Conservationists at the National Trust for Scotland’s Ben Lawers National Nature Reserve are hoping this year is set to be a bumper one for monitoring its rare flora and fauna.

The optimism comes after encouraging results from a successful field season in 2009. And thanks to the increased snow cover this winter providing truly arctic conditions for area’s renowned plantlife, 2010 could be even more productive.

Monitoring by seasonal ecologist, Clare Rickerby throughout 2009 confirmed that some species were thriving, thanks to the conservation charity’s careful management of the high altitude site.

A real success story is that of the Highland Saxifrage (Saxifraga rivularis) which was reintroduced at Ben Lawers in 2006. Highland Saxifrage is a nationally rare species adapted to grow in some of the harshest arctic alpine conditions. In Scotland, it is found in about 20 mountain locations, including Ben Lawers where its population had declined to a single plant, due, in part, to illegal plant collecting.

Last summer found all 12 reintroduced plants thriving, along with 6 offspring.

Helen Cole, property manager and naturalist told us: “The results reported last year – which are in part a measure of some of our work to conserve the alpine plants - were really satisfying. After all, Ben Lawers is one of Scotland’s richest habitats for plants of this type, and we are playing a key part in ensuring that it remains so, for generations to come.”

Other alpine species are also holding their own at the site. One population of Rock Speedwell (Veronica fruticans) - a nationally rare arctic alpine that grows on the base rich cliffs and rock ledges from 500 to 1000 metres above sea level – had increased by more than 60 per cent in the past decade. A 2009 study found more than 750 plants. But another population showed signs that collecting is still going on.

Conservationists also think that this winter’s heavy snow could help in the long run. Helen continued: “In recent years, snow cover in most mountain areas has become erratic and there is some evidence that this has led to population declines of some of our rarest plants.

“A few cold months are unlikely to make much difference in the long term, but it does give some hope that we may occasionally get the harsh weather that these beautiful rarities are supremely adapted to.”

And it was good news for animal life too - a survey of water voles, which have been suffering catastrophic declines across the UK, showed that the Ben Lawers population had recovered to 2002 levels. Then, a population of 24 water voles was estimated at 4 sites. The estimated total in 2009 was 27. The Trust’s naturalists believe that this could be attributed to an increase in lush stream-side vegetation as a result of fencing to exclude larger grazing animals.

And as preparations for spring 2010 continue, the team have a new ecologist to bolster the expert crew. Dan Watson was previously the Trust’s property manager at Grey Mare’s Tail in Dumfries and Galloway. He will work across the Trust’s sites at Ben Lawers and Glencoe to develop long term monitoring. He joined the team in January 2010 and is looking forward to playing his part in his first season.

“Both Ben Lawers and Glencoe hold nationally important populations of rare plant species, along with a great deal of other interesting wildlife,” he said. “I am looking forward to getting out onto the hills to carry out the monitoring which is an essential tool for informing our conservation management”