Field Notes: Nevis news

Nevis Manager Alison Austin reports on healthy progress at our Glen Nevis peatland restoration site, plus our plans to complete path repairs on Ben Nevis get a lift.

Summer arrived on Tuesday, so I made a quick sprint to the peatland restoration site in Glen Nevis to carry out a dragonfly survey.

We didn't see any of the rare northern emerald dragonflies this time, but I found black darter dragonflies (pictured above) flying over the bog pools created by the dams we installed at the end of 2022. This was nice to see because they could have been the nymphs we'd identified earlier in the year. I also watched a golden ringed dragonfly laying eggs in one of the pools we created.

These bog pools, which used to be bare peat, were already recolonising with sphagnum around the edges. It is great to see these peatland species thriving at the restored site. I look foward to watching the peat build up with more sphagnum growth that will stop this area releasing carbon and help it lock up more.

At long last, the good weather also enabled us to carry out the long awaited helicopter lift of 43 tonnes (53 bags) of stone on to upper Ben Nevis for footpath repairs. This project was delayed from last year, due to bad weather on potential flight days and out-of-service helicopters later in the year. 

Dry conditions meant it was a busy day on Ben Nevis and we needed six marshals, as well as two ground crew, to keep all the walkers safe and away from heli flight path and drop zones.

Later in the summer, when it is quieter on the hill, the path team will rebuild revetment (edges) of the path, where eroded shortcuts are threatening to undermine the path.

Huge thanks to everyone who donated to our Nevis Path Appeal last year, helping to secure the funding for this work.