Balmacara
This invasive rhododendron is being removed at Balmacara under the NTS’s “Project Wipeout” - Image National Trust for Scotland
The Balmacara Estate, owned and managed by the National Trust for Scotland, is a beautiful mosaic of open heathland, scattered with birch woodland and some significant areas of oak and hazel rainforest, next to the coast near Kyle of Lochalsh in Ross-shire.
The area in and around this property has been invaded with invasive non-native species such as Rhododendron ponticum, Japanese knotweed and skunk cabbage. Thanks to support from People’s Postcode Lottery, NatureScot and Baillie Gifford, the Trust has been able to embark on an ambitious two-year programme of work called “Project Wipeout” to control these species to allow the natural habitat to thrive once again.
Aims of the project
Remove rhododendron across NTS estate, in cooperation with relevant partners
Establish buffer zones where seed sources remain a threat to ensure that the rhododendron does not re-invade
Raise awareness of the project in the community to garner support
Provide training workshops to develop a local skill base
Work with garden owners to remove invasive species via a plant swap scheme
The Trust is also assessing the resource and feasibility to develop further landscape scale control and will engage with neighbours to assess the potential for further collaborative work.
Timing
May – December 20: “Project Wipeout” follow up work in the control zones funded through PPL
Mar 21 onwards: Landscape-scale project development and fundraising
June - November 2021: Community garden rhododendron plant removal
Fundraising needs
Around £70,000 would allow NTS to expand their work beyond the current “Project Wipeout” area to community owned ground around Plockton and Kyle. Further rope access work is required on steep ground and cliff faces. Further scoping work and liaison is required to fully cost any landscape-scale project work.
For more information contact:
Rob Dewar
Nature Conservation Advisor, National Trust for Scotland