October Reforesting Scotland Gathering in Aviemore

Adrian Shaw shares his experience of attending the annual 2012 Reforesting Scotland Gathering at Badaguish in Glenmore on the weekend of 5-7 October, near Loch Morlich in the Cairngorms National Park.

Scots pine at Ryvoan wood; a fragment of ancient woodland at 600 metres above sea level.

" Participants heard from an impressive list of speakers including Will Boyd Wallis of the Cairngorm National Park Authority,  Thomas MacDonnell of the Glenfeshie Estate and Dick Balharry formerly manager at the SNH Creag Meagaidh reserve.  The talks were accompanied by site visits to Rothiemurchus, Abernethy and Glenmore forests to meet the land managers. 

The weekend left participants with a number of strong impressions.  It was clear that there have been profound changes in forest management over the past century.  From the suppression of regeneration through heavy grazing to plantations of Sitka or Lodgepole pine the emphasis has moved strongly to regeneration of native species.  One of the big changes has been the decision by forest minded estates to put in place in rigorous control of deer numbers – which means shooting lots of deer.

This has resulted in dramatic changes to the landscapes of the cairngorms; from bare moor to regimented plantations to piecemeal regeneration.   This process has not been without its critics and gamekeepers objected vociferously to the culling of deer on the Glen Feshie estate, a step that was necessary to encourage tree growth.  Not all estates accept reforestation is the top priority; some continue to give priority to hunting, shooting or fishing so the speed of reforestation varies between estates.   The gathering also heard about how jobs can be created and how affordable housing can be promoted in the national park.

This part of the highlands very much remains in the ownership of large landed estates.  Some are in private ownership, such as Rothiemurchus, some are in public ownership such as the Forestry Commission at Glenmore and some by NGOS , like the RSPB at Abernethy.  The decisions of the estate managers will continue to have a huge impact not only on biodiversity and the landscape but also on the lives of the local community.  Jobs, housing, recreations are all at stake.

The debates over land use, reforestation and communities in the highlands brings to life abstract concepts like ‘sustainable development’ and points to the impact that decisions of land managers can have on both biodiversity and local communities.  The contributions from all participants made it clear that the future of both the ecology and economy of the area will be subject to further change and the future is far from certain. "

By Adrian Shaw