From the river to the hills

From glacier to peat bog to farmland

The area of land that is now the Carse of Stirling has changed dramatically over the last few thousands years: from glaciers to sea loch to woodland to peat bog, and now to farmland. Potent symbols of these changes are the whale skeletons that have been unearthed in the area during excavations, for while it is still a wet part of Scotland that is subject to winter floods, it’s been a long time since a whale swam this far up the River Forth!

But there’s still plenty of exciting wildlife to be seen in the area today. Much of it is dependent on farmland, though a blend of other habitats support a wide range of birds, mammals, insects, plants, amphibians and reptiles. Pink-footed geese, brown hares, barn owls and roe deer are all common sights, with red deer also now moving into the area. Patches of woodland support red squirrels and pine martins; buzzards and kestrels can be seen hunting along road-side verges; and the river and burns support otters and water birds. Ospreys nest in the wider area, and fish during the summer months at the Lake of Menteith, while red kites are year-round residents, particularly towards the north-eastern side of the carse.

Flanders Moss

At the heart of the carse is Flanders Moss, a fantastic example of a rare raised bog, and one of the largest surviving raised bogs in the UK, if not the whole of Europe. Fortunately, Flanders Moss was spared the actions of the moss lairds, and later attempts to drain it, and is now protected by law and managed by NatureScot. It retains its layer of thick peat, which we know now locks away carbon from the atmosphere, and helps to hold onto water. But it’s also a unique habitat that supports sundews, sphagnum mosses and bog cottons, along with common lizards, and hundreds of species of insects, including dragonflies and rare moths. The bog is under threat from historic drainage ditches, and the spread of non-native trees, and continual work is needed to help it survive.

Waders on the Carse

Some of the most important wildlife that the carse supports includes wading birds, particularly curlews and lapwings, but also snipe. These birds are struggling across the UK due to the changing landscape, and the Carse of Stirling Project is actively engaging with local farmers to try to survey and support remaining populations. Another focus of the project has been pollinating insects, such as bees, and we are looking for ways to increase wildflowers along pathways and in areas such as school grounds.

It is not just on the Carse that action is being taken to support waders: the Working for Waders initiative has mapped projects elsewhere in Scotland.