
The Cairngorms
The Cairngorms
The wider Cairngorms Futurescape contains the Badenoch & Strathspey and Caledonian Pinewood Futurescapes. Together, these encompass the whole of the Cairngorms – some 4583 square kilometres.
The lower altitude Badenoch & Strathspey is a semi-natural floodplain, with the Insh Marshes National Nature Reserve at its heart. Cattle and sheep graze the wet grassland – which is one of the UK’s most important sites for breeding waders. This floodplain also benefits flood management and water purification.
The Cairngorms is a high mountain plateau surrounded by Caledonian pinewood. Just one per cent of the original Caledonian pinewood forest remains, with more than half of this located in the Cairngorms.
The pinewoods are a vital part of the Cairngorms, delivering economic benefits through timber production, shelter for domestic and wild animals and leisure activities and tourism.
Downloads
PDF, 1.28Mb. Date: 5 September 2014
Futurescapes - Badenoch and StrathspeyPDF, 1.16Mb. Date: 14 October 2013
Futurescapes - Caledonian ForestExplore the area
Find out what’s going on near this Futurescape, including places to visit, news and local events, plus how you can work or volunteer for us.
Nearby reserves
Reserves and other protected areas are a key part of Futurescapes. They provide core areas for nature to thrive and eventually repopulate the surrounding landscapes. The key RSPB reserves within this Futurescape are:
Crannach
Crannach is a tranquil woodland site. The habitat supports priority species such as black grouse, Scottish crossbill and a range of other woodland birds.
Insh Marshes
Insh Marshes National Nature Reserve is one of the most important wetlands in Europe. Enjoy a springtime stroll and look out for nesting lapwings, redshanks and curlews, or visit in the wintertime when the marsh floods.
Loch Garten, Abernethy
When ospreys returned to breed in Scotland, this ancient Caledonian pinewood is where they chose to come. The Loch Garten Osprey Centre boasts fantastic views of these magnificent birds on the nest, as well as close up views thanks to our non-invasive CCTV camera.
Our partners
Futurescapes is all about collaboration. There are many organisations and people involved in managing land in the Cairngorms. Our challenge is working together to find ways of making more space for nature. To achieve this we’re working with:
Saving special places
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Curlews in crisis: one year on
For this year’s World Curlew Day, Thursday 21st April 2022, amongst the enjoyment of this beautiful yet gravely threatened bird, comes an update on the ambitious conservation delivery project, Curlews in crisis (Curlew LIFE). The project is app...(re...
Posted 21/04/2022 by Vanessa Amaral-Rogers -
The conservationist's dilemma: an update on the science, policy and practice of the impact of predators on wild birds (8)
As we have written in previous years, the decision to introduce any form of predator control (lethal or non-lethal) is something we never take lightly. It’s always based on evidence and guided by the RSPB’s Council-agreed policy. The RSPB...(read mor...
Posted 20/09/2021 by martinfowlie -
G7 Commentary - Nature compact success or failure?
For the first time the G7 has made a nature-positive commitment to halt and reverse the loss of biodiversity by 2030. This is unprecedented. Never before we have seen nature prioritised in a way that recognises the importance of a healthy natural wor...
Posted 14/06/2021 by Vanessa Amaral-Rogers -
A big step for international whale conservation - sei whale Key Biodiversity Area in Falklands
By Michelle Winnard, Communications Officer, Falklands Conservation Sei whale by Caroline Weir, Falklands Conservation In a big step for international whale conservation, the Falkland Islands have been confirmed as a hotspot for a globally end...(re...
Posted 12/05/2021 by Heather Mitchell