Scotland’s 50 Shades of Green
As I’ve always imagined, Scotland is covered in green. It didn’t disappoint me. Different from Bhutan’s fresh and sunny green, Scotland’s was more complex and wet. Scotland has officially registered 977 kinds of mosses and liverworts that have been living there since before the dinosaurs. Because of the land’s diverse climate and landscape, Scotland is one of the most interesting places for their biodiversity. Mosses and liverworts are tiny but significant. Despite their small size, they play an important role in the health and function of our environment. Over the centuries, remains of these mosses have been an important source of fuel for Highland communities. Even more importantly, scientists discovered that the mosses could soak up a huge amount of the carbon that causes climate change.
Scotland’s forest would be an excellent hiking and camping spot because of its luxuriant cushions. It would be like sleeping on a comfortable bed. Not just that, these mosses and liverworts act as a sponge that slows the flow of rain into the rivers. They also create a distinct sweet and peppery perfume. That’s why the Scottish Highlands forests made a memorable impression.
I captured (almost) 50 shades of green in the Highlands during my few days there. It’s amazing how many colors can be seen in one photo.
