Our 2021 Christmas Charity was ‘The Woodland Trust, Couldoran Appeal’.
In 2019 Woodland Trust Scotland bought a mountain, Ben Shieldaig near to Applecross in the West Highlands, to protect and restore the last fragments of temperate Atlantic rainforest clinging on there. Now unexpectedly Couldoran, the 4,500 estate next door, has come on the market and the Woodland Trust has first option. Together the two lands would be 8,300 acres.
Couldoran is pretty bleak at the moment, but with gentle encouragement the tiny remaining Caledonian pine forest could re-establish across these glens. The Woodland Trust also plans to establish a few paths. Although most of the estate will be left to nature, perhaps red squirrels, golden eagles and pine martens, there will be room for humans to enjoy it too.
The most precious gift we can hand on to children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews is a healthy planet. A moderate climate, good rainfall, fertile land supported by throbbing, buzzing, squawking, photosynthesising, respiring ecosystems must surely be the most precious gift.
If you would still like to give to this cause, please see, https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/support-us/give/appeals/couldoran/
A longer version of this article, written by Laura Bird, can be found on pages 10 & 11 of the December 2021/January 2022 edition of News & Views. https://stpetersedinburgh.org/news-views-november-2021-january-2022