Two months before California’s devastating January 2025 wildfires, the UK Wildfire Conference held in November 2024 in Aberdeen included dramatic live demonstrations of firefighting techniques, including the use of helicopters. There will be a conference report in the Spring edition of Scottish Forestry journal. © The Heather Trust

Two lynx were illegally released into the Cairngorms in January, before being captured and taken to Edinburgh Zoo. Lynx to Scotland, which seeks to restore the big cat species to the Highlands, said illegal releases were ‘counter-productive’ to the goal of reintroduction. Photo © RZSS

Two lynx were illegally released into the Cairngorms in January, before being captured and taken to Edinburgh Zoo. Lynx to Scotland, which seeks to restore the big cat species to the Highlands, said illegal releases were ‘counter-productive’ to the goal of reintroduction. Photo © RZSS

Sarah Watts, Chair of the Mountain Woodland Action Group, collecting cuttings in Lochaber. A new scheme, the Scottish Seed Stand Project aims to supplement this work by appealing to landowners who might have more accessible stands of montane tree species that could supply seed for habitat restoration. Photo © Mark Hamblin, Big Picture Scotland.

Storm Éowyn wreaked havoc across Scotland and Ireland in late January, including bringing down a number of trees on the Seafield and Speyside estate in Cullen. Chief Executive Will Anderson said the estate ‘got off lightly this time’ compared with areas further south. © Will Anderson

Storm Éowyn wreaked havoc across Scotland and Ireland in late January, including bringing down a number of trees on the Seafield and Speyside estate in Cullen. Chief Executive Will Anderson said the estate ‘got off lightly this time’ compared with areas further south. © Will Anderson

Forestry and Land Scotland has been surveying damage from the storm in its holdings, and said: ‘Our forests in west, central and particularly south Scotland have been affected, mostly with small groups of trees and individual trees having been blown over.’ © FLS

A windblown tree at Culzean Country Park, under the care of the National Trust for Scotland. The Trust said it lost at least 250 trees at Culzean, more than 60 at Threave and 60 at Hill of Tarvit, with a likely total of more than 500 across its Scottish properties. © National Trust for Scotland

The Scottish School of Forestry announced in January the retirement of forestry lecturer Neil Stewart, who had worked at the Balloch campus for 41 years and is the longest serving staff member at UHI Inverness. Neil will continue to volunteer with Highlands and Islands Blood Bikes, delivering medical supplies and blood samples.