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| Scots Pine - Pinus sylvestris |
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| Scots Pine - Pinus sylvestris |
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| Glen Affric NNR Scots Pine forest in the foreground with plantations on lower middle ground; and behind is the open hill ground left by centuries of tree felling and deer over population. |
The Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris) is also known as the Scots fir, the Guithais (Gaelic), Ochtach (Old Irish) and Giumais (Irish).
A petition lodged at Holyrood calls on MSPs and the Scottish Government to work in tandem with the country’s heritage and environmental bodies to take the proposal on.
It has already met with a positive response from the Scottish Wildlife Trust, but officials say there is currently no mechanism to create the new national symbol.
Petitioner Alex Hamilton said: “I believe that the vision of the future of Scotland should include a
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| Scots Pine crown. |
I whole heartedly support this proposal and hope that officials find an appropriate mechanism to enable its implementation. Bureaucracy can be a bit tiresome at times. Hopefully it will be an opportunity to create a greater awareness of the tragic loss of so much of the original Caledonian Wildwood and the environmental vandalism that brought it about. Read more about Glen Affric and Strathglass and visit Trees for Life to see how they are working to restore the Caledonian forest environment.
Sign the Petition.
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| Damage caused to established Scots Pine by close planting of Spruce plantations. The original plantation trees have been clear felled but the new growth of self seeded spruce trees threatens to choke off the re-established herb layer. Clearing new growth such as this is part of the work that Trees for Life volunteers undertake. |
