Scotlands Lost Forests Are Returning - here's how 

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Please come to Wales (All Parts) and highlight the same issues that are happening here, overgrazing, every available part of the land being used for farming or forestry. There was a recent professor who said that the bio diversity in the Cambrian Mountains was non existent and likened it to a Cambrian Desert. There so much potential for the rewilding of Wales but it nearly always gets overlooked by other regions. A channel like your would be great to showcase the issues.

I can remember walking in a fragment of Caledonian Pine Forest on the south side of Loch Rannoch in 1963. It was somehow primeval, and one could imagine any sort of long-extinct monster bursting into view. It was a truly magical place.

I think the Japanese call it forest bathing and it's 'prescribed' by doctors for things like anxiety. On a different note, I also really like your appreciation of nuance and complexity in these issues where traditional use, modern use, human need vs nature need are all in play.

Bodmin Moor, Dartmoor, Exmoor are all very similar near me. All have been overgrazed. It depressed me when I visited Scotland and especially the Isle of Skye with the lack of wildlife and trees. It's good that people are starting to wake up now and to reverse the damage we have caused.

It might be bad now, but the situation is unquestionably better than a few decades back. I've travelled between the central belt and the central highlands for over 40 years, and there are huge areas where there are now young trees where previously there were none, or a few old trees at best. And I do mean Scots pine, not the bog brushes (sitka) that still cover too much land.

Very happy to read this. Helping the world to breath.

I hope the UK will be more accepting of predators some time in the future. It's the only way to balance an ecosystem. We have the wolf wars going on here in the US but there are lots of wolf advocates. We also have other predators, coyotes, lynx, cougars and bobcats that are helping to keep the deer populations in check. But even with these there are still so many deer. We need to learn to live with large predators. It's a tricky balance but oh so necessary. Thanks for the good work that you are doing!

We need to eat more venison. I’ve hardly seen a young tree growing here in the last twenty years, the deer simply eat everything. The deer are becoming quite tame because idiot tourists are feeding them. The toffs and their grouse massacring habits are definitely not helping. Great film my friend, thanks for sharing.

This is ironic considering that where I live (Siberia), specifically the pinus sylvestris (Scots pine) is almost a weed. It is extremely unfussy and grows and propagates extremely fast anywhere as long as there is just enough light. It's entirely different with many other species like the Siberian pine (pinus cembra), which is far more demanding in terms of water, soil and climate requirements, and grows and propagates a lot slower.

As a German I can tell you how important forests are for us. Starting as a recreational place for sunday walks and bike rides, to the culture of forestry with professions and universities about forestry, and finally the lots of money we make with the timber.

Your content is always so great. I was born in England but have lived in Australia from a very young age. It is so interesting to see the dramatic changes that rewilding and sustainable land management practices that are being implemented in Ol' Blighty! Thanks for your awesome channel and for your continued focus on the progress being made. Much Love from the land down under!

Great video Rob, and can't agree more with the sense of peace being in forests like that

Most of the forest have been replaced to conifer plantations not native to Eurasia, We should chop down these forest and revive peatlands and Caledonian forest instead. To restore biodeversity to these landscape we need to bring wolfs and lynx also I think there just really interesting animals.

Great job as always communicating the need for trees. Here in the US we have huge land areas that have been left natural and well wooded. Further the various states have islands of forests called Forest Preserves and state parks. I live 20 miles NW of Chicago. The Forest Preserves are popular. Talking of Rewilding, we have isolated spottings of Puma in our area.

Fantastic video. I recently moved to the Lake District and only realised the beautiful red colours of the fells here are just rocks and dried heather. It is shocking to see nothing wild here. And Farmers here will never allow any wilding other than in a few isolated areas.

We was so happy to leave the forest a few centuries ago, now we can't wait to go back.

Excellent informative content Shame we haven’t got a Lynx

What an absolutely spot on comment at the start, "Scotland's landscape is falling short of its potential". I totally agree, I commented on another one of your videos as I lived for 20 years on the edge of the Cairngorms National Park. I commented that the problems you face in this pursuit of rewilding is purely human psychology and our relationship and perceptions of the land. I love hill Walking, not to bag Monroe's, but to take in the quality of the landscape and relax. Glen Tannar Caledonian Pine Forest is a regular place I visit for the quality of the environment and landscape, just like you it helps me recharge and feel relaxed. But too much of Scotland is shockingly barren and bereft of what should be there, very far as you said from its potential. And to not use profanity too much, "it really grinds my fucking gears to see my country and where I am from in such a disgusting natural state, the potential of what it could be has me dreaming of what a denuded glen would look like if nature was allowed to return even to a semi natural state.How awesome would it be to trek across the lower elevations of the Cairngorms passes and Glens through a mosaic of natural forest for miles and miles. The tops is the highest Cairngorms and Highlands likely were never forested, but up to 600 meters and higher in sheltered gullies it would have been. In Aberdeenshire I see hundreds of square miles of grouse moor, especially when travelling over Cairnamount that would normally be many square miles of birch, Scots pine, oak, Rowan and aspen to name a few, instead I just see a sea of heather with burnt patches. The economic, cultural, biodiversity, and natural beauty a more natural forest brings is far higher than a sea of ling. Heather is an important ecosystem too, but it should never be this abundant, and would be mixed as under story in a Caledonian Pine forest. Serious land reform is needed in Scotland, too much of Scotland is taken up by estates with little interest in the good stewardship of the land, we do have some excellent estates too, but the others need to tap into the potential of eco tourism and sustainable natural forestry use.

I've seen on other channels that aspen are relatively rare, people are making efforts to reverse this but there is a shortage of aspen saplings. 👍

Excellent! Love your videos. So cool that people DOING stuff , NOT just flapping their gums. Change nothing!

It's wonderful to watch videos where the focus lies in the positive - what's already being done to rewild and what will be done in te future. And all the lovely shots in the forest are very nice to watch too. I would love to go to Scotland one day ^^

Great video highlighting an important issue. For a small nation Scotland needs to do all it can to rebalance away from our profit driven landscape to one reflecting its natural heritage. Keep up the good work.

Great videoo Rob! Excited to have you presenting more of our projects soon! - Cheers, Duarte

Scotland is most beautiful place I’ve been to, so imagine what it could be in the future

I love how you say that Scotlands potential fills you with hope. You are the type of environmentalist that people would listen to.

So happy to hear Scotland is doing this re-wilding. I would love to see the US, where I live, do the same. The Japanese recognize what you're feeling as forest bathing, but western science also acknowledges it as a real thing. It has measured a number of different physical changes that happen (for the better) in your body when you are out in nature. This should come as no surprise - we evolved to live and thrive in nature, not cities. I recently heard that it helps your immune system fight off disease to be outside. So now, when I have a cold or I'm otherwise sick, I go outside for at least 20 - 30 minutes and just leisurely walk a little. Or if I really feel badly, I just sit on the deck. I haven't done it that often, but so far, I can say I always feel noticeably improved by that evening. If weather is really cold, I wrap up in 2 wool blankets over my down jacket and wool hat.

Spotify now has a new artist - nature. Artist can feature nature on their songs and give a proportion of the profit to conservation of nature!

Think it's worth mentioning that there is a lot of new legislation in consultation/enacted coming into effect for Scotland. If the land reform bill, driven grouse licencing, and agricultural bill all deliver then there will be massive change in the next 5-10 years

Thanks so much for your work. I really enjoy your videos. Excellent commentary.

That stand of pinewood at 1:36 looked pretty extensive! whereabouts was that shot? Trees as far as the eye can see, unusual for Scotland! 🌳 🌲

Always happy to see new videos being released!

Very beautiful place💖💖

Amazing video, well edited and put together, can't wait for the next great upload

Amazing video mate! I love hearing more about rewilding the UK but quick question what type of skull was that?.

Sweet to see it! Thanks for making and sharing:)

Beautiful video mate, thanks for your work. I got to visit the Caledonian Forest this summer and it was incredible. I know what you mean about the sense of well-being and ease from natural landscapes. Especially when you compare them to the plantations, especially on the isles where there was nothing. It feels kinda creepy and less diverse, less appealing to explore. I also feel the potential of Scotland to rewild and I think the next 100 years could look better there!

Please read Braiding Sweetgrass for other perspectives on how to have a relationship with the landscape including hunting and gathering.

Great video, Rob!

Like you, I’m ultra passionate too on this topic. Great vid. There’s a momentum building for re-wilding. People are cottoning on to it big time. Just watch!

Great to see the return of more 🌲 who would not be pleased

There is a big effort to re wild parts of the Highlands and reintroduce the lynx to help keep the red deer moving so as not to exhaust the natural resources, this is something I would like to see all over the UK. We need those wild places, I often hike in the Highlands and days can pass without seeing a single person and it's a wonderful spiritual experience to connect with nature.

Great video Rob. As Paul Stott has just suggested.....Wales next. Wales has sooo much potential especially as the majority of it should be temperate rainforest! Bring back the Lynx!

Having a few Wolf running around would solve the problem and be cheaper than fencing

Great short video, thanks so much.

It is really interesting to hear that low-intensity controlled burns are considered a problem for these pine forests. The Longleaf Pine forest ecosystem that once covered 92 million acres of the United States was created and maintained through low-intensity fire seasons every 1-3 years clearing low brush and competing saplings and allowing the Longleaf to get an advantage over oak, gum, maple, cedar, ash, hollies, and other competing species for sunlight. The resulting ecosystem was a towering high canopy of the pines with a highly biodiverse grassland savannah below it, full of pockets of rare endemic species, upland and lowland ecosystem variations, and a ecological gradient that transitioned between the coastal maritime forests, cypress swamps, and saltmarsh systems along the coasts and major rivers and then inland to the Appalachians that were filled with oak, ash, tulip poplar, hickory, American Chesnut, maple, other hardwoods, and other pine species.

Awesome video dude !!! Enjoyed it ✌️😁

Nice video mate good effort!🤙👌🙏

scotch pine is by far the most common pine species in the world because they are great at colonising.

Wonderful views!

Great video! I really enjoy watching this and Mossy Earth. I was wondering would you be interested in doing a video on WILDLIFE CORRIDORS as I believe that it is a great way to help out uk wildlife, yet alone the worlds wildlife. Thank you and keep up the fantastic work mate

Lovely video, really appreciate these. Do you have any tips op how to get involved in rewilding projects? It's something I love but unsure where to start.

You need to re-introduce wolves from Alaska or the former soviet union countries.

Well done video, mate!

It's great that rewilding is restoring these forests, but there is another source that could restore them. Creating managed forests for timber could also do a lot to restore the ecosystem, while also being economically viable. If we could shift towards a more timber-based construction industry, that would be great for the environment, and Caledonia is the perfect location for managed forests.

Loving the videos as always

Excellent video

I love the Scots pine i survey a lot of really mature examples in Thetford, Norfolk.

Fascinating, will sub!

my dream is to retire to scotland from the US, and to spend time volunteering in rewilding efforts. of course that requires money, visas etc. but we can all wish. nice video. thanks

Love your videos and also love the idea of reintroducing apex predators. One question: could the idea of building/letting grow living fences help with the cost and feasability of deer fencing in larger areas?

Thrilled to see this! Thank you for your work!! You're a hero!!!

Good content, love your channel

Very few people who visit realise just how much grazing by sheep and deer has shaped the whole nation, my pal from Canada described Scotland as "one big golf course" due to how cultered the land was.

Great video. I hope the trees allowed you to feel relaxed after the stress caused by the amethyst deceiver 😊 There seems to a number of good projects in Scotland such as Trees for Life and Glen Affric. There’s so much to do there because it’s so vast.

Great video Rob, how were the midgies?

Excellent video! I'm a forester in the Highlands with an eye on woodland creation. My boss and I regularly push a native Scots pine scheme before anything else! Keep up the good work!

I can understand why you can feel at ease and calm, no major predators,, no bears no cougars no wolves.. no threats..

Great video

excellent!

Hey... The Forest Cat is smiling. Aye Skull LG J 🦂😸🦂

Oh great video, read The Treeline by Ben Rawlence 👍🏼

You need merchandise, leave curious is a very good logo

I love that place

Many yrs ago when I was there in england whales irland I noticed they needed clumps of trees n bushes lots more places

Thanks

A good video would be on who owns Scotlands land and how did they get it?

In Germany, on third of land is covered with Forest. We do not have so many sheeps.

The fields behind my house are very sadly being destroyed and made into Handforth garden village. 😢it’s very sad is there anything you would advise to do?

Read the Treeline by Raulence Is the habitat for scots pine gone now ?

I study nature management and enhancing in the natural region of Margeride, in the south of the central mountain range of France, from 900 to 1500m in altitude, and we have the exact same forests as these for what I can see. Pinus sylvestris, Calluna vulgaris, Vaccinium myrtillus and vitis-idaea, Betula pendula, Populus tremula, similar ferns... So why do you say that Caleidonian forests are unique in the world ? Is it because you ignored the existence of Margeride, or because there are foundamental differences between Margeride and Scotland forests ? Maybe the scottish version is the climax ecosystem there, whereas in Margeride it is Beech or sometimes Oak forests, so Scots pines (that we obviously don't call "scots" here) never live very old before being replaced ? (you have shown some wonderful individuals, our Scots pine never go over a meter in diametre) That's the only explanation I can think of, I would be glad to read yours if you have some others.

fences are surprisingly costly. i wonder which is more, fence or just paying farmers for the losses incurred by reintroduction of keystone predators.

@MossyEarth I would die to see a partnership between you guys!

Great initiative. We need legislation with teeth. Without fines and enforcement, humans seldom learn new behavior.

Aren't Caledonian pine forests a type of temperate rain forest?

Kiitos!

Love to see it ! Congratulations on your hard work Scotland 👏

Alpine tree lines vary greatly across the world, especially in areas north of 30 degrees north or south of 20 degrees south in latitude. In Colorado, tree line is around 11,500 feet. In contrast, tree line in the Swiss Alps is around 7,200 feet. Has anyone thought to say kickstarter wild areas .... owned by members .. deer hunting estates are nothing but a tax con I worked in the city // its easy money as land increases in value as arable land doesnt attract capital gains ... minimum work ....prestigous and can be moved via offshore trusts to avoid tax ... as for local work native timber production employs far more people and can be used for something useful such as norway sweden does whwre even factories are wood ... treading on toes I dont care eeek ... uuum kickstarter a million pounds buys a huge area of land at auction and if its an investment at fifty pounds a share ... I own an estate a big one ... well me and some mates / producing natural timber / no fishing no hunting no fox hounds - managed correctly - and employs 100 local people ... job done !!!!

How come you haven't made a video on the lake District?

Another quality video, they need to bring back the lynx 💪🏻

If it's fenced, how do the other animals get in or out?

Why do people act like plants just absorb carbon and create oxygen? They cycle the oxygen and carbon that's already in the atmosphere. At night, plants emit carbon dioxide while using up oxygen. It's true that they store a certain amount of carbon dioxide, but they will emit that eventually when they die or burn. The actual benefit of having intact habitats is the preservation of biodiversity, enhancement of soil, soil erosion prevention, and water retention. Those should have always been the focus of conservation, rather than buying into the carbon ponzi scheme that reduces nature to an asset class that can be used to offset carbon credits.

What happened to your main blog channel?

Forestry is one of the more complex things to fix because we need wood but we also need forests and tree farms are not really the solution because trees take years to grow and that land they are on is being wasted while they grow

Makes me remember that the places that look like this and lacks biodiversity is just a great opportunity to rewild and do restore

Scotland losing it's forest is my fear for all of Earth's forests... and how we're not doing anything but exacerbating the problem in many places.

You should do Ted Talks

So far very little of the rewilding of the UK movement is based on ecology or good forestry practices or wildlife management. The whole movement is to try to get emotional buy in to change the landscape.

Oh it sounds like wolves are next step,oof I'm not sure I should bring that up

Do you think reintroducing wolves to certain areas of Scotland to reduce deer population would be a good or bad idea?