Scotland

Trees for Life – Scotland

 

In the Highlands of Scotland there is a community group busy at work helping to restore the scenic Caledonian Forest. The Caledonian Forest once covered over 1.5 million hectares of the Scottish Highlands. Today just 1% of the forest remains, and species such as the beaver, wild boar and lynx have gone. The surviving remnants of the forest are ageing and fragmented, struggling to regenerate because of overgrazing caused by deer. The organisation ‘Trees for Life’ are calling for the assistance of Australian volunteers to ensure the survival of this ancient and remarkable woodland. It's Scotland's equivalent of the Daintree rainforest and it urgently needs our help!

 

Location: Week 1 – Achnashellach, Week 2 - Skye

 

Located in upper Glen Carron, Achnashellach is on the northern boundary of Trees for Life’s target area. Much of this site is Caledonian Pine Forest, under-planted with non-native plantations. Trees for Life have been assisting Forestry Commission Scotland by removing non-native trees, restoring a wetland area and carrying out survey work. The work on these weeks will include tree planting and non-native removal.

 

Accommodation during the first week will be at Attadale Cottages, Strathcarron.  We will have the use of two well-appointed nineteenth century semi-detached cottages, each with bedrooms, kitchens and bathrooms with showers. Attadale is a stunning glen situated west of our work site at Achnashellach. The surrounding hills have some great patches of woodland and the nearby Attadale house has beautiful gardens, which can be explored during time off.

 

The project at Skye will be assisting with the Forestry Commission Scotland's (FCS) Kinloch Hills Native Woodland Restoration Project. This 7,400 hectare site is on the eastern side of this beautiful island. FCS is working to restore native woodland, heath and bog. Our tasks will include non-native tree removal, ecological survey work, and fence removal. Some of the work sites are remote and may require a long walk over rough terrain, so a good level of fitness is necessary.

 

The accommodation for these weeks will be at the Flora MacDonald hostel, near Armadale. We will have exclusive use of the cosy Flora MacDonald’s Hostel, which stands in magnificent surroundings at Kilmore in the south end of the island. There are two dorms, a well-equipped kitchen, lounge area and drying room. The hostel is approximately half an hour’s drive from the work site at Kinloch Hills, however some tasks may require a longer drive.

 

Program Dates 2009:

Saturday 12th September – Saturday 26th September (15 days/nights)

 

Program Fee: $1,850 inclusive of:

 

• All meals daily – Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• One night accommodation on arrival at Bazpackers Hostel Inverness
• Accommodation for duration of the program
• CVA Team Liaison Officer
• Information Kit and pre-departure information
• Merchandise – Wide-brimmed hat and gardening gloves
• Onsite transportation
• 12 month membership to Trees for Life and Conservation Volunteers
• CVA program management and administration fees

Program price does not include:

• International airfares
• Visas
• Recreational activities
• Optional extras, especially on Wednesdays which is a free day for volunteers.

 

It’s easy to book - simply:

• Click on the country that you are interested in then read the program notes
• Carefully read the Booking terms & Conditions
• Complete an Online Application Form
• Download a List of Essential Items
• Any questions? Check out our FAQ, email info@conservationvolunteers.com.au or Freecall 1800 032 501.

 

* All photos courtesy of Trees for Life

 

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