Secret seed sources sought for Scotland’s wee trees - Woodland Trust

Woodland conservationists are seeking to flush out secret seed sources for some of the country's rarest and smallest mountain tree species.

Mountain (or montane) woodland consists of short, hardy trees that grow from around 450m above sea level in tough upland conditions where tall upright trees cannot establish. Most have been lost to overgrazing and burning.

These wee trees are important for high-altitude biodiversity, and valuable for protecting steep slopes and reducing flooding as the country faces more extreme weather.

A seed stand is a small group of individual trees planted and maintained in an accessible spot to provide a genetically predictable source of seed to be grown in nurseries or directly sown on mountainsides. They are necessary because remaining montane species in the wild are often in very inaccessible places.

The Scottish Seed Stand Project aims to create a network of sites to support restoration efforts, establishing a dependable supply over the next five to ten years.

Organisers believe individual landowners and enthusiasts may have already established valuable stands which are not currently on anyone else's radar.