After watching the Woodlands episode of Wild Isles, our Principal Policy Officer for woodlands and forestry, Andrew Weatherall, looks at what can be done to improve these habitats to help save our species.
Yesterday's Woodlands episode of Wild Isles featured footage of some iconic Scottish species, especially the parts focussing on our own remnant fragments of the boreal forests of the northern hemisphere, the Caledonian pinewoods. Golden eagles and red squirrels are found in some other parts of the UK, but capercaillie are strongly associated with our native pinewoods and are only found in Scotland.
In the Cairngorms, RSPB Scotland undertakes conservation work on its own nature reserves, including as part of a landscape scale partnership, Cairngorms Connect, and as a partner of the National Lottery Heritage Funded Cairngorms Capercaillie Project. This includes actions to support this large woodland grouse species, whose population is sadly declining (the latest National Survey, completed in winter 2021/2022, estimated that only 542 capercaillie remain in Scotland).
Capercaillie are now restricted to a few native woodlands in the north of Scotland. Image credit: Dave Braddock
This conservation work is undertaken by a small, but very dedicated and experienced team, and involves monitoring the capercaillie population (under licence). But these birds are now so rare and sensitive to disturbance that, sadly, their advice is that you should not go looking for them yourselves (please!). If you are ever fortunate enough to see one, please withdraw slowly and quietly to minimise the risk.
Each vulnerable species needs some conservation actions that are very specific to its own needs. For example, one of the key threats to capercaillie is the lack of suitable, interconnected habitat. However there are also some actions that are more generally beneficial to our woodland biodiversity. The RSPB has identified seven priorities for woodlands and forestry policy to support nature’s recovery that focus on protecting and improving the native woodland habitat we have, as well as expanding woodlands to provide new habitat where it is most needed:
You will see that protecting Ancient Woodlands must be an essential part of any action taken to save nature. These are areas that have been continuously wooded since 1750, some for much longer. They are the most precious woodlands we have; they have developed structural complexity that creates habitat for specialist woodland biodiversity. Research has shown that new native woodland planting takes 80 – 160 years to develop similar woodland structures to Ancient Woodlands (read the science here). Iconic woodlands, such as Caledonian pinewoods and Scotland’s rainforests are part of our remnant Ancient Woodlands, but there are isolated fragments across Scotland.
In good condition, one hectare of temperate rainforest can contain as many as 200 species of lichen and 200 species of mosses and liverworts, as well as lots of other wildlife. Image credit: Stephen Magee.
Currently, there is a consultation on a refresh of the Forestry Grant Scheme, and we’d like to see increased support for natural colonisation – in other words, enabling these established areas of trees to expand.
We've suggested that the success of woodland creation through natural colonisation is assessed after fifteen years rather than the current five. Allowing woodlands to expand naturally takes time! This would be a no-cost option, so let's hope it gains traction.
I should also mention that the lichens of Scotland’s rainforest are among the species you can choose to put in a virtual postcard to your MSPs, urging them to prioritise action for Scotland's threatened species. If Wild Isles has inspired you to do more for our woodlands, then please do take this simple action.
Header image: The sun is filtering through tall conifer trees to reach the forest floor. Credit: Ben Andrew.