Natural returns at East Schiehallion

East Schiehallion to play a leading role in mountain woodland restoration.

East Schiehallion lies within the Loch Rannoch and Glen Lyon National Scenic Area in Perthshire. It is an area of exceptional scenery and Schiehallion itself is one of the most prominent, and celebrated, mountains in Scotland. A Munro with a summit that rises to 1,083m, Schiehallion attracts more than 20,000 visitors every year. Its name is anglicised from the Gaelic, Sìth Chailleann, meaning ‘Fairy Hill of the Caledonians’. 

In contrast to some neighbouring hills, Schiehallion’s underlying limestone sees it support a rich variety of upland habitats that are home to ptarmigan, black grouse and mountain hare. It also features a range of mountain (or montane) woodland. This is typically made up of short, hardy trees that grow from around 400m above sea level up to the higher alpine zone where even they struggle for a foothold in such a harsh environment. 

Full of invertebrates that, in turn, support birds such as treecreepers, whinchats and great spotted woodpeckers, mountain woodland is also home to rare plant species that are unique to this kind of scrubby habitat – downy birch, dwarf juniper, montane willows, rockrose and Scottish asphodel. 

High-altitude woodland also acts as a brake on the impacts of climate change, providing protection against flooding, avalanche, rockfalls and landslides. 

Meeting the challenge 

However, grazing pressure by deer and sheep since the 18th century have been a major factor in pushing high-altitude woodland to the brink of extinction. Reducing this pressure is essential to enable the natural regeneration of mountain woodland tree species, and for the very survival of individual species such as montane willows. 

Having tried other approaches, we are now resolved to make our site at East Schiehallion one of the best examples of mountain woodland in the UK. While not our preferred solution, we believe that fencing, for now, is the only way to help protect the saplings from being destroyed. The aim is to allow nature-based regeneration and restoration of a unique and crucial mountain woodland that, in turn, will make a significant contribution to its comeback from near extinction. 

The overall plan is to install a stock fence along the boundary, approximately one metre high, which will have grouse markers for visibility to protect the grouse population. The primary purpose of the fence is to prevent sheep wandering onto the fragile habitat, but deer control will continue within the area and deer leaps installed to allow the animals to exit with ease. 

“This is about giving natural processes the space and time they need to heal,” explains David Fleetwood, Director of Land and Policy. “By reducing grazing pressure, we can enable the natural regeneration of rare tree species and restore a habitat that supports endangered birds, mammals and plants.” 

Over the next 25 years, the ambition is to oversee the return of native pine and oak woodlands on the lower slopes of Schiehallion. And as this woodland reaches up the sides of the mountain, it will be interspersed with rowan, aspen, birch, willow and other native species to create a low-density woodland. 

Moving higher still, as the woodland reaches the montane zone, it will become even more sparse, giving way to dwarf birch, juniper and montane willows to create a natural progression of scrubby vegetation all the way up to the highest slopes. 

25 years of care

Since 1999, when the Trust took on stewardship of East Schiehallion, we have:

• Built and maintained 4km of footpath up to the ridge of Schiehallion
• Repaired the scarring on the landscape of the previous path
• Planted 12,000 native trees
• Enabled 40ha of natural regeneration
• Set up the Heart of Scotland Forest Partnership (in 2017) with the aim to connect woodlands across Highland Perthshire as a landscape with native trees, woodland corridors and flourishing wildlife
• Created the 1km Foss Loop easy access path with our partners in the Heart of Scotland Forest Partnership. The boardwalk section of the path is on neighboring land at Dùn Coillich, owned by the Highland Perthshire Communities Land Trust (HPCLT)
• Worked with our partners to collect and grow thousands of seeds with local providence to be planted out
• Hosted 25 tree planting work parties
• Hosted the Connect Outdoors programme to engage 11 asylum seekers with wild places. 

This new phase of restoration marks a turning point in the mountain’s story – a chance to return the woodland that once thrived here and ensure its survival for generations to come.

• This article first appeared in the Autumn / Winter 2025 edition of the John Muir Trust Members' Journal. If you would like to receive our Journal twice a year please consider joining the Trust as a Member.