Woolly willow - update

The following are brief summaries of some of the action that we and our partners have done since the Species Action Framework was launched. They're in chronological order, with the most recent updates at the top of the page.

7 December 2009

In the first years of the Species Action Framework, seed was collected and grown on by staff from National Trust for Scotland, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) and Richard Marriot. In 2009 we at last began to plant the resulting bushes out in the wild at two sites.

At Coire Gharblach in the Cairngorms there are only 30 plants remaining on very steep cliffs with no evidence of regeneration. 200 young bushes were returned by two climbers from Glenmore Lodge to these same cliffs. The work here was supervised by Pete Moore from Scottish Natural Heritage and Richard Marriot.

Coire Sharroch has Britain's second largest woolly willow population but, as a National Nature Reserve (NNR) with a large area protected from deer and sheep, it is ideal for re-establishing the lost montane willow habitat more extensively. Here 312 young woolly willow bushes were planted along with 216 downy willow bushes (Salix lapponum) and 288 dark-leaved willows (Salix myrsinifolia) bushes. This was achieved by volunteers from Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Scottish Natural Heritage and on behalf of Richard Marriot.