Capercaillie Emergency Plan 2025 - 2030 - Flipbook - Page 13
3. Expanding and improving habitat
Woodland expansion
It is a target within the National Park Partnership Plan to create a minimum of
35,000 hectares of new woodland cover by 2045, including a minimum of 80%
native woodland and 10,000 hectares of natural regeneration without planting.
It is also a target to expand woodland by a minimum of 7,000 hectares by 2027
through the delivery of the Cairngorms National Park Forest Strategy and
targeted grant schemes. Whilst planning and approval for woodland expansion
takes time and will not produce immediate results, by influencing plans now we
can increase woodland cover in core capercaillie areas and ensure the right type
of woodland in the right place that capercaillie can access in future.
Objective
Increase the amount of new native woodland planned around capercaillie
forests where opportunities exist for expansion and improved connectivity.
Actions by 2030
1. Where required, update existing maps of target areas in the National Park where
woodland expansion stands to deliver the greatest benefit for capercaillie.
2. Work with all land managers relevant to the target areas to support and enable
woodland expansion plans.
Measures of success
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Native woodland expansion plans in place where all viable opportunities
exist that favour capercaillie in the National Park.
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All woodland expansion plans favour establishment through herbivore
management and removing redundant fences.
Partners (alongside the Park Authority and NatureScot)
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Land managers in target areas
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Scottish Forestry
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CONFOR
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