We are just back from our Trees for Life Adventure this year in Glen Cannich.

The first thing that we all did when we arrived was go on this amazing walk in Glen Affric to see the majestic old Scots Pine Trees – “the Granny Pines”. As we looked around it was obvious that what was missing was any new wee trees. It is the Grannies some 200 - 350 years old or nothing! We then walked on up into the hillside to the Trees for Life “Exclosure”. Here there were pines everywhere and of all ages. The difference being that the deer are “excluded” from the area and the trees get a chance to grow. What an inspiration for the rest of our week.

I don’t want to get all theoretical but a wee bit of background will help you understand my passion for this project.

When you observe the Scottish Hills, like me you may think that the rugged, barren landscape is typical of the Scottish Highlands. Well, I have learned that this is not the case!! We should be able to look up and see natural forest dotting the skyline not bare hillside! The great forest of Caledon once covered over 1.5 million hectares of the Scottish Highlands, and was home to a rich assemblage of plants and animals.

The forest ran from the Highlands through to Loch Lomond and has been depleted over hundreds of years due to a number of key historical and economic events. These include the Highland Clearances and the introduction of sheep farming, the intensive planting by the Forestry Commission for quicker growing trees during the war years and as commercial lumber. All of this has had a major impact on our native Scottish natural woodlands. Today just 1% of the forest remains. The surviving remnants of the forest are ageing and fragmented, and because of overgrazing, the trees are struggling to regenerate naturally.

Fortunately, the priorities of the Forestry Commission have now changed and they are carrying out a great deal of excellent work to reverse the situation, and are protecting and restoring native woodlands on a large scale, as well as increasing the diversity within plantations.

So what happens on a volunteer work week. Normally, a group of ten volunteers makes up a work week. People of all ages, backgrounds and from all parts of the UK and beyond. Volunteers are supported by Trees for Life staff (Focalisers) who are extremely knowledgeable about the Forest and its wildlife.

During the week we discover that we are there for all sorts of reasons however we all have one thing in common, contributing to restoring the great forest of Caledon. Some of the things I like best about the work week are working together as a group, sharing in the preparation of meals and planning the work out on the hills. And of course, the hills themselves, unbelievable countryside, views and weather. Living in the city as we do, it is fantastic to be out in the open, high up in the Scottish Highlands and actually experiencing weather! One minute it can be lovely sunshine, the next cold, wet and a howling gale. Trees for Life have a mini bus that gets us to our planting location so although the walking can be a bit rough it is not too difficult. If I can do it anybody can! This year there was a great mix of ages of volunteers and I felt that I was well able to carry out the tasks.

Our planting site this year was on a hillside at Cougie between Glen Affric and Glen Urquart. Our work week planted 4,000 baby Scots Pine Trees. The site was chosen by the Forestry Commission as it was a hillside that was the wrong side of the wind (a technical term you know) for carrying pine seeds. There was a work week before and one after us so in total in excess of 12,000 baby Scots Pine trees would be planted. Planting is a group activity and everyone helps each other. It is also a great time to chat and get to know one another. Or just to stop and look up at the most amazing scenery. That’s me with my baby tree!

Another task of the Work week is fence clearing. These are old Forestry Commission Fences that are no longer needed and are a hazard to black grouse etc. but would be too expensive for them to remove so they get us mad tree huggers to do it. But it’s fab! What a sense of satisfaction when the fence comes down and the countryside opens up. This year the fence was particularly difficult, broken down, rusty, over grown and of course in a bog. That got rid of that fence then!

This year we had a visit to the Trees for Life Estate at Dungreggan near Glen Moriston. Dungreggan is a beautiful place and has been up to now used as a sporting estate owned by a wealthy Italian who only visited it six weeks in the year! Trees for Life now have the opportunity to transform it, nurture the trees and bring it back to life. We were the first work week to visit Dundreggan and do some work on the estate. We all felt very privileged. We cut down some “baddie” trees (another technical term), removed some more fencing and collected pine cones for the nursery.

Of course not all of the work week is about tree planting. Getting to know the other volunteers is all part of it. Everyone got on really well and we shared a good few laughs, some communal singing sessions (sad songs only) some great dinners and too many cups of tea! By the end of the week we were loathe to leave one another but all had a shared consciousness about the value in restoring the great Forest of Caledon for future generations. I look forward to meeting up with you all again! I hope that you like the photos of this inspirational area. Trees for Life can be contacted at www.treesforlife.org.uk

Did you know that in our own city we have an ancient tree attraction? In the Fossil Grove situated in the Victoria Park
Fossil Grove

Sunday March 3rd

Cosy in bed on a Saturday morning reading my book with coffee and toast Davy reminded me that it was the first Sunday in the month tomorrow and did I want to out with "Go Bike" on their "newcomer Friendly" 1st Sunday in the month rides.

Knowing that I really should get some more exercise I said yes of course! Thinking to myself Oh My God!!

So sure enough on the Sunday morning we were up bright and early to meet up with the others at Bells Bridge at 10.00a.m. I was really really nervous as I am not that fit and I was worried that it would be mad keen cyclists and that I would get left behind. Convincing myself that the worst that could happen was that I would need to leave the group and come back with Davy I stuck in there. I was very relieved to see some other women there and some "Newcomers" just like me. The Trip was to Bothwell Castle and back. For some reason I thought that it was a two hour cycle however I was soon to learn that it was more like a four hour run. Undaunted and chatting to some lovely people by now, all fourteen of us headed off. The trip out to Bothwell Castle was totally flat following the River Clyde Cycle Path and then the Clyde Calder route. By the time we reached Bothwell Castle I was really enjoying myself. Not a hard cycle at all!! There were a few casualties from our party of fourteen. One puncture repaired and back on the road but one guy who I never met slipped on the mud and fell. He returned home to Glasgow to get cleaned up. Hope you have recovered!

Figure 1 Bothwell Castle with Grace's fab bike next to it.

Bothwell Castle was very interesting (we only looked at it from the outside) then on for lunch. The best part of any cycle - in my opinion other than the long gruelling hills, of course! What a find. The Angels Hotel in Uddingston. Lovely home made food and very welcoming to an invasion of cyclists. Davy and I only had soup and bread and shared a bowl of chips, (I'm not too keen on a big lunch and then having to cycle). After lunch one of our party went back on the train, which was a good option. For the rest of us we headed back the long way! Up through Blantyre, then High Blantyre then over near East Kilbride. A few hills but nothing too difficult and some lovely open countryside. For the thrill seekers amongst us there was some good downhills (not me I was on with the brakes). We then came back through Cambuslang, Rutherglen, Toryglen and back to the Glasgow Green finishing back at Bells Bridge. Unfortunately the weather on the way back changed and we had to cycle a while in hail stones. I did get a bit cold and a warm bath was required when I got home with a well deserved large glass of wine.

Would I go again? YES definitely. That's me waving in the picture. (am I smiling?) You can see that we are very visible. The "Go Bike!" leaders are very considerate and encouraging. They make sure that no-one is left behind and in my opinion you are not made to feel that you are holding others up. However I would be more organised. I would take an extra layer of something warm to wear as my shoulders got frozen, extra food to eat by the late afternoon as our light lunch was not enough to keep us going and I would expect to be away for the day and not just two hours!

"Go Bike!" is the Strathclyde Cycle Campaign.

"Go Bike!" stands for:

• Safer roads (and better maintenance)
• Safe, direct and well-signposted cycle routes
• Improved integrated public transport which welcomes cyclists
• Making Strathclyde progressive and cycle friendly

The rides out on a Sunday help you explore the countryside, cafes, pubs, within easy reach of Glasgow. "Go Bike" also have a regular printed newsletter, active email list and website to help you get informed about cycling developments in your area.

They also print a Glasgow Cycle map with over 750km of backstreet and designated cycle routes around Glasgow, as recommended by Go Bike members. - How useful is that!! Check out their website at www.gobike.org or phone/txt 07932460093

One of my best adventures of 2007 was our Trees for Life - volunteer work week. In the late spring of last year (before the midges descend) Davy and I went on aTrees for Life- volunteer work week to Glen Moriston. This was our second adventure with the "Trees for Life". I choose Glen Moriston as I am a bit of a softie and the accommodation at Invermoriston Holiday Chalets is lovely and cosy!! (Other locations and accommodation maybe more dramatic and I hope to go there too - one day!).

Having read in a copy of the Big Issue about the work of the "Trees for Life" charity and the volunteer work weeks I thought that it sounded a fantastic opportunity to contribute to the restoration of the Ancient Scottish Caledonian Pine Forest . I wasn't disappointed! I can't claim to be that environmentally aware, (I try and do what I can, recycle etc) however Davy and I used to live in the Highlands and went for walks in the beautiful Glen Affric. The thought of this magnificent area as dying forest deeply concerned me and I don't want to get all theoretical but a wee bit of background will help you understand my passion for this project.

When you observe the Scottish Hills, like me you may think that the rugged, barren landscape is typical of the Scottish Highlands. Well, I have learned that this is not the case!! We should be able to look up and see natural forest dotting the skyline not bare rock! The great forest of Caledon once covered over 1.5 million hectares of the Scottish Highlands, and was home to a rich assemblage of plants and animals.

The forest ran from the Highlands through to Loch Lomond and has been depleted over hundreds of years due to a number of key historical and economic events. These include the Highland Clearances and the introduction of sheep farming, the intensive planting by the Forestry Commission for quicker growing tress to build ships during the war years and as commercial lumber. All of this has had a major impact on our native Scottish natural woodlands. Today just 1% of the forest remains. The surviving remnants of the forest are ageing and fragmented, and because of overgrazing, the trees are struggling to regenerate naturally. Fortunately we learned that the priorities of the Forestry Commission have now changed and they are carrying out a great deal of excellent work to reverse the situation, and are protecting and restoring native woodlands on a large scale, as well as increasing the diversity within plantations.

So what happens on a volunteer work week. Normally, a group of ten volunteers makes up a work week. People of all ages, backgrounds and from all parts of the UK and beyond. Volunteers are supported by Trees for Life staff (Focalisers) who are extremely knowledgeable about the Forest and its wildlife.

During the week we discover that we are there for all sorts of reasons however we all have one thing in common, contributing to restoring the great forest. Some of the things I like best about the work week are working together as a group, sharing in the preparation of meals and planning the work out on the hills. And of course, the hills themselves, unbelievable countryside, views and weather. Living in the city as we do, it is fantastic to be out in the open, high up in the Scottish Highlands and actually experiencing weather! One day it can be lovely sunshine, the next cold, wet and a howling gale. "Trees for Life" have a mini bus that gets us to our planting location so although the walking can be a bit rough it is not too difficult. If I can do it anybody can! This year I did notice that the younger volunteers were a lot faster than me in getting across the countryside. However everyone waits so we get there in the end.

This year we had a target of 3000 trees to plant and we spent at least four days out in the hills tree planting. Wee baby ones (technical term you know) varieties such as Hazel, Birch and Aspen. It was so lovely to see the wee Hazels bursting from the nut. I patted each one in and wished it a strong and healthy life. Of course we also planted some baby Scots Pine trees which I dedicate to my girls.

Planting the Aspens was great fun. Seemingly Aspen is a "deer delicacy" and they prefer these over Birch or Hazel. In order to protect them and give them a head start we built this huge stockade of fallen trees with jaggy branches to keep the deer out. By the time we had finished it must have been over five feet!

By the end of the week we had met our planting target and then some. Planting is a group activity and everyone helps each other. It is also a great time to chat and get to know one another. This year we had great fun discussing with an English co- planters what a "piece" was and what you could put in a "piece"!

Another task of the work week is removing Deer Fencing. The fence where we were working stretched for miles across the hill side. Birds such as the rare Black Grouse can often strike the fence and get injured. By removing the fence it assists in restoring the environment and helps protects the wild life. Removing the fence is hard work but it was amazing to see the countryside open up as we rolled up metre upon metre of fencing. This year I even developed the technique of getting out the standing posts. No easy feat!

During our time out on the hills everything is observed! Wild flowers, Black Grouse poo (seen more than the birds themselves), an Osprey soaring high in the sky. The Trees for Life staff team are very knowledgeable and can provide a good insight into the environment. They are also a bit mad with a hint of the Ray Mears about them. Can somebody please tell me why men have to "play" with knives!

Of course not all work week is about tree planting. Getting to know the other volunteers is a all part of it. It is great to hear that the work week is the beginning of a "Year out" travelling for some or a "big" birthday adventure another. For me it is my chance to do what I can for the future of the planet and to be part of a much bigger project to restore the great forest of Caledon. It is something that I can feel good about. I hope that you like the photos of this inspirational area. Trees for Life can be contacted at www.treesforlife.org.uk

The Fossil Grove

Did you know that in our own city we have an ancient tree attraction? In the Fossil Grove situated in the Victoria Park in the west of the city across the road from where I stay! The fossil trees, which were uncovered by removal of the surrounding rocks, are the remains of an ancient forest, around 330 million years old. Scottish Natural Heritage has designated the grove a site of Special Scientific Interest.

These fossilised tree stumps were discovered in 1887 when an old quarry was being landscaped as part of the work during the creation of the park. Careful excavation of the site uncovered the fossil remains, and a building was erected to protect them from the elements. You will see a small corner of a vast ancient forest, preserved in stone.

Eleven tree stumps, some of them up to 90 centimetres high, have been preserved in the position in which they once grew. There is also a fallen trunk, aroud eight metres long along with fragments of branches and roots, which have alsos survived. The fossils are the remains of an extinct plant known as the giant clubmoss.

There is balcony overlooking the fossils and small displays, which provide information and interpret the site for visitors. Unfortunately due to Council funding problems the Fossil Grove now only has very limited opening times. If you are interested in seeing this unique attraction I advise you to contact the Council first to check when The Fossil Grove is open to avoid disappointment.
www.glasgowwestend.co.uk/out/galleries/fossilgv.html