Endangered mountain trees making a comeback in Scotland, study shows - University of Stirling
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Endangered mountain trees and shrubs are making a comeback in Scotland, a study has shown.
Endangered mountain trees and shrubs are making a comeback in Scotland, mitigating the effects of extreme weather, a study by the University of Stirling has shown.
Montane scrub provides protection from flooding, avalanches, rockfalls and landslides, as well as supporting a range of rare insects and scarce birds.
Overgrazing by deer and sheep on Scotland’s peaks since the 18th century contributed to a rapid decline in high-altitude woodland. By the 1990s native montane willows were nearly extinct, with the largest remaining patch equivalent to the size of a tennis court.
Since then, almost 400,000 montane willows have been planted within 2,659 hectares managed for the restoration of mountain woodlands across Scotland, bringing the trees back from the brink of extinction.
The area these special arctic-alpine plants occupy has increased a hundredfold since the 1990s thanks to the efforts of conservation charities and private estates working on a long-term vision for nature recovery.
A review of progress made over the last 30 years has been carried out by PhD researcher Sarah Watts, of the University of Stirling’s Faculty of Natural Sciences.
Posted On: 04/11/2024
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