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53-720: Abernethy Forest is a remnant of the Caledonian Forest in Strathspey , in the Highland council area of Scotland . It lies within the Cairngorms National Park , close to the villages of Nethy Bridge , Boat of Garten , and Aviemore . The forest is an RSPB reserve, close to Loch Garten Osprey Centre , which is also owned by the RSPB. It is popular with walkers, as there are various trails throughout

106-549: A building is classified as Category A, B or C, Category A denoting the highest level of protection. There are about 47,400 listed buildings in Scotland. Of these, around 8 percent (some 3,800) are Category A, and 50 percent are Category B, with the rest listed at Category C. The Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland is a listing of gardens and designed landscapes of national artistic and/or historical significance, in Scotland. The inventory

159-415: A distinct variety of soils, vegetation, and animals. To a great extent the remnants survived on land that was either too steep, too rocky, or too remote to be agriculturally useful. The largest remnants are in Strathspey and Strath Dee on highly acidic, freely drained glacial deposits that are of little value for cultivation and domestic stock. An examination of the earliest maps of Scotland suggests that

212-752: A diverse population of birds, with over 70 species recorded at the Reserve. These include the Scottish crossbill , crested tit and capercaillie , which are all relatively rare species in Britain. Other birds present at the Reserve include buzzards , tawny owls , great spotted woodpeckers and sparrowhawks . A variety of mammals have also been recorded at the reserve, including red and roe deer ; red squirrels ; common pipistrelles ; more elusive otters and pine martens ; and possible sightings of wildcats . NatureScot has reported fourteen species of butterfly at

265-510: A few other hardy species. On the west coast, oak and birch predominated in a temperate rainforest ecosystem rich in ferns , mosses and lichens . The name comes from Pliny the Elder who reveals that 30 years after the Roman invasion of Britain their knowledge of it did not extend beyond the neighbourhood of silva caledonia . He gives no information about where the silva caledonia was, but

318-684: A growing interest to reintroduce animals which are native to but currently extinct in Great Britain , back into Caledonian pine forests. Corporations have been set up to persuade the government to allow this. The long-running campaign to reintroduce the Eurasian beaver to Knapdale in Argyll has been successful, and there is some support for the reintroduction of the grey wolf and Eurasian lynx . Recently, some landowners have announced plans to build large game reserves on their land and release

371-469: A listed building. A listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on the statutory list maintained by Historic Environment Scotland . A listed building may not be demolished, extended, or altered without special permission from the local planning authority, which typically consults the relevant central government agency, particularly for significant alterations to the more notable listed buildings. The degree of protection depends on whether

424-713: A whole that is intended, rather than specific buildings, which are protected by having listed status. Conservation areas are used to protect features such as groups of buildings, open spaces, street patterns, trees, and historic gardens. Scotland has around 600 conservation areas, which are controlled by local authorities. Regional parks are defined to co-ordinate the management of areas of attractive countryside that are of importance for recreation due to their proximity to population centres. The parks have been defined and are managed by local authorities . Currently Scotland has three regional parks: In addition to statutory designations, many areas are protected by virtue of being owned by

477-600: Is a network of nature protection areas in the territory of the European Union . It is made up of Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs) designated under the Habitats Directive and Birds Directive respectively. The network includes both terrestrial and marine sites ( Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)). A Special Area of Conservation (SAC) is defined in the European Union 's Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), also known as

530-528: Is also a capercaillie lek . The Abernethy National Nature Reserve (NNR) extends to 12,755 hectares, and encompasses the majority of Abernethy Forest along with much of the adjoining landscape. The Dell Woods section of Abernethy NNR is managed by NatureScot, whilst the rest is under the management of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). Originally the reserve covered only

583-460: Is briefly explained, " a Chyledyr Wyllt y uab, a llad Nwython a oruc a diot y gallon, a chymhell yssu callon y dat, ac am hynny yd aeth Kyledyr yg gwyllt ." ("and his son Kyledyr the Wild. Gwynn killed Nwython and cut out his heart, and forced Kyledyr to eat his father's heart, and that is how Kyledyr went mad"). Though not named directly, the very name Kyledyr Wyllt is close to the two related notions of

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636-491: Is considered an indicator species for that habitat type. Fire appears to increase the natural recruitment of Scots pine seedlings. The charity Trees for Life (Scotland) has been working to conserve the remaining forest, and reforest areas where it has been lost, using fences to prevent deer from eating saplings. This involves the reintroduction of the full range of native flora, including mycorrhizal fungi that assist soil regeneration . In recent years, there has been

689-537: Is given under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 , which is a different law from that used for listed buildings (see below). According to the 1979 Act, a monument cannot be a structure which is occupied as a dwelling, used as a place of worship or protected under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973 . As a rule of thumb, a protected historic asset that is occupied would be designated as

742-613: Is mainly due to Scotland’s natural habitats being more intact than in the rest of the UK. NatureScot is responsible for declaring NNRs in Scotland, having taken advice from the NNR Partnership comprising representatives of the NNR managing and community and land-owning organisations. The majority of NNRs are directly managed by NatureScot; however, some are managed by, or in co-operation with other bodies such as Forestry and Land Scotland ,

795-400: Is usually owned or leased by the local authority: where another person or body is the owner, the owner must formally agree to the designation. A conservation area is an area considered worthy of preservation or enhancement because of its special architectural or historic interest. In conservation areas, it is the protection of the quality and special interest of the neighbourhood or area as

848-637: The Black Book of Carmarthen . The forest is also the retreat of another character named Lailoken from the Vita Kentigerni , who also fled into the woods in a fit of madness and who may be the original model for Myrddin Wyllt. William A. Young argues that Brocéliande , the forest which features in Chrétien de Troys ' Arthurian romance, Le Chevalier au lion , may be the forest of Celython. In

901-636: The Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora . They are to protect the 220 habitats and approximately 1000 species listed in annex I and II of the directive which are considered to be of European interest following criteria given in the directive. They must be chosen from the Sites of Community Importance by the State Members and designated SAC by an act assuring

954-841: The National Trust for Scotland and RSPB Scotland . Most NNRs in Scotland overlap Sites of Special Scientific Interest ; many are also Special Areas of Conservation and/or Special Protection Areas . There are 40 national scenic areas (NSAs) in Scotland, covering 13% of the land area of Scotland. The 40 NSAs were originally identified by the Countryside Commission for Scotland in 1978 as areas of "national scenic significance... of unsurpassed attractiveness which must be conserved as part of our national heritage" . There are 1,422 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Scotland, in total covering around 10,110 square kilometres (3,900 sq mi), or about 12.6% of

1007-501: The National Trust for Scotland ), and people continue to live and work in the parks. Although the landscapes often appear "wild" in character, the land is not wilderness , as it has been worked by humans for thousands of years. Like their English and Welsh counterparts the national parks of Scotland are effectively "managed landscapes", and are classified as IUCN Category V Protected Landscapes because of this. National nature reserves (NNRs) are areas of land or water designated under

1060-528: The Scottish Government listed 84 sites as Caledonian pinewood in regulations, given below. 57°07′12″N 4°42′36″W  /  57.1200°N 4.7100°W  / 57.1200; -4.7100 Protected areas of Scotland Many parts of Scotland are protected in accordance with a number of national and international designations because of their environmental, historical or cultural value. Protected areas can be divided according to

1113-584: The UNESCO World Heritage Programme list of sites of outstanding cultural or natural importance to the common heritage of humankind. Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for cultural sites, whilst the Scottish Government 's Environment & Forestry Directorate is responsible for natural sites. As of 2018 there are 6 sites in the country, with a further 2 undergoing a process of formal evaluation. Ramsar sites are internationally recognised wetland sites, protected under

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1166-795: The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to contain habitats and species of national importance. NNRs can be owned by public, private, community or voluntary organisations but must be managed to conserve their important habitats and species, as well as providing opportunities for the public to enjoy and engage with nature. There are currently 43 NNRs in Scotland, which cover less than 1.5% of the land area of Scotland. Many of these reserves are IUCN Category II (national park) areas, such as Glen Affric, Rùm, Abernethy Forest and The Great Trossachs Forest. There are 19 NNRs with IUCN Category II status in Scotland. There are none with this status in England, Wales or NI. This

1219-574: The temperate coniferous forests began retreating north into the Scottish Highlands , the last remaining climatic region suitable for them in the British Isles (see Climate of Scotland ). The native pinewoods that formed this westernmost outpost of the taiga of post-glacial Europe are estimated to have covered 15,000 km (3,700,000 acres) as a vast wilderness of Scots pine , birch , rowan , aspen , juniper , oak and

1272-404: The 1980s showed that further damage had occurred through ploughing and planting with non-native conifers with less than 12,000 ha of the ancient habitat remaining. A subsequent guide to the ancient pinewoods reviews the conservation story and provides a summary of the management in each site as well as a guide on how to reach all the woods using public transport, walking, and cycling. Much of

1325-441: The 35) covering about 180 square kilometres (69 sq mi) or 44,000 acres (18,000 ha). The Scots pines of these remnants are, by definition, directly descended from the first pines to arrive in Scotland following the ice age. These remnants have adapted genetically to different Scottish environments, and as such, are globally unique; their ecological characteristics form an unbroken, 9000-year chain of natural evolution with

1378-560: The British Isles: Mammal species present in Caledonian pine forests: Insect species in the Caledonian pine forests: Mammal species extinct in Caledonian pine forests: A review of the native pinewoods of Scotland Steven & Carlisle (1959) highlighted the plight of the remaining 35 ancient pinewood sites, many of which had been damaged by felling, fire and intensive grazing from sheep and deer. A later review in

1431-812: The Caledonian Forest are directly descended from the first pines to arrive in Scotland following the Late Glacial ; arriving about 7000 BC . The forest reached its maximum extent about 5000 BC , after which the Scottish climate became wetter and windier. This changed climate reduced the extent of the forest significantly by 2000 BC . From that date, human actions (including the grazing effects of sheep and deer) reduced it to its current extent. Today, that forest exists as 35 remnants, as authenticated by Steven & Carlisle (1959) (or 84 remnants, including later subjective subdivisions of

1484-516: The European Union Habitats Directive . Scientific research continues on the ecology of the Caledonian Forest and its restoration. Populations of the rare groundcover, Linnaea borealis , may be too isolated from one another to produce viable seed. Diversity of fungi has also been affected by the decrease in habitat. The agaric fungus Mycena purpureofusca is commonly found in Caledonian pine woods, and it

1537-702: The Forest Lodge, said: "Explosives may seem extreme but the effect will be no less catastrophic than a wind snapped, lightning struck or avalanched tree" James Reynolds, RSPB Head of Media and Communications, said: "We've been simply felling trees and trying to create dead wood habitats in that way before, but we don't think it allowed the process to get going quickly enough" The Abernethy National Nature Reserve overlaps with several other designated areas , including: The reserve also borders two other national nature reserves, Mar Lodge Estate and Glenmore Forest . Caledonian Forest The Scots pines of

1590-462: The Middle Welsh story Culhwch and Olwen , the main character Culhwch is the son of a king named Celyddon Wledig, who may or may not be related to the forest in name. Another figure from the same story, Cyledyr Wyllt hints at a close relationship of the forest being a retreat for people who suffered from a special kind of madness or gwyllt (Irish geilt ). In line 994 to 996 of the story, it

1643-701: The Old Welsh poem Cad Goddeu ("Battle of the Trees") are intended to be the Caledonian Forest. In related Merlin literature, the figure of Myrddin Wyllt retreated to these woods in his madness after the Battle of Arfderydd in the year 573. He fled from the alleged wrath of the king of Strathclyde, Rhydderch Hael , after the slaying of Gwenddoleu ap Ceidio . This is written in the two Merlinic poems in Middle Welsh Yr Oinau and Yr Afallenau in

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1696-625: The Reserve, including the pearl-bordered fritillary , a UK Biodiversity Action Plan species. The RSPB's primary conservation aim is to expand the area covered by the forest. On 24 August 2011 the RSPB received consent from the Forestry Commission to expand native woodland through natural regeneration and planting, since when they have begun the planting of 60,000 aspen, birch, juniper and willow trees within an area of approximately 590 hectares. They are also working to improve bog, moorland, scrub, rivers and mountain habitats, both within

1749-648: The Upper Solway Flats and Marshes, which covers parts of both Scotland and England in the Solway Firth . The total area of all Ramsar sites in Scotland is approximately 313,500 hectares (775,000 acres). All of Scotland's Ramsar sites form part of the European Natura 2000 network as either Special Protection Areas or Special Areas of Conservation , and many sites are further protected as Sites of Special Scientific Interest . Natura 2000

1802-490: The area of the reserve and in partnership with neighbouring estates. Historic forestry management practices have favoured the clearance of dead wood from the forest, and the RSPB are now seeking to increase the amount of lying dead wood, and dead trees and roots. To this end, on 19 October 2006, the RSPB began using explosives to blast off the crowns of nine Caledonian pine trees, between 100 and 200 years old. Referring to this use of explosives, Desmond Dugan, RSPB Site Manager at

1855-619: The conservation measures of the natural habitat. A Special Protection Area (SPA) is a designation under the European Union Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds . Under the Directive, Member States of the European Union (EU) have a duty to safeguard the habitats of migratory birds and certain particularly threatened birds. Local nature reserves, of which there are 74, are designated by local authorities , and are usually close to towns and cities. The land

1908-483: The core forested section of the currently designated area, and was named Abernethy Forest NNR. The Dell Woods section was added 1988, forming a 375 hectare extension to the existing NNR. In 2007, the NNR was greatly extended, becoming the new Abernethy National Nature Reserve, which extends from Abernethy Forest itself up into high Cairngorms , taking in Loch A'an and the mountains of Bynack More , Beinn Mheadhoin and

1961-796: The country's total land area. They cover sites that are considered worthy of protection due to their flora , fauna , geology or geomorphology. Sites notified for their flora or fauna are known as Biological SSSIs , whilst those notified for geological or geomorphological interest are Earth Science SSSIs ; sites may be notified under both categories. SSSIs are considered to form the basic building block of site-based nature conservation in Great Britain, and most other legal nature/earth science conservation designations, including national nature reserves, Ramsar sites, Special Protection Areas, and Special Areas of Conservation are based upon them. Most SSSIs are in private ownership, and NatureScot works with

2014-589: The extent of the Caledonian Forest remnants has changed little since 1600. Following the last glacial period , trees began to recolonise what is now the British Isles over a land bridge which is now beneath the Strait of Dover . Forests of this type were found all over what is now the island of Great Britain for a few thousand years, before the climate began to slowly warm in the Atlantic period , and

2067-611: The forest of Celyddon being where people suffering madness or gwyllt hide. Being a unique ecosystem in the British Isles, the Caledonian Pinewoods are home to some of the islands' rarest wildlife . It is considered to be one of the last remaining wildernesses in the British Isles. Breeding bird species in Caledonian pine forests found breeding nowhere else in the British Isles: Breeding bird species in Caledonian pine forests rare elsewhere in

2120-639: The known extent of the Roman occupation suggest that it was north of the River Clyde and west of the River Tay . In the Matter of Britain , the forest is the site of one of King Arthur 's Twelve Battles, according to the Historia Brittonum , in which the battle is called Cat Coit Celidon . Scholars Rachel Bromwich and Marged Haycock suggest that the army of trees animated by sorcerers in

2173-447: The landscape and natural environment. At present, Scotland has two national parks : Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park , created in 2002, and the Cairngorms National Park , created in 2003. Unlike the national parks of many other countries, the national parks of Scotland are not areas of uninhabited land owned by the state. The majority of the land is in the ownership of private landowners (including conservation bodies such as

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2226-689: The owners and managers to ensure the special features are preserved. Each SSSI has a site management statement produced by NatureScot which describes these features and details the actions and restrictions required to conserve them. The SSSI designation was originally introduced across Great Britain by the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 (the similar Areas of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) operates in Northern Ireland ). SSSIs in Scotland now fall under

2279-636: The protection of marine areas seventeen Nature Conservation Marine Protected Areas (NCMPAs) were designated within Scotland's territorial waters (i.e. within 12 nautical miles (22 km)). A further thirteen protected areas are beyond the 12 mile limit and are therefore designated by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee rather than NatureScot. A scheduled monument is a "nationally important" archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorised change. The protection provided to scheduled monuments

2332-476: The remaining Caledonian pine forest is fully protected with most of the forest lying within the Cairngorms National Park . The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and Forestry and Land Scotland also own several areas of pinewood on their reserves. One of the largest remaining areas is Ballochbuie Forest on the Balmoral Estate , which is protected as a Special Area of Conservation under

2385-712: The remit of the Scottish Parliament and Government , and are designated by NatureScot under the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 . The Register of Sites of Special Scientific Interest is held and maintained by the Registers of Scotland . Scotland's network of Marine protected areas (MPAs) consists of more than 230 designated areas, covered by various designations including Special Areas of Conservation, Special Protection Areas and Sites of Special Scientific Interest. In order to strengthen

2438-489: The reserve. The forest forms part of the wider Abernethy National Nature Reserve . There is approximately 4,000 hectares of forest within the reserve, and just under half of this is native Caledonian pine forest. Abernethy Forest is one of the largest remaining remnant of Caledonian pine forest in Scotland. The forest is home to a variety of birds and mammals, including Scottish crossbill , red squirrel , wildcat , red deer , black grouse , crested tit and osprey . There

2491-496: The southern side of Cairn Gorm . The Abernethy NNR is classified as a Category II protected area by the International Union for Conservation of Nature . Over 200 vascular plant species have been recorded at Abernethy NNR, including some nationally scarce species like twinflower and creeping lady's tresses . Heath cudweed is also present in the reserve, classed as an endangered species. The NNR also supports

2544-437: The species within them. Paul Lister plans to release Eurasian lynx, brown bear , grey wolf, elk , wild boar and species already present in Scotland into a huge 200 km (49,000-acre) enclosure at his estate, Alladale Wilderness Reserve , although releasing top predators such as wolves and bears has become a difficult proposition with local and national regulations. An initial trial enclosure of 5.5 km (1,400 acres)

2597-633: The terms of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, which was developed and adopted by participating nations at a meeting in Ramsar , Iran , on 2 February 1971. At the end of 2010, 160 states were contracting parties to the Convention, and the worldwide total of sites was 1,920. The United Kingdom was one of 18 original signatories to the Convention, and has since designated 168 Ramsar sites. 51 of these sites are within Scotland, including one site,

2650-741: The type of resource which each seeks to protect. NatureScot has various roles in the delivery of many environmental designations in Scotland, i.e. those aimed at protecting flora and fauna , scenic qualities and geological features. Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designations that protect sites of historic and cultural importance. Some international designations, such as World Heritage Sites , can cover both categories of site. The various designations overlap considerably with many protected areas being covered by multiple designations with different boundaries. The national parks of Scotland are managed areas of outstanding landscape where some forms of development are restricted to preserve

2703-556: Was built with elk, wild boar, red deer and roe deer. Bain (2013) lists 38 ancient pinewood sites in Britain which have been identified as the most genuinely native and natural. All of them occur in the Scottish Highlands. The Caledonian Pinewood Inventory breaks these down into 84 smaller sub-units of the main sites. In March 2019, as part of the implementation of the Forestry and Land Management (Scotland) Act 2018 ,

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2756-528: Was first published for consultation in December 2010 by Historic Scotland , and formally launched in May 2011. As of 2019 the inventory, which is now maintained by Historic Environment Scotland (successor body to Historic Scotland), lists 40 battlefields on the inventory, the most recent addition being the Battle of Sark which was listed in 2016. World Heritage Sites are locations that have been included in

2809-641: Was originally compiled in 1987, and now covers sites dating from the medieval period through to the 20th century. From 1991 the inventory, which is a continually evolving list, was maintained by Historic Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage, and it is now updated by a dedicated team within Historic Environment Scotland. As of 2019 the inventory included over 300 sites across Scotland, ranging in size from one hectare to well over 1000 hectares. The Inventory of Historic Battlefields in Scotland lists nationally significant battlefields . It

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