populations are generally small and precarious often clinging on to high altitude crags and slopes out of the reach of grazing animals.

"There are many species of willows on Mar Lodge Estate and some of these are common and growing in all locations - eared-willow, creeping willow etc.

However there are true montane willow species which are much rarer and occur only in a few locations on the estate. These ones have held on in the less accessible sites. We only know of four or five sites for each of these species."

And it is hoped that by encouraging the montane zone of woodland, the Trust will improve conditions for wildlife that rely on the trees including insects and birds.

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The first seedlings of rare willows have been successfully grown as part of the project - a first step in trying to save the trees which are only just hanging on in Scotland.

The NTS said they were the first steps in recreating the precious montane willow woodland habitat which the NTS says "has almost been lost" from Scotland.

“Our aim with this project is to give these remnant rare willow populations a boost so they have the ability to reproduce, regenerate and expand by themselves in the future," said ecologist Shaila Rao.

‘In early summer this year, we visited all the downy and whortle-leaved willow sites, collecting cuttings and seeds from each population. Trees for Life are now growing on the cuttings for us in their nursery at Dundreggan, Glen Moriston, and will create a bank of trees for each willow species from which seed can be collected in the future.

"This seed will be used for growing on seedlings to plant at Mar Lodge Estate in a few years."

Seeds collected should be ready for planting in autumn 2020.

On the estate, montane woodland remnants are said to be fragmented and there is considered to be a "lack of diversity" in woodland age class which is necessary for healthy woodlands.

The work on the regeneration of the Calednonian pinewoods on Mar Lodge Estate

NTS is also identifying and mapping existing montane willow and identifying new sites to grow them. It is working with the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh to understand the genetics of the willow populations.

Ms Rao continued: ‘We’ll plant 500 of the grown-on willow seedlings of each species into two sites where they currently occur on the estate to reinforce existing populations.

"We’ll then keep a close eye to see how this is working and to establish if the population is regenerating naturally. Hopefully in the next few years we will see these willows begin to flourish once again."

‘It may be a long way off, but these steps are the first in recreating the precious montane woodland habitat which has almost been lost from Scotland.

" Expanding this will improve the area’s biodiversity, attracting a wider range of insects and birds, including some species more commonly seen in Scandinavia like the bluethroat, Lapland bunting, brambling and willow tit."