207 In the Highlands of Scotland, where mountains, glens, and riverbanks once teemed with diverse flora and wildlife, less than 2 percent of the ancient Caledonian pinewoods remain. What’s left is confined to pockets of forest, without the connectivity that marks a healthy and biodiverse ecosystem. Trees for Life, a Scottish rewilding charity, joined forces with Rewilding Europe to create the Affric Highlands initiative. Situated in the heart of the Scottish Highlands and spanning over 200,000 hectares, this pioneering rewilding of the landscape places local people at its core. Over the course of 30 years, Affric Highlands will bring together communities, businesses, and landowners in the region with the shared objective of restoring nature, fostering a resilient local economy, and enriching people’s lives. To realize this ambitious vision, it is imperative for the organization to gain a comprehensive understanding of the remaining fragments of native habitat. Records of the region’s environmental history are scarce. But there are a few maps that have survived, including a famous survey conducted by Scottish military engineer William Roy in the 1740s. These maps of the past have been digitized to help inform Trees for Life’s ecologists who carry handheld devices into the forest, using GIS apps to record findings and consult the historical maps. “GIS and maps are really important because they ground us,” said Alan McDonnell, the head of nature restoration at Trees for Life, who notes how maps help consider the dimensions of the rewilding effort. “We like to see what it was to gauge how big it could be, what it could look like, and how it could sit in the landscape.” Putting Past Plants and Wildlife Back Rewilding has gained prominence to combat extreme weather and counteract the collapse of nature. It requires a strong interdisciplinary knowledge of the web of species that make up a healthy ecosystem. “Almost anywhere you go in Scotland, you’ll see at least some trees,” McDonnell said. “But often it could be a richer place ecologically.” Safeguarding Habitats and Wildlife A 300-Year-Old Map and GIS Guide Rewilding in the Scottish Highlands A lone scots pine may soon have neighbors. (Photo courtesy of Trees for Life)
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