UKC

I know it's been covered before, but, on the BBC website there is an interesting item on Glen Campbell and his troublesome brain tumour. It tells us how he has managed to resume his love of climbing munros and then shows us two pics of barren, nature depleted mountains. They look particularly shocking to me at a time when we know the importance of a healthy natural world and what could live there given the chance. Would an inheritancec tax on large estates help?

Nope large estates are predominantly held in Trusts, so fiddling with IHT rates would make no odds.  Others have suggested:

A land tax which thus can’t be dodged.

Tying all farming and land subsidies to compliance with the law, policy and conservation outcomes.

but you only have to look at ‘set aside’ on low land farms to see how if it’s possible the system will be ‘gamed’……pun intended.

Funny how there is no easy answer.

The hills half way down here?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwy9xm239lgo

I think that's on the south side of Meall nan Tarmachan looking east to Lawers.

And I think that's a National Trust nature reserve.

I may be mistaken.

Thanks. It just looks so human centric. So unfriendly for mammals, birds, insects, to live in. Nowhere to hide, shelter, breed, feed. 

There used to be lots of dotterel, grouse and mountain hares before hill walking became so popular. Also more dogs disturbing wildlife. 

Yes, human activity including dogs must be a big factor. 'Our' obsession with dogs is becoming exponential and worth a separate thread. Up here in Kendal, because of road closures over months, Scout and Cunswick Scar have a noticeably wilder feel about them due to the drastically reduced numbers of dogs  being exercised because of difficult access to parking nearby.

Have to say it looks just like the vast majority of the Highlands to me. The result of two hundred years of mismanagement. The SNT and other are beginning to redress the balance but it's a slow process. Most of us won't live to see the result. 

In the world we live in, the process should be a lot quicker. I don't mind not living to see the end result, but I'd to live with the hope that the change is on its way, and nature is bouncing back.. 

Thirty years ago our local hill had red grouse, black grouse, ptarmigan, mountain hares, capercaillie and some wild cats. Even a black panther. Now all gone as visitor numbers exploded.

To be fair, the burns up towards Ben Lawers and towards the Dam from the carpark now have some lovely birch woods with bird life. I was up there just the other day and right by the bridge at the traditional starting point for Tarmachan there is now a beaver pond which is great for wildlife.

Transformative and remarkably quick progress in Glen Feshie, Mar Lodge estate and perhaps Glen Affric.

Maybe the panther ate everything else then b*ggered off to look for more food elsewhere?

It was seen eating sheep, and probably helped to keep visitor number down. 

That's good to hear.

I’ve had a couple of walking trips to Laggan recently and finally took my partner along to Creag Meagaidh nature reserve having not been there for forty years. I remember most routes/places I’ve been but just couldn’t match the walk up and along to Coire Ardair with the dull trudge in the 80s. The whole place is being transformed. All capped off with great views of a golden eagle at the end of the day. I came back feeling quite positive for the future.

If you come off Derry Cairngorm to Derry Lodge the amount of regeneration is impressive. I went back to photos taken in 2007 and the tree growth is impressive and creeping upwards.

This is a wonderful and inspiring book about the regeneration of the Mar Lodge Estate:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Regeneration-Rescue-Wild-Andrew-Painting/dp/178027...

I joined both the NTS and the John Muir Trust the day I finished it!

Yes, I've read that. I agree, it's good.

Yes, I’ve been visiting the Mar Lodge estate for 20 or 30 years and the change has been impressive. Whilst the numbers of walkers has probably gone up over the years I’m not convinced it has made a huge negative impact on the landscape. What has really made a positive difference is the reduction in deer numbers.
I’ve very rarely seen capercaillie there and unfortunately their numbers don’t seem to be doing well. 

There are other 'land users' who make a significant dent in the hare population...

You need to take a gander up Gleann Mor (Alladale).

There's been reports of missing walkers too??  That'll spice up quite 'ordinary', walks then.

Extreme rewilding. 

This was what I was referring to in this thread https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/off_belay/another_death_blog-776550?v=1#x... The gallows humour thing was to do with Glen's resilience and humour in the face of the inevitable.