Partner Portrait Lynamer, Cairngorms National Park
Nestled in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park, just outside Nethybridge, Lynamer boasts a heady mix of habitats, including grassland, moorland, bog peatland and multi-aged Scots pine woodland.
Mike Dearman and Carole Butler are the owners of the 500-acre former livestock farm, and are committed to a largely hands-off approach to nature restoration, letting nature lead and allowing natural processes to shape the landscape.
Within Lynamer’s woodland, heather and blaeberry dominate, giving way to dry heath on the forest edge, where black grouse feed and nest.
Across much of the site, Scots pine saplings are emerging as the grazing pressure from deer and sheep has been reduced. Young trees are now beginning to link previously isolated stands of pines, providing valuable woodland corridors for capercaillie and crested tits.
Mike and Carole have created a number of ‘seed islands’ constructed from local timber and planted with native broadleaves such as birch, rowan and in particular, aspen - species that are all palatable to hungry herbivores. Protected behind this temporary fence, these trees will grow and eventually provide a source of seeds, helping to expand and diversify Lynamer’s woodland.
Elsewhere, the prickly needles of juniper bushes provide a ‘nursery’ for young saplings, while the dense foliage also provides ideal nest sites for a variety of birds.
Lynamer is punctuated by large patches of boggy ground where the sulphur-yellow flowers of bog asphodel can be seen in summer, alongside other moisture-loving species, such as marsh thistle and cross-leaved heath.
Making Space for Water is a core principle across the Northwoods Network, and at Lynamer, several ‘leaky dams’ have been constructed to mimic the work of beavers. These woody structures hold back water to create larger, deeper pools, providing habitats for a range of aquatic life.
A year on from its construction, this leaky dam is now part of the landscape and doing its job perfectly.
In 2022, an area of rough grassland was transformed into a wetland oasis by excavating two large ponds.
These jewels of the insect world lay their eggs on submerged vegetation where they eventually develop into ferocious larvae, which prey on tadpoles and other invertebrates before emerging as brightly coloured flying machines.
The most recent addition to Lynamer’s rewilding toolbox is a small herd of Belted Galloway cattle to help break up the sward and create bare patches of earth for a wider range of pioneering wildflowers.
Ultimately, Mike and Carole view themselves as temporary custodians of Lynamer with a strong desire to leave the land in a wilder, richer state for future generations. They now support ‘RESTORE’, a community-led project, where participants learn woodland skills and spend valuable time with friends and family in a rewilded landscape.
