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Forestry and Land Scotland to restore 25 square miles of woodland in West Sutherland

Conifer forest are being restored in Sutherland. Picture by DC Thomson.
Conifer forest are being restored in Sutherland. Picture by DC Thomson.

A 25-square-mile area of forest in the Highlands will be restored in an effort to diversify the native woodland to combat climate change.

Located in West Sutherland, the old conifer forest will be transformed into a “mosaic” forest, allowing new native species to flourish for years.

The project, which starts later this month, will introduce different tree types into the area, while also restoring the blanket peat bog and increasing biodiversity.

Over 25 square miles – stretching from Ledmore to Oykel Bridge – of the Einig Caledonian Forest will include pine, birch, aspen and rowan trees.

Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) is leading the project and hope by 2032 to harvest mature conifer forests and alter the area’s hydrology for wading birds like plover and dunlin.

‘A modern, biodiverse forest.’

Neil McInnes, FLS planning forester for Caithness and Sutherland, said; “Over the period of this plan we will begin land management restructuring on a landscape scale to change from the 1970s and 80s style, conifer forest to a modern, biodiverse forest in an area of huge importance for tourism, wildlife and water protection.

“Areas of native woodland that have been felled will be replanted. Entirely new native woodlands will be created and native riparian woodlands will be allowed to establish on the banks of the burns, rivers and lochs.

“The River Oykel Special Area of Conservation lies at the heart of the project and many of Scotland’s iconic native species can be found here including Atlantic salmon, golden and white-tailed eagles, osprey and otters.

“The vision is that in ten years’ time, much of the diseased and windblown forest of non-native conifers will have been removed and the first stage of restoring some 3,460 acres of the blanket bog will have been completed.”

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