The Scottish wilderness is up there with some of the most breathtaking scenery in the world. And deep in the Highlands there are those who dedicate their lives to keeping our nature pristine and protected for all to enjoy, no matter the season. But what’s it like to be a real-life park ranger in the 21st century in Scotland?
We caught up with Glencoe National Nature Reserve Ranger James McGurk to find out what a day in his life looks like, the challenges facing Scotland’s national parks, and which season is the best time to visit this beautiful landscape.
What does the job of a Glencoe Ranger involve?
“It involves quite a huge range of things,” says Ranger James. “Essentially, we’re doing whatever is needed for wildlife and habitats of Glencoe, and that means it’s a bit of maintaining the footpaths going up some of the mountains.
“We’ve got some really special Atlantic rainforests in Glencoe. We’ve got fairly old woodlands surviving on cliffs and in valleys, which, because of the climate here, is incredibly, incredibly rich, particularly in epiphytes. So that means mosses and things growing on these trunks.
“We’re trying to help that habitat recover as it has been damaged. The trees are struggling to regenerate for various reasons. Part of that’s collecting tree seed growing in the tree nursery. Part of that is surveying the wildlife here.
“We also do quite a bit of visitor engagement. We have groups coming in to learn about the Glen. We also have some issues with Glencoe being a very popular area for people to camp, and unfortunately, a lot of the people coming out here for wild camping don’t quite know what they’re doing or make fires in inappropriate places and leave litter. We try and go out and speak to them proactively and just educate people a little bit.
“We’ve also got fences to maintain and kind of whatever else comes up near doing that needs doing. So every day is different, but that is what makes it really fun.”
What is it about the job you love the most?
“I think it’s just incredibly satisfying to be kind of out on the hills, you see some incredible things around you, with wildlife, the plant life, and I guess doing that, and also kind of seeing the progress, seeing the species are recovering here. Yeah, it feels incredibly good,” says James.
How would you describe Glencoe to someone who hasn’t been here before?
“It’s a very dramatic valley, surrounded on all sides by some pretty tall and steep mountains. There are some very famous views and very old trees, which sort of cling to the cliffs around you. And you can see water everywhere on most days,” says James.
“Obviously it’s a slightly wet climate, but that means we’ve got some really spectacular waterfalls too. And then as you get higher up the mountains, there are some really sort of beautiful and remote corners.”
Other than uneducated wild campers, what is the biggest danger to the fauna and flora?
“The population density of deer around here is a lot higher than it naturally would be. While these deer are an absolutely essential part of the landscape… they’ll actually eat any tree trying to come up and prevent the forest reestablishing. So we’ve got to manage the population density of them,” says James.
“Wildfire is also a growing risk in Scotland, which surprises a lot of people, but particularly as climate change gets worse, we can get some big dry spells and with peat soil, or in spring, when there’s dead grass still on the hillsides, that is a big risk here.
“And climate change itself is having quite a strong effect on some of our plants. A few sites in Scotland have populations of Arctic Alpine specialist plants, which you’re more likely to see in the north of Scandinavia, right in the Arctic. They dwell on the mountain tops where, generally it’s very snowy and very icy. But as the climate gets warmer … lowland species that could never survive there before risk out competing some of the mountaintop plants.”
The National Nature Reserve is involved in some important conservation work. Can you tell us a little bit more about that?
“We’ve got quite a lot of projects on the go. We’re getting a cycle path put into a bit of the Glen, which is going to make it a lot more accessible to people via sustainable means of transport – by foot or by bike instead of by car,” says James.
“We’ve got ongoing projects to restore the ancient rainforests within Glencoe, trying to help the trees regenerate out into the wider landscape. And that’s not just for trees, but there’s a whole host of flowers and other plants too.”
What are some of the most memorable wildlife sightings you’ve had in Glencoe?
“I was at the visitor center one evening, when quite unexpectedly a pine martin suddenly appeared outside the window. Pine martins are sort of like a stoat that’s about the size of a cat but with a squirrel’s tail. A lot of people won’t have seen them further south in Britain, but they’re quite common here,” says James. “They’re incredibly beautiful and very kind of clever and curious creatures. They’re fascinating to watch. I’ve also seen things like badgers and golden eagles here.”
Are there any types of flora and fauna unique to Glencoe National Nature Reserve?
“On the mountain up behind me, there’s a plant there called the drooping saxifrage, and that’s only known to be at three places in Scotland. That is incredibly rare,” says James. “Glencoe holds a particularly important ancient rainforest in Coire Gabhail Hidden Valley too.”
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You experience Glencoe throughout all the seasons. Do you have a favorite?
“I really enjoy seeing the seasons change here. Almost every week something is different. The snow will come or go, the colors start to change on the hill. A different flower will start to appear, a different species will come out. New migrants will arrive or will leave,” James says.
“And so that kind of constant change makes every day different. You never really know what you’re going to see, which is cool.”
What would you hope guests to Glencoe take away with them?
“I think it would be amazing if people take away a brilliant memory of having seen such a spectacular landscape,” he says. “[I hope] they take the chance to look quite closely at some place… appreciating how green every surface in the forest is here, or seeing spectacular creatures, such as a golden eagle flying overhead.”
We caught up with James in Glencoe in autumn, when fall foliage washed the scenery in warm shades. What season would you most like to visit during? Leave us a comment….