POTENTIAL recovery for Scotland’s rainforest has been given a boost as RSPB Scotland takes on stewardship of an important nature reserve.
Responsibility for the Glencripesdale former national nature reserve, located on the tip of the Morvern Peninsula on the south shore of Loch Sunart, has been handed over to the RSPB by NatureScot.
Through the Alliance for Scotland’s Rainforest, RSPB Scotland and other organisations share aims in promoting, restoring and connecting the country’s rainforests.
Despite being less well-known than tropical rainforests, those in good condition in Scotland can contain as many as 200 species of lichen, mosses and liverworts in just one hectare.
A wide variety of insects and birds, such as wood warblers, are also supported in this type of environment. However, much of Scotland’s rainforest has been lost, with the remnants highly fragmented and often in need of restoration due to invasive species, as well as pressure from animals such as deer, which eat young seedlings and can prevent natural regeneration.
The wildlife conservation charity said the nature reserve is a “significant piece of the fragmented jigsaw” and is set to play an important role in the ambition to address the challenges facing such woodlands.
It added that it is looking forward to working with the local community and landowners as it strives to restore the area, with benefits expected for local jobs as well as the climate and rare species.
Dave Beaumont, RSPB Scotland’s operations director for South Scotland, said: “We are excited to bring Glencripesdale under RSPB Scotland ownership and to tackle some of the issues facing this special woodland.
“We will need to remove invasive non-native species such as rhododendron along with Sitka spruce and reduce the impact of deer on tree regeneration.
“We hope this will kickstart a bigger restoration project across the whole of Morvern helping to restore Scotland’s rainforest on scale.”
