Scotland’s Cairngorms see woodland recover after centuries
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Researchers from the University of Cambridge mapped tree growth across 569 square kilometers of the Cairngorms National Park in Scotland, revealing successful natural woodland expansion.
The team used LiDAR technology, laser scanning from a light aircraft, to create detailed 3D maps and identify over 6 million individual trees. Their analysis showed that 2.65 million trees, more than 40% of those surveyed, are under 5 meters tall, indicating widespread regeneration.
The Cairngorms Connect partnership, which includes RSPB Scotland, Forestry and Land Scotland, NatureScot, and WildLand Ltd. focused on landscape-scale deer management to allow natural tree growth across 60,000 hectares. This approach has resulted in young woodlands establishing on over 5,235 hectares of land previously open, with more than 100 trees per hectare. The team found that tree regeneration happened more readily in dry heathlands than in boggy areas.
This new LiDAR method offers a faster, more comprehensive way to monitor large-scale woodland restoration than traditional ground surveys. Dr. Aland Chan of Cambridge explained that the technology allows them to “effectively map young trees, assess whether restoration targets are being met, and inform future restoration work.” The expansion of woodlands will also benefit species like the capercaillie and red squirrel, while helping Scotland meet its goals of creating 3,000 to 5,000 hectares of new native woodland annually.
