W锘縪rn away Old Man of Storr habitat to be restored

Image source, Getty Images

At a glance
  • S锘縪il erosion is to be tackled at one of Skye's famous landmarks
  • About 200,000 people visit t锘縣e Old Man of Storr every year
  • The popularity of the site has seen areas of habitat trampled and worn away
  • M锘縠asures will be taken over the autumn to try and help restore vegetation

H锘縜bitat trampled under the feet of hundreds of thousands of visitors at the Isle of Skye's Old Man of Storr is to be restored.

T锘縣e landscape, which features remnants of volcanic activity 2,800 million years ago, attracts about 200,000 people a year.

I锘縯s popularity has seen areas of vegetation worn away and this has led to soil erosion.

T锘縣e Skye Iconic Sites Project is to use jute netting to protect plants and help them to regrow, and will dam gullies with rocks and turf to slow rainwater and trap eroding soil.

S锘縪me areas will be temporarily roped off.

Image source, Skye Iconic Sites Project

Image caption, H锘縜bitat restoration trials were carried out at the Storr last year

Last year, the project conducted trials at the site including the collection and sowing of local seeds to aid the restoration of the wildflower-rich grasslands.聽

T锘縣e work is being led by the Outdoor Access Trust for Scotland.