“Mighty oaks from little acorns grow” goes the14th-century English proverb – and a 200-year project is bringing it to life.
The re-wilding initiative in the Cairngorms National Park is already transforming the landscape after being launched in 2018.
Unparalleled in its scope, scale and timeframe in the UK, it aims to enhance species, habitat and ecological processes to tackle the climate emergency, and will double the cover of native woodland.
The area is home to more than 5,000 species, with 20 per cent classified as nationally rare or scarce, and some are recorded nowhere else in Britain.
A report on progress made so far shows that more than 7,000 broadleaf seedlings have been successfully germinated, with 526 hectares of peatland habitats restored.
Invasive native conifers have been removed from more than 1,000 hectares of forest.
Young native woodlands are now spreading across open moorlands, peatlands and bogs, showing the signs of repair and early recovery, and hundreds of volunteers are connecting to nature and enjoying a wilder landscape in the making.
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The Cairngorms Connect Tree Nursery, located in the heart of RSPB Scotland Abernethy National Nature Reserve, is helping to protect the threatened communities of montane scrub woodland and other missing tree species across the region.
Local volunteers have played an important role, contributing more than 400 hours and successfully germinated over 7,000 broadleaf seedlings, including species of dwarf and downy birch, aspen, alder, downy and eared willow.
Experts say restructuring Scots pine plantations creates a more natural forest, and in turn a healthier and more climate resilient habitat for people and wildlife.
More than 1,089 hectares of Scots Pine plantation and 1,132 hectares of tree planting have been completed, with non-native conifers removed from 1,175 hectares.
Restoring peatland habitats is another important aspect of Cairngorms Connect’s 200-year vision.
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Peatlands are said to be an essential part of the fight against climate change. They store carbon, preventing it from being released into the atmosphere, as well as providing a home for many rare and threatened species of flora and fauna.
Work is already well under way with management of red deer populations, re-wetting bogs and restoring water levels.
Sydney Henderson, Cairngorms Connect Communications and Involvement Manager, said: “We have a vital role to help people experience and value these wild places.
“As forests expand and diversify, they will clean air and help regulate the climate, and as peatlands function more effectively, they will purify water and store huge amounts of carbon.”
Local arboriculturist Alban Thom, who has been contracted for forest restoration projects, said: “Since I was young, I would ride my bike out through forests and into the mountains.
“I wondered why we had amazing forests and then places that trees didn’t grow. I didn’t know the reason but knew something wasn’t right, as you can see remnants of old forests, roots and stumps in the peat.
“Later, I learnt that it was our own doing and that the balance in nature had been lost – so now it is great to be involved in trying to bring the forests back.”
Cairngorms Connect is a partnership between Wildland Limited, RSPB Scotland, NatureScot and Forestry and Land Scotland.
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