Jamie McGrigor, Highlands & Islands Conservative MSP, yesterday emphasised the environmental importance of Scotland’s “Celtic rainforest” – the temperate woodland found along Scotland’s Atlantic coast.
Jamie was speaking in a Member’s debate on the subject this evening in the Scottish Parliament initiated by Argyll & Bute MSP Mike Russell.
Speaking in a debate in the Scottish Parliament, Mr McGrigor said: “The Celtic rainforest is often overlooked; indeed I suspect a number of members were surprised to hear Scotland does have its own rainforests, albeit ones which are certainly not tropical.
“I am told that a typical forest ravine in Argyll can contain as many as 200 species of mosses and liverwort and one specific woodland in Knapdale in Argyll supports 25% of Britain’s entire mosses and liverworts including species such as the Prickly Featherwort and rare “filmy” ferns – so called because of their translucent looking fronds.
“The motion refers to the impact of the invasive rhododendron ponticum and I agree with it. Indeed I have spoken about the effect of invasive non-native species such as this on a number of occasions in this chamber.
“My late father, Charles McGrigor, was a collector of rhododendrons and I readily accept that they can produce wonderful colourful blooms in botanical and private gardens where they delight many.
“But unchecked in the wild they can spread rapidly and snuff out all other plant species in their wake. We need to see sustained action to prevent their spread harming our biodiversity and I would commend SNH for their continued good work in this regard. The spread of rhododendron ponticum is one of the greatest threats to our Atlantic woodlands.”