Ancient forest is helped by Superdry bags cash

EFFORTS to restore Scotland’s ancient Caledonian Forest and its rare wildlife has been bolstered with a donation from a leading fashion brand.

The £12,500 grant, raised from the sale of carrier bags from Superdry stores, will aid the work carried out by conservation charity Trees for Life.

Superdry’s energy and environment manager Paul Thomas visited Trees for Life’s acclaimed Dundreggan Conservation Estate in Glenmoriston near Loch Ness, to present the donation and to see some of the practical conservation action being carried out there – including the charity’s tree nursery where 60,000 native trees are grown each year.

Mr Thomas said: “We are really proud to be supporting Trees for Life’s restoration of the Caledonian Forest, one of the country’s most iconic but endangered habitats.

“A healthy environment benefits everyone, and it’s inspiring to support this project which is bringing new life to the wild landscapes of the Highlands.”

Only a fraction of the former Caledonian Forest remains. However, Trees for Life has planted more than one million trees at dozens of locations and has created 10,000 acres of new forest.

The charity has also pledged one million more trees by planting and natural regeneration by 2018.

Steve Micklewright, Trees for Life’s CEO, said: “Initiatives like this make a real difference, with every £5 allowing us to plant a tree and every £50 enabling us to restore 50 square metres of native woodland.

“So this donation from Superdry is very good news for Scotland’s equivalent of a rainforest.”