Bring Back the Broadleaves Appeal

Please make a donation to support this project now!

Help us plant 30,000 native trees, to increase the species diversity of the Caledonian Forest being restored in Glen Affric.

In some parts of the Caledonian Forest in Glen Affric, only Scots pines are left, because of preferential overgrazing of the native broadleaved trees by red deer.

Dear Supporter

In the past 12 years, the central focus of Trees for Life's work has been the restoration of the Caledonian Forest on land managed by Forest Enterprise in Glen Affric. Thanks to the generous donations of supporters such as yourself, we've planted over 200,000 trees there, and as a result of this and other work, the long history of forest decline in the glen has been reversed, and Affric is now recognised as the site of one of the leading restoration projects in the country.

We're ready now to move on to the next stage of forest regeneration, and I'm writing today to invite you to support us in an exciting new project which will significantly refine and develop the restoration process.

In some parts of the Caledonian Forest in Glen Affric, only Scots pines are left, because of preferential overgrazing of the native broadleaved trees by red deer.

The need to restore the natural diversity of tree species to the Caledonian Forest

Almost all of the 200,000 trees we've planted on Forest Enterprise land in Glen Affric to date have been Scots pine, as this is a keystone species in the forest ecosystem - it's the largest and longest-lived tree, and is essential for species such as the Scottish crossbill.

These pines have been planted in the western part of the glen, and although there's been some natural regeneration of other species, such as birch, rowan and willow, the native broadleaved tree species are generally under-represented there.

In the eastern parts of the glen, where there are larger stands of mature forest, species such as hazel, alder, aspen and goat willow do occur, but research has shown that even there the broadleaved trees are not as numerous as they previously were.

This is because these species are more palatable than pines and for a century or more have been preferentially overgrazed by red deer, so that they survive in disproportionately small numbers today.

Aspen and birch amongst Scots pines at the east end of Glen Affric - with your help we can restore more of the glen to a natural mixture of trees like this.

Please help us bring back the broadleaved trees!

To help address this in the western part of the glen, I'm delighted to say that we've got agreement from both Forest Enterprise and Scottish Natural Heritage to plant a range of native broadleaved tree species, beginning next spring. This will ensure that the new generation of trees growing there will more accurately reflect the natural distribution of species in the forest. The broadleaved trees will also provide the habitat for a wide range of plants, insects and animals associated with them.

It is to help us achieve all this that I am asking for your support now, by making a contribution towards the £12,000 target which we need to raise for this project.

Here's what your support will help us to achieve:

• We'll plant a total of 30,000 trees, some of them grown in our own nursery, in several fenced exclosures on Forest Enterprise land in the western part of Glen Affric. The species to be planted include broadleaved trees such as alder, aspen, silver birch, downy birch, eared willow, goat willow, hazel and holly, as well as juniper in suitable locations.
• The locations for the planting of each tree species will be determined on the basis of soil and site suitability, and where remoteness from a seed source will preclude natural regeneration. This information will add significantly to our knowledge of the area, and will be added to our computer-based GIS mapping of the glen.
• We'll establish some photographic monitoring points to document the growth of the trees over a period of many years, thereby providing valuable information on the effectiveness of our restoration work.

To achieve all this, we need to raise £12,000 to cover the costs of purchasing the trees, planning the planting locations and establishing the monitoring process (NB: we also need to find additional funding for the Conservation Holidays which will do the actual planting). This is an ambitious target, but with the commitment and backing of our dedicated supporters such as you, I know that we can reach it.

Mature Scots pine and regenerating saplings amongst birch, rowan and aspen give an indication of what a more natural distribution of trees in the Caledonian Forest should be.

Your support now will make all the difference to this project!

We are relying on contributions from supporters such as yourself to provide the funding for this important project - the more money we raise, the more trees we will be able to plant next year. For every £10 donated, we will be able to plant 25 trees, so even small donations make a large difference! As we approach the festive season, I am reminded of the importance of forests by the trees we decorate our houses with - I invite you to help us in restoring the Caledonian Forest now by bringing back more broadleaved trees to Glen Affric.

To make a donation online to this project, please go to our order form, and thank you in advance for whatever contribution you can give. Money may not grow on trees, but trees will grow from your donation!

Yours sincerely,

Alan Watson Featherstone
Executive Director

P.S. Every tree we plant next spring will provide a habitat and home for many plants, insects and birds, so please give as generously as you can to help us reach our goal. Thank you!

Broadleaved trees - related pages

• Regeneration Ecology of Broadleaved Trees in Caledonian Forest

If you would like to make a donation for a different aspect of our work, please see our Appeals for Funds.

Published: December 2001
Last updated: 25 August 2010