Vision for collaboration to make Glen Affric forest reach from coast-to-coast

Glen Affric National Nature Reserve could be at the core of an unprecedented collaboration between landowners and communities to create an unparalleled forest corridor stretching from Scotland’s east to west coast, says a new film from Forest Enterprise Scotland and conservation charity Trees for Life.  

Narrated by acclaimed cameraman and filmmaker Gordon Buchanan, the five-minute film – ‘Glen Affric: A landscape worth restoring’ – celebrates 60 years of

Boost for Scotland’s international reputation for wilderness and wildlife

Glen Affric © Ron Bury

Scotland’s international reputation as a key destination for experiencing world-class wild landscapes and outstanding wildlife is to be boosted by Trees for Life joining a prestigious and growing European association of rewilding projects.

The conservation charity was invited to become a member of the European Rewilding Network – placing its restoration of the globally unique Caledonian Forest in the Highlands, especially in Glen Affric and Glenmoriston, firmly on the European map.

A key focus of the network is to show how rewilding – the restoration of damaged natural ecosystems – can benefit economic development, including through

Rewilding Scotland and tackling climate change for Christmas

Scots pine seedling in snow

I'm posting this late due to broadband and computer issues during the last month and hope you're having a good holiday despite all the recent flooding.

People can help rewild the Scottish Highlands and take action on climate change this Christmas and New Year by having specially-dedicated trees planted for family and friends through conservation charity Trees for Life.

A dedicated native tree will be planted in the Caledonian Forest for each recipient of Trees

Trees for Life project creates conservation opportunities for young people

Phil Duffield from Scottish Power Foundation (centre)
meets Trees for Life volunteers (left-right) Sam Manning,
 Grace Burger, Emily Warner and Rebecca Schmidt
 at Dundreggan Conservation Estate

Award-winning conservation charity Trees for Life is running a new project to develop high-quality conservation volunteering opportunities for young people, thanks to a grant of £20,000 from the ScottishPower Foundation.

Those benefitting from the initiative include students from Peterborough Open Awards Centre, Aberdeen University, Glasgow University and Leicestershire’s Brooksby Melton College.

“This generous grant from ScottishPower Foundation is excellent news for the Caledonian Forest and its rare species, and for dozens of young people who will be able to study and carry out practical hands-on conservation work – including the establishment of native woodlands and managing land for wildlife,” said Alan Watson Featherstone, Trees for Life’s

New eco-designed office in Findhorn for conservation charity Trees for Life

Alex Walker, Managing Director of Ekopia (left) with
Alan Watson Featherstone,
Executive Director of Trees for Life, at the new
eco-designed office in Findhorn

Conservation charity Trees for Life is this week moving into a new environmentally friendly office based at the Findhorn Community near Forres in Moray.

After more than 20 years at its current premises in Findhorn, on Friday 24 July the award-winning charity is moving to a brand new building that has been constructed to high ecological standards, thanks to financial assistance from the European Union’s European Regional Development Fund.

“This is a very important development for us. We are delighted to be moving into this new eco-friendly office, which will provide a warm, welcoming and modern space for our staff and volunteers to work in,” said Alan Watson Featherstone, Trees for Life’s

Tim’s 5,000-mile cycle challenge for Trees for Life’s 25th Anniversary

Tim Judge with his bike ‘Issy’

London cyclist Timothy Judge has set himself the arduous challenge of cycling 5,000 miles in 2014 to raise funds for conservation charity Trees for Life and its restoration of the ancient Caledonian Forest in the Scottish Highlands.

As part of Tim’s epic bid, on Tuesday 20 May he will set out to cycle from London to Dundreggan Conservation Estate in Glenmoriston near Loch Ness. He aims to complete the 600-mile journey in six days – arriving at Dundreggan for Trees for Life’s 25^th anniversary celebration open day on Sunday 25 May.

The event at Dundreggan – Trees for Life’s flagship project and a 10,000-acre biodiversity hotspot – will include guided walks to explore ancient woodlands and spot wildlife, opportunities to meet and feed wild boar and learn about their role in restoring the forest, the exclusive launch of Trees for Life’s 'Forests of the

Scots pine National Tree for Scotland call gathers momentum

Mature Scots Pine - RB
Glen Affric NNR

As Scotland’s Minister for Environment and Climate Change, Paul Wheelhouse, today formally launches a consultation on whether Scotland should have a National Tree, conservation charity Trees for Life welcomes growing calls for the Scottish Government and Parliament to establish a National Tree of Scotland, and to adopt the Scots pine for this.

 

The consultation on Scotland’s National Tree, requested by the Scottish Government, was launched by Forestry Commission Scotland in Edinburgh on the 3rd September 2013. ( Sorry I'm a bit late posting this. RB )

 

Alan Watson Featherstone, Trees for Life’s Executive Director, said: “The growing campaign for the Scots pine to be proclaimed Scotland’s National Tree is inspiring. The Scots pine is one of the world’s most beautiful trees, a powerful symbol of Scotland and a keystone species of the Caledonian Forest, which in turn is one of the country’s greatest national treasures.

 

“Declaring this remarkable and important species as our national tree in 2013, the year of Natural Scotland, would send a much-

New Trees for Life conservation scheme in Inverness region

New conservation scheme to offer health and training opportunities in Inverness region

A new programme of special Conservation Days designed to benefit disadvantaged people in the Inverness region is being launched by conservation charity Trees for Life thanks to funding from the People’s Postcode Trust.

The new initiative will provide an opportunity for people completely new to conservation volunteering to learn about Scotland’s Caledonian Forest and its rare species, and to take part in rewarding and effective conservation action in their local area.

Volunteers taking part will be able to enjoy the health and wellbeing benefits of moderate regular

International Day of Forests

Call for renaissance of Scotland’s forests

 

Conservation charity Trees for Life has welcomed the first United Nations International Day of Forests today (21 March), with a call for more people to get involved in helping to create a renaissance for Scotland’s beleaguered forests.

 

The UN General Assembly has proclaimed 21 March to be the International Day of Forests – a day to celebrate and raise awareness of the

Trees For Life Founder Wins Spirit of Scotland Environment Award

Journalist Lesley Riddoch presents
Alan Watson Featherstone
with the Spirit of Scotland Environment Award

Alan Watson Featherstone, founder and executive director of conservation charity Trees for Life, has won The Environment category of the prestigious Glenfiddich Spirit of Scotland Awards 2012. The accolade was announced at a special ceremony held in Edinburgh on 29^th November.

“As the winners of these awards are decided by public vote in the UK, this is inspiring, national recognition of Trees for Life’s restoration of the Caledonian Forest. I’m very grateful to everyone who voted – it’s an honour that shows how deeply people care about conserving Scotland’s world-class wild

Princess Anne presents Jubilee Diamond Wood Plaque to Trees for Life

Alan Watson Featherstone of Trees for Life receives the
Diamond Wood commemorative plaque from
HRH The Princess Royal.
Photo: Woodland Trust Scotland.

Trees for Life has been honoured with a commemorative plaque from HRH The Princess Royal to mark its creation of a Diamond Wood in Inverness-shire to celebrate The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012.

The conservation charity is planting the 60-acre Jubilee woodland of native trees at its Dundreggan Estate, to the west of Loch Ness in Glen Moriston.

The initiative is part of a Woodland Trust project to create 60 new Diamond Woods across the UK, each at least 60 acres in size, to symbolise the 60 years of The Queen’s reign.

The commemorative plaque was presented to Trees

CHARITY LAUNCHES PROJECT FOR A MILLION MORE TREES IN NEXT FIVE YEARS

A remnant of Scotland's old Caledonian Forest
Scots Pine forest in the Glen Affric
National Nature Reserve

Reforestation could benefit Scotland’s economy by boosting wildlife tourism.

Conservation charity Trees for Life has announced an ambitious new goal to double its current rate of restoration work in Scotland’s Caledonian Forest, with the establishment of one million more trees by planting and natural regeneration within five years.

The charity’s new Million More Trees campaign is a response to environmental problems including deforestation, climate change and biodiversity loss, but could also bring significant benefits to

ACCLAIMED FILMMAKER PLANTS MILLIONTH TREE IN CALEDONIAN FOREST – ONE OF WORLD’S GREATEST WOODLAND HABITATS

A symbolically important moment in the restoration of one of the “world’s greatest woodland habitats” was celebrated on Sunday 20 May 2012 when acclaimed wildlife cameraman and filmmaker Gordon Buchanan planted Trees for Life’s Millionth Tree in Scotland’s Caledonian Forest.

The event took place at a celebration event held at the award-winning conservation charity’s Dundreggan Estate near Loch Ness, in Glen Moriston, Inverness-shire.

"Magnificent and magical, the Caledonian Forest is a wild place at its most wonderful. Every single tree planted helps to restore one of the world's greatest woodland habitats. One tree will be used by a thousand species in a forest that will stand for 10,000 years, which in that time can be enjoyed by a million people. Great forests are established one tree at a time. I am honoured to plant the millionth tree on behalf of Trees for Life," said Gordon Buchanan.

Alan Watson Featherstone, Trees for Life’s founder and executive director, said:

Trees for Life Lecture Tour during March and April 2012

LECTURE TOUR CELEBRATES PLANTING OF A MILLION TREES IN CALEDONIAN FOREST

Celebrations for the planting of the Millionth Tree by conservation
charity Trees for Life in Scotland’s Caledonian Forest will be launched in
March with a two-month lecture tour across Britain by the charity’s
founder and executive director, Alan Watson Featherstone.

From Ullapool to Devon, Alan will travel the length and breadth of the
country throughout March and April to inform and inspire audiences with
The Millionth Tree lecture tour. Trees for Life will plant its Millionth

Trees for Life 2012 Calendar

This last weekend I was horrified to discover that I had accidentally scrambled the trees for life link code (top of right hand sidebar) and the link was sending everyone to a completely different site; so as part of my apology to them I thought I'd promote their 2012 calendar.

This year they've changed the calendar to focus exclusively on the Caledonian Forest, and it features outstanding photographs of the trees and wildlife there, together with thoughtful quotes about forests and the importance of volunteering. Beautifully produced to a high standard, it includes plenty of space for appointments and will provide inspiration all year long.


Order your 'Trees for Life' 2012 calendar

Trees for Life - Volunteer Support Appeal

Trees for Life have just launched their volunteer support appeal and as they state their case much more eloquently than I ever could I have just included their mailing below. 


Please join or donate to this worthwhile cause if you can. Their work is invaluable in helping to restore the indigenous forests and wildlife of the old Caledonian Wildwood.

You could even book yourself a working holiday and really get to appreciate the Scottish Highlands.

Please help us recruit more volunteers to plant trees! Dear Supporter, This month we've launched our ‘Volunteer Support Appeal’.  Ever since Trees for Life began practical work in 1989, volunteers have been an essential part of our project, carrying out crucial tasks such as planting trees, collecting seeds and helping in our tree nursery. As our volunteer programmes have grown over the years, so have their costs, and much of our fundraising is directed towards them. It’s vital for us to keep our programmes accessible to as many people as possible, through providing subsidised places on them, so I’m writing today to ask for your help in raising £15,000 for this. Volunteers make all the difference to our success. You can make a real difference too, by sending a donation today, and my heartfelt thanks to you for any contribution that you can make. Why not become a member? A great way to support our work is to join one of our membership packages for as little as £3/month... These come with many benefits and by completing a simple online Direct Debit sign up, your donations help us throughout the year. Please visit www.treesforlife.org.uk/membership to find out more. Thank you for your ongoing support, Alan Watson Featherstone Executive Director Trees for Life is an award winning conservation charity working to restore the Caledonian Forest and all its species to a large contiguous area in the Highlands of Scotland. Trees for Life is a registered charity Scottish charity No. SCO21303, and a company limited by guarantee No. 143304 with its registered offices at Forres, Scotland.

Common Juniper (Juniperus communis) at Dundreggan Estate

Dundreggan is a 4000 hectare estate in Glen Moriston which is owned by Trees for Life, a charity organisation dedicated to restoring part of the Caledonian Forest in Scotland's northern highlands.

Yesterday, Sunday 22nd May was Biodiversity Day and Trees for Life held a public event to open new visitor facilities at Dundreggan. I took the opportunity to meet a few people and discuss surveying for Red Squirrels in the area which currently has few sightings and nothing confirmed on the estate itself.

Steve Morris, the estates manager showed me some gnawed spruce cones that had been found. These were mostly mice but one cone was definitely squirrel gnawed, so the challenge is now to establish their presence and distribution.

Following the official opening of a new visitor footpath we were taken to see the Wild Boar enclosure which is, in part an experiment in Bracken control and forest regeneration. I found it a moving experience to see these charismatic animals in a near natural environment, albeit behind a fence because, to me, they are the precursors of large wild animals once again living in the forests of northern Scotland.

Exciting as all this is, something that really drew my attention was the Juniper ( Juniperus communis ) growing over a large area adjacent to the visitor car park. This species has badly suffered from changes in land management, over grazing and browsing in recent times; and to see it here in all its representative forms was a real pleasure.