Conservation works delayed at Grey Mare's Tail due to poor weather conditions
ITV Border's reporter Isla Todd visited Grey Mare's Tail to find out how the National Trust for Scotland look after the wildlife in the area.
Conservation works in Dumfries and Galloway involving the use of a helicopter have been delayed due to poor weather conditions.
The National Trust for Scotland (NTS) is operating in Grey Mare's Tail, near Moffat, to better protect habitats and repair a public pathway.
The nature reserve was expected to be out of bounds until 29 August 2024 while work is completed. This could now be extended.
The trust will be using materials to build a high-altitude exclosure to protect mountain willow scrub from sheep and goat grazing.
Ishbel Hayes, a ranger for the National Trust for Scotland, says there is a lot of "wear and tear" on the path with up to 60,000 visitors to the site per year.
She said: "This sort of heavy rain we're standing in is a lot of wear on these parts, so you've got to get the time just right."
The conservation works taking place also involves building an area to help support willow scrub, a rare plant found on steep slopes and cliff ledges.
Explaining the importance of building an exclosure to protect mountain willow scrub, Ishbel said: "Just as they start to fluff up, you ought to go and collect them.
"Then you extract the seeds from all that lovely willow fluff and they'll be growing up into seedings, and then into slightly bigger plants where we'll plant them in the exclosure.
"It'll take a couple years to get them, they're very slow growing. A couple years to get them to a good size that we can take them back out on the hill."
Speaking about the closure to the public, she said: "The closure of the Grey Mares trail will happen for a couple of days, but actually the work behind the scenes is running into the year."
It is one of six habitats identified as a priority in the trust's latest report 'Plan for Nature', which provides a framework and focus for our nature conservation efforts.
National Trust for Scotland says the habitat is currently under threat from climate change and over grazing.
Dan Watson, Senior Nature Conservation Officer for NTS, says the fence is being built at a very high altitude surrounding rare mountain meadows.
He said: "The problem is that it's been affected over the years, particularly by heavy amounts of grazing. So the willows get grazed, they get reduced in size. This means they're less likely to produce seed and the population will gradually decline to extinction, unless we do something about it."
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