THE National Trust for Scotland (NTS) has launched an appeal to replace trees lost in storms Arwen and Corrie.
The charity wants to plant 500,000 trees to replace those lost during storms last November and January.
Its tree appeal will focus on replacing lost trees in Argyll, the Highlands, and the North-East.
Properties affected by the storm damage include Arduaine Garden to the south of Oban and Inverewe Garden in Wester Ross.
Chris Wardle, the NTS’s gardens and designed landscape manager for the North-East, said: “The devastation left by the storms at the start of the year and the sheer extent of the damage caused is unimaginable.
“Our Aberdeenshire properties were badly affected, with Castle Fraser and Crathes Castle losing hundreds of trees, and the Pittendreigh woodland at Leith Hall completely devastated.
“Other NTS places like Inverewe and Arduaine gardens lost ancient specimens and had their vital shelterbelts destroyed so the tree appeal is vital for us to begin reinstating these natural wonders for the benefit of wildlife, local communities and the environment.”
Wardle added: “Take Craigievar in Aberdeenshire, for example – here we’ll be planting [more than] 37,000 Scots pines that will link smaller parcels of ancient woodland together.
“Not only will this store [more than] 37,000 tonnes of carbon, but the new trees will create woodland corridors for species such as the red squirrel to spread into, creating new habitats for this endangered animal to thrive.
“In turn, the squirrels will also help spread native tree seeds across a larger area of land, encouraging natural woodland regeneration in the area.”
Read more stories on Scottish Field’s outdoors pages.
Plus, don’t miss Guy Grieve’s column in the December issue of Scottish Field magazine.
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