Celebrating 75 Years of Ben Lawers
This year, the National Trust for Scotland celebrates 75 years of caring for Ben Lawers National Nature Reserve. With seven munros (mountains over 3,000 ft), a treasure trove of archaeological remains, and wildlife including majestic red deer, ptarmigan, and golden ringed dragonflies, this breathtaking landscape is a special place for nature lovers, adventurers, and history enthusiasts alike.
In recognition of this significant milestone, NTSUSA is raising $75,000 to help the Trust protect Ben Lawers for the next 75 years – and beyond! The Jeniam Foundation has pledged to match all gifts to Ben Lawers dollar-for-dollar up to a total of $30,000, doubling the impact of your gift!
The National Trust for Scotland purchased Ben Lawers in 1950 to protect its rare population of arctic-alpine plants – the largest in the United Kingdom. Since then, the Trust has embarked on a long-term program to understand the pressures affecting species and habitats by monitoring changes to the landscape. These insights have been crucial in guiding the Trust’s work and have helped reverse nature loss over the past 75 years:
- Forty years of footpath maintenance, ensuring open access to the landscape for more than 40,000 annual visitors
- Purchase of grazing rights to enable the natural regeneration of the countryside – now using GPS collars to create virtual fences
- Pioneering restoration of montane scrub, with more than 400,000 montane willows planted
- Updated wayfinding and interpretation that highlights the significance of the cultural landscape as well as the biodiverse natural habitat
Looking forward, the Trust will continue to address the pressures that overgrazing, climate change, and erosion are putting on Ben Lawers’ delicate ecosystem. In the coming year, that work will include peatland restoration and footpath work, as well as expansion of the mountain woodland (including the purchase and planting of trees) in consultation with NatureScot.
Together, we can continue to protect Ben Lawers. Help us meet The Jeniam Foundation’s challenge by making a gift today.
We’re also celebrating another, more bittersweet milestone in the landscape’s history: at the end of the year, Helen Cole, who has worked on Ben Lawers for 35 years, will retire from her role as property manager and senior ranger.
Helen has been a steadfast and passionate advocate for this precious landscape for more than three decades. The initiatives that she has spearheaded have had a lasting impact on the Ben Lawers National Nature Reserve and, indeed, on the Trust’s approach to all the landscapes in its care.
“There is a precarious balance in ensuring these places can be enjoyed by all and that they remain protected at the same time.
-Helen Cole, Property Manager & Senior Ranger, Ben Lawers NNR
As we celebrate 75 years of safeguarding Ben Lawers, we look ahead to ensure it thrives for future generations. Will you help us reach our goal of raising $75,000 to support vital conservation projects?
Donate today to support essential work like footpath repairs and species monitoring.
Your generosity can help protect the rare plants, wildlife, and habitats that make Ben Lawers so unique. The next 75 years begins with you.