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The award winning conservation charity dedicated to the regeneration and restoration of the Caledonian Forest in the Highlands of Scotland  
Aspens, River Cannich

Aspens growing beside the River Cannich in Glen Cannich

 

Woodpecker at nest

Male greater spotted woodpecker at its nest in an aspen trunk, Dundreggan.

 

Aspen in autumn

Aspen tree in autumn beside Loch Beinn a’Mheadhoin in Glen Affric

Caledonian Forest Information Centre

Aspen Project

Trees for Life initiated an aspen project in 1991 as part of our work to help restore the Caledonian Forest in Glen Affric and the surrounding areas. Our observations had shown that the species only occurred in small stands, often widely separated from each other, and that little regeneration was taking place, because of grazing pressure, primarily by red deer. In addition, in the light of aspen's relatively poor ability to reproduce from seed (Worrell, 1995a, b), we recognised that, unlike other tree species such as birch, rowan etc., it was very unlikely to spread beyond the sites where it was already established.

To address these concerns, our aspen project has four main elements to it: surveying and mapping of existing stands; protection of ramets or suckers at existing stands to facilitate natural regeneration; propagation and planting of young aspens; and research into the ecology of aspen.

More...

The Trees for Life Aspen Project

Pages about Aspen on this site

Aspen - related pages

 

Aspen tree

Trembler's delight! - an aspen tree in autumn, with its leaves motionless on a wind-still day.

 


Aspen sapling in Glen Affric, 6 years after it was by planted. This tree was propagated from root cuttings taken from an aspen stand elsewhere in the glen.

 

 


If you have found the information on this page and/or website useful please consider making a donation, for example to our current appeal and/or becoming a member of Trees for Life, to help us further our work of restoring the Caledonian Forest. You can join or make a donation on-line via our secure server if you like, or contact Trees for Life by post, phone or email at the address below.

Published: 13 November 2006
Last updated: 24 January 2008