Cairngorm Mountain & Spey Catchment Initiative

April 16th, 2025.

Rare Highland Habitat Returns to Cairngorm Mountain in New Restoration Project

Montane woodland – one of Scotland’s rarest and most threatened habitats – is set to return to the slopes of Cairngorm Mountain through the Coire na Ciste Montane Woodland Project, a new partnership initiative that will plant 30,000 native trees and shrubs. It’s the first high-altitude woodland restoration project of this scale on the mountain – one of Scotland’s most iconic peaks.

Montane woodland is virtually extinct in Scotland. Of all native woodland in the Highlands, only around 4% exists above 400 metres – making this one of our most fragmented and vulnerable habitats. This project aims to reverse that trend, bringing nature back to the upper reaches of the Cairngorms.

Led by the Spey Catchment Initiative (SCI), funded by the Cairngorms National Park Authority, and delivered in partnership with Cairngorm Mountain (Scotland) Ltd. (CMSL) and landowners Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), the project will help to restore an almost-lost ecosystem once found widely across Scotland’s uplands.

Planting will begin in August 2025 in the lower section of Coire na Ciste, along the banks of the Allt na Ciste, a small burn that flows through this dramatic corrie. The mix of species will include low-growing, hardy trees such as dwarf birch, downy birch, and montane willows—all adapted to life above 600 metres.

Because of the harsh conditions on the mountain, montane woodland takes many years to establish, so taking action now is vitally important. By shading the Allt na Ciste, they will help cool water in summer. They’ll also provide shelter and food for upland species including black grouse, mountain hare, ring ouzel and snow bunting, while stabilising soils and creating vital refuges in a changing climate.

“As temperatures rise, these high-altitude woodlands will act as vital climate refuges for wildlife that might otherwise have nowhere else to go.”

Penny Lawson, Principal Project Officer at the Spey Catchment Initiative, said:

“As temperatures rise, these high-altitude woodlands will act as vital climate refuges for wildlife that might otherwise have nowhere else to go.”

“The Coire na Ciste Montane Woodland Project will create essential habitat for rare species, help cool rivers, and connect fragmented habitats – it’s a powerful example of how woodland restoration can deliver nature-based climate action in one of the most special places in Scotland.”

The woodland will also act as a seed source, supporting natural regeneration and helping native trees expand further uphill. By encouraging a more natural treeline and creating closer links to similar montane woodland to the south —such as those established through the Cairngorms Connect partnership —  the project will help build a connected network of montane habitats across the Cairngorms.

The site will act as a demonstration for future upland restoration and contributes to wider landscape-scale efforts supported by the Cairngorms National Park Partnership Plan, HIE’s Cairngorm Masterplan, and SCI’s broader catchment goals. The Coire na Ciste Montane Woodland Project is a key part of this collective vision for a more resilient upland landscape.

“Tree planting in the ski area has the potential to improve our existing ski pistes on the lower mountain, and in some areas may lead to greater snow retention.”

Jim Cornfoot, Land Manager of Cairngorm Mountain (Scotland) Ltd, said:

“We look forward to working with SCI and CNPA, on the delivery phase of this important project. This will further enhance the scale of mountain woodland here at Cairngorm, increasing biodiversity. We have seen first-hand the increase and range of insect life as a result of tree planting undertaken within Coire Cas. This has in turn led to greater diversity of visiting bird life within the Coire.

It will further complement current work being undertaken by Cairngorm Connect on neighbouring Estates and enhance the maturing tree line planted by HIE in the 1980’s, to the North East of the Ciste car park.  

Advancing tree planting in the ski area has the potential to improve our existing ski pistes on the lower mountain, and in some areas may lead to greater snow retention.

As the climate changes, less late lying snow patches remain to cool the watercourses in spring and early summer, which is evident again this year. SCI’s initiative to create shade using extended tree cover will also help to mitigate higher water temperatures. This is something that we look forward to researching here at Cairngorm, using the water monitoring stations we have previously developed with Dundee University.”

You can find out more about the Spey Catchment Initiative here: speycatchment.org