Across much of Europe, aspen is a common sight.
In Scotland? It’s a ghost of the past.
Once forming brilliant yellow groves each autumn, it now clings on in scattered fragments, rarely setting seed and heavily browsed by grazing animals.
And yet, aspen is a biodiversity powerhouse. It supports a remarkable range of rare fungi, lichens, mosses and moths, and its foliage feeds over 60 species of insect.
Foresters love it too – it’s a fast-growing source of superior firewood and versatile timber.
So why have we let it slip away?
Rediscover Scotland’s lost tree – and find out how its fortunes can be reversed – in this new short film, Painting Scotland Yellow: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vnl23UPlTG4