Is tree planting really that important?

We visit a tree nursery in the Scottish Highlands to ask if tree planting is really that important for the restoration of our lost biodiversity and to find out how trees are grown for planting and rewilding.
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[@SimonDures]

What do you do to get out there and feel a sense of achievement?

[@jamiemills2645]

I look after Catherine's bird boxes in Luncarty. Not much but it helps🙏🏻

[@SimonDures]

That is wonderful! It is the small things that make a big difference. Well done!

[@DJG19870]

You mentioned about reconnecting the forest… I think that all the remaining/undeveloped riparian areas (about 50 meters on either side of natural rivers) should be declared protected all around the world. The land should then be rewilded… providing a space for native trees and wildlife. It will then act as a wildlife corridor.

[@SimonDures]

That would be an incredible achievement and result in huge biodiversity benefit across the world's landscapes. What a wonderful vision!

[@davebloggs]

Nicely done, I used to live in the UK and planted many hundreds of oaks willows birch alder etc etc I have no idea how many but could be well on the way to 1000. that was my relaxation place, planting trees, I now live in Canada and spend a lot of my time clearing deadfall off of trails etc . and planting trees and doing what i can, it is one of the most relaxing things in the world planting trees. keep up the good work hats off to you guys.

[@SimonDures]

Well done and great to hear. There is little that is as satisfying as planting a tree and getting to watch it grow and mature, knowing it will long outlive us!

[@davebloggs]

@@SimonDures Thats for sure, the oaks i have planted could live to be 600 years old, the yews much older. no one will care who planted them but they will enjoy sitting in their shade thats for sure.

[@jamiemills2645]

Just up the road from me. I'll need to go have a look. Well done, keep ep up the great work🙏🏻

[@SimonDures]

Please do! They always need keen volunteers and they are a lovely bunch!

[@SC-fk9nc]

Way to go, keep it up people!

[@Debbie-henri]

I'm glad this video comes out in favour of 'deliberately' planting trees, rather than just leaving land fallow to regenerate on its own. Often, land is just so depleted, so bare and open, those creatures that do all the planting avoid this sort of terrain for fear of exposure to predators. I only have a little bit of land here in Scotland (or a large-ish garden by English standards. Probably about 2.5 acres altogether (a sliver of it already established woodland with a stream as its border. The rest was originally grass - where grass could grow, but there was a lot of exposed rock, centuries of intensive sheep farming having gnawed everything down. So, I 'could not' plant trees to begin with (even though I had moved here with potted trees ready to go). The soil was too shallow, and deer had replaced the sheep, keeping that grass low. I waited for tree seeds to start popping up in that grass, yet nothing happened, even though we had a flourishing red squirrel pipulation at the time, plus mice and types of bird that will bury seed stashes. Several years passed, as I let the grass grow unmowed, to slowly build soil levels, adding only additional leaves from my bit of woodland, kitchen scraps, and the odd finished potted herb. But not one tree seed grew on that land. It took 'me' to start that work, as I planted a hedge to bridge my neighbour's woodland with the riparian stream. Once that hedge started to grow, animals began using it as a highway. Indeed, I was quite surprised just how much life suddenly started to use it one summer - wandering pheasants, small birds, burrowing animals, hedgehogs, foxes and badgers. It was clear they needed cover, and once they started to use this part of the garden - Hazel and Oak seedlings started to appear here and there. I added Alder, Birch, Rowan and Beech, and the first two are now self seeding. The more I plant - the more Nature matches my efforts. I may plant a 100 trees one Autumn, and not only does she add a few of her own - I'll discover a few new wild flowers, orbird, or fungi. After 21 years, this past year has been unmatched with the number of new species Nature has introduced. 7 new wild flowers, lizards, Goldcrests, and this weird blue and copper fly (or perhaps a bee. I have been unable to identify it). So all this prives to me that helping Nature by planting a range of trees that we find easier to grow from seed or cuttings does not limit that land's capability of recovery. From out of nowhere, it seems, wildlife will bring in a stock of plants to add a much greater variety to whatever you put into the ground. I wish I could help out at that nursery, but if there's anything that does give me stress - it's travelling. I will have to make do with my piece of garden (which isn't the only project I have in mind. A couple of miles walk away, there is a bit of abandoned ground, prone to flooding now, but used for cattle not so long ago. I think the introduction of a few appropriate species from the surrounding neighbourhood will help kickstart this area into action. Anyway, always good to see a nice, young channel on a subject I like, so pressed like and subscribed. Good luck!

[@SimonDures]

What a great story and a perfect example of how we need actions such as yours to help kickstart nature into recovery. We can't expect trees to grow when the seed source simply doesn't exist anymore. Well done with what you have done, it sounds wonderful!

[@pi-signal]

Great Video

[@SimonDures]

Thanks!

[@user-vu1ok8jt5s]

Great Video, thank you!

[@SimonDures]

Thank you!

[@wedruskimistrz5122]

#PLANTMORETREES #INVESTinBIODiversity "Only when the last tree has been cut down, the last fish been caught, and the last stream poisoned, will we realize we cannot eat money." Cree Indian Prophecy

[@davydacounsellor]

Need to call this out, the crofters where not given other jobs on the estates during the Highlands clearance, they were then contracted as indentured servants, (slaves) under contract to work on plantations in the new world, like Jamaica.. Whereas you would work your fare off as the kindly lord or lady would pay your fare to the new world and would have the opportunity to buy your way out of your contract through hard work. I suggest you plant a tree for every poor tenant farmer who was thrown off their land. And your looking for volunteers, more slaves.

[@SimonDures]

This was certainly a particularly crap period of Scottish history. My very basic understanding of the clearances was that the first phase of the clearances involved the clan chiefs, who had then been made dukes, breaking up the traditional townships and moving tenants to smaller Croft’s as well as to other industries like kelp and fishing. I think that is what David was referring to but didn’t want to go into details because of how complex and understandably emotive the topic is (I apologise if I have this wrong, history is not my expertise). I would happily look to plant a tree for all those displaced, it would be a wonderful memorial to those people who suffered from the clearances. I would also suggest that volunteers are exceedingly willing to give their time, to suggest a comparison with indentured servitude is a disservice to those people who suffered from the ‘assisted emigration’ of the 18 hundreds.

[@davydacounsellor]

@@SimonDures I'm sure the carbon credits you'll receive would help pay for your enterprise.

[@kylenmaple4668]

Not unless done properly

[@parcomolo256]

Awful contamination of the video's sound with background music.

[@SimonDures]

Sorry you didn't like the music, I hope you enjoyed the content

[@wedruskimistrz5122]

#PLANTMORETREES #INVESTinBIODiversity "Only when the last tree has been cut down, the last fish been caught, and the last stream poisoned, will we realize we cannot eat money." Cree Indian Prophecy