The Wilderness Forest with Trees for Life

The Caledonian Forest originally covered much of the Highlands of Scotland, and takes its name from the Romans, who called Scotland 'Caledonia', meaning 'wooded heights'. At its peak the forest is estimated to have covered 1.5 million hectares as a vast primeval wilderness of Scots pines, birch, rowan, aspen, juniper and other trees. On the west coast, oak and birch trees predominated in a temperate rainforest ecosystem rich in ferns, mosses and lichens. Many species of wildlife flourished in the forest, including the European beaver, wild boar, lynx, moose, brown bear and the wolf, as well as several notable species of birds - the capercaillie , the crested tit, and the endemic Scottish crossbill, which occurs nowhere else in the world apart from the pinewoods.

However, there has been a long history of deforestation in Scotland, and clearance of the land began in Neolithic times. Trees were cut for fuel and timber, and to convert the land to agriculture. Over the centuries, the forest shrank as the human population grew, and some parts were deliberately burned to eradicate 'vermin' such as the wolf. More recently, large areas were felled to satisfy the needs of industry, particularly after the timber supply in England had been exhausted. The widespread introduction of sheep and a large increase in the numbers of red deer ensured that once the forest was cleared, it did not return.

Today less than 1% of the original forests survive, and the native pinewoods have been reduced to 35 isolated remnants (marked in black on the lower map). Gone with the trees are all the large mammals, with the exception of the deer. Species such as the brown bear and the wild boar had become extinct by the 10th and 17th centuries respectively, while the last to disappear was the wolf, when the final individual was shot in 1743.

Trees for Life are now working in a target area of 600 square miles where Trees for Life are working to restore the native forest. To restore the true Caledonian Forest, however, requires vision and action on a much larger scale. The forest is a complex, living community of interdependent plants and animals, many of which require large areas of habitat in which to live.

In a very exciting development, Trees for Life is in the process of acquiring the 4,000 hectare (10,000 acre) Dundreggan Estate in Glen Moriston. Situated in the south of our Target Area for forest restoration, Dundreggan contains about 100 hectares (250 hectares) of ancient woodland, and forms an ideal site for the return of the Caledonian Forest. Notable for its outstanding areas of juniper and extensive distribution of dwarf birch, it offers an exceptional opportunity for Trees for Life to work with all the main elements of our restoration work - native pine woodland, montane scrub, riparian forest, aspen etc - as an integrated, cohesive whole on one site. Much of the estate is suitable for forest recovery, grading into montane scrub on the higher ground, and it will add on to our existing Allt na Muic Forest Corridor project, to create a native woodland link between Glen Affric and Glen Moriston.

Wilderness Scotland has formed a partnership with Trees for Life to contribute to the proposed work at Dundreggan. In effect, we will create a “Wilderness Forest” within an identified zone in Dundreggan. The forest will be restored, enhanced and managed in accordance with Trees for Life’s local and regional strategy and within the initial 3 year period, it is hoped that some 5000 trees will be planted.

The Wilderness Forest will be accessible to all, including our staff, clients and the wider community. As well as contributing to the wider environmental and social objectives of Trees for Life, it is hoped that the Wilderness Forest will provide the following:-

• an educational and inspirational resource for staff training and development
• an opportunity for clients to learn more about the importance of the Trees for Life project
• an icon to stimulate further support for the restoration of the Caledonian Forest