CONSERVATION

Overall Objective

 To manage the Woods in such a way as to improve the habitats
 for rare plants and animals characteristic of native Scots pine forest.

     MAIN TASKS

Management Plan

 Through community consultation,  produce a management plan by April 2004 that is approved by the forestry Commission, Scottish Natural Heritage and other key organisations, such as the RSPB.

The plan identifies 190 hectares (50% of the area) as priority area for conservation, where the emphasis will be on nature conservation with the minimum of management intervention, minimal recreation.

Complete a Natural Vegetation Classification survey for the wood by the end of September 2004.

Monitor blaeberry and heather cover in the capercaille core area in July 2006

Habitat Conservation  
 

Maintain the wood as an area dominated by Scots pine, but encourage birch and rowan and juniper as an understorey, encourage small areas of birch-dominant woodland with blaeberry ground flora and seek ways to increase the proportion of other broadleaves (holly, ash, oak, aspen, hazel, gean, bird cherry) through natural regeneration. 

The use of artificial herbicides and insecticides will be avoided.

Determine the impact of browsing damage on natural regeneration. 
 Control deer and rabbits as necessary. Prevent fires.
 

Remove beech, sycamore, Norway spruce and silver fir regeneration
 where it is interfering with pine and birch regeneration. Winter 2004.

Control the spread of non-native plants, especially Rhododendron,
 Spyria and snowberry. Winter/Spring 2004. 

Monitor the spread of bracken in the woods and cut bracken manually
once a year to free up any tree regeneration.

Increase the quantity of dead wood by leaving windblown trees. 
 Leave all standing dead wood.
 Only fell standing dead wood if it is directly over a well used path or public road.
Increase the age range of the Scots pine, leaving representatives
 (4 per hectare minimum)  to grow to natural maturity.

Open Water and streams  
 

Carry out a thorough survey of the plants and insects associated with bogs and open water. 
Remove litter from Kylintra Burn on a regular basis and allow floodwaters to break out into Kylintra Wood

Species Conservation 
 

Capercaille  

 Two WGS/LIFE agreements are in place for Capercaille conservation,

running from 2003 to 2007 with the following targets:
 

Annually put up temporary signs asking dog walkers to put dogs on lead in the eastern part of the wood

Engage a wildlife warden to monitor the capercaille lek, counting number of males and females present

Survey ground cover, with a view to mapping forest type and cover of shrub species.

Strim heather over an area of up to 3 hectares to improve blaeberry cover in desired areas
close to areas of denser cover for brood protection.

Thin pole stage pine in Port Wood to allow more light into the ground layer,
 whilst maintaining cover for capercaille adults and chicks

Monitor breeding success of capercaille annually until 2004,
then once every two years and annually monitor disturbance in the core area.

Provide interpretation panels on capercaille conservation.

Maintain the main paths and minimise public use of minor paths
 in the core capercaille area of the woodland

Provide talks and guided walks to school and other groups on capercaille conservation

Obtain best practice advice on habitat management for capercaille from RSPB and other sources

Crested Tit

Install 8 nest boxes for crested tits by March 2005 and 16 (total) by March 2006. 
Staff from RSPB will monitor the nest boxes annually.

Pine Hoverfly - Blera fallax
 

When harvesting large pine trees, create suitable hollows in the
stumps  that will provide breeding sites for the pine hoverfly.

With the Malloch Society, assess the effectiveness of artificial breeding sites in September 2004,
and if successful, maintain a widespread programme of installing artificial Blera breeding sites. 

Red Squirrel
 

Maintain a diversity of species where this is present (larch and Norway spruce) and not detracting from the native pinewood habitat, encourage a diversity of native species (rowan, birch and ash).

Shoot or trap grey squirrels if they appear and work in liaison with
 neighbouring  estates to control Greys when necessary

Install 3 rope bridges across Spey Avenue to reduce red squirrel road casualties.
 

Aspen
 

Consider opportunities and methods for extending the natural spread of aspen.
 For example, protect young regeneration when it appears and remove competing pine, willow or birch.
 

Wood Ant
 

The reintroduction of all species of native pinewood wood ants will be considered,
 as they make up an important element of native pinewoods.