Trees return to one of Scotland’s most barren landscapes at last
THEY were once barren landscapes after losing thousands of natural woodland to overgrazing of the land.
But the the number of trees is increasing and peatland is being restored in some of Scotland’s nature reserves, a long-term photography study has revealed.
Naturescot has carried out repeat photography to illustrate changes at national nature reserves (NNR) across the Highlands.
The project involves taking photographs in the same locations at the same time of year, dating back 70 years in some cases.
The visual record supports recent data from Naturescot showing tree numbers increased by around 25% at Invereshie and Inshriach between 2017 and 2023 through natural regeneration as well as deer management.
It also found the woodland at Beinn Eighe has increased by 41% since it was designated as the UK’S first NNR in 1951, through a combination of tree planting, natural regeneration and sustainable deer management.
More than 200 hectares of peatland has been restored on the mountainside at Ben Wyvis NNR as part of landscape-scale habitat restoration stretching from sea to summit.
Earlier this year, Oscar-winning actor Leonardo Dicaprio backed the Rewilding Nation campaign in an Instagram post which has been liked almost 100,000 times, saying: “With this campaign, Scotland could be a world leader in rewilding its landscapes, ensuring clean air and water, storing carbon, reducing flooding, restoring wildlife, and improving the lives of locals.”
The alliance said that Scotland is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world but believes that it is possible to rewild 30% of it by restoring habitats including peatlands, native woodlands, wetlands, rivers and seas, with no loss of productive farmland.
Funds raised during the Big Give week will support outreach work such as events with communities, meetings with politicians and policy makers, a new community rewilding guide and making the campaign widely accessible in Gaelic.
Alliance member Trees for Life has invited Leonardo Dicaprio to visit the charity’s Dundreggan Rewilding Centre near Loch Ness in the Highlands.
The centre celebrates rewilding and Gaelic culture, and offers a gateway for visitors to explore Trees for Life’s Dundreggan estate, part of Affric Highlands, the UK’S biggest rewilding landscape.
Meanwhile, a recent report studying nature recovery in Scotland has shown that the central reservation of the A9 road has become a beacon for rewilding. The Woodland Trust report revealed the unusual highlight of tree regeneration on the A9 central reservation since the section of the road was dualled in 1979.
The stretch of road running for around six miles South of Dalnaspidal is almost exactly at the geographical centre of Scotland, and nature experts hope it can be the heart of nature’s recovery.
Images from the early 1990s show little growing on the central reservation but today many sections are thick with naturally regenerating trees including willow, birch, pine and rowan.
There are also trees growing between the road and the railway line. All probably seeded in from a few fragments of woodland clinging on in steep gullies, experts say.
They have been able to establish on this strip because the busy carriageways keep deer out and the central reservation is not subject to muirburn.
Ian Sargent, Naturescot’s nature reserves manager for the central Highlands, said: “Our aim over the years has been to restore nature to allow it to function naturally with minimal intervention on our NNRS.
“In turn, these nature-rich areas provide many benefits, including increased biodiversity, carbon storage and resilience to climate change. Even when we are very familiar with an area, it is sometimes difficult to appreciate change, especially when it happens slowly.
“Repeat photography allows us a fascinating look back in time and an insight into the dramatic but sometimes unnoticed changes to the landscape down through the years.
“While these images can’t tell us the full story of a place and its people, it is encouraging to see and reflect on the restoration of woodlands and peatlands over the years at some of our most beautiful and special sites for nature.”
These naturerich areas provide many benefits, including increased biodiversity