Scottish Native Woods News

Trustees Wanted

Can you spare a few hours a month to help direct our way forward? If you have the skills we are looking for you can make a real difference to Scotland's native woods.

You can download more information here. Trustee Vacancy ad.pdf

Closing date is 26 February 2010

Talisman Energy (UK) Limited support key native species

Talisman Energy (UK) Limited, a leading oil company based in Aberdeen, has made a generous donation to help with recording aspen (Populus tremula) within selected ancient woods on Deeside.

Aspen is a key native species, currently occurring at low levels within the native woodlands of the North East, which supports unique flora and fauna. Future aspen expansion programmes rely on the identification of suitable local provenance trees of a wide genetic mix to provide future planting stock.

Talisman's valued support will allow Carol Robertson, our North East Area Manager, to identify and map, within selected woods, different aspen clones of separate genetic material. The methodology will include studying the timing of leaf flush in late spring in the field.

With the permission of the landowners, collections will then be made of sections of root from identified clones for propagation at a Scottish tree nursery for planting into future native woodland schemes.

The North East aspen work is part of Scottish Native Woods bold vision for the future of aspen in Scotland:

By the year 2020 you will never be more than a mile from a managed aspen stand along any of Scotland’s rivers and lochs.

Annual Report 2008-09

We've produced our Annual Report for 2008-09.
Find out more about what we achieved during the year by downloading a copy here.
Annual Report 08-09.pdf

Newsletter

We publish a newsletter in Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter.

The Spring 2010 edition is out now.

Download here spring.web.10.pdf

If you would like to subscribe to our e-newsletter please email enquiries@scottishnativewoods.org.uk and put 'subscribe' in the subject line.

Hazel leaflet published

Scottish Native Woods and Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group have launched a new leaflet on Atlantic Hazelwoods.

These woods form an important part of Scotland's temperate woodlands, our very own rainforest, and are home to an internationally important group of plants and animals,

You can download the publication here

Living Rivers Report Published - October 2008

In 2004, Diageo Global Supply in Scotland and the Diageo Foundation supported a three year initiative with Scottish Native Woods through Diageo’s “Water of Life” programme to restore native riparian woodland within the North East river catchments of the Dee, Deveron, Spey and Lossie.

The Living Rivers Project report is now available and shows, three years on from the high profile launch, that the Project has more than surpassed its woodland restoration targets with over 600 hectares (1,495 acres) of native woodland restored or created. These cover a range of native woodland types including five UK Priority Habitats.

To download a copy of the report as a pdf, click Living Rivers.pdf

Native Woodlands Booklet: Action for Scotland’s Native Woods

Scottish Native Woods’ North East Area features in a new publication entitled “Action for Scotland’s Native Woods” published by Forestry Commission Scotland. Aimed at encouraging woodland owners and land managers the publication highlights the range of native woodlands occurring in Scotland as well as providing ideas on why and how to manage this important habitat. A series of Case Studies illustrate innovative approaches to managing our native woodlands which includes work undertaken by landowners in partnership with Scottish Native Woods’ North East Area Manager entitled “Deveron Headwaters”.

One of Scotland’s premier salmon rivers, the success of the Deveron fisheries depends on the ecological health of the upper reaches as key spawning grounds. Small areas of mature riparian woodland survive along the along the upper River Deveron and its tributaries, management will help protect these woodlands, as well as providing shade and sources of food to the river. The majority of the land in the headwaters is in multiple private farm ownership, Scottish Native Woods has played a key role in encouraging several farmers to conserve and expand their native woodlands resulting in an improvement in woodland habitats within the catchment.

For further information on this work contact our North East Area Manager carol.robertson@scottishnativewoods.org.uk

Glenurquhart non-natives report

Scottish Native Woods have completed a survey of non-native plant species in the Glenurquhart catchment for Scottish Natural Heritage. The report makes recommendations for future management

You can download the report here Glenurquhart non-natives report.pdf