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Reposted by Alan Motion

Institute of Chartered Foresters @theicf.bsky.social · 2d

The UKFS isn’t just for foresters. That’s why we created the UKFS for Non-Foresters online course designed to help allied professionals understand and apply the principles of sustainable forestry 🌲

Start learning today: silvestor.org.uk/non-forester...

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Alan Motion @fairlieman.bsky.social · 2d

Here I am, back in my favourite place for the penultimate guided walk of the year. Just an uneducated forester according to some, enjoying this nature-depleted landscape where every tree you see has been planted by others equally uneducated.

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Alan Motion @fairlieman.bsky.social · 11d

4 points seems very generous to the World No 1 who was staring an unenviable record in the face. He beat his nearest rival in singles. Apart from that he was sh1te. But the USA gave us a competition today, and that made this Ryder Cup.

Alan Motion @fairlieman.bsky.social · 12d

Well said. I know what they mean by "nature depleted conifer" but it's no different from "nature depleted - towns, villages, farms, grouse moors,broadleaved plantations, or Woodland Trust Offices. Get a grip WT.

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Alan Motion @fairlieman.bsky.social · Sep 5

A few feathered friends from my trip to Shetland back in July. I love camera-shy Guillemot No 3.

Fulmar in flight against a backdrop of dark cliffs

Great skua, locally known as Bonxy, standing on cropped grass, Shetland

7 Guillemots standing in line along a cliff edge

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Alan Motion @fairlieman.bsky.social · Sep 4

Dodging downpours today @BalfronGolfClub.

Striped fairway against a dark forbidding sky with a hint of a rainbow

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Alan Motion @fairlieman.bsky.social · Sep 2

Big sporting estates certainly. Clearance for agriculture and intensive grazing/burning is why Scotland (and Ire) have never recovered our natural forests.

Alan Motion @fairlieman.bsky.social · Sep 2

Complicated but I'd add, population density (of UK) higher than most Eur countries historically = greater demand. Also island nations very heavily dependent on timber for ships. And, mountainous areas of Eur used forests as protection from avalanche, so never cleared hillsides.

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Reposted by Alan Motion

Rewild Scotland @rewildscotland.bsky.social · Aug 20

Scotland has so much to be proud of. But there’s something missing – something extraordinary...

More info www.scotlandbigpicture.com/lynx-to-scotland
🎶 by Beluga Lagoon, 🎬 SCOTLAND:The Big Picture

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Alan Motion @fairlieman.bsky.social · Aug 13

I worked on this project ensuring that the surrounding trees and woodlands were protected. My father taught in the old Curriehill School before moving to Currie High on its opening. He taught there for 50 years mainstream and nightschool. He's excited to see the new building!

Alan Motion @fairlieman.bsky.social · Aug 12

What is also needed is certainty of Scot Gov policy so that nurseries like this know there's an outlet for those trees in 3 years time. Cutting the forestry budget without forewarning is far from helpful.

John Swinney @johnswinney.bsky.social · Aug 12

Growing Scotland’s forests also helps to grow our economy, create jobs and tackle climate change.

The brand new Newton Nursery plants an astonishing 19 million trees a year — with around 5 million thriving right now, in what is the world’s most advanced glasshouse. 🌱

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Alan Motion @fairlieman.bsky.social · Aug 12

Sunlight through paperbark maple, Acer griseum. I grew this from seed and planted it in 1999 when my red-haired lad was born.

A branch of paperbark maple tree with peeling orange bark, backlit by the sun. Buchlyvie Scotland.

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Reposted by Alan Motion

Institute of Chartered Foresters @theicf.bsky.social · Aug 8

Hello Bluesky 👋

Our digital presence is growing and we'll now be posting about ICF news, sector news, events and more from our new Bluesky account.

Help us grow our Bluesky community by following us and engaging with our content.

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Alan Motion @fairlieman.bsky.social · Aug 6

Keep doing what you do, it's important, vital even, to our future. Rewilding is fine, but it's still a management choice. And it won't help anytime soon to decarbonise, or substitute sustainable wood & fibre for steel and concrete.

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Alan Motion @fairlieman.bsky.social · Aug 6

There's naivety with many that to return nature we simply step back & leave alone. It's not that simple. There has to be a catalyst, an active management choice to change. The decision to plant trees is a catalyst. Without that decision many of Glasgow's woodlands would still be sterile mown desert.

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Alan Motion @fairlieman.bsky.social · Aug 5

Well said. I'm not going to apologise for overseeing the planting, establishment and management of over 1m trees around Glasgow in the 90s, at a time when so many elms had been lost. Without the act of planting, these woodlands wouldn't exist.

An aerial photo showing areas of mixed broadleaved woodland planted 30 years ago, with open ground and a network of footpaths, at Cathkin Braes in Glasgow. Just part of over 300ha of planted woodlands around the city established during the 90s as part of the city's response to Dutch elm disease and the Forestry Commission's Community Woodland Initiative.

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Alan Motion @fairlieman.bsky.social · Aug 3

@bsbibotany.bsky.social #Wildflowerhour #bythesea some Sea Rocket (Cakile maritime) and some Sea Sandwort (Honckenya peploides) I think. Both on Findhorn beach this week.

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Alan Motion @fairlieman.bsky.social · Aug 3

There was a gust of over 100mph recorded during that May 2011 storm in W Dumbartonshire. It tore out limbs from oak trees. Forecasting gusts of 60mph for west Stirlingshire for me, that shouldn't be too bad, but if it's much more than that, trees will be damaged 🤞.

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Alan Motion @fairlieman.bsky.social · Aug 1

Hello @theicf.bsky.social, glad you've made it.

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Alan Motion @fairlieman.bsky.social · Aug 1

I spent the summer of 1984 weeding your planting. It was a scorcher, so we worked 5am-lunch most days, and made use of Aberfeldy's amenities to cool off in the afternoons 🍺.

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Alan Motion @fairlieman.bsky.social · Jul 29

Correction, substitute km2 for ha. But the principle is the same.

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Alan Motion @fairlieman.bsky.social · Jul 29

There was a massive cull about 15 years ago that reduced deer numbers from >40/ha to 1/ha, and numbers have been maintained at that level since. Those deer that are in the glen are bigger and healthier, and regeneration is widespread now. It's an amazing place to see.

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Alan Motion @fairlieman.bsky.social · Jul 29

Took a walk into Glen Feshie today. Since Wildland took over and removed the intense deer browsing, the glen has undergone a rebirth. This is my tree of the day. A survivor from the past, amongst the new generation of Caledonian pine. Being there is good for the soul.

A collapsed stem of Scots pine, partially dead, but with live crown hanging on and rising from the ground. In the background, lots of young pine trees are emerging from land that was Darren and heavily overgrazed less than 20 years ago.

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Alan Motion @fairlieman.bsky.social · Jul 28

A visit to Beauly and an encounter with the lovely Beauly sycamore. Sadly it's much older neighbour, the Beauly elm, collapsed 2 years ago, but its legacy is recorded by Isabel McLeish www.isabelmcleish.com/art/wych-elm.... You can view a 3d model of the 800yo elm here sketchfab.com/3d-models/be...

A large, open-grown and spreading sycamore tree of over 200 years, in a cemetery. Its short trunk supports several upswept limbs.

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Alan Motion @fairlieman.bsky.social · Jun 28

Not US based, but in UK we have a publication by the National Tree Safety Group. Here, stats show ave 5 people/yr killed by falling trees, so a 1 in 11million chance, which is negligible. Trees have evolved to stand up. It's rare for them to fall, esp if they are well managed. ntsgroup.org.uk

The National Tree Safety Group | Research into tree risk and creation of basic principles as a framework for considering and managing tree safety in the public interest.

ntsgroup.org.uk

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