Scotland looks to "Rewilding"

Scotland is looking to rewilding much of the country. Rewilding is a term you may not be familiar with. It is the purposeful changing of an area to how it was before it was impacted by human presence. 

Scotland has been inhabited for a millennium, but the massive cull of wilderness only happened starting in the 1700s. By 1950, only 1% of the original forests remained. Even though it is beautiful, it has been called an ecological desert because of lack of biodiversity. But Scotland is a fairly rich country dedicated to quality of life issues. So they are rewilding now in the Cairngorms National Park.

Interestingly, this is where Ed, Lynn, Jane, Barbara and I were in Scotland. It is right outside of Pitlochry. They are reintroducing forests and animals long gone from the Scottish countryside for centuries.

Clockwise from upper left: (European) Badger, Pine Martin, Capercaillie (big grouse), British Woodpecker, Red Squirrel, Golden Eagle (watch out red squirrel!) and Scottish Otter

These are some of my pictures of the Cairngorm national Park where they are rewilding.  They are relatively empty, but will ~soon~ be more alive with animals and wildlife habitat.

This is what that 1% of forest still around looks like. This is from the outskirts of the Queen's Castle in Balmoral.