Working towards Wild Park 2020

In terms of our proactive advice to land managers, we are focusing our resources on progressing Wild Park 2020’s Wild Challenges five flagship projects requiring targeted, collaborative action at a landscape scale.

Learn more about each Wild Challenge and possible management actions that land managers could carry out to deliver results for these Wild Challenges by following the links below. For further advice on practical management proposals and appropriate sources of funding please contact us at landuse@lochlomond-trossachs.org.

Red Squirrel

• reduce disease risk and competition for food by undertaking legal control of non-native grey squirrels;
• maintain or increase the presence of tree species that favour red squirrels over grey squirrels;
• consider red squirrel’s needs when undertaking forestry operations;

Invasive Non-Native Species

Rhododendron

• take care not to spread plant fragments or soil containing seeds of rhododendron when undertaking land management activities;
• control or permit control on your land of rhododendron In all cases particularly where resources are in place to ensure eradication in the long-term.

Riparian Plants

• take care not to spread plant fragments or soil containing seeds of these species when undertaking land management activities;
• control or permit control on your land of Japanese knotweed, Himalayan balsam, giant hogweed and North American skunk cabbage; particularly where control is already taking place ‘upstream’ and resources are in place to ensure eradication in the long-term

Mountain Bogs

In areas of deep peat:

• block redundant drainage systems;
• re-vegetate bare peat e.g. by re-profiling peat haggs;
• manage herbivore grazing to prevent excessive grazing or trampling.

Black Grouse

In areas where black grouse are known to breed:

• manage herbivore grazing and browsing to maintain or improve the condition of key moorland and woodland habitats;
• create new native woodland by planting or regeneration;
• incorporate open habitat and low density planting on the edges of planted and re-stocked forests and woodlands;
• re-align or mark fences known to be a high risk for birds flying into them;
• reduce predation by increasing cover and undertaking legal predator control.

Woodland Habitat Network 

• manage herbivore grazing and browsing pressures to improve the condition of existing native woodland and scrub;
• plant or regenerate new woodland, scrub, hedges or field boundary trees where this will fill the gaps between existing woodlands.