NRN PARTNER: Clachaig

CLACHAIG

Location:
Tarbert, Argyll
Area Committed:
116 acres
A lush green woodland scene with a large, moss-covered tree trunk dominating the foreground. Ferns and dense grass surround the fallen branches.
Green bog myrtle foliage with a bright sun peeking through the leaves, set against a clear blue sky.
Close-up of vibrant green mosses with delicate, spiky leaves and small budding stalks. The moss is densely packed, creating a textured surface.
Close-up of a coiled adder snake on moss, showcasing its textured, brown and scaled skin. The adder's head is elevated against a blurred greenish-brow
Branches of a rowan tree densely covered with clusters of bright red berries and greenish-yellow leaves.
A vibrant bullfinch with a bright orange-red breast, black head, and grey back sits on a branch. The branch is adorned with fluffy, green catkins. The

The landholding of Clachaig sits on hilly ground near West Loch on the Kintyre pensinsula. The higher ground contains birch woodland and a special fragment of temperate Atlantic rainforest where oaks thrive in the oceanic climate. Here, epiphytic ferns and dense cushions of mosses cover the surfaces of tree trunks and rocks, and a carpet of blaeberry, bracken and heather sprawls underfoot. Three fast-flowing burns have created deep gullies through the woodland, which is also characterised by the scattered presence of yellow meadow ant colonies. The oak and birch woodland gives way to wet meadows across the flatter ground, creating a complex mosaic habitat where nature is being given space to recover.

Key rewilding commitments:

  • MORE NATIVE WOODLAND: Explore opportunities for construction of protected ‘seed islands’ to facilitate expansion of oak and birch woodland.

  • JOINED UP HABITATS: Remove redundant fencing to reduce risk to wildlife movement.

  • RETURN MISSING SPECIES: Conduct enrichment planting with missing or poorly represented plant species such as aspen and gorse (in appropriate locations).

  • LET NATURE LEAD: Undertake proactive eradication of invasive, non-native species (Sitka spruce and Rhododendron ponticum).

  • CONNECT WITH COMMUNITIES: Organise community nature walks and look for opportunities to involve community members in rhododendron removal sessions.