Environmental journalist Rob Edwards is reporting that a Highland estate owner is under investigation after being accused of “blatant vandalism” in a protected Caledonian pine forest in the Cairngorms National Park.
Michael Bruce, the owner of Glen Tanar Estate, is to be visited by officials from SNH today after allegations that forestry operations had damaged trees, killed plants and scarred the landscape. Read Rob’s article here.
Michael Bruce has previously been applauded for being one of the minority of Scottish estate owners with a forward-thinking, proactive approach to the conservation of hen harriers and golden eagles on his grouse moor. His activities have included diversionary feeding for breeding hen harriers (see here), supporting a hen harrier satellite-tagging project (see here) and an innovative scheme allowing photographers to film the harriers on his estate (see here).
Raptor Persecution UK 
What I would like to know about the estate on Deeside’s Glen Tanar, is – was its owner, Mr Michael Bruce, receiving grants from the SNH and elsewhere, to maintain and thereby conserve this important Caledonian Pine woodland? If so, will those funds be repaid? It brings into question the issue of people buying estates and doing as they please with the natural environment heritage of Scotland. A environmentally progressive run Scotland would remove such ownership those who did not respect the laws laid down to safeguard that heritage.
The present threat to Ash trees, has brought into the news the threats already facing Scots Pine from other diseases that could eliminate them. Oaks are similarly threatened. How can anyone have confidence in those who were supposed to be managing our forests, and allowing the import of foreign grown species? Surely, there must nurseries that can grow and supply trees of native provenance, free from contamination, in this country? I have found my own City Council, some years ago, buying in trees in bulk from Eastern Europe, because they were cheaper.