Caledonia Wild! Summer 2004
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Trees for Life magazine, Caledonia Wild! Summer 2004 |
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 A little garden of Eden - bluebells, ferns and eared willow (all in the bottom right) in the stock-fenced exclosure on West Affric.  Like a literal bolt from the blue, the flowering of these bluebells on West Affric was a wonderful surprise.  Tea-leaved willow in flower in the Allt Coire Ghaidheil exclosure on West Affric. |
A Miracle on West Affric
In May I spent a day out on West Affric, the 4,000 hectares of land owned by the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) which encompasses most of the headwaters of the Affric River. It had been a couple of years since my last visit there, and I was keen to check on the progress of the trees in some of the 10 forest restoration exclosures there.
My first stop was the 9.5 hectare Allt Coire Ghaidheil exclosure which was fenced for natural regeneration in 1995, as it contains the largest concentration of trees remaining on this mostly-treeless part of Glen Affric. Wandering around the exclosure, I was pleased to see abundant young downy birch, rowan and eared willows growing successfully, protected from grazing by the fence. On one eared willow, now over seven feet tall, I found several caterpillars of the northern eggar moth (Lasiocampa quercus callunae) - a sign that the regenerating forest is already providing a habitat for wildlife. I was also delighted to find a tea-leaved willow (Salix phylicifolia) in flower - this species is rare in Glen Affric, and the only individuals we'd seen before were seedlings browsed down to ground level.
Continuing westwards, I passed the Alltbeithe Youth Hostel and stopped to look at several small stock-fenced exclosures we erected beside the Affric River in 1997, to facilitate the regeneration of eared willow seedlings. The growth of these willows was quite variable, with some hardly having increased in size at all, whilst others were dense, bushy and over a metre in height. As I approached one of the fences, my eye was caught by something blue inside it, which I thought at first must be a discarded snack wrapper. However, as I got closer I was astounded to discover it was several bluebells in flower amongst a lush growth of ferns! Looking around, the vibrant and verdant growth of willow, bluebells and ferns in this tiny exclosure seemed truly miraculous, especially in comparison to the surrounding closely-cropped grassy landscape which stretched as far as I could see.
My destination that day was an unprotected and heavily-overgrazed rowan seedling about a kilometre further west, which I've been photographing since 1992, to document the impact of the high deer numbers on the vegetation of West Affric. As I expected, that poor rowan had not grown at all since my previous visit to it, in 1999 - its multiple stems were still stunted a few centimetres above the ground by repeated browsing from the deer.
Sobered by the lack of any growth on the rowan, and what it represented for the lack of regeneration on West Affric, I headed back east, and stopped again at the flowering bluebells. Their significance touched me deeply as I stood there, for I realised that it was probably centuries since bluebells last flowered in this part of Glen Affric, given the lack of tree cover which they are mainly associated with, and the long history of grazing there. In that moment, it seemed to me as though their blossoming was a great gift, a true miracle of Nature, showing how the Earth responds when we remove the imbalance of overgrazing and allow the land and the vegetation to recover.
Alan Watson Featherstone
Aspen Propagation Seminar at Plodda
 Jill demonstrating how to put aspen roots in boxes for propagation during the Aspen Propagation Seminar at Plodda Lodge in April. |
On 28th April we held our first ever Aspen Propagation Seminar, with the intention of sharing the information and techniques we have developed over the years for propagating aspen from root cuttings, with any individuals or organisations who may be interested in setting up a unit for propagating aspen themselves. The eight participants who attended the seminar, which was partly funded by Scottish Natural Heritage, came from organisations which Trees for Life works with locally, such as Forestry Commission and RSPB, and from as far afield as The Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh.
The participants were able to take part in each of the stages of aspen propagation, from root collection out in the field, through planting the root cuttings in the nursery, cutting and preparing the shoots or 'suckers' for the misting unit, to potting up rooted aspens. The day also featured demonstrations, discussions, and the distribution of information on setting up a mist propagation unit, as well as about other possible methods of propagating aspen.
We very much hope the day will have inspired others to set up propagation facilities and enhance their local populations of aspen. We will be keen to hold future seminars if there is a sufficient level of interest in this topic.
Jill Hodge
Biological diversity in Glen Affric
 This running crab spider (Philodromus margaritatus) typically uses its cryptic colouration to blend in with lichen-covered tree trunks (in this case, an aspen) where it waits to pounce on its prey - the female in this photograph has caught a fly.  These tiny pinhead lichens (Phaeocalicium praecedens) are about 1 mm. in length. |
The conference, 'Ecology and management of large native pinewoods: past, present and future', which brought together forest managers and researchers for three days in Drumnadrochit and Glen Affric in mid-June this year (see separate article by Dan Puplett elsewhere in this edition of Caledonia Wild!) provided an ideal opportunity to evaluate how much is known about the biological diversity in Glen Affric. For some time I've been aware that Affric has been relatively-little studied in terms of providing an inventory of the species there, but it was only when I obtained data from the RSPB about the biodiversity in their Abernethy Reserve (which, like Affric, is one of the largest remnants of the Caledonian Forest) that I realised how large our knowledge gap actually is.
I've collated all the records held on species by both Forest Enterprise and Scottish Natural Heritage, as well as our own observations here at Trees for Life, to compile the numbers of species for Affric in the table below. Comparing these with the equivalent figures from Abernethy, it's very obvious that the numbers for every type of organism are significantly lower in Glen Affric. The one exception to this is the Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies), where the number of species recorded in Affric was increased significantly by David Barbour's survey work last year.
Numbers of species recorded in pinewood areas
| Affric | Abernethy | |
|---|---|---|
| Fungi | 225 | 699 |
| Lichens | 178 | 300 |
| Mosses & liverworts (Bryophytes) | 55 | 293 |
| Flies (Diptera) | 36 | 260 |
| Spiders (Arachnids) | 76 | 128 |
| Beetles (Coleoptera) | 195 | 904 |
| Moths & butterflies (Lepidoptera) | 261 | 264 |
The differences in numbers between Affric and Abernethy for the other groups of organisms do not mean that Affric has a significantly lower level of biological diversity than Abernethy - instead they are a reflection of the fact that much less survey and inventory work has been done in Affric.
We're seeking to remedy this relative lack of knowledge as part of our ongoing work in Glen Affric, and last year's Lepidoptera survey is being followed up in 2004 and 2005 by a survey of beetles in the glen. This is being carried out by Arthur Ewing, a specialist in Coleoptera, and again we're delighted to have received the financial backing of both Forest Enterprise and Scottish Natural Heritage for this.
Although it will be another 15 months or so before we get the final results of Arthur's surveys, his work is already bearing fruit, and not just for beetles! During one of his first survey days in May, he observed an argent and sable moth (Rheumaptera hastata) near the west end of Loch Beinn a'Mheadhoin. This moth is classified as Nationally Scarce and is the subject of a Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) under the UK government's response to the Convention on Biological Diversity agreed at the 1992 Earth Summit in Brazil. Its range has decreased substantially in England in recent years, and although it occurs in northwest Scotland, it has not been recorded in Glen Affric before.
Two other rare species have also been found in Affric recently. In April, Chris Ellis from the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh, who is doing a survey of lichens associated with aspens in Scotland, discovered a Nationally Rare pinhead lichen (Phaeocalicium praecedens) growing on the twigs of the large aspen tree inside the Aspen Sanctuary near the Coille Ruigh exclosure. Then in June, I found a running crab spider (Philodromus margaritatus) sitting on the trunk of a young aspen near Coire Loch - this is the first time this Nationally Scarce species has been recorded in Glen Affric.
One outcome of the pinewood conference held in June is that here at Trees for Life we will continue to develop our leading role in building up an inventory of the biological diversity in Affric, and we anticipate there are a number of other rare species waiting to be documented in the glen. We hope to follow up the current beetle survey with others for flies, lichens and bryophytes in the near future. There's also a lot of basic work to be carried out - for example, at present there isn't even a comprehensive list of the plant species occurring in Affric - so this will keep us busy for some time to come!
Alan Watson Featherstone
Biological diversity in Glen Affric - related pages
Pinewood Conference brings together science and restoration
 Colin Edwards of Forest Research showing a Scots pine core section to conference delegates during the field trip in Glen Affric.  Alan talking about the work of Trees for Life to conference participants at the Coille Ruigh exclosure. |
The conference, "Ecology and Management of Large Native Pinewoods: Past, Present and Future" held in Drumnadrochit in June brought together many different people to share experiences of management and planning, strengthen the link between research and practice, and to identify priorities for future research, management and restoration. Participants included representatives of the RSPB, the Woodland Trust Scotland, National Trust for Scotland, Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS), a number of universities, and various consultants, while Alan Watson Featherstone, Adam Powell and I represented Trees for Life.
The first day focussed on the history of the pinewoods, particularly in Glen Affric. Scientists from Stirling and Swansea Universities had used pollen analysis to gain insight into the patterns of woodland decline over the centuries. Chris Smout from the University of St Andrews used historical records to reach similar conclusions. They pointed out the dynamic nature of these ecosystems in space and time and how climatic factors can influence tree distribution. Areas of Scotland's natural forests would have been quite open and savannah-like, with constant shifts between woodland and open ground.
On the second day there was an interesting mixture of presentations on management at the species, habitat and landscape scale, including one on the chemicals within pine needles known as monoterpenes - scientists have discovered that a more diverse mix of these is correlated with a greater diversity of ground flora.
Lichenologist Brian Coppins looked at the role of lichens as 'bioindicators' of ancient woodlands. Simply put, they help to assess the age and ecological richness of the forest. If a forest is cut down, and then allowed to grow again, parts of the forest community, such as the ground flora, may recover. Certain lichens, however, depend on the constant presence of old trees, so finding these lichens, or combinations of lichens, in the forest can indicate how long a piece of land has been continuously forested.
Kenny Kortland of the RSPB gave an insightful presentation on the management of pinewoods in Abernethy for the endangered capercaillie, and Peter Quelch, Native Woodland Advisor to FCS, gave a fascinating talk on other tree species in pinewoods, such as juniper, rowan and aspen, highlighting their importance for biodiversity.
Malcolm Wield, FCS Forest District Manager with responsibility for the Glen Affric National Nature Reserve (NNR), gave his perspective on the long term management planning of native pinewoods in the district, and Stephen Bassett from the Strathglass Community Development Group stated the case for local people becoming more involved in management of the NNR, something which FCS and TFL support.
Alan rounded up the day summarising the main restoration efforts in Glen Affric to date, and outlined a proposal for more closely integrating biological inventorying, research and restoration in the future. He explained the approach advocated by Trees for Life for native forest regeneration: that we are not striving to recreate some fixed point in history, but where possible to remove the human-induced influences (such as overgrazing by deer) and allow the land to become 'self-willed', as the deep ecologists put it.
There was some discussion about the potential effects of climate change on our native forests. Alan pointed out that ultimately, since no one really knows what effects climate change will bring, the most effective strategy (apart from reducing our emissions) is to help restore a healthy and robust ecosystem, one that will be better able to adjust to environmental change.
On the third day there was a field trip to Glen Affric where the participants visited various sites referred to in the presentations, and Alan took the group to Coille Ruigh, the 50 hectare exclosure that has been protecting natural regeneration since 1990.
Overall, the conference was thought provoking and stimulating, and I gained a lot simply by meeting others with a passion for native woodlands and who are working to secure their future.
Dan Puplett
Student research projects bear fruit
 Simon Dures with one of the wood ant nests he studied on the north shore of Loch Beinn a'Mheadhoin.  Some of the junipers which Paul Hammond studied on the south shore of Loch Beinn a'Mheadhoin. |
In the last couple of years we've had a number of students carrying out research projects in conjunction with our work in Glen Affric. These are always very useful, as they provide important scientific data about the Caledonian Forest, and aid us in planning and implementing forest restoration work.
In May, Simon Dures completed his dissertation on the use of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) software to predict potential suitable habitat for wood ant colonies in Glen Affric. His field survey work showed that the greatest concentration of wood ants is near the east end of Loch Beinn a'Mheadhoin, on the north side of the glen, and that their distribution decreases to the west, with very few nests being found towards the western end of Loch Beinn a'Mheadhoin. Key factors in the locations of nests included a south-facing exposure, so that the ants can benefit from the warming of the sun, and the proximity of birch trees, presumed to be because the ants utilise a sugary secretion from aphids on birch trees as a food source.
Simon's results appear to indicate that the ants may be spreading westwards from the east end of Loch Beinn a'Mheadhoin, and that the occurrence of birch trees in suitable sites of pines is a limiting factor on their distribution. His analysis of site conditions provides support for our proposed trial translocation of wood ants to the pinewoods on the north shore of Loch Affric, with the proviso that any translocation sites would need to be located close to birch trees.
In other recent research, Paul Hammond, a student in geography at St. Andrews University, carried out a project on the ecology and regeneration of juniper in Glen Affric. He studied the unusually high concentration of 64 juniper bushes in a small area on the south shore of Loch Beinn a'Mheadhoin, and the regeneration of juniper in the Coille Ruigh exclosure.
Meanwhile, in 2003 Tanya Ogilivy completed a 3 year PhD project on the regeneration ecology of broadleaved trees in the pinewoods of Glen Affric. Recommendations from her work include growing alder in open and old growth woodland patches, planting downy birch and rowan on the edges of well-drained old growth pinewood stands and planting holly under more shade. As it is now recognised that broadleaved trees were formerly more abundant in the pinewoods, these recommendations provide some useful guidance for further restoration work in Glen Affric, and in particular for our ongoing programme of enrichment planting of broadleaved trees in the glen.
For anyone who is interested, we now have a comprehensive list of the abstracts or summaries of over 15 research projects on our web site, together with a listing of potential future research projects - these can be accessed here:
Alan Watson Featherstone
Talk your walk!
 Gill Emslie taking part in the 2003 Sponsored Walk in Glen Affric - we'd like you to join us there this year! |
Sponsored Walks
Yes, it'll soon be that time of the year again, time to walk in the hills, time to appreciate Mother Nature and time to Talk your Walk by talking friends and neighbours into sponsoring your Trees for Life Walk! This year our Walk around Loch Affric will take place on Sunday 3rd October. If you can, please join us and enjoy a healthy and refreshing walk in the wilds - and help us raise much needed funds for our work.
Mike Harrower and Joan Fairhurst are again organising their Edinburgh (Pentland Hills) and Delamere Forest Walks - please download our information and sponsorship form for further details. If you can't come to Glen Affric, and Edinburgh or Cheshire is closer to home, please talk to Mike (tel. 0131-477-6498) or Joan (tel. 01829-751954) - they will be happy for you to join them.
Last year we also had a number of people, such as Angie Polkey, Linda Denton and Maria Ede-Weaving, who did solo walks or walked with friends in their own neck of the woods. Between us all we reached a record figure of £4,921.21! It would be great to top this and go over the £5,000 mark this time" so, we are looking for some more good people who are willing to organise and lead sponsored walks in their own areas, or to do their own walks and make their own collections. Two years ago Class 6 of Wynstones Steiner School in Gloucestershire did their own sponsored walk and raised nearly £1,500 for us! So, please get talking and walking!
Snowy Corrie appeal
Our last appeal for funds to establish an 11 hectare exclosure around the Allt Coire an t'Sneachda (Snowy Corrie) stream in Glen Affric has raised £4,977 so far - our sincere thanks to all of you who contributed. This little valley is a real treasure within Glen Affric and we are still working to meet our target of £5,500 to ensure its preservation.
Our Wish List
We have been fortunate in the past to receive donations of unwanted equipment, such as desks and filing cabinets from stalwart supporters like Mike Harrower (of Edinburgh Sponsored Walk fame) - our thanks again to Mike. To help attract other such donations, we're starting a new feature in Caledonia Wild! - a wish list of equipment, materials etc. needed for our work. If anybody has something on the list which is surplus to requirements, we would be very grateful to accept it. The current list of needs is:
- Ordnance Survey Explorer Series Maps for our target area - map numbers 414, 415, 416, 428, 429, 430 and 431 refer.
- Colour laser printer for our office.
- Office desk for Pat, our Admin. assistant.
- An Apple iMac computer.
- Digital camera for Field staff survey work.
- Waterproof jackets and trousers for use during our Work Weeks.
- The book "The Native Pinewoods of Scotland" by H.M. Steven and A. Carlisle
- Arc-View 8.X Computer Mapping software.
- A Pentium PC computer (650 MHz or higher), 256 MB RAM with Windows 2000 for use with our GIS software.
- Small van with a tow bar for use at Plodda Lodge.
If you can help with any of these, or would like to donate funds for any of them, please contact me at our office.
Robert McAuley
Restoring the Earth Project Update
 The Home Page of the Earth Restoration Service Web Site. |
At the beginning of May, our efforts to promote ecological restoration at an international level took a significant step forwards when the Earth Restoration Service (ERS) web site, which I wrote about in the winter 2003-4 edition of Caledonia Wild!, was officially launched. The establishment of an Earth Restoration Service is one of the key goals of the Restoring the Earth project, and its aim is to provide an international database of ecological restoration projects around the world, and to facilitate and enable volunteers to work on such projects.
The web site has been developed with funds provided by Peter Phelps, who was moved to implement the project after participating in the Restore the Earth! conference at Findhorn in 2002, and with contacts and information provided by Andreas Kornevall, the founder of Working Abroad, a web-based organisation which facilitates volunteers working on positive projects around the world. Earlier this year we contracted Anne Matthews to research and contact restoration projects all over the world, and the responses she's received so far have led to the first entries in the online database on the web site. This is searchable by various criteria, including geographic location, type of ecosystem being restored etc, and the intention is that it will grow into a comprehensive resource of projects which volunteers can get involved with on every continent.
From these initial steps, our intention is that the Earth Restoration Service will grow into a fully-fledged, highly effective organisation which can make a substantial difference in providing volunteers to assist restoration projects around the world. Please visit the ERS web site, and if you have plans to travel abroad, why not volunteer for one of the projects featured on the site? Also, if you know of any restoration projects which may be suitable to add to the database, please let us know about them.
Alan Watson Featherstone
2005 calendar and diary now available
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Our calendar and diary for 2005 feature another unique and outstanding selection of photographs of trees and forests from all around the planet by some of the world's best nature photographers. Each title also features a specially-commissioned introductory essay, and lots of information about trees and forests, including those which are endangered.
Trees for Life receives a royalty on every calendar and diary which is sold, so these publications are not only great gifts for Christmas, but also make an important contribution to our funds. So please support your favourite conservation charity by ordering some this year!
See Caledonia Wild! magazines, for excerpts from other editions.
Published: 1 September 2004
Last updated: 02 February 2010