Aspen contributes to Argyll biodiversity

This rather unexpected find on the island of Shuna off the Argyll coast reinforces the well-known fact that Aspen is top of the menu for beavers. Is it time we started planting more Aspen in riparian woodlands to meet future demand?

Tree planting at the Star of Markinch resevoir

These great photos below came from Sue Band who planted some of our Scottish clones around the Star of Markinch resevoir in Fife, along with a range of other native species. Well done to Sue and Liz Libby and everyone else down there in Fife.

Deer protection

Out of the pot

The resevoir at Markinch

Peaceful waters.....

Aspen by Loch Lyon

You can see some aspen trees in this native woodland remnant on the north shore of Loch Lyon. In Glen Lyon, even the smallest native woodland remnant seems to have some aspen in it.

Loch Lyon

Windy day in Torridon

Wind in the Willows Aspen ?

This Aspen is still hanging on to most of its leaves, although some clones were already leafless in late September.

I've tried a few times to get a shot of aspen leaves trembling in the wind. Surely a good subject for an arty shot, and a better photographer !

Anither yin.....

Here is an aspen by the entrance to Killin Golf Club that I had never seen before. It might well be planted though.......

By the Lochay at Killin Hotel

Loch Hourn

There are many aspen clones along the shore of Loch Hourn. Some lose their leaves early, many turn yellow, a few turn a deep red (click to enlarge)

Black leaves on aspen

Katy MacLeod from Tombreck on Loch Tay side is asking what has blackened the leaves of this young aspen sucker. Any answers as a comment please.

Native aspen or no?

Video- Native aspen or no?

Usually best to go with your instinct. This tree is fairly heavily branched near the bottom, very unlike other aspen along the Tummel/ Garry....just looks a bit out of place.

Scottish Beaver eating aspen

This is a great piece of footage from the Aigas Field Centre north of Inverness. Enjoy.

To view, you need to copy this link in to browser. Watch over and over again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXn43tyFe4s&feature=player_embedded

Good turn-out

There was a lot of interest in the Highland Aspen Group Annual Field Meeting, held in Strathspey.

We visited the tree nursery and seed orchard.

We also spent some time looking for Dark Bordered Beauty moth larvae at Invertromie.

Aspen in Glen Quoich, Mar Lodge Estate

Closer.........

VIDEO- Aspen trees in Glen Quoich

Same trees, other side of Quoich

50 metres above

Another mature trees and two younger ones. Same clone as above, probably.

Closer........

Three trees

Aspen, birch, Scots Pine.

Some more......

Nearly missed these trees, they were about 200 metres above the previous one. I only seen them looking back.

Kynachan aspen

There were three fairly mature aspen at this site north of Tummel Bridge. Looking back on the wood with binoculars afterwards, ther were another two clones further down as well.

Suckers in the bracken

Seen these before I seen the big trees..........

Highland Aspen Group AGM and Field Meeting

Highland Aspen Group has its AGM and Annual Field Meeting on Saturday 11th June.

The meeting will include a brief indoor session, a tour of Highland Aspen Group’s nursery and seed orchard, and a visit to Invertromie on the RSPB Insh Marshes Reserve. Here we will search for Dark Bordered Beauty moth larvae in a bid to determine the extent of this newly-discovered population of one of Scotland’s rarest moths!

If you want more information, e-mail john.parrott@scottishnativewoods.org.uk

Planting aspen at the zoo.....

Here is Paul Agnew and James Bell planting out an aspen tree beneath the wolf enclosure at Edinburgh Zoo. We donated two good trees for this little symbolic planting, one from Tayside and one from Speyside.

Well done guys......

And another one.......

Peter Collen of Loch Garry Tree Group planting aspen

Peter is the current Chairman of the group. He planted 7-8 different clones in small gaps in the existing plantations. The Group is 25 years old this year.

Looking along Loch Garry

Going to the zoo, zoo, zoo.......

Yesterday we were invited to provide a display at the Plant Conservation Day at Edinburgh Zoo, organized by the Gardens/ nursery staff of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland. It provided an opportunity for us to raise the profile of our project with a different audience.

While there were hundreds of people passing through the very impressive Budungo Trial building on the day, unfortunately, we were not much competition to the chimps who kind of stole the limelight  a bit.

Never mind, we did distribute some material, answered questions and left some trees at the zoo for a symbolic planting.

John Parrott's big poster

Davy Black of Plantlife was our neighbour

Highland Aspen Group nursery

Below are some pictures at the Highland Aspen Group (HAG) polytunnel at the Highland Wildlife Park at Kincraig yesterday while delivering up some Highland perthshire aspen clones for propogation. There is a short video clip as well.