The Glen Affric "Caledonian Forest Reserve" contains one of the largest and most diverse of the remaining fragments of Caledonian Forest in Scoland, forming a direct link back to the original forest which colonised the Highlands over 8000 years ago after the last ice age.

The international impportance of the Caledonian Forest has recently been recognised through its designation as a Priority Habitat by the European Union in the EC Habitats Directive and most of Glen Affric has been proposed by the British Government as suitable for designation as a Special Area for Conservation under the terms of the Directive.

Despite its relative isolation there is a long history of human activity in the Glen and in some areas, particularly in the west, past land use has degraded and fragmented Caledonian Forest habitats through burning, overgrazing by deer and sheep, timber extraction and underplanting with faster growing introduced conifers.

The success of the Caledonian Partnership in attracting funding through the LIFE programme has enabled emergency restoration work to be carried out in the vulnerable western part of the Reserve to reverse the long trend of degredation and fragmentation of Caledonian Forest habitats and to substantially extend the forest area.