Conservation and Rewilding
Dynamic Woods is a supporter of rewilding and nature restoration in Scotland. We want to apply the principles to the land we manage and encourage others to do so as well. This for us, is a key way we can help solve the biodiversity crisis as well as creating beautiful places for people to visit and educate themselves. We feel like we have been entrusted with the care for a small slice of Scotland and take that responsibility seriously, to protect and enhance Inzievar for people and planet.
What is rewilding and why is it needed
Scotland is in an ecological crisis and is now one of the most ecologically degraded countries in the world. In a recent State of the Nature report by the RSPB, Scotland has experienced a decline of 15% in abundance of 407 terrestrial and freshwater species on average since 1994. In addition, only 56% of Scotland’s biodiversity is intact and the UK ranks in the bottom 10% of countries globally.
There are a number of reasons for this. Scotland has increasingly fragmented degraded habitats, an increased prevalence of disease, increased competition from invasive species, changes in climate, and increased levels of pollution. These have contributed to long term significant declines across a range of species and numerous extinctions. Unless we take decisive action this decline will continue and the future of Scotland’s environment would be at risk.
Rewilding has a few different definition, but we define it as targeted nature restoration projects to restore natural processes and with the final aim to have a healthy primarily self regulating diverse ecosystem. This can be done in a range of different ways, including targeted planting, agricultural intensification, species introductions, and invasive species removal.
Rewilding has now been acknowledged by the Scottish government and there are numerous projects across the country working towards creating healthier self sustaining ecosystems. The Scottish government has adopted a new definition “Rewilding means enabling nature's recovery, whilst reflecting and respecting Scotland's society and heritage, to achieve more resilient and autonomous ecosystems”, which will help guide rewilding work and investment for rewilding projects around the country.
Why are we rewilding?
Dynamic Woods and Scottish Wood operate as a social enterprise/charity partnership where the profits of the business being used to work for better outcomes for Scotland’s people and environment. Rewilding is a way of ensuring that a business in the timber sector is also working to preserve Scotland’s environment and wildlife and also that the business is contributing to reducing the impact of the timber industry by promoting good woodland management for wildlife and people.
For us that means leading by example with how we manage the land around the sawmill and how we engage with the wider environment around us.
Can you help?
As we start our various rewilding and nature enhancement projects there will be increasing opportunity to volunteer and get involved. We also work with organizations like Venture Scotland so can also host groups. We are also open to assisting with any research where we can and are opening to partnering with Universities so please do get in touch.
Image by Scotland: The Big Picture
How are we rewilding?
We want to make sure that Inzievar Woods is a diverse healthy woodland and that we allow natural processes to primarily dictate the canopy. To begin with to get to that state we will continue our efforts to remove the invasive species and the remaining sections of monoculture plantation and replace them with high value native tree and understory species. In addition, we will be increasing the amount of standing water on site, which provide excellent habitat for birds, insects, and mammals as well as a host of plant species.
But what about the Sawmill?
We sometimes get questions about the contradiction of running a sawmill and promoting rewilding. Its a fair point but let us make our case. We need more wood and we need more protected nature and there needs to be more overlap between the two. Wood is an incredible material for construction and has a much lower carbon footprint compared to steel and concrete and timber also contributes 1 billion pounds to the Scottish economy every year. Timber is a great material and when it is used in construction, and especially furniture making the carbon the tree has locked up is still stored in the wood which will be preserved for many years.
We think we need more forestry done better. More of a focus of mixed age mixed species forests as opposed to monoculture plantations and selective felling with low impact methods as opposed to clear fell, particularly in broadleaf forests. We aim to manage Inzievar in this way, keeping a native continuous cover forest and when appropriate removing suitable trees to be used as hardwoods in Scotland.
Image by SCOTLAND: The Big Picture
Northwoods Rewilding Network
As we begin our rewilding journey we are excited to announce we have joined the Northwoods Rewilding Network. Created by the rewilding charity Scotland: The Big Picture, it is a Scotland wide network of landowners aiming to manage their land for nature recovery.
We joined as we found an organization that aligns with our values and vision for Inzievar and also provided help and guidance as we go along the way. Through the network we have been exposed to an amazing series of projects by other members that are incredibly inspiring.
Scotland: The Big Picture has a wealth of information and guidance on rewilding for those interesting in learning more.
Our Management Ethos
Aim to create a healthy self-regulating woodland with a wide range of native species and intact natural processes.
Increase the quality and quantity of native woodland within Inzievar Woods. We plan on reducing the number of plantation spruce and western hemlock and replace them with high value and underrepresented species like Aspen.
Diverse healthy understory. Forests should have layers of plants of a range of species and we want to make sure our woodland areas have a diverse understory of shrubs, small trees and wildflowers.
Wetlands are important habitats and help clean water, reduce flooding, and can store significant amounts of carbon. We will increase the number of ponds and marshes onsite and work to improve the ones we do have.
As we begin our work in the woodlands, we want to ensure our interventions have the smallest impact possible, so will aim for low impact methods where possible including low impact forestry and extraction and no mechanical preparation for planting.
Where feasible, we will be open to introductions of vulnerable native species including beaver, pine marten, and badgers.
For us rewilding is not about removing people, but for creating diverse landscape for people to immerse themselves in and to use them to educate. Volunteering, education, and community engagement will always be a priority for Dynamic Woods.
Create high value sustainably grown hardwood timber through selective felling of appropriate trees to support the Scottish timber industry.
