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Loch Garten |
Our work here
Abernethy is internationally famous for the breeding ospreys at Loch Garten. It also protects Britain's largest remaining area of native pinewood, home to several other rare species. Other habitats include heather moorland, blanket bog and mountain plateaux. The RSPB is managing all these habitats in order to maintain their scenic and biological importance, as well as providing a popular visitor attraction, a good example of conservation management practice, and an important resource for the local community. Pine protectionWe are conserving and extending the reserve's native pinewoods, and also managing adjacent plantations. We aim to create a continuous self-sustaining native forest over the whole potential area, providing habitat for wildlife such as red squirrels, crested tits, Scottish crossbills, capercaillies and many pinewood invertebrates. We are also managing the populations of red deer and roe deer to ensure they do not cause too much damage. Highlands and bogsThe upland areas of the reserve are home to other important species, including greenshanks, black grouse and a variety of bog flora and invertebrates. We are managing the montane eco-system in order to protect this wildlife. In particular we are looking after the mire and boggy woodland by restoring and maintaining natural water tables. Finding out moreWe are conducting research into the requirements of key species of plants and animals, including capercaillies and Scottish crossbills. This will help us to protect them. Working with peopleUp to 50,000 people visit the Osprey Centre each year, while many others visit the reserve for its scenery and walking. We are continuing to maintain all our visitor facilities and are developing a capercaillie-viewing facility to accompany our existing closed-circuit links for watching ospreys and other wildlife. The reserve contributes greatly to the local community, generating important revenue and supporting many local jobs. We will continue to promote the Osprey Centre, and are developing green transport links to the site. For the rest of the reserve, we prefer a less intensive recreational use. What can I do?Help save the magnificent capercaillie from extinction in the UK |
Related websites |
RSPB Loch Garten nature reserve, Strathspey - Andy Hay (rspb-images.com, Ref: 1027277)
Osprey female on eyrie in morning light - Chris Gomersall (rspb-images.com)
Red squirrel in tree - Niall Benvie
Bird illustrations by Mike Langman (RSPB)