A SCOTTISH charity has unveiled a mapping tool that shows the 10,000 hectares of Scotland's “ghost woodlands”.
Ancient woodlands at risk of vanishing are considered by the charity to have less than 20% canopy cover.
Future Woodlands Scotland is urging the public to take action to save them, and developed the technology using data from aerial survey company Bluesky International to assist in showing the scale of the taslk.
Bluesky International provides data to landowners and policymakers to take action to restore habitats.
The interactive tool used Bluesky’s "national tree map" to identify woodlands by analysing canopy cover of woodlands mapped on the Ancient Woodland Inventory.
"The process was a bit tricky to get right and involved overcoming obstacles such as defining what we consider a distinct woodland and deciding over what area we are assessing the percentage of canopy cover", said Kieran Leigh-Moy, Future Woodlands manager and lead on the project.
He added: “Ancient woodland is an irreplaceable habitat, home to unique biodiversity not found in woodlands of a more recent origin
"Our mapping tool highlights many of the ancient woodlands most at risk of being lost and urgently need restoration.”
Users can use the mapping tool on the charity’s website to identify ancient woodland in need of restoration, and get in touch with the charity if they own woodland and require assistance in restoring it.
The mapping tool is part of the charity's wider programme to restore ghost woodlands.
Much of Scotland’s woodland 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 team also plan to scale up efforts by focusing on landscape-wide deer management instead of relying solely on fencing.
You can find the interactive map here.
