Skógræktarritið - 15.05.2001, Page 111

standing of the role of geographi-
cal adaptation in different geno-
types of the same tree species. ln
Scotland, work on Pinus sylvestris
(Scots pine) has shown clear dif-
ferences between west and east
coast genotypes (Kinloch et al,
1986). No work of this nature has
been undertaken on tall moun-
tain shrubs, in Scotland, with the
consequence that there is no
clear information on the best
ways to restore genetically isolat-
ed but ecologically extinct com-
munities.
Financial assistance available
to Iand managers in Scotland
comes in three distinct forms.
Agricultural subsidy for farming
and crofting in the uplands has
always been a form of social sub-
sidy, but it has been focussed on
increasing agricultural produc-
tion efficiency. By contrast, the
forestry subsidy is a contribution
to costs, historically as an incen-
tive for the development a timber
resource. This emphasis has
changed recently to include the
protection and expansion of
semi-natural woodlands for bio-
diversity reasons. SNH disburse
grants for activities that benefit
the natural heritage of Scotland.
However, their grants are small
and increasingly tied to habitats
of international importance and
sites designated through Natura
2000. They are also partitioned
from forestry grants to avoid
double funding.
The down turn in agriculture
and the increasing realisation
that the main asset of the north
of Scotland is its natural heritage
have highlighted the inadequa-
cies of current financial incen-
tives for encouraging holistic
management proposals from
land managers.
Conclusions and next steps
Greater understanding of the
benefits provided by a natural
treeline and scrub zone are
required before cogent argu-
ments can be made in favour of
grants for integrating this habitat
with modified current uses. The
necessary pressure required to
deliver this will come from
increased public awareness and,
hence support. Effort to address
this issue has been made
through the promotional booklet
called 'Montane Scrub’ (Scott,
2000) and the report by
MacKenzie (2000) goes a long
way to clarify the state of knowl-
edge and understanding of scrub.
In spring 2001, a conference
plans to bring to a broad audi-
ence a number of guidance notes
summarising current best prac-
tise in management and restora-
tion of scrub for debate and
development of consensus on
the way ahead.
The restoration of montane
scrub is the logical next step fol-
lowing restoration of woodland
within the forest zone. However,
there is a need for better infor-
mation about the existing com-
munities in order to halt their
demise and prioritise action for
restoration. As emphasis moves
away from large numbers of her-
bivores, both sheep and deer,
there is scope to develop mon-
tane scrub to provide shelter and
additional food, as well as for
biodiversity benefit. Recent infor-
mation predicting woodland
cover potential shows that on
suitable ground in the
Cairngorms high altitude scrub
cover could be as much as forty-
eight percent compared to the
current cover of just under nine
percent. An initial target to dou-
ble this current area in order to
stabilise the existing communi-
ties is wholly reasonable.
In parallel with moves to
secure the existing communities
there is a need to substantially
improve our understanding of
tall shrub plants and their toler-
ance to browsing. Willows are
adapted to browsing, but what is
the relationship between the size
of plants and colonies and graz-
ing pressure? Another equally
important area of research is the
relative importance of seed pro-
duction and asexual propaga-
tion, and best practise in achiev-
ing both. The answers to these
questions need to be related to
use of hill land by other interests
to determine how scrub recovery
can be integrated. But it is
important that every current
opportunity is taken to promote
and undertake restoration, with-
out waiting for the outcome of
research. To allow this action we
urgently need to find ways to
make shrub plants visible within
the current site survey methods
that use NVC, and to properly
reward management for biodiver-
sity. Cross-sectoral compliance
would need to be a key feature of
such incentive schemes, with
stewardship seen as the manage-
ment focus. To facilitate such
management initial best practise
guidance has been produced
through consultation with a wide
range of upland land use inter-
ests.
Postscript
Highland Birchwoods is a charitable
company iimited by guarantee con-
cerned with the role of forestry, and
particularly native woodland, in rural
development. Our underlying principle
is that local access to local resources
can provide the basis of a diverse rural
economy contributing to long term sus-
tainable employment and forest habi-
tats. Consequently our work focuses on
the research, development and promo-
tion of good practise in management
and use of forest areas at a local level.
SKÓGRÆKTARRITIÐ 2001 l.tbl
109