 The fine light of business is a member's business debate on motion 13223, in the name of Joan McAlpine, on restoring the Caledonian pinewood forest. The debate will be concluded without any questions being put. We can ask those members who wish to speak in the debate to press their request to speak once now. I call on Joan McAlpine to open the debate. Ms McAlpine, please. Thank you. It gives me great pleasure as species champion of our national tree, the Scots Pine, to introduce this debate today. The Scots Pine is symbolic of Scotland, a majestic tree whose distinctive silhouette on the horizon tells the Highlander that he is home. If you close your eyes and imagine a Scots Pine, you will most likely visualise its solitary against the sky. Several millennia ago, the Scots Pine did not stand alone. It was part of what the Romans later called the great wood of Caledon, and at one time it covered 1.5 million hectares. It was Scotland's rain forest and included other trees such as Birch Rowan, Aspen and Juniper, and it was carpeted with a lush variety of ferns, mosses and lichens and sheltered a vast array of wildlife, some of which, such as the lynx, brown bear and wolf, are long extinct. The ancient Caledonian forest now itself is threatened with extinction. Only 1 per cent of the 1.5 million hectares survives and 84 separate fragments, some of them very small. Although that is a tragedy for my species, the Scots Pine, it is also potentially heartbreaking for the animals and plants that continue to depend on our pine forests. The Capercailie, the Red Squirrel, the Black Grouse, Golden Eagle, Scottish Crossbile, Bill, Pine Martin, Wildcat, Windflower and Woodant all are found in the forest and have a stake in its survival. That is another purpose of the debate, to allow other members to champion their species and illustrate just how biodiversity works in practice. I also want to say at this juncture that, although the 84 areas of ancient woodland that I mentioned have been identified by the Forestry Commission as part of that old Caledonian woodland, there are other pine forests elsewhere in Scotland, particularly in my area south of Scotland, which are hundreds of years old as well and are home to many of those species. I would like to mention the shambly woods near New Abbey, which are certainly worth a visit. There is international recognition of the richness of Scotland's pine woods. It receives protection from the EU habitat directive and is included in the Scottish Biodiversity List. Despite that, it faces enormous challenges. Those include overgrazing by deer, climate change, invasive and non-native species, and diseases such as dothostroma, needle blight, which can cause defoliation and even death and which foresters have to be very vigilant of. When the Trees for Life charity approached me to help to promote their Caledonian pine wood recovery project, a partnership with the Woodland Trust, I agreed immediately. I am delighted to welcome Trees for Life to the gallery, which is represented by Alan MacDonald and Fiona Holmes. The project is focused on those 84 surviving fragments of ancient forest and is supported by Scottish Natural Heritage, the Forestry Commission Scotland and Scottish Land in the States. It offers owners a free survey of their wood to assess its ecological health and its resilience to the threats that I have mentioned. Ecologists can then suggest ways in which those challenges can be met. It is a really positive collaborative venture that we all hope will contribute to the Scottish Government's aim of meeting the international biodiversity target to restore 110,000 hectares of native woodland. How does one go about assessing and addressing the ecological health of a pine wood forest? I decided to see for myself by visiting Trees for Life's 10,000-acre flagship restoration project in Glenmoresden, near Loch Ness. It was purchased entirely through fundraising 10 years ago and has been described as the most ambitious rewilding project anywhere in the UK. Through natural regeneration and planting more than a million saplings, Trees for Life and its volunteers aim to create an unbroken native woodland link between Glenmoresden and the magnificent Glenafric to the north. That directly addresses the fragmentation that afflicts pine woods and will create a corridor to allow birds, plants and animals that depend on the woods to increase their range and flourish. Natural forest regeneration is hard work and my visit allowed me to see the enormity of the task. Doug Gilbert, Dung Dreggan operations manager, took me a walk up Glenmoresden to see a small clump of picturesque, very gnarled Scots pine, which he said dated back to the time when the Glen was cleared of people after the Jacobite rebellion of 1745. That is a poignant and romantic story in itself, of course, but as Doug pointed out, those 18th century survivors are poignant for another reason. They are known as geriatric trees. Once the estate was given over to sport in the Victorian era, few trees survived to maturity because deer devour saplings and young trees and only geriatric or what are called granny trees now survive and they eventually become infertile. To combat that, Dung Dreggan has an impressive tree nursery that allows conservationists to collect and grow pines and other trees on site. It is very important for biosecurity because of the disease, as I mentioned earlier, and because it is more natural to propagate from local stock. The nursery workers spend a lot of time recreating the conditions in which the wild tree seeds are fertilised and dispersed by birds and animals and they also grow species that they can then sell on to earn an income to sustain the charity. The work is very labour intensive and it illustrates that forest regeneration can help to sustain other species that we all want to see prosper in rural Scotland in particular human beings because it is very labour intensive. Natural regeneration is considered vitally important, but young scots pine trees are very vulnerable, especially in winter, when they pop up through the snow, advertising themselves as a tasty snack to any passing deer who apparently prefer it to birch, which is the last tree that they eat. The charity has begun using special clip-on shields to protect the saplings, and there is also fencing, of course, but that has a finite lifespan and is not foolproofing. There is a view among the colleges that fencing cages woodland and the creatures who live in it and prevents natural spread. Dondregyn employ a gamekeeper, which I believe is inherited from the previous sporting estate, and they also use some more innovative ways to keep the deer out, such as using groups of noisy volunteers to disturb them, and I am told that bagpipes are particularly effective. Another threat to forest regeneration is commercial monoculture, and some of the ecologists I spoke to asked whether it was right that natural regeneration attracts smaller grants than commercial planting, but that debate is perhaps for another day. Today is an opportunity to focus on the Caledonian Pinewood Recovery Project of Trees for Life and the Woodland Trust. I hope that members will use it to promote their own constituencies and species, and I hope that we will dwell on how best to ensure that the ancient Caledonian pine forest does not become extinct. As the writer Allie Smith once said, the scots pine may be noble and solitary, sculpted into aloneness by the wind, but really our pine is not alone someone, it is a much-loved companion to the cross-bill, the red squirrel, the march and the capper calie and many more, and that is why I hope that it will flourish. I have a pleasure in moving the motion. Thank you very much. Speeches of Four Minutes, Edward Mountain, followed by Claudia Beamish. Thank you, Presiding Officer. I would like to thank Joe McAlpine for bringing this motion to the chamber. Protecting our Caledonian pine woods is vitally important. Managing the hills of Scotland where our Caledonian pines naturally grow presents unique challenges. Probably the most difficult one to predict is nature itself. I have the privilege of managing areas of upland Scotland for 12 years, and I believe that it will help to preserve the Caledonian pine woods that we are talking about. I would like to highlight tonight some of the issues that are involved in expanding the Caledonian pine wood that I am sure we all agree is so important. One project that I did was trying to establish 600 hectares of replacement native Caledonian pine wood. Let me tell you that I have the scars to prove it. For years, we collected seed from registered Caledonian pines and propagated them. We took cuttings from trees and grafted them on to pine root stock. The key to the project was to get a Woodland Grant scheme approval from the FC, and I thought that that would be relatively simple. That was probably my first big mistake. The level of consultation that was required was massive. Six years later, hundreds of hours spent consulting every interest group that came forward meant that we were no further forward, except that I had thousands and thousands of trees sitting in a nursery outgrowing their pots. Some of the areas of contention were that pine woods were reduced to the hunting grounds for eagles, and thus birds group were against it. Some were against removing the rabbits, which was encouraged by SNH, but would reduce prey for predators. Pine wood, to argue, would reduce calcareous grassland, which happened to be damaged by the overgrazing of the rabbits that were important to the raptor groups, but of spies by SNH. Pedestrian gates in fences might put walkers off and, thus, were not supported by Rambler's Association but approved by the Forestry Commission. Some groups objected that the scenic view would be curtailed by the trees, which were only going to replace native woodlands that had died out. On and on it went. One day, one group supported it, the application and the next day they didn't. However, there was one constant in that, and that was the support by the Forestry Commission, because they knew, as did my client, was the importance of Caledonian pine wood. I am grateful for their support, because it meant that, eventually, we did get the thousands of trees planted, which were so important to preserve the Caledonian woods. I wish, as an observation, that people sometimes would take a more holistic approach to trying to achieve that. I think that it's great that the cabinet secretary has now streamlined the process for woodland grant schemes. I hope that that's something that's going to be taken forward. I want to briefly mention needle bright. I'm not going to use the Latin name. I'm not capable of doing that. I'll probably get tongue tied, but it is a problem that faces our pine woods across the UK. The advice from the Forestry Commission is basically only to plant when it is deemed essential to the short-term survival and long-term integrity of the pine wood ecosystem. That basically is telling us that we need to encourage natural generation, and I believe that they are right. We need to achieve that, and we'll probably have to fence, as Joan McAlpine has made clear, those fragile young pines, those tasty morsels, from all the animals that prey on them, which includes mountain here, hares and deer pressure. Now, if fencing isn't acceptable, and I know that it's not acceptable to everyone, then we'll have to accept that there needs to be a significant reduction in deer and hare numbers, which then in turn may be unacceptable to our other people. These are the real decisions that we have to make, and it's what the decisions that nature forces on land managers and difficulties may be to make them, we have to make them. Presiding Officer, I welcome this debate. I welcome the work for trees for life. I welcome the work of the Woodland Trust for Scotland. I welcome the work of private landowners who are trying to improve the situation, and I welcome the commitment of the Forestry Commission. All are working to promote our Caledonian pine woods, jointly, as a Parliament, we should support them, and the hard decisions that they have to make which are based on knowledge and not emotion. I call Claudia Beamish to follow Andy Wightman. I thank Joe McAlpine for bringing this important matter to debate as a species champion for iconic Scots pine. From Caledonian pine forests in the Scottish Highlands to the Atlantic Oak woodlands in the western seaboard, trees provide us with a fabulous array of benefits. We value them for everything from recreation opportunities to the carbon they sequester and the home that they provide for some of our favourite wildlife, including red squirrels, woodpeckers and species of global importance such as lichens and mosses found in our Atlantic woodlands. Both native woodlands and commercial woodlands also are important sources of timber and other products, and this needs to be recognised as well. Our woods and forests are important national assets, and so it is evident that more of them would be beneficial. I wholeheartedly support any measure to bring sustainable, biodiverse pine woods into places where they are suitable and to protect existing pockets of the ancient woods that Joe McAlpine has highlighted, whether pines or the other species that are appropriate there. The ancient pine woods scattered across the northern parts of Scotland are an important part of our natural history, and proper management should remain an important part of Scotland's natural future. Climate change is a significant factor in the decline of the ancient indigenous Scots pine woods, and I understand that the trees can only thrive in relatively dry conditions surprisingly. That is just one more example of why we have to have more joined-up approaches to tackling individual issues and wider climate change problems. The two are unavoidably and inextricably linked. It is hugely important that natural woodlands are preserved and managed responsibly, whether pine woods in the highlands or native hardwoods such as Willow, Ash or Aspen in South Scotland. Car Fren Wildwood near Moffat in my region is a brilliant example of turning the ecological clock back 6,000 years and, hopefully, forward another 6,000 years. I would point out that it is confusing to suggest—and this just needs clarification, I think—that the work to maintain and permeate the regeneration of the remaining ancient pine woodland is different to that of the monocultures that have been planted in previous times in Scotland. The Scottish Government has committed to afforestation targets and focusing on re-establishing our ancient pine woods, alongside other native woods, provides important benefits for biodiversity with the Scottish Government targets. Again, I applaud the efforts of Trees for Life and the Scottish Woodland Trust in engaging with landowners to protect and regenerate ancient Scot's pine woods. I would like to end by saying that, no matter what species of trees or location, an often overlooked contribution to our biodiversity and natural environment is to ensure that areas of less intensive woodland are provided, especially corridors for wildlife. Finally, I have two questions for consideration by the minister. A clear committee of which I am a member and the previous committee in the last Parliament had highlighted and has worked very hard on deer management arrangements, which Joan McAlpine and Edward Mountain have both highlighted. The main challenge of restoration is large numbers of red deer grazing on young trees. Can the minister give an update on the latest review by SNH in this context? The Government has recently announced a biodiversity challenge fund in the programme for government. Will projects seeking the restoration of ancient pine woods be eligible for that fund? Finally, given the major challenge to the future of ancient Caledonian pine woods, is the disappearance of existing woodland? Does the minister have plans to prevent the loss of existing ancient woodland as well? Let's protect the Scot's pine and our ancient forests and woodlands more broadly together to protect biodiversity and for the enjoyment of everybody. Thank you very much. I thank Joan McAlpine for his debate as someone who left school and went straight into forestry and spent a lot of time campaigning in Aberdeenshire to protect pine woods and marlodge, etc. It's a delight to be able to talk about native pine woods. However, the fact that we're talking about 1 per cent and have been for the best part of half a century is testament to the brutalising, destructive and degrading forms of extractive land use that have dominated too much of Scotland for too long. Members have mentioned excellent work that is being done by organisations such as the RSPB, Woodland Trust, Trees for Life and, indeed, the Forest Enterprise, over long periods, in places such as Glenafric, for example, and more recently by the Arkegg community forest in the Woodland Trust and on the south side of Loch Arkegg, by community groups such as Burs Community Trust on the Forest of Burs Commandate and also by private landowners, some of whom have made significant efforts, most notably Anders Paulson and his company wild land limited in Glenfessie. Glenfessie was where I learned some harsh truths about land and power in my 20s. The estate is one of the jewels in the crown of our natural heritage and yet it has been owned and managed and abused by a succession of rapacious landowners determined to manage it purely as a hunting playground and in the process destroying one of the most important remnants of Caledonian pinewood. In 1992 I was working in international forest conservation across the boreal region through the Taiga rescue network established in Yokmawch in northern Sweden in 1992. We used Glenfessie and Marlodge as a powerful example of the hypocrisy of the then Scottish office in UK government who, along with many other northern governments, were lecturing the global south on the need to conserve the tropical rainforest in their own countries, yet were presiding themselves over unprecedented levels of native forest destruction here. Our work with the global environmental community then helped to draw attention to the fact that the worst-performing countries in terms of forest protection were typically countries such as Scotland. The then Secretary of State for Scotland Ian Lange's press conference at the Earth Summit certainly did not go as he had intended. Conservationist Dick Bulhari was a key influence on me then. Dick sadly died in April 2015, but a week before he left us he was awarded the Geddes medal by the Royal Scottish Geographical Society for his lifetime achievement in conservation and his involvement in Glenfessie ran from 1964 to his death. In his Geddes lecture he argued and I quote, that traditional sporting estates cannot stand on the moral high ground of a state ownership as they have tried to claim for the last 200 years. Rather, they embody the selfish greed of a Victorian era outdated and ludicrous. He was particularly critical of the use of fencing. We have heard that this evening as a means to regenerate native forests. He had been instrumental behind the scenes in the very heated public campaign to protect what is now the Craig Maggie national nature reserve from being converted into a non-native commercial plantation. That drew heavy criticism and political hostility from the then Tory Government. As he argued in his lecture, the sad fact that witnessed through Scotland today is that in many areas fencing deer out of young native woodland has become a way to maintain easier stocking opportunities and to protect established relationships and social networks. In effect many deer fences are built to protect the interests of the few. Presiding Officer, the Scottish Government has commissioned two independent reviews that could play a critical role in reviving the fortunes of our native forest. The Grouse Moor management group, chaired by Professor Alan Wherity, is due to report by June next year. The deer working group, which Claudia Beamish mentioned, is reporting by the end of April. The latter was chaired until his recent tragic death by Simon Pepper, whose own efforts through WWF Scotland and on his own account over many years in advancing the case for the restoration of our natural environment and the place of people in it, I would like to pay particular tribute to today in this debate. The core reason why Scotland's native pine woods are still dying is the continued preservation of vast tracts of Scotland as playgrounds for the idle rich to hunt all manner of Scotland's wildlife. Political will can change that, and I hope that it does so soon. I want to congratulate Joan McAlpine for securing this particularly relevant debate, which is timely, given the intergovernmental panel on climate change's recent report. The IPCC's report points to the fact that an increase in global temperatures is a very real danger, and a debate around the protection and recovery of woodland is extremely pertinent in our efforts to provide and enhance the carbon sinks that can mitigate the effect of carbon emissions, effects that will cost us deer in terms of human health and wellbeing, as well as having a negative impact on our economy, something that really gets lost in the debate around that. We really have to ramp up the chatter around that as well. Before I go on to talk about the value of trees in climate change terms, I will proudly mention an interest as a species champion of the U. Of course, Scotland's and Europe's oldest living trees are used, and it is fairly likely that the ancient forests of Scotland would have had many Us in them. Trees have a vital role in the balancing of CO2 and oxygen levels, and in addition, widespread deforestation across the world has had a hugely negative impact by releasing more CO2 into the atmosphere. Of course, it will not be lost in any one of the threats of the newly elected Brazilian Prime Minister on what his plans are for the Amazon. However, what we have growing naturally in Scotland is not nearly reaching our potential for sufficient mitigation of carbon emissions. We have, as a matter of urgency, to do what we can to regenerate lost woodlands. It is particularly helpful in this battle around CO2 and climate change of the ancient Caledonian pinewoods that are living on undisturbed soils, and the fact that the soil is undisturbed and protected underneath the ancient forest means that it acts as one of our most efficient carbon sinks, locking up carbon. The Caledonian pinewood contributes significantly to the ecosystem that we are getting from native woodlands generally in Scotland, and it is the most relevant way that we have of climate change mitigation and carbon sequestration. Pine trees also happen to be one of the top species that can sequester the most carbon. The work of trees for life to protect the existing areas of ancient Caledonian pinewoods and to increase the extent of Caledonian pinewood across Scotland via tree planting programmes is a big step in the right direction for Scotland's efforts to tackle climate change. I want to thank the trees for life in the woodlands trust who put in tremendous effort in running the CPR project, along with their partners in Scottish national heritage, for us to commission Scotland and Scottish land in the States. I also want to end by paying tribute to those individual homeowners, primary schools, small communities and farmers who give over land to voluntarily plant indigenous trees with or without the help of any funding available. I am coming from a rural constituency, of many constituents who take their individual responsibility for planting indigenous trees to provide a degree of carbon sequestration and improve habitats for wild animals, birds and insect species. I want to specifically mention tree-planting projects that I visited in my constituency in Cwter Cullen, the village of Cwter Cullen and Finteray primary school, who have done new planting to play their part. In my area it has been proven that even the smallest tree-planting is enough to attract red squirrels. Just one Scottish species that we know are under threat and I recognise that Gail Ross is the species champion sitting next to me for the red squirrel. Like everything, with regard to environmental protection, the small actions of individuals and taking responsibility cumulatively is hugely impactful. I thank Joan McAlpine for highlighting the work that has been done to ensure that it is done on a wide scale with the Caledonian forest. The forest will be local protection against flooding, improved biodiversity and not to mention to make a significant impact as we drive to become one of the world's first carbon neutral nations. Deputy Presiding Officer, I recognise Joan McAlpine for bringing this important subject to the chamber and for the work that treats for life in the Scottish Woodland Trust that are doing to preserve the Caledonian pine forest. I am pleased to be taking part with particular relevance to my role as the natural environment spokesman for the Scottish Conservatives. Barely a day goes by now when we are not hearing through the media or indeed working in this Parliament that we need to do more to protect our natural environment and stunning landscapes. That is one of the reasons that I am an enthusiastic supporter of the Gallow National Park and I am sure that the minister will find out now that she is in the role. Why debates such as this are so important in raising awareness of issues that are facing our natural environment and the amazingly diverse species that we have in Scotland? I am also delighted that I am taking part in this debate, particularly tonight, because I could not resist the opportunity to speak about the animal that lives in the Caledonian pine forest and other native woodlands. Tonight of all night, Halloween, I am pleased to say that I am the bat champion. We are more specifically the species champion for the Leisler bat. The Leisler bat flies fast and high near the tops of the trees and, if you are a tunie, you might also spot it flying around lampposts looking for insects attracted to the light. The Leisler bat forages for flies, moths and beetles locating its pre-using echolocation. Sometimes you can even hear it by the human ear if you listen out just before it emerges at sunset. Most important to this debate it roosts in holes and trees as well as buildings and you might even be lucky enough to attract one to live in your bat box. They are wee sweet animals that during the summer the females form maternity colonies and they usually have one single pup. During the winter, the Leisler bats mainly hibernate in tree holes but, occasionally, in buildings they are underground. The Leisler bat has golden-tipped or reddish-brown fur, which is darker at the base and longer over its shoulders and upper back, giving it a lion's mane appearance, so it is very cute. Now, although the Leisler bat does not specifically reside in pine wood forests, it thrives in habitats of native woodland. The Deputy Presiding Officer will be delighted to know that one of the biggest colonies is just up the road from our former home in Minigaff, at the wood of Cree. The UK bats and the rooster are protected by law, meaning that it is illegal to damage destroy or disturb bats in their roost sites. A rooster is defined as any place and that can include a tree for which well bats use for shelter or protection. All bats in the UK feed on insects and because trees can support a large variety and abundance of insects, they are really important for foraging bats. Native trees, such as those in the Caledonian Pine Forest, support the greatest abundance of insects, with veteran or ancient trees being of particular value. Bats not only feed in woodland but live within shelter locations known as roosts within trees. All UK bats utilise those natural features in trees to roost. I was astonished to discover that the native pine wood, which formed the westernmost outpost of the forests in Europe, is estimated to have covered 1.5 million hectares as a vast prime evil wilderness of Scotland, with pine, birch, rowan, aspen, juniper and other trees. The deforestation has been to such an extent that the tree for life group, who helped to plant trees and bid to restore it to some of its former glory, now says that our generation is the last with the opportunity to save the Caledonian forest. We do not want to be accused of not seeing the wood for the trees but it is not just about the trees, it is about the plethora of species that align it to provide them their homes and food they need to thrive. I am hugely grateful to Les Ferrell of the Bat Conservation Trust for providing me with this information ahead of debate tonight, which supplements excellent batwalk that we recently had in a hollowood park with bat detectors. I can thoroughly recommend it to anybody who wants to give it a shot. In conclusion, once again, thank you to Joe McAlpine for bringing this to the chamber and for the tree for life group and Woodland Trust for their hard work. We must continue to protect our species and champion them at every opportunity and I am pleased to have had the opportunity on Halloween to do that for the bat. Thank you very much. Can I just clarify? Is it Leser's bat, not the lesser bat? Leser's bat. I was wondering about the greater bat, but I understand that it is Leser's bat. I am sure that the OR will sort that all out. I call Gail Ross to be followed by Bill Bowman. Before I call you to a feat, Ms Ross, can I just say that, due to the number of members still wishing to speak in the debate, I am minded to accept a motion under rule 8.14.3. The debate will be extended by up to 30 minutes. We will not need 30 minutes, so do not panic, because I invite Joe McAlpine to move the motion. I move the motion. The motion has been put. Are we all agreed? Thank you very much. I now call Gail Ross, followed by Bill Bowman, last speaker in the open debate. Thank you, Presiding Officer. I would also like to thank Joe McAlpine for taking this important debate to the chamber and to agree that the Scott's Pine is indeed a magnificent tree. In fact, I have a couple in my own garden. I am a species champion for the red squirrel, unfortunately none of them in my garden. The expansion of our Caledonian pinewood forests offer hope for the species from the threats that are contributing to their decline. Red squirrels were once a common sight across the UK, but they have been undeclined for decades, and Scotland is home to 75 per cent of the estimated 121,000 reds that are left. Non-native grey squirrels are a major threat and are capable of arriving in an area and entirely wiping out the native population of reds within as little as 15 years. They do that by spreading squirrelpox, which is a virus that is fatal to reds but not to greys. They can also be affected by habitat isolation. In broadleaf woodlands, grey squirrels have the advantage of being able to process tannins in food sources like acorns earlier in the year, helping them to outcompete the reds for food and territory. However, the reds do not suffer this disadvantage in the Caledonian pinewoods and have a much greater chance of establishing populations there. At the moment, the isolation of many of the Caledonian pinewoods can leave red squirrels isolated with limited ability to face challenges such as fluctuation in food availability or climate change. Very small sparse patches of ancient Caledonian pine forests are not great for red squirrels. The canopies are so open and unconnected that squirrels do not often use them, and moving across heathery ground exposes them to too great a risk from predators. So connecting the pinewoods will give red squirrels greater ability to develop strong holds and cope with difficult times, particularly by allowing them to look for alternative sources of food, allowing them to move across landscapes to seek the best shelter in the harshest of weather and increasing breeding opportunities to help with recovery from periods of low population. Trees for Life and the Woodland Trust Scotland are currently running the Caledonian pinewood recovery, or CPR, and how appropriate that is, project with advice and guidance from Scottish natural heritage and Scottish land and estates. A particular focus of the project is to work with private landowners and managers with what remains of the forest to identify the practical steps that are needed to first protect and then expand it. As has been said already, the trees face particular challenges such as being eaten by deer, tree disease and climate change. Yes, of course. Keith Brown Can I thank the member for taking intervention and just ask her whether she's heard of the species for which I'm a species champion, which is the sticky catch fly, which lives where I live in the local hills and works where I work in the Hotherwoods. It only exists in those two places. I mentioned not to test the member just to try to get the word sticky catch fly an official report. You've been used, Ms Ross, but don't mind, Ms Ross. I thank Keith Brown for that very important sticky catch fly intervention. I'm completely thrown off. The project seeks to provide landowners with support and guidance to successfully apply for funding from the forestry grants scheme. That will help with things like fencing, removing invasive non-native species and planting a range of trees associated with the Caledonian pinewoods. I'm really happy to say that we've just had some great news and I would like to congratulate trees for life because they've just won a vote for a major European funding award. The charity's pioneering reds return project has just been awarded more than £25,000 from the European Outdoor Conservation Association funding stream, so thank you to everyone that voted for the reds. The money will fund a project to reintroduce red squirrels to four carefully chosen woodlands in the north-west Highlands, and that will significantly expand the species numbers in range with the new populations able to flourish safe from threats posed by the greys. The project will also help the natural expansion of Scotland's native woodlands because red squirrels plant new trees by forgetting where they've buried some of their winter stores of nuts and seeds. On behalf of the red squirrels, thank you trees for life and everyone else that is involved in saving these iconic species. Bill Bowman Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I, too, would like to thank the member for bringing this important debate. Until this particular debate here, I didn't realise I was sitting next to the back. Just bear with me a moment. Did you just say you're farewells and go? That's it. I know what you were doing is fine, but Mr Bowman was getting a bit distracted, then. We don't want you distracted, Mr Bowman. Well, not when I was trying to crack my joke, which was that. Well, sorry, you can replace it, would you? That I didn't know until this debate that I was sitting next to Batman. I don't know who that probably makes Edward Mountain Robin, I hope, not me, but anyway. So I think that I'm actually more flower power because the species—oh, thank you for that. I'm a species champion for the twinflower, which I have the pleasure of learning about the Caledonian Pinewood forest through it. It's important to the twinflower during my visits to see it in the north-east of Scotland, and I had this learning. The twinflower has two rather attractive pink bell-like flowers and a slender stem, and then there is a thicker stem below it, which creeps across the ground to create this rather large mat of plant. In Scotland, twinflowers are found only in Caledonian pinewoods. Large patches of twinflower are an indicator of ancient or long-established pinewoods. This is mainly because twinflower reproduces very slowly and is unable to spread quickly into new habitats, and thus is generally restricted to areas of ancient pinewood. The species has no special legal protection, so twinflower's future in Scotland is directly linked to the future of the Caledonian pinewoods. Many of the Caledonian pinewood remnants are only of ageing Scot's pines, as we heard earlier, reaching the ends of their lives, so the overriding priority is often to secure new generation of forests or trees for the future. The clearance of native woodlands, the clearance of native woodlands, continued habitat destruction and changes in woodland management have now reduced this plant to a handful of about 50 unrelated sites. The twinflower is one of Scotland's most iconic flowers, often seen as an emblem of Scotland's ancient Caledonian forests. However, it is under threat and work has been undertaken to ensure that the Cairngorms national park is a stronghold for the remaining population. The Cairngorms rare plant project launched in March 2010 aimed to deliver urgently needed action and was a partnership between the CNPA, Scottish National Heritage and the University of Aberdeen. Past fragmentation of native pinewoods has meant that the distances for pollinating insects to travel between patches of the twinflower are too great and, thus, contributes to twinflowers continued decline, which has resulted in the twinflower being classed as nationally scarce in the UK. However, the project has developed innovative new methods to move carefully selected plants closer to existing patches of the twinflower. This pioneering project, alongside objectives to expand the area of native pinewoods, such as the Caledonian Pinewood Recovery project, should help to ensure that twinflower populations will be safeguarded long into the future. About 6,000 years ago, an estimated 1.5 million hectares of Scotland were covered in rich native pinewoods. Now only about 1 per cent of the original extent of forest remains, often as small and isolated fragments and much of the wildlife dependent on the forest has been lost. Native pinewoodland is categorised as a priority habitat under the UK biodiversity action plan, and many populations of twinflower in Scotland are on designated sites, so the plant enjoys a fair measure of protection. However, it has still felt that further action should be taken to improve list plants' chances of survival in the country. Over the last two decades, there has been welcome enthusiasm for revitalising Scotland's old Caledonian pinewoods. Management has focused on the regeneration of pine trees with the few remaining natural woods and creating new native woodlands. The Caledonian Pinewood Recovery project aims to save those remnant pinewoods. Over the next two years, trees for life, working in partnership with Woodland Trust Scotland, will work with landowners to promote their better management, thus restoring and predicting Scotland's unique pinewoods for the future. Three areas where Caledonian pinewood recovery will be concentrated. I was lucky enough to visit those areas in July this year, during my visit to the Marlodges state and the twinflower sites that reside there. I hope to go back next year to see the continued success and recovery of the area and the twinflower populations. The things that you learned in this chair about twinflowers and Bill Bowman, I had never put the two together before. I call on Mary Gougeon to close with the Government. Minister, please. Thank you, Presiding Officer. It is always such a pleasure to be here when it comes to a species champion debate. I genuinely want to thank Joan McAlpine for bringing that motion to the chamber for debate. I think that it is a vitally important issue that she has raised in terms of the Caledonian pinewood forest, but it also gives us a chance to hear a bit about some of the other species. I wonder whether the minister would care to accept that I was associated with a species called Robin, which is entirely incorrect—a species that I represent, the species champion, is a golden plover of bird from the high hills of Scotland. Does she agree that it is a beautiful bird? I absolutely agree. I thank Edward Mountain for clarifying that for an official record. Just to consider some of the points that were raised earlier, I know that Claudia Beamish had to leave the chamber earlier tonight, but Andy Wightman in his contribution tonight did answer one of those questions in terms of, we will be hearing back from the Deer Working Group and the Warrity Group next year. I will write to Claudia Beamish with responses to the other questions that she raised. In terms of some of the other contributions that we heard tonight, Gillian Martin did raise a lot of very important points, but one element that was missing was more about the yew tree. I was expecting to hear to be regaled with tales of her gothic youth. I believe that she has raised in the chamber, which I think would have been very pertinent given the day on which we are discussing this. Finlay Carson and the Bat were very interesting hearing about that and also very timely contribution as well. Gail Ross in the Red Squirrel. I am very lucky because, in my constituency, there are very regular occurrences and, unfortunately, species that I happen to see quite regularly, but we really have had some fantastic contributions tonight. I would also welcome those from all those in the south of Scotland as well. I spent quite a lot of time, particularly this week, travelling around the south of Scotland. It was at the Barony campus this morning discussing the forestry strategy with young foresters and people involved in the sector who are keen to contribute to that. It is a beautiful part of the world where forestry is a vitally important part. As we have heard, the Caledonian pinewoods are dominant through the northern mainland of Scotland and thrive on thin soils in low fertility conditions. As well as being a beautiful and prominent component of our highland landscape, they create a vitally important habitat for wildlife from mosses, mushrooms and pine martens. The pinewoods are home to some of our most iconic and rare species, including Britain's only endemic species of birds, the Scottish cross-bill, which is unique to Scotland. Individual species are so important that, of course, as I have talked about many members of this Parliament, our Scottish environment-linked species champion for many iconic or threatened animals and plants. I had a meeting with the Woodland Trust last week where they told me about all the fantastic work that Joan McAlpine has done. Where they claimed that she was the best species champion, which, of course, I did personally take issue with, but I will let that slide for now. As Joan talked about, I did not even realise that they were called granny pines initially, but they are immediately recognisable to those who are familiar with the Scottish Highlands. They may not be as well known for some of the iconic species for which they provide both home and protection. I am really delighted to have heard this debate in the chamber today, to recognise their value and to explore the opportunities for further enhancement and reputation. Those pines create a very rich habitat, which is internationally recognised. As well as providing a home for common plants such as bell, heather and blabary, other internationally scarce flowers grow alongside them, including the twin flower. I did not realise that Bill Bowman was the species champion for that. As he said, that is the emblem of Scotland's ancient Caledonian forests. Other rare and important animals live alongside that, such as the red squirrel, as Gail Ross raised, invertebrates such as the Scottish wood ant and the highly endangered pine hoverfly. We also cannot forget the remarkable cultural and tourism importance that those forests have. They attract visitors from very far afield who come to enjoy the ancient green scenery of places such as Glenafric, Abernethau and Rothamyrkus and the incredible wildlife that we have there. That is a beauty that has been brought to many across the world. Many films and television programmes have been dedicated to that. They depict the Scottish Highland scenery and wildlife in all its true drama. Unfortunately, as we have heard, there are threats to the future and health of those iconic forests. Joan McAlpine discussed those in her opening remarks, such as browsing pressure, climate change and invasive non-native plants. However, there is some good news. Actions are being taken by the Government, public bodies, our partners, NGOs, communities and businesses to try to protect and improve the condition of the habitat. That work is only effective with strong collaboration, co-ordinated effort and long-term commitment from all of us. I am glad that today's debate has shown how much of that is happening. Joan McAlpine talked about the positive work that has been done by Trees for Life and the Woodland Trust Partnership project. I am very glad that she could join us for the debate tonight. I would add my congratulations to Gail Ross for her recent funding award. I am pleased to hear that their project includes action on the ground and work to better understand those precious forests, because we have to have both if we are going to succeed and protect this unique woodland for the future. This Government is also a keen and active partner in work in the pinewoods. Through Forest Enterprise Scotland, we are supporting an ambitious programme of conservation work, which has been under way since the early 1990s to restore all the 22 remnants of native pinewoods in the national forest estate. That is clearly a long-term project that includes the iconic woods of Glenafric, Blackwood of Rannoch and Glenmore, back to thriving, healthy woodland communities and to create the conditions that will allow them to regenerate and to expand. With the completion of the devolution of forestry, Scottish ministers will be leaders in sustainable forest management and sustainable development through their stewardship of those assets, so no pressure at all there. Through our national parks, we are also leading conservation work for a number of pinewoods, including Glenfalloch in Loch Lomond, which is the most southerly of our pinewood remnants. I am particularly pleased to hear about the positive conversations that are being had there to encourage owners to produce long-term management plans to bring those sites into good condition. Of course, the Cane Gorms national park famously contains some of the best remnants of the Caledonian pinewoods in Scotland, such as Marlodge, Abernethau, Glenmore and Rothi Murkis. All of those are very enthusiastically supported by the national park authority. I also welcome the great innovations that are coming from others that we have heard about today. The Cane Gorms Connect partnership of four adjoining public and charity land managers includes the RSPB, Wildland Limited, Forestry Enterprise Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage. They were announced the successful award of a grant for approximately £3.7 million from the Endangered Landscapes programme. That grant will fund the biggest habitat restoration project in the UK, which encompasses 600 square kilometres of land. The partnership will work on restoration projects across the landscape, including expanding and restoring Caledonian pinewoods to their natural limit at 1,000 metres above sea level. The physical work on the ground is vital, but it needs to be underpinned by good information, as Edward Mountain mentioned in his contribution. The public investment in Scotland's native woodland survey of Scotland, which was published by the Forestry Commission Scotland in 2014, is particularly valuable for that. The survey recorded that a high level of grazing by herbivores was the main contributor to the poor ecological condition of many native woodland habitats, including the Caledonian pinewoods. Of course, there are other threats and challenges. I am sorry to hear about the issues that Edward Mountain had when he was trying to do his bit for Caledonian pine forest restoration. As far as I am aware, that is not so much of an issue any more. However, under the Scottish Government's biodiversity route map to 2020, one of the areas that we have focused effort on is the reduction of browsing pressure. Grant support is available under the current rural development programme for action to reduce browsing impacts and encourage regeneration on designated remnant Caledonian pinewood sites, which demonstrates our commitment to protecting and improving those important habitats in Scotland. We are also supporting work to identify and address threats from long-term climate change-induced pressures, which Gillian Martin emphasised in her contribution. That research suggests that the potential for future loss of biodiversity in species is high and the smaller and more isolated the woodland, the more vulnerable it is to those losses. However, as Gillian Martin and Claudia Beamish talked about, even those small areas of woodland are very important. That is why we are helping those forests to adapt to future changes through actions that will encourage regeneration and expansion and to build greater resilience and adaptability. All that work is part of the Scottish Government's prioritised plan for meeting the international targets in our route map to 2020. We have taken an ecosystem approach that focuses on the need to protect ecosystems in order to support nature, including Scotland's native woodlands, and to support our own wellbeing and a thriving economy. I very much welcome the attention that has been given to those important habitats, the efforts of the public, private and third sectors to secure them for the future. I very much support the motion that was raised by Joan McAlpine today, which recognises the importance of the woodland and the threats it faces, and the work and the passion of all those involved in its conservation.