European Rewilding Network
ERN2007

Highlands Rewilding

Building back better for nature, people and planet

Aerial view of the 511-hectare Bunloit Estate in the Scottish Highlands, which overlooks Loch Ness.
STRUTT AND PARKER
Sitting on the banks of the river Deveron, the 349-hectare Beldorney estate is made up of 78% pastureland and 22% woodland, mostly being non-native coniferous plantations.
Highlands Rewilding
The Bunloit Estate sits on the eastern edge of the proposed East-West Wild landscape corridor, which runs westward from Loch Ness to the coast, encompassing Glens Cannich, Affric, Moriston and Shiel.
Highlands Rewilding
Rewilding of the Highlands Rewilding will enhance wild nature, boost the local economy and lock up carbon.
Highlands Rewilding
Natural grazing is already taking place at Bunloit.
Highlands Rewilding
Bunloit’s eclectic mix of woodland is home to both broadleaf and coniferous trees, with native species such as Caledonian pine and birch.
Highlands Rewilding

Highlands Rewilding seeks to help rewild and re-people the Scottish Highlands by increasing carbon sequestration, growing biodiversity, creating green new jobs and generating sustainable profit for purpose. By managing land this way, we aim to become a world leader in accelerating nature-based solutions that can help fight the existential and related crises of climate meltdown, biodiversity collapse, and social inequality, whilst helping to rebuild local economies.

Highlands Rewilding consists of 2 projects Bunloit (initiated in 2020) and Beldorney (initiated in 2021).

Bunloit Estate is based on the west shores of Loch Ness in Inverness-shire. The site contains a mosaic of habitats from native woodland to peatland, pastures to plantations. Overlooked by the mountain Meall Fuar-Mhonaidh, the land was purchased at the beginning of 2020, kick starting the journey to becoming a biodiverse carbon sink that fights the crises of climate meltdown and biodiversity collapse.

Since the start of the project, the Bunloit estate has been the subject of a twelve-month consultation with conservation groups, scientists, expert ecologists, government and the local community. In the second year they conducted baseline natural capital surveys that are informing their land management plan for the future.

Beldorney is a 349-hectare grassland-dominated estate, situated in Aberdeenshire. The contrast of land from Bunloit’s mosaic of habitats gives us the opportunity to implement lessons learned on Bunloit to a blank canvas for nature-recovery work, rewilding the land from the ground up. We plan riparian rewilding along the River Deveron and regenerative agriculture on some of the grassland.

Beldorney will be home to the COP26 Innovation Zone legacy “Forest of Hope”. Spanning the length of the Deveron river, the forest will extend from a broadleaf riparian woodland, down the valley into neighbouring land, where partnerships will align to rewild as much of the river valley as we can. We are working on this corridor in partnership with the Cabrach Trust, Woodland Trust and Trees for Life.

Project: Highlands Rewilding
Region: UK, Scotland
Type of project: Fostering the development of nature based economies, Increasing interest in the wild through communications
Aim and vision: - Increase carbon sequestration and biodiversity through ecosystem restoration, regeneration and rewilding.
- Become an exemplar for natural capital research and nature based solutions.
- Provide educational, research and cultural opportunities.
- Work with local communities to build back better in a rural version of the Green New Deal through zero carbon timber eco-enterprise workshops and homes.
- Replicate and scale the Highlands Rewilding model to maximise the benefits to nature, people and the planet from this new type of land management.
The coexistence of people and nature is at the heart of Highlands Rewilding's vision.
Uniqueness of the project: By creating green and sustainable opportunities for affordable housing and employment we hope to include people in our rewilding landscape. This way we could tackle the climate and biodiversity crises in tandem with the depopulation and housing issues faced by rural Highland communities.
Other activities: Community involved, Eco tourism, Education, High-impact communications, Recreational activities, Research, Sale of sustainable products
Results you aim to accomplish in 10 years from now on: - Verifiable increases in carbon sequestration and biodiversity across Highlands Rewilding.
- Significant progress in the research fields of natural capital verification science and nature based solutions.
- Creation of employment and affordable housing opportunities.
- Generation of sustainable and ethical profits.
Results so far: - Development of a draft research strategy and draft woodland eco-building masterplan.
- Ongoing community consultation and outreach in Glen Urquhart.
- Development of an extensive knowledge base to inform decision making due to 12 months of consultation with relevant experts and organisations.
- Acquisition of Highland Cattle for our conservation grazing mix.
Inspirational value: Wide ranging and inspirational knowledge, advice and feedback from scientific experts, rewilding experts, relevant organisations, key community players, the wider community and politicians.
Experience you would like to share: We’ve found setting aside a lengthy consultation period to learn as much as possible incredibly valuable for decision making. We’ve also gained experience in community outreach, particularly in finding alternative consultation methods during a pandemic. We have some experience from the beginning of our baseline carbon and biodiversity sampling.
Experience you would like to gain: We would like to gain further experience in rewilding practices, natural capital research, community engagement, sustainable forestry, conservation grazing, deer and wild boar management and potentially agroforestry and silvopasture.
Map
Country
UK, Scotland
Start year
2020
Size (ha)
862
Area type
Forest-grassland mosaic, Northern coniferous forest, Peatland, Temperate deciduous forest
Natural process
Natural grazing
Flagship species
Feral boar, Feral horses, Red deer, Roe deer
Highlands Rewilding
Member of:
Rewilding Europe Capital
Aerial view of the 511-hectare Bunloit Estate in the Scottish Highlands, which overlooks Loch Ness.
STRUTT AND PARKER
Sitting on the banks of the river Deveron, the 349-hectare Beldorney estate is made up of 78% pastureland and 22% woodland, mostly being non-native coniferous plantations.
Highlands Rewilding
The Bunloit Estate sits on the eastern edge of the proposed East-West Wild landscape corridor, which runs westward from Loch Ness to the coast, encompassing Glens Cannich, Affric, Moriston and Shiel.
Highlands Rewilding
Rewilding of the Highlands Rewilding will enhance wild nature, boost the local economy and lock up carbon.
Highlands Rewilding
Natural grazing is already taking place at Bunloit.
Highlands Rewilding
Bunloit’s eclectic mix of woodland is home to both broadleaf and coniferous trees, with native species such as Caledonian pine and birch.
Highlands Rewilding

Highlands Rewilding seeks to help rewild and re-people the Scottish Highlands by increasing carbon sequestration, growing biodiversity, creating green new jobs and generating sustainable profit for purpose. By managing land this way, we aim to become a world leader in accelerating nature-based solutions that can help fight the existential and related crises of climate meltdown, biodiversity collapse, and social inequality, whilst helping to rebuild local economies.

Highlands Rewilding consists of 2 projects Bunloit (initiated in 2020) and Beldorney (initiated in 2021).

Bunloit Estate is based on the west shores of Loch Ness in Inverness-shire. The site contains a mosaic of habitats from native woodland to peatland, pastures to plantations. Overlooked by the mountain Meall Fuar-Mhonaidh, the land was purchased at the beginning of 2020, kick starting the journey to becoming a biodiverse carbon sink that fights the crises of climate meltdown and biodiversity collapse.

Since the start of the project, the Bunloit estate has been the subject of a twelve-month consultation with conservation groups, scientists, expert ecologists, government and the local community. In the second year they conducted baseline natural capital surveys that are informing their land management plan for the future.

Beldorney is a 349-hectare grassland-dominated estate, situated in Aberdeenshire. The contrast of land from Bunloit’s mosaic of habitats gives us the opportunity to implement lessons learned on Bunloit to a blank canvas for nature-recovery work, rewilding the land from the ground up. We plan riparian rewilding along the River Deveron and regenerative agriculture on some of the grassland.

Beldorney will be home to the COP26 Innovation Zone legacy “Forest of Hope”. Spanning the length of the Deveron river, the forest will extend from a broadleaf riparian woodland, down the valley into neighbouring land, where partnerships will align to rewild as much of the river valley as we can. We are working on this corridor in partnership with the Cabrach Trust, Woodland Trust and Trees for Life.

Map
Country
UK, Scotland
Start year
2020
Size (ha)
862
Area type
Forest-grassland mosaic, Northern coniferous forest, Peatland, Temperate deciduous forest
Natural process
Natural grazing
Flagship species
Feral boar, Feral horses, Red deer, Roe deer
Specification
Project: Highlands Rewilding
Region: UK, Scotland
Description
Type of project: Fostering the development of nature based economies, Increasing interest in the wild through communications
Aim and vision: - Increase carbon sequestration and biodiversity through ecosystem restoration, regeneration and rewilding.
- Become an exemplar for natural capital research and nature based solutions.
- Provide educational, research and cultural opportunities.
- Work with local communities to build back better in a rural version of the Green New Deal through zero carbon timber eco-enterprise workshops and homes.
- Replicate and scale the Highlands Rewilding model to maximise the benefits to nature, people and the planet from this new type of land management.
The coexistence of people and nature is at the heart of Highlands Rewilding's vision.
Uniqueness of the project: By creating green and sustainable opportunities for affordable housing and employment we hope to include people in our rewilding landscape. This way we could tackle the climate and biodiversity crises in tandem with the depopulation and housing issues faced by rural Highland communities.
Other activities: Community involved, Eco tourism, Education, High-impact communications, Recreational activities, Research, Sale of sustainable products
Achievements
Results you aim to accomplish in 10 years from now on: - Verifiable increases in carbon sequestration and biodiversity across Highlands Rewilding.
- Significant progress in the research fields of natural capital verification science and nature based solutions.
- Creation of employment and affordable housing opportunities.
- Generation of sustainable and ethical profits.
Results so far: - Development of a draft research strategy and draft woodland eco-building masterplan.
- Ongoing community consultation and outreach in Glen Urquhart.
- Development of an extensive knowledge base to inform decision making due to 12 months of consultation with relevant experts and organisations.
- Acquisition of Highland Cattle for our conservation grazing mix.
Exchange
Inspirational value: Wide ranging and inspirational knowledge, advice and feedback from scientific experts, rewilding experts, relevant organisations, key community players, the wider community and politicians.
Experience you would like to share: We’ve found setting aside a lengthy consultation period to learn as much as possible incredibly valuable for decision making. We’ve also gained experience in community outreach, particularly in finding alternative consultation methods during a pandemic. We have some experience from the beginning of our baseline carbon and biodiversity sampling.
Experience you would like to gain: We would like to gain further experience in rewilding practices, natural capital research, community engagement, sustainable forestry, conservation grazing, deer and wild boar management and potentially agroforestry and silvopasture.
Highlands Rewilding
Member of:
Rewilding Europe Capital
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