Aigas Community Forest

A productive, working forest providing measurable social, economic and environmental benefits for local residents and visitors alike

Wildlife and Ecology

Biodiversity was an aim for Aigas Forest long before it become a political and media buzzword. Wetlands and forestry need management and over the last few years, the forest is coming back to life by wetland clearance, continuous cover felling, creation of new ponds / lochans, clearance of burns and brash piles for wildlife. Commercial Forestry with close planted, often non-native species, blocks sunlight to the forest floor and the only animals you see in profusion are red deer which browse on new growth and regeneration. The work we have done has opened up the forest floor, deer are now controlled and the flora and fauna are re-establishing themselves.

Planting of native species providing a food source for avian species has seen a growth in the variety of birds in the forest. This will grow exponentially as the new planting establishes itself. Our colony of red squirrels survives and one day we may hear the sound of lekking black grouse. Continual monitoring of wildlife in the forest establishes the base line for our ambitions and we are grateful to the rangers from the Aigas Field Centre for their help. Our Wildlife and Ecology Group works hard on developing new projects from birdboxes, brash piles and re-building the sluice at the Lochan of the Frogs (Loch nan Losgann), which before it became badly silted up, is remembered as an open body of water and in summer a haven of gragon flies and with its resident kingfisher. Sun dappled waters seathing in life was an apt description. Regrettably, the kingfisher's tree has long succumberd to age, but who knows what the future will bring. Returning that to what it was is a great ambition.