Conserving montane willow scrub on Ben Lawers NNR

Abstract

Summary The paper describes the status of surviving montane willow scrub on or adjacent to Ben Lawers NNR, referring to eight species of willow and juniper. Most of these have no viable future on the Reserve. The evidence and reasons for decline are discussed, and the conservation work initiated since 1987 described, including its rationale and the associated objective problems. Intervention with fencing and planting is intended to test the feasibility of restoring a viable scrub community, with the proximate objective of reestablishing seed-producing populations of the respective species. The long term and uncertain nature of the work is discussed. Plant names used are according to Stace (1991).