An ill wind…?
Forestry and Land Scotland efforts to establish native woodland at a former commercial forestry site around Victoria Falls in Slattadale are slowly establishing a ‘new’ area of temperate Atlantic rainforest.
The spark that lit the idea of transformation came with a major storm in 2005 that saw 100 mile an hour winds cause significant damage to very mature stands of Douglas fir and Norway spruce.
The storm flattened the ‘cathedral-like’ trees that had lined the route to the Victoria Falls, leaving the landscape devastated.
Chris Cartwright, FLS Area Visitor Services Manager, said;
“The full transformation of this site is going to take time but we are already beginning to see how it is taking shape.
“You can see how different it looks compared to back then, and although we won’t replace the ‘cathedral-like’ trees, the Victoria Falls is shaping up to be as beautiful a spot to visit as it ever was.
“Although the site now boasts thriving young alder, willow and birch – amongst other species – the remnants of those stumps of the felled trees are still there and, as dead wood, are performing vital role in the recovery of the site.
“It’s a great story to tell. Not only are we helping to expand Scotland’s temperate rainforest but we’re also reminding people that storms and the damage they cause aren’t the end of the story but just one stage of a longer process.”
As part of the transformation of the site a new viewing platform was also built in 2015, providing visitors with that ‘perfect picture’ opportunity.
Since then, FLS has taken a very light touch approach to managing the site, removing non-native species to help the native species regenerate naturally. There are now only a few non-native species left in the waterfall gorge area.
Jack Mackay, who is now Tree Health Programme and Risk Manager with Scottish Forestry, was working in the area at the time.
Jack said;
“The storm that hit Scotland on 11–12 January 2005 was particularly severe, at that time the worst storm in about 40 years.
“It caused a lot of damage across the country but at Victoria Falls it left a trail of tree stumps looked like a graveyard. It was really sad to see -= we even got letter of complaint at the time! - but at the same time it was also the impetus that made us decide to return it to native woodland.”
Notes to Editor
- Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) manages forests and land owned by Scottish Ministers in a way that supports and enables economically sustainable forestry; conserves and enhances the environment; delivers benefits for people and nature; and supports Scottish Ministers in their stewardship of Scotland's national forests and land.
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