Habitat recovery project aids restoration of Glencoe’s biodiversity - National Trust for Scotland

The team at Glencoe are celebrating the success of a recent project that has helped restore biodiversity and bolstered climate resilience across habitats within the National Nature Reserve.

The Glencoe Habitat Recovery Project saw the development of a comprehensive habitat management plan to protect the glen’s iconic landscape and help it recover from over-grazing, invasive plant species and dwindling freshwater habitats. The project was funded by the Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund, managed by NatureScot, alongside funding raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

Glencoe is an internationally renowned landscape, attracting visitors from across the world. Its high profile offers an opportunity to showcase nature restoration to a diverse audience.

Emily Bryce, National Trust for Scotland Operations Manager at Glencoe National Nature Reserve, said: ‘One of the main priorities of the project was to create suitable conditions to support natural habitat regeneration by reducing deer grazing pressure on the glen. This was achieved by introducing a more responsive approach to deer management, with increased monitoring through additional staff and equipment as well as replacing fencing to protect areas of high-quality native woodland near Glen Etive. We have managed to reduce deer density through a combination of deer management and replacement of over 8,000m of fencing at different locations across Glencoe. This has helped protect 520ha of native broadleaf and pinewood, conserve 665ha of grassland and reinstate 27ha of montane scrub exclosure, renowned for Salix myrsinites [myrtle willow].’