New planting at 'granny pine' sites in Highlands
- Published
New trees are to be planted in areas where Scots pine are dying out.
The locations in the Highlands being looked at have lone trees known as "granny pines" that are more than 200 years old.
Findhorn Bay-based conservation charity Trees for Life has begun an initiative to regenerate a total of 50 sites of what it calls "neglected pinewoods".
The fragments of native woodland do not have new trees to succeed the old pines once they die off, the charity said.
'Rich woodland'
The project has support from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, but Trees for Life hopes to raise further funds from a public appeal.
Steve Micklewright, Trees for Life's chief executive, said: "The Scots pine is Scotland's national tree and symbolises the Caledonian Forest - but the last fragments of these ancient pinewoods are dying.
"Without action, the chance to bring back the wild forest could slip away forever, with only the skeletons of these special trees revealing where a rich woodland once grew."
He added: "This project is one of our biggest and most crucial initiatives ever."