AROUND 40 hectares of mature conifers have been removed in a bid to combat frequent flooding at the confluence of two Strathspey rivers.

Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) carried out the work to create a natural flood plain at the point where the River Feshie meets the River Spey.

It is hoped the newly created open space, together with the regeneration of native species, will help slow the Feshie when in full flow to let suspended gravel deposit safely and water disperse more widely.   

Colin Leslie, FLS environment advisor, said: “The River Feshie is a highly dynamic river and the large amounts of gravel that the river can transport when in spate regularly causes flooding issues.

“Where the River Feshie meets the River Spey, the gravel is deposited and forms an alluvial fan that also creates a plug effect. This underwater dam can raise the river levels and flood land both upstream and downstream.

Forestry Journal: How the site looked before the work How the site looked before the work (Image: FLS)

“Previous management involved building hundreds of metres of flood defences - some built by Napoleonic prisoners of war - and dredging the river channel. Neither of these activities are suitable in such important habitats.

“The area will now be left to regenerate with native species and the combination of riparian woodland and the open area should create a nature-based solution to a long-term problem.”

FLS staff and contractors had to work in a challenging environment that included operating heavy machinery in the flood plain and near highly designated habitats.

The development and effectiveness of the site will be monitored as part of the Cairngorms Connect project over the coming years. 

Colin added that the work also revealed the source of a local legend.   

“A large mound – fabled to be the burial site of a Viking ship – was uncovered in the middle of the felled area," he said. "Despite archaeological investigations having shown it to be a natural feature there are some still to be convinced and are keeping a close eye on it.”

Elsewhere, FLS is working with Airborne Research and Innovation in the School of Geosciences at the University of Edinburgh to explore whether airborne remote sensing technologies can help in the effort to restore Scotland’s temperate rainforests.

The pilot project will see deployment of state-of-the-art drone imaging systems to collect ultra-high resolution data that will aid mapping invasive Rhododendron within forested landscapes.

AI analysis of  the data collected will provide a fast and robust assessment of the rhododendron extent.

Colin Edwards, FLS environment manager, said: “The initial work is being done at this time of year before the trees come into full flush so that we can get a better look at the understorey, which will consist mainly of rhododendron, holly, and regenerating spruce.

“We’re essentially looking to see if its possible to gather the sort of data that will differentiate the rhododendron from other plants.

“If we can gather that in sufficient detail, it will make it much easier for our teams to prioritise action areas and give them an idea of the resources that will be required to tackle problem areas.

Forestry Journal: The pilot project will see deployment of state-of-the-art drone imaging systems The pilot project will see deployment of state-of-the-art drone imaging systems (Image: FLS)

“It would be far more efficient than traditional boots-on-the-ground surveys and could help us make our resources go much further.”

Liz Poulsom, PhD researcher at the School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, said: "We are very excited to be working with Forestry and Land Scotland, to bring both our forestry and aerial imaging capabilities to help solve the challenging problem of identifying invasive rhododendron, and its coverage on the west coast of Scotland.”