Caledonian Forest above the Allt Ruadh in Glen Feshie
Map of the ecoregion
Ecology
Realm
Palearctic
Biome
Temperate coniferous forest
Borders
Celtic broadleaf forests
North Atlantic moist mixed forests
Geography
Area
180 km2 (69 sq mi)
The Caledonian Forest is the ancient (old-growth) temperate forest of Scotland. The forest today is a reduced-extent version of the pre-human-settlement forest, existing in several dozen remnant areas.
The Scots pines of the Caledonian Forest are directly descended from the first pines to arrive in Scotland following the Late Glacial; arriving about 7000 BC. The forest reached its maximum extent about 5000 BC, after which the Scottish climate became wetter and windier. This changed climate reduced the extent of the forest significantly by 2000 BC. From that date, human actions (including the grazing effects of sheep and deer) reduced it to its current extent.
Today, that forest exists as 35 remnants, as authenticated by Steven & Carlisle (1959)[1] (or 84 remnants, including later subjective subdivisions of the 35) covering about 180 square kilometres (69 sq mi) or 44,000 acres (18,000 ha). The Scots pines of these remnants are, by definition, directly descended from the first pines to arrive in Scotland following the ice age. These remnants have adapted genetically to different Scottish environments, and as such, are globally unique; their ecological characteristics form an unbroken, 9000-year chain of natural evolution with a distinct variety of soils, vegetation, and animals.
To a great extent the remnants survived on land that was either too steep, too rocky, or too remote to be agriculturally useful. The largest remnants are in Strathspey and Strath Dee on highly acidic, freely drained glacial deposits that are of little value for cultivation and domestic stock. An examination of the earliest maps of Scotland suggests that the extent of the Caledonian Forest remnants has changed little since 1600.
^Steven, Henry Marshall; Carlisle, A. (1959). The Native Pinewoods of Scotland. Oliver and Boyd.
The CaledonianForest is the ancient (old-growth) temperate forest of Scotland. The forest today is a reduced-extent version of the pre-human-settlement...
geological event Caledonian Brewery, in Edinburgh, Scotland CaledonianForest, the native woodland of Highland Scotland Caledonian Hall, a historic building...
Abernethy Forest is a remnant of the CaledonianForest in Strathspey, in the Highland council area of Scotland. It lies within the Cairngorms National...
biome as it features concentrated populations of Scots pine forest: see CaledonianForest. It is the most mountainous part of the United Kingdom. Between...
Rothiemurchus Forest is a remnant of the CaledonianForest at grid reference NH9209 near Aviemore, Inverness-shire, Scotland. It is in the Highland region...
are in the North Atlantic moist mixed forests ecoregion, and the Scottish Highlands are in the Caledonianforest ecoregion. Southeastern and south-central...
Caledonia Silva, an idea still recalled in the modern expression "CaledonianForest", although the woods are much reduced in size since Roman times. Some...
central massif are many remnants of the Caledonianforest in straths and glens of the Rivers Spey and Dee. These forests support many species that are rare...
largest area of ancient Caledonian pinewoods in Scotland, as well as lochs, moorland and mountains. The area is a CaledonianForest Reserve, a national scenic...
itself, was formerly part of the native CaledonianForest that stretched across much of Northern Scotland. Native forest is now largely absent from much of...
Oakwoods, Atlantic Oakwoods, Western Oakwoods or Temperate Rainforest, Caledonianforest, and colloquially as 'Celtic Rainforests'. They are also listed in...
Glenmore Forest Park is a remnant of the CaledonianForest near Aviemore in the Badenoch and Strathspey district of Highland, Scotland. Owned and managed...
10,000 tonnes of wood per year. Ballochbuie Forest, one of the largest remaining areas of old Caledonian pine growth in Scotland, consists of approximately...
Hainault Forest website. Retrieved 2010-05-09. "Trees for Life - Slime Molds occurring on Dundreggan". Trees for Life – Restoring the CaledonianForest. Archived...
Sylvester) was a semi-legendary madman and prophet who lived in the CaledonianForest in the late 6th century. The Life of Saint Kentigern mentions "a certain...
reintroductions. Paul Lister is the laird of Alladale Estate in the CaledonianForest of North Scotland, and he has plans to reintroduce large carnivores...
to become a wild man of the wood in the 6th century. He roams the CaledonianForest until cured of his madness by Kentigern, also known as Saint Mungo...
Today, much of the remaining native CaledonianForest lies within the Cairngorms National Park and remnants of the forest remain at 84 locations across Scotland...
North Sea at Aberdeen. Glen Tanar contains the third largest area of CaledonianForest in Scotland, and is of national and European importance. It lies 29...
and the park as a whole holds more than half the surviving Caledonianforest. In these forests can be found bird species such capercaillie, black grouse...
The CaledonianForest is the name given to the former (ancient old-growth) temperate rainforest of Scotland. The Scots pines of the CaledonianForest are...
woodpecker holes and tree nestboxes on the RSPB's reserve at the CaledonianForest in Abernethy, Scotland. While tree holes and cliffs may have comprised...
the West Indies. In Scotland it is a characteristic species of the CaledonianForest. Under the UK's national vegetation classification system, pinewood...
passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae. It is endemic to the CaledonianForests of Scotland, and is the only terrestrial vertebrate species endemic...
realm and prominent features of the Scottish flora include boreal Caledonianforest (much reduced from its natural extent), heather moorland and coastal...
them still remain. Only 13% of Britain's original forest remains. In a patch of Caledonian Pine Forest in the Cairngorms National Park in Scotland, some...
Wilderness Reserve is a 23,000-acre (93 km2) highland estate in the CaledonianForest in Sutherland, in the Scottish Highlands. The estate was purchased...
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