Modelling the Potential Distribution of the Native Woodland Resource in the Cairngorms

This paper describes the application of MLURI's natural Habitat Restoration Model to predict the distribution of NVC woodland communities in the Cairngorms Partnership Area. Approximately 60% of the area is predicted to have the potential to sustain a woodland cover, while a further 20% has the potential to have scattered scrub. W18 (Scots pine woodland with heather) has the greatest potential, reflecting the dominance of acid, freely drained, podzolic soils under fairly homogeneous slopes of heather moorland in the eastern Grampians. W11 (Upland oak-birch woodland with bluebell wild hyacinth) is projected to be the most extenive single broadleaved woodland type. The two types of montane scrub (juniper and birch/willow dominated communities) occur at high altitudes as a fringe between the woodland zone on the lower ground and the montane environment of the high tops. Future developments of the model are described and potential applications of the model to guide native woodland design under the Woodland Grant Scheme are highlighted.