Tree planting in Coire na Ciste in the Cairngorms. Is it necessary? No, the forest is already returning.

Coire na Ciste is a long narrow V-shaped corrie on the north side of Cairn Gorm. Until 2005 it was part of the Cairngorm ski area and had chairlifts, drag lifts and a lodge. The runs down its steep sides were some of the most challenging at the resort. I can remember coming down it as a novice Nordic skier in the 1980s and swearing never to do so again I found it so terrifying!

In 2005 the Coire na Ciste facilities were closed. The resort wanted to funnel everyone onto the new funicular railway in Coire Cas. For twelve years the ski infrastructure was left to decay, making the corrie an eyesore. A Save the Ciste campaign was run by local skiers who wanted the lifts reopened. However in 2017 the lift towers felled and most of the structures removed, though some snow fences still remain and the boarded-up lodge is still there. The fences should be removed and the lodge demolished.

I walked up the corrie in 2017 while the demolition work was on going and wrote about it in this post. I noted then that “In places there is already some natural tree regeneration”.  Since then it’s become a peaceful place, very different to the theme park type playground just over the hill in Coire Cas. I often take the path up the ridge on the east side of the corrie to the quiet northern side of Cairn Gorm .

Recently it was announced that a high-altitude woodland is to be created in Coire na Ciste with about 30,000 native trees, including dwarf birch and montane willow, planted at around 600 metres. (BBC report, April 15). The Spey Catchment Initiative is leading the scheme, with funding from the Cairngorms National Park Authority and support from Cairngorm Mountain, which runs the ski resort, and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, which owns the land.

Is this necessary? I don’t think so. Woodland is already restoring itself in the corrie. I went to have a look at how its doing after hearing about the planting plan. Rather than take the ridge path I followed an old less-used path up the centre of the corrie next to the Allt na Ciste. I then wandered over to Cnap Coire na Spreidhe, a subsidiary top of  Cairn Gorm, before descending via the ridge path. What I found was that the regeneration has progressed more than I had realised. All the photos in this piece were taken on that walk and show that a new woodland is well underway without any management or interference.

The young trees are mostly Scots pine with some rowan  and also juniper and broom bushes. I didn’t see any dwarf birch or montane willow but I wasn’t carefully scouring the ground and these are easy to miss. However as the pines are growing up to 800 metres I would think that the place for a montane woodland is above that height.

Natural regeneration is always preferable to planting and it’s flourishing in Coire na Ciste. Spending time and money planting trees here would be a waste of time and money and could well disturb the trees already there. The forest should be left to grow and expand at its own rate and in its own time.

What's going on in Coire na Ciste on Cairn Gorm?

Coire na Ciste

The ski resort at Cairn Gorm used to cover two corries – Coire Cas and steeper, narrower Coire na Ciste. However the infrastructure in the latter was abandoned twelve years ago and has been left to decay ever since, a disgrace in a national park (or anywhere in the hills come to that). For many years downhill skiers have campaigned for the lifts to be reopened. This summer however the current Cairngorm Mountain operators, Natural Retreats, have started removing all the structures, including the snow fences. In principle if the lifts are not to be used this is welcome. The corrie should be left to return to nature. In places there is already some natural tree regeneration.

Lift support tower cut from its base rather than unbolted

However all is not as it seems. According to ParkswatchScotland (an excellent organisation worth following by anyone concerned about Scotland’s national parks) Natural Retreats and resort owner Highlands and Island Enterprise (HIE) are deliberately destroying infrastructure that could be reused and the work being done is not in accord with environmental requirements. At the same time a local group called Save the Ciste has an alternative plan for the corrie and wants to reinstate the skiing facilities there following a community buy-out. This will be difficult if the infrastructure has been destroyed.

Cut down lift tower lying across the path up the corrie

To see what was happening on the ground I visited Coire na Ciste on the last day of August, walking up through the old ski area and then descending the ridge on the eastern side of the corrie. The day was stormy with frequent heavy showers, interspersed with storms of midges! Only when I reached the head of the corrie was there enough of a breeze to disperse the biting hordes. Waterproofs and insect repellent were two essential items of gear. The Cairngorm reindeer herd were up at the top of the corrie, presumably also seeking escape from the midges. The workers I passed removing fencing and cutting up metalwork were all wearing midge nets. Horrible conditions for this work.

Workers cutting up infrastructure

Despite the rain and the midges I managed to take some pictures of the corrie as it was on August 31, which you can see here. There's certainly some damage being done to the ground, especially at the head of the corrie. What the outcome will be I have no idea – I’d like to see the corrie restored to wildness. If the infrastructure removal continues it should be with minimal damage to the landscape. In the meantime I’m sure Parkswatch Scotland will be posting more detailed reports, which I’ll be sharing on social media. And maybe Cairngorms National Park will comment.

Near the top of the corrie

The derelict old lodge in the Coire na Ciste car park

Ski junk in the Coire na Ciste car park

Derelict structures in Coire na Ciste