Welcome to the MSAG Best Practice Guidance notes!

In response to the growing interest in expanding woodland uphill and into the treeline ecotone, MSAG have produced a suite of five Guidance Notes (BPGs) to help answer some of the questions that arise when contemplating safeguarding or expanding woodland and scrub at higher altitudes.  Each BPG is available as a PDF download and the suite is made up of the following:
  • BPG 1: Active Management of Montane Scrub and Treeline Woodland (An Introduction)
  • BPG 2: Generating montane scrub from seeds, and shoot and root cuttings
  • BPG 3: Site and species selection, planting and establishment
  • BPG 4: Tree protection and high-altitude fencing
  • BPG 5: Protocol for monitoring planted montane willows
Don’t miss the Species Identification Guide to aid those collecting propagation material while willows and birches are leafless.

The texts for the BPGs have been written collectively by all members of the MSAG, with particular input as follows:
  • Guidance note 2 relied heavily on the experience of staff at Trees for Life, Eadha Enterprises, Forest Enterprise Scotland, The National Trust for Scotland Ben Lawers NNR and Natacha Frachon at the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh (RBGE).  We are also very grateful for comments on genetic conservation from Prof Pete Hollingsworth at RBGE, and Dr. Gemma Beatty at Aberyswyth University.
  • Guidance Note 3 relied heavily on the experience of staff at Trees for Life, Forest Enterprise Scotland, National Trust for Scotland Ben Lawers NNR.
  • Guidance Note 4 relied very heavily on the extensive experience of staff at National Trust for Scotland  Ben Lawers NNR, as well as on collated experience pulled together in 2002 by Vyv Woodgee.
  • Guidance Note 5 relied on the experience of members of the Woolly Willow Species Action Group, mainly Richard Marriott.

Photographs and illustrations were provided by:
  • BPG 1: David Mardon, Diana Gilbert, Philip Ashmole
  • BPG 2: David Mardon, Diana Gilbert, Eadha Enterprises, National Trust for Scotland Ben Lawers NNR, Trees for Life.
  • BPG 3: David Mardon, Diana Gilbert, Emily Hesling, Forest Enterprise Scotland, Trees for Life.
  • BPG 4: David Hetherington (CNPA), David Mardon, Diana Gilbert, National Trust for Scotland Ben Lawers NNR.
  • BPG 5: David Mardon, Diana Gilbert. 
  • Species Identification Guide photographs: David Whittaker

The MSAG are very grateful to Highland Birchwoods and the Heritage Lottery Fund for providing the resources to produce the BPGs through the Mountain Woodland Project.

The BPGs were edited and produced by Diana Gilbert and Phil Baarda, with layout and design by Iain Sarjeant.
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BPG1: Active Management of Montane Scrub and Treeline Woodland
File Size: 1816 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
BPG2: Generating montane scrub from seeds, and shoot and root cuttings
File Size: 7861 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
BPG3: Site and species selection, planting and establishment
File Size: 2769 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
BPG4: Tree protection and high-altitude fencing
File Size: 6001 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
BPG5: Protocol for monitoring planted montane willows
File Size: 1273 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
Species Identification Guide
File Size: 2392 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File