#WilderNationalParks
Rewilding Britain @RewildingB
Reforesting the Glens of Scotland |
Reforesting the Glens of Scotland
The Scottish pines are on the march! Great to see the granny trees surrounded by their grandchildren once again at @MarLodgeNTS
#WilderNationalParks Rewilding Britain @RewildingB
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Fiona Brownlee and her grandchildren were among the first to sign up to help protect the rare and endangered trees that populate the grounds of Astley Ainslie, a century-old convalescence hospital in south Edinburgh being eyed up by housing developers.
They are among about 30 people, including the novelist Ian Rankin, who have adopted trees as part of a campaign by the Astley Ainslie Community Trust (AACT) to protect the heavily wooded 17-hectare (42-acre) campus, which has been earmarked for sale. It’s really important to keep a community green space in the south of Edinburgh, with everything that has been going on. It’s vital it is kept green and free, with the whole ethos of rehabilitation and mindfulness; it’s just vital for mental health. @ScotForestry and @ForestryLS have helped to create 12,000 hectares of woodland since April 2020 - meeting a @ScotGov 100 Days commitment. Tree planting is a key part of our plans to tackle the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss.
Scotland is already responsible for 80% of woodland creation in the UK. Our ambitious targets for new woodland creation to help combat climate change will see Scotland planting 18,000 hectares per year by 2024. A team of courageous Cairngorms Connect partners and volunteers carried 3,000 downy willow saplings into the Cairngorm Mountains. This small species of native willow tree is specially adapted for life in the extreme climate of the Cairngorm mountains but sadly, is struggling to survive. Through a momentous team effort, this rare shrub is being thrown a lifeline, thanks to local volunteers, Cairngorms Connect, Trees for Life and the Cairngorms National Park Authority.
To improve the life-chances of this Cairngorm species on-the-edge, cuttings were taken from downy willows across its range and new, genetically diverse plants have been grown in Trees for Life’s tree nursery at Dundreggan. This year was the first time these first saplings were considered strong enough to be planted out into their natural habitat. Although this walk may have taken only taken a day, it’s legacy will be long-lasting. With funding from the Endangered Landscapes Programme, Cairngorms Connect has a bold and ambitious 200-year vision to enhance habitats, species, and ecological processes across a vast area within the Cairngorms National Park. The downy willow saplings may only be small, but they are part of a much larger picture – one that is full of hope. |
AuthorBob Glen Categories |