Lochaber school pupils are to be invited to grow native pine trees to help regenerate the forests in Glen Nevis.
The joint Forestry Commission Scotland and Nevis Landscape Partnership initiative will involve “blueprint mapping” and analysis of the woodland in the glen and setting up tree and seed nurseries in participating schools.
And the idea behind the Future Forests Project is that the children will then grow up alongside the ecosystem they have helped to create.
Craig Millar, of Forestry Commission Scotland’s Lochaber team, said: “Scotland’s native pinewoods are a magnificent part of our landscape and an amazing sight to see.
“They used to cover much more of the country than they do now so it’s great to be involved in projects that look to expand and extend their range so that generations to come will see many more of them.
“Getting local youngsters involved helps them to connect with the landscape they live in and getting them to plant some young Scots pine – our national tree – will hopefully foster within them a sense of ownership of the forest that will spring up in Glen Nevis over their lifetimes.”
And a spokeswoman for Nevis Landscape Partnership explained that a long-term, sustainable approach to habitat enhancement and resilience would be established through activity in the Polldubh area of Glen Nevis.
She said: “Local children will be at the heart of this project, collecting seeds, establishing nurseries and planting trees.
“The blueprint will serve to create an enduring legacy, developing local involvement in a sustainable, organic way.”
She added that the starting point for the project was to invite the community to consider what Glen Nevis might look like in 100 years.
“In doing so, the project acknowledges that there are no certainties in planning for the future and we must all be adaptive.
“The project will connect local children directly with the future of the Glen through planting new woodland, and establishing a legacy that will outlast them and their children.
“People will grow with the landscape, fostering a sense of pride and ownership of their natural heritage,” said the spokeswoman.
The project is due to start next year.