‘Ice age’ pinewoods on knife-edge, says study

Most of Scotland’s globally-unique Caledonian pinewoods, like those at Glen Orchy and Tyndrum, are on a ‘knife-edge’ and could become the last generation in a line stretching back to the last ice age, says the first major study into their health for more than 60 years.

 

A four-year analysis by rewilding charity Trees for Life found that high deer numbers, spread of non-native conifers, lack of long-term management, and emerging impacts of climate breakdown are major threats to the pinewoods’ survival.

 

The woodlands form a rich habitat found nowhere else in the world, and some are thousands of years old. They are home to declining wildlife such as red squirrels, capercaillie and crossbills.

 

Urgent action needs to include dedicated and easily accessible long-term funding, so private landowners can save and restore their pinewoods and look after them in the future, says Trees for Life.

 

The rewilding charity is also calling for full implementation of proposed national measures to reduce deer numbers, as well as action to allow the pinewoods to expand into cooler areas – such as higher up mountains – in response to climate change.

 

“Our findings are an alarm bell for Scotland’s Caledonian pinewoods, which are such an important part of the country’s culture and environment. The majority of the surviving fragments are now on a knife-edge, and bold action is needed to save them from being lost forever,” said Steve Micklewright, Trees for Life’s chief executive.

 

“A landscape-scale approach backed by the Scottish Government is urgently needed to save, expand and connect up these precious woodlands before it is too late.”

 

Only some 42,000 acres of the original pinewoods survive. Over the past four years, Trees for Life assessed the state of 72 of the remaining 84 fragments.

 

The team studied more than 1,200 half-acre plots in total across the sites. Scotland’s national tree, the Scots pine, was found to be in serious decline at a quarter of the plots. High impacts from artificially large deer populations are the main barrier to the pinewoods’ recovery. Non-native conifers, originally planted in the 1950s, crowd-out and slowly kill Scots pine – a risk which increases year-on-year.

 

“These pinewoods should be playing a key role in Scotland’s fight-back against the climate and nature emergencies, but right now most are on their last legs," said Trees for Life’s senior ecologist James Rainey, who led the study. "It’s not too late to turn this around, but that means seriously stepping-up restoration and rewilding action.”

 

Scottish Forestry, the pubic body responsible for forestry policy, is appointing a new Rainforest Action Co-ordinator to help protect and restore Scotland’s rainforest, located down the west coast of Scotland.

 

"attachment_875656" "aligncenter" "300"] Caledonian rainforest at Glen Nevis

 

The rainforest consists of ancient oak, birch, ash, native pine and hazel woodlands. The high levels of rainfall and relatively mild year-round temperatures gives the woodlands their unique characteristics.

 

The main threats to the rainforest comes from invasive non-native plants such as rhododendron, and from the damaging effects of deer browsing.

 

The new co-ordinator will work across the number of agencies, private landowners, charities and wider stakeholders to develop a co-ordinated plan of action to protect and restore Scotland’s rainforest.

 

Welcoming the announcement, Julie Stoneman of the Alliance for Scotland’s Rainforest, said: “Ecological restoration will most successful if delivered at scale across the West Coast, and in collaboration with land managers and communities. Coordination will be key to delivering results, as will long-term investment.”