Jake Swindells for 'Farming Scotland': Getting regeneration right

This article was first published in Farming Scotland magazine.

Grouse moors are very much a misunderstood entity and are absolutely vital to the survival of certain species in the UK. Whilst there is some debate as to the proportion of heather moorland found in the UK (thought to be around 75% of the world’s total), and much of this is to be found in Scotland, it is safe to say that we have an extremely delicate and precious habitat that is clearly flourishing. It may not be obvious to the casual observer who drives through the highlands, but if you spend any time with boots on the ground it becomes apparent how abundant and diverse the flora and fauna really is. This is down to the work that gamekeepers and land managers have committed to over hundreds of years. Knowledge passed down through the generations has ensured that Scotland in particular is known for its wild and rugged habitat and if these land management practices were bad for this habitat, then we would have lost heather moors long ago.

A number of drums are regularly beat by those who wish to see a significant change in land management practices. Whilst it is widely accepted that we need to plant more trees in the UK, most grouse moors are not the place to do it. Hillsides where heather may thrive doesn’t automatically mean that other flora will. Areas of peat and soil are often not suitable for forestation, and access is often an issue. As it stands, quad bike tracks and single pony tracks can be utilised by walkers and mountain bikers to safely access areas that may otherwise seem inaccessible. If these areas were to be forested, then eye sores, such as tarmac or gravel roads would have to be laid to gain access to recover the wood harvest. Thousands of miles of 2m high deer fencing would have to be installed to protect the trees and yet current practices are criticised for “scarring” the land.

The shooting of grouse is worth a massive 30 million pounds to Scotland’s rural economy every year. This is a vital income in colder months where tourism all but stops and families on lower incomes rely on the part-time work that grouse moors provide through the early winter months. This may not seem like a lot of money for some, but it means that the families living here can heat their homes, feed their children and remain in the area so that schools and shops can stay open.

Managing heather moorland as we do provides both food and shelter for grouse. The burning of heather (muirburn) is conducted by trained professionals, and not only does it remove rank vegetation that offers no benefit to grouse and other moorland nesting species, it also removes thousands of tonnes of natural tinder to reduce the risk of wildfires spreading, as we saw last year at Cannich. If muirburn had been utilised at this site, the fire would have been under control in a fraction of the time. Sadly, many species were wiped out before land managers and local fire crews extinguished the blaze. The enormous scale of this damage could have been avoided.

There is also a misconception that trees will fix the world’s carbon capture problems. In some cases, reforesting would be useful, but it has also been proven during an experiment on Scottish moorland where native trees were planted, that areas of untouched heather captured more carbon over several decades. Reforesting may create a small number of employment opportunities in the short term, but largely these will be national contracting companies who will use their own staff. When the trees are planted there will be no work for over 3 decades until the forestry companies arrive with their national teams to remove the lumbar. Just one growth cycle could ensure that many more local families leave rural areas because of the lack of regular and predictable work. Further to this, if you plant trees, heather will die out, and so will our Red Grouse, Lapwing and Curlew. We already have a sanctuary for these species and to remove their habitat will only serve to reduce their already faltering numbers.

I once sat through a meeting that simulated the “ideal scenario” when it came to rewilding and regeneration. I was genuinely impressed when a presentation showed how a landscape could look with a bit of consideration, investment and planning. A mosaic of native woods, hill ground, soft woods, wetlands and meadows all in one picture. It looked idyllic. The reality, however, is that this scenario will only be possible in a few areas as most Scottish hillsides will not support such an amalgamation of habitats. As blissful as it seems, it’s just not that straight-forward and the mass planting of trees isn’t going to fix the issues we face.

All over the UK, prime agricultural land is being sold off so that more trees can be planted. For some, it makes financial sense as farming is increasingly under the cosh as we seem now to rely on importing goods as well as paying our farmers the absolute bare minimum for their produce. This land will never be recovered when it is planted, but what other options do farmers and landowners have? I don’t have all the answers, but if governments were to work with farmers, landowners, land managers and organisations, we could, surely, be a lot closer to a solution than we are at present.