Glac Daraich
Practical results of our work
Situated on the north side of Loch Beinn a'Mheadhoin, and located above a plantation of Scots pine on the slopes of the hill Beinn a'Mheadhoin itself, Glac Daraich is a 35 hectare fenced exclosure that we funded on Forestry Commission Scotland land in Glen Affric in 1992. It was subsequently planted with 24,000 Scots pine and some native broadleaved trees, while natural regeneration has also occurred for some species, from seeds produced by the few mature trees left in the area when the fence was erected.
The photographs below show the growth of some of the planted and naturally-regenerating trees that has occurred since 1993.
Taken in July 1999, this photograph shows Shirley Pottie, then Assistant Field Officer with
Trees for Life, beside one of the first aspens
we planted in the exclosure, back in 1993. Note
the size of the birches immediately behind the aspen. 
This photograph, also taken in September 2008, shows the same mature Scots pine as in the 1999
photo above. Now, however, the growth of the young pines planted in 1993-94 and the naturally-regenerating
birch to the left of the mature tree, shows the transformation that is taking place in this area as the
forest is restored. |
Alan Watson Featherstone beside the same aspen tree in early September 2008. Note the growth
of the naturally-regenerating birches behind the aspen, and also that of the
Scots pines planted
by Trees for Life volunteers in 1993. 
Also taken in July 1999, this photograph shows Shirley amongst the veritable garden of blossoming
heather and naturally-regenerating downy birch and bog myrtle, because of the protection from
overgrazing
provided by the Glac Daraich fence. |
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Published: 23 November 2008
Last updated: 25 August 2010