Introduction

Near Loch Ness in beautiful Glen Moriston, Dundreggan is Trees for Life’s flagship forest restoration project. We purchased the 4,000 hectare (10,000 acre) estate in 2008 in one of the largest land purchases in the UK specifically for forest restoration. Dundreggan contains substantial areas of ancient woodlands, including remnants of the original Caledonian Forest, superb birch-juniper woodlands and the largest expanse of dwarf birch in Scotland.

Future vision

By planting trees at Dundreggan and encouraging natural regeneration, we aim to create an unbroken native woodland link between Glen Moriston and Glen Affric. Our vision is to turn Dundreggan into one of Scotland’s finest native woodlands, abundant in wildlife, and protected for generations to come.

You can read more about our vision for forest expansion at Dundreggan here.

Biodiversity

Dundreggan has been described as a 'Lost world of biodiversity', with many rare species from the colourful strawberry spider to the endangered black grouse. We have carried out a series of surveys which have identified 60 UK Biodiversity Action Plan priority species, with many thriving in abundant numbers.

You can read more about the remarkable range of biodiversity at Dundreggan here.

Volunteering on Conservation Weeks

Part of our vision for Caledonian Forest restoration is to increase awareness and knowledge about biodiversity and to enable more people to benefit from access to a wild, natural environment. Almost all of our practical conservation work at Dundreggan is carried out by conservation volunteers, including those from disadvantaged groups. We run Conservation Weeks on which volunteers stay in our very own Dundreggan Lodge and participate in activities such as tree planting, removal of non-native species and Tree Nursery work.

You can read more about our Conservation Weeks here.

Progress

Since 2009 we have carried out four forest restoration projects at Dundreggan, on aspen regeneration, wild boar, mountain woodland and tree planting in our north-west exclosure. We currently have a major planting project in the eastern end of the estate where we have fenced 200 ha and planted 80,000 trees this year. This exclosure will be the focus of our planting on Dundreggan for the next 2-3 years. In 2012 we moved our Tree Nursery from Plodda to Dundreggan. This has been a huge success and is now a very-well organised nursery, producing thousands of trees from Dundreggan seed.

More information on these projects will be added in the near future.

Friends of Dundreggan

Restoring natural forest and other habitats at Dundreggan requires the hard work of our volunteers and, most critically, funding from our Friends. To deliver our extensive volunteer programme to plant thousands of native trees annually, we need to raise £100,000 each year. Our Friends of Dundreggan are supporters who generously give £1,000 per year to help us carry out this vital restoration work.

You can read more about our Friends of Dundreggan programme here.