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Alan Watson Featherstone

ECOLOGIST, NATURE PHOTOGRAPHER AND INSPIRATIONAL SPEAKER
FOUNDER OF THE AWARD-WINNING CHARITY TREES FOR LIFE

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Restoring the Caledonian Forest

Restoring the Caledonian Forest

The Caledonian Forest is the western-most outlier of the boreal forest in Europe, and formerly covered about 1.5 million hectares in the Highlands of Scotland. By the 1980s it had been reduced to a little over 1% of its maximum extent, and consisted of scattered remnants geographically isolated from each other and comprised solely of old trees. Gone with the trees were most of the forest’s wildlife, leaving the land barren and bleak. There was a real risk the forest would have disappeared entirely, before ecological restoration work began in the final decades of the 20thcentury.

This presentation begins with an introduction to the Caledonian Forest and its key species, together with a brief summary of the causes of its decline and subsequent inability to regenerate naturally.

It details the simple practical steps that have enabled a new generation of young trees to grow again – the first to do so in 200 years. It illustrates how the recovery of the native vegetation facilitates the return of insects, birds, mammals, plants and fungi, in a positive trophic cascade that is part of Nature’s reweaving of the web of life.

The presentation identifies the 4 key elements of rewilding, and details 13 principles that can be used to guide ecological restoration projects – these can be applied not just to the Caledonian Forest, but for any ecosystem that has been damaged. It also covers the importance of people to restoration efforts and highlights the transformative experiences that many participants have when they help to heal degraded and depleted landscapes.

If you would like me to give this talk to a group or at an event, please contact me.

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My TEDx talk – Restoring the ancient Caledonian Forest.

TEDx TEDx – Restoring the Caledonian Forest

Recent posts

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News

  • We have one place available on our workshop, ‘A Rewilding Journey’
  • New video: A Sense of Wonder
  • 2022 Caledonian Forest Engagement Diary now available
  • Lessons from Nature webinar recording now available online
  • ‘A Rewilding Journey’ workshop 16-23 October

I’m speaking at…

  • 'A Rewilding Journey' workshop scheduled for 14-21 May 2022 in Glen Affric – 14 May 2022–
    21 May 2022
  • A Rewilding Journey: Rewilding the World and Ourselves – 14 May 2022–
    21 May 2022

Over on Twitter…

Alan Watson FeatherstoneFollow

Ecologist, nature photographer and inspirational speaker. Founder of the award-winning charity Trees for Life.

Alan Watson Featherstone
AlanWatsonFeat1Alan Watson Featherstone@AlanWatsonFeat1·
13 May

Kittiwakes are nesting on the sandstone cliffs of the Moray Coast just now. Between couples exhibiting pair bonding behaviour, single birds advertising their availability & squabbling neighbours at the densely-packed nesting sites, there are a lot of red tongues on display!

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wilder_actionPaul Wright 🇬🇧🇯🇲🇸🇰@wilder_action·
11 May

Missionary

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AllBugsGo2KevinAll Bugs Go To Kevin@AllBugsGo2Kevin·
11 May

I saw, for the first time, an Aedes sp Mosquito feeding on a Box Turtle today. I was thrilled to get a capture!

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