Heather moors are the natural state of our Highland uplands
Gordon Bulloch seeks statistics that areas where muirburn is carried out suffers less from wildfires than areas where no controlled burning or other means of vegetation management of fuel loads takes place (letter in Strathy, 10th April).
To my knowledge wildfire events are not categorised according to the way fuel loads have been managed.
However, recent wildfire events show a trend.
The two largest wildfires ever recorded in the UK prior to 2023 occurred in Scotland in 2019.
The first occurred in Morayshire predominantly in immature forestry, the second on or adjoining the RSPB reserve near Forsinard in Sutherland where livestock had been removed and regular muirburn abandoned.
The wildfire near Forsinard covered 22 square miles (5,700 hectares), it burnt down into the peat.
It is estimated that around 700,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent was released into the atmosphere.
In May 2023 a wildfire near Cannich on land owned by Forest & Land Scotland and the RSPB Corrimony Nature Reserve covered 28.6 square miles (7,400 hectares).
This spring the wildfire events on Isle of Arran and near Cumbernauld are in locations where vegetation fuel loads do not appear to have been managed.
Over most of the Cairngorms National Park there are far less herbivores grazing our uplands now than in the previous 500 years.
Feral horses, cattle and goats that grazed our hills in previous centuries have gone.
Sheep numbers on our hills and the period they graze this vegetation has reduced. There have been deer reduction culls and a decline in the number of mountain hares.
This reduction in herbivore grazing to achieve natural regeneration can also result in a build up of fuel loads.
In the event of a wildfire this is likely to increase the intensity of the wildfire.
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In 1905 only 4.5 per cent of Scotland’s land area was covered in trees, today it is over 19 per cent.
Today we have a managed landscape producing farm and forest products required to process and manufacture goods we consume.
Around 8,000 years ago up to 54 per cent of Scotland was covered in trees. These trees disappeared primarily due to climatic changes.
By around 1350 (670 years ago), only around 4 per cent of Scotland was covered in trees. The natural climax vegetation of our uplands is heather moorland, not woodland.
Reducing wild, feral and domestic herbivores to achieve natural regeneration of trees is another landscape managed by humans.
Jamie Williamson
Alvie Estate Office
Kincraig.
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As time goes by...
I would like to wish one of Kingussie's eldest residents a very happy 100th birthday.
I am of course referring to our Town Clock, who, helped by his voluntary carer Malcolm Thain, is kept alive and 'ticking' and I hope for many more years to come.
Aly Maclean.
Kingussie.
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Surviving the storms
The recent report detailing Storm Eowyn’s clean-up costs—exceeding £5 million for Scottish councils—is a stark reminder of the challenges facing our local authorities.
This financial burden not only strains council budgets but also diverts funds from vital services that our communities rely on.
It is imperative that we not only address the immediate aftermath of such storms but also develop sustainable strategies to mitigate damage in the future.
Communities throughout Scotland are affected by these extreme weather events, and we must invest in resilient infrastructure to withstand similar occurrences.
This is where our local councils can prove their worth—by prioritising investments that protect our communities while managing our resources wisely.
Rather than resorting to higher taxes or drawing from increasingly strained budgets, we should seek innovative funding models and partnerships that bring together private investment and local expertise.
This approach will not only help alleviate current financial strains but also pave the way for greater economic resilience in the face of climate-related challenges.
Proactive planning is essential for safeguarding our local communities.
The time to strengthen our resilience is now, ensuring that Scottish councils can meet current and future challenges head-on without compromising essential services.
Alastair Majury
Dunblane
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An ode to our NHS...
I have written this poem in tribute to the dedicated staff in two hospitals that I have recently had experience of.
The following words came to mind:
AD INFINITUM February 2025
Our NHS is in a mess
the staff know all the problems
The politicians who know best.
know best ad infinitum.
Now the staff are casualties,
and sympathise with patients
who summoned politicians
who still know best, help less,
know best ad infinitum.
Long may you have no need for hospital treatment.
Ùna Cochrane
Edinburgh
Ex-Kingussie.
