Scotland’s native ancient woodlands and temperate rainforest received a major boost on Wednesday, June 12, 2024, as the Trees for Life and Woodland Trust Scotland initiative successfully collected over two million rare native tree seeds in its first year. This surpasses the initial target of 500,000 trees, allowing for the growth of 1.5 million trees across Scotland.
The project, called the Tree Seed Collection Project, focuses on rare tree species from Scotland’s remaining fragments of ancient woodland, including locations such as Skye, the Western Isles, Orkney, and the west coast temperate rainforest. These tree species possess unique genetics dating back to the end of the last Ice Age, making their preservation crucial.
A team of over 80 volunteers has been instrumental in the success of the project, collecting 2.2 million seeds since August of last year. Their efforts have not only helped preserve rare tree species but also provide homes for a variety of wildlife, from wood ants to pine martens.
Roz Birch, the Volunteer Coordinator for the Tree Seed Collection Project, expressed her gratitude for the volunteers’ dedication and passion, stating, “Seeds are the unassuming beginnings of life, offering us a symbol for hope and the future. This project is preserving genetically precious and rare species – in turn helping restore native ancient woodland and rainforest, and providing homes for wildlife.”
The collected seeds are processed, tested, and sent to nurseries for growing. These young trees will be available for planting at various sites across Scotland this autumn, including Woodland Trust Scotland projects to restore the country’s rainforest and Caledonian pinewoods at locations in Argyll and Bute, Lochaber, and the Trossachs.
The success of the project is also benefiting other initiatives, such as the Trusts’ Croft Woodland and MOREwoods schemes, which assist crofters, smallholders, and common grazings associations in managing and planting woodlands. It will also support a 30-year project to establish new native woodlands and restore remnant rainforest in Assynt.
In situations where natural regeneration is not possible due to a lack of seed sources following deforestation, tree planting is crucial for Scotland’s threatened Caledonian forest, of which less than 2% remains. The Trees for Life volunteers have already planted over two million trees at dozens of sites across the Highlands, successfully restoring this unique habitat that supports various wildlife, including red squirrels, capercaillie, and crossbills.
Trees for Life is welcoming inquiries from individuals interested in becoming tree seed collection volunteers across western and northern Scotland. The volunteers will receive training and equipment for collecting and short-term storage of seeds. Interested individuals can contact Roz Birch at roz@treesforlife.org.uk for more information.
The Tree Seed Collection Project is funded by Woodland Trust Scotland, with support from players of People’s Postcode Lottery and other supporters. Additionally, it has received support from the Trees for Life Wild Seed Appeal and the BrITE Foundation, Clean Planet Foundation, and Ella’s Kitchen.
Scotland is currently one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world, and as members of the Scottish Rewilding Alliance, both Trees for Life and Woodland Trust Scotland are urging people to sign the Rewilding Nation Charter at www.rewild.scot/charter, calling on the Scottish Government to declare Scotland a rewilding nation and commit to nature recovery across 30% of land and sea.
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