They have a lineage stretching back to Scotland’s ice age.

However, the country’s prized Caledonian pinewoods are on a “knife-edge” and face the threat of being the last generation, an environmental charity has warned.

In the first study in more than 60 years examining the health of the trees, Scotland’s national tree, the Scots pine, was found to be in serious decline at a quarter of the more than 1,200 half-acre plots analysed.

High deer numbers, spread of non-native conifers, lack of long-term management, and emerging impacts of climate breakdown are major threats to the pinewoods’ survival, the four-year study carried out by rewilding charity Trees for Life found.

Urgent action needs to include dedicated and easily accessible long-term funding, so private landowners can save and restore their pinewoods and look after them in the future, the charity said.

The Herald:

It is also calling for full implementation of proposed national measures to reduce deer numbers, as well as action to allow the pinewoods to expand into cooler areas such as higher up mountains to tackle to climate change.

READ MORE: How gardeners can boost wildlife and help threatened species 

Steve Micklewright, Trees for Life’s chief executive, said: “Our findings are an alarm bell for Scotland’s Caledonian pinewoods, which are such an important part of the country’s culture and environment.

“The majority of the surviving fragments are now on a knife-edge, and bold action is needed to save them from being lost forever.

“A landscape-scale approach backed by the Scottish Government is urgently needed to save, expand and connect up these precious woodlands before it is too late.”

The Caledonian forest once covered much of the Highlands, but after centuries of deforestation only 2% remains.

The Herald:

James Rainey, Trees for Life’s senior ecologist, who led the study, added: “In the worst cases, the pinewoods have suffered non-native conifer planting or fire followed by grazing pressure, with the impacts of climate breakdown a growing threat.

“These pinewoods should be playing a key role in Scotland’s fight-back against the climate and nature emergencies, but right now most are on their last legs.

READ MORE: Scotland's ancient trees catalogued for first time 

“It’s not too late to turn this around, but that means seriously stepping-up restoration and rewilding action.”

The study’s findings will be used by Trees for Life to develop a follow-up project with landowners and land managers for practical action to protect, expand and reconnect the most threatened pinewoods.

It comes as efforts are being made to save what remains of Scotland’s rainforests.

Figures show as little as 30,000 hectares remain – just 2% of the country’s woodland, despite climatic conditions being suitable for five times this area of cover.

There are a number of reasons for this decline but chief amongst them is over-grazing, mostly by the red, roe and sika deer that eat young tree seedlings and prevent the woodlands from regenerating.

Another major threat is the smothering effect of Rhododendron ponticum, a species that was transplanted to Scotland in the 18th century as cover for game birds and went rogue, colonising every patch of bare ground.

NatureScot manages some of the best areas of rainforest as National Nature Reserves, and is collaborating with other organisations and communities up and down the west coast to develop and support a range of other conservation projects.