Scotland is home to unique woodlands that have adapted to thrive since the last ice age but have been reduced to isolated fragments by overgrazing. These globally important woodlands could be lost altogether unless their seed can be collected and cultivated to increase the availability of locally provenant trees for enrichment planting. There is an urgent need for seeds that are better adapted to specific climate and locations to ensure that thriving and biodiverse woodlands become established.

The project will ensure a supply of native tree seed from locations across western and northern Scotland and the Islands, from woodlands where genetically diverse seed batches can be assured. Working with volunteers, local contractors and tree specialists, we will collect from sites where no commercial collecting is possible to ensure a healthy supply of rare and niche species so that local nurseries can grow the trees required to restore and expand these precious woodland habitats.