Description of the Country in the early 17th century

Timothy Pont – ‘never a lack of wolves’

 

“Thir cowntrey is exceedinglie weel stoored with fishes both from the sea and its own rivers, as also of deer, roe, and dyvers kynds of wild beasts, specially heir never lack wolves, more than ar expedient. it is weel stoored with wood also, by transporting whereof, manic are served of victuall and cornis from Catnes.,wherin grow abound ance of cornis, but indigent of wood.”[i]

 

Changes in Flora and Fauna 17th to 21st Century

Pont mentions that many wolves.  In 1834 Findlalter mentions that sea eagles are common and that rats are a newly arrived immigrant.  Both Statistical Accounts mention paucity of woodlands in Durness but in the study area between Keoldale and Balnakeil there are still remnant hazel groves.

 

Hazel was a basic of life from the earliest time until the mid 20th century.  Before settled agriculture became successful enough to generate reasonably reliable grains for each winter hazel nuts were a crucial winter store of food and could also be ground into a flour. 

 

Hazel wood was used for houses, baskets, creels, bough tents, walking sticks…. the list is endless…. and regular use meant regular coppicing to generate a range of suitable straight lengths.  The nuts continued to be a part of the diet even after oatmeal became the staple

 

The huge changes in landuse and settlement generated changes in the biodiversity – sheep on the ascendancy while cattle numbers dwindled from the 18th century to the present day.  First the wolves, then the seaeagles and other raptors became scarcer and in some cases extinct.  Deer, once a woodland beast, adapted gradually to far less tree cover