Highlands Rewilding

Scotland is one of the world's most nature-depleted countries. Here's how capitalism can help. Our Co-Chief Scientist, Dr Calum Brown, writes in The Scotsman about how creating markets in ‘natural capital’ could be a powerful force for good. "If natural capital markets can make nature restoration a feasible proposition in Scotland, and if social as well as environmental targets can be embedded in them, they might become one of our most powerful drivers away from the crises we have spent so long moving towards." Enjoy the full article: https://lnkd.in/eUh-DxSW

'Highlands Rewilding report flags serious concerns over endangered species' A write up of our recent report by Fiona Ross in The Argyllshire Advertiser explores our latest report. The report reveals Tayvallich Estate's incredible natural diversity, including as a home to the rare Marsh Fritillary butterfly, but also discovers some habitats “in desperate need of restoration”. In particular an oyster population which could be considered functionally extinct in this area. Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/eVikyXRJ Explore the full report: https://lnkd.in/dSqw2X_y #biodiversity #oysters #restoration #nature #naturalcapital

"Too many deer." In the third of our Experts' Excerpts, Head of Forestry and Woodlands Keir Smith explains how, despite recent increased deer management across our sites, thermal drone surveys have shown that deer densities are up to ten times higher than that which would allow natural regeneration of native woodlands, including Temperate Atlantic Rainforest. Our Natural Capital Report, published this week, details the results of these surveys as part of comprehensive biodiversity monitoring and informs future land management actions, such as reducing deer densities across our estates, with a particular focus on the very high numbers of non-native sika deer. You can read more here on pages 17, 35 and 48: https://lnkd.in/dSqw2X_y The Scottish Rewilding Alliance Alliance for Scotland's Rainforest NatureScot BH Wildlife Consultancy Forestry and Land Scotland #rewilding #forestry #trees

We are delighted to be a case study for the Nature Finance Certification Alliance (NFCA), which aims to establish a holistic set of practical, plain English tools to support UK Nature Finance transactions. https://lnkd.in/eGwTCu_F Despite the many challenges in this sector, in 2024, Scotland can celebrate the supply side's many shining examples of high-integrity natural capital projects. We aim to use the depth and breadth of our data collection across three sites in Scotland to make the monetisation of biodiversity uplift trustable through high-quality and consistent monitoring. Our latest annual Natual Capital Report, published this week, details how: https://lnkd.in/dSqw2X_y

"Too few oysters, too many deer" 📢 Our fourth annual natural capital report, published today, details a wide array of monitoring techniques deployed across three highly surveyed open-air laboratories. The report demonstrates that land which contains incredible natural diversity would still benefit from significant biodiversity improvements, particularly by reducing deer numbers and proactive coastline restoration. 🦪 🐜 🦋 🌿 The unique depth and breadth of this data collection and analysis contribute to understanding patterns of biodiversity and the embryonic natural capital market in Scotland, helping ensure that this market develops to encompass high quality and consistent monitoring, vital for reversing current biodiversity loss. Read on for key highlights of this report, tracking a year of intense ecological surveying, including thermal drone censuses to monitor deer and wild boar, the successful reintroduction of the hairy wood ant, the recording of over 18,000 invertebrates since 2022, and over 2000 birds in the past year alone. https://lnkd.in/dSqw2X_y #naturalcapital #rewilding #naturarecovery #science #biodiversity

Our Natural Capital Report is out today! https://lnkd.in/dSqw2X_y It charts the many and various ways in which we are monitoring #biodiversity and nature restoration through #rewilding. In the second of our Experts' Excerpts series, Co-Chief Scientist Calum Brown reveals in remarkable detail the diverse vegetation on Tayvallich. The report's findings demonstrate that though this landscape contains incredible natural diversity, it would still benefit from significant biodiversity improvements, particularly by reducing deer numbers and proactive coastline restoration. The unique depth and breadth of this data collection and analysis makes a significant contribution to understanding patterns of biodiversity and the embryonic natural capital market in Scotland, helping ensure this market develops to encompass high quality and consistent monitoring, vital for reversing current biodiversity loss.

Experts' Excerpts: Each of the scientists behind Highlands Rewilding's latest Natural Capital Report has a story to tell. The report, out on Monday, 16th December, charts the many and various ways in which we are measuring #biodiversity and #nature restoration. First in our Experts' Excerpts series, Co-Chief Scientist Penelope Whitehorn describes Highlands Rewilding's participation in the UK-wide BIOSCAN project, which aims to collect and study the genetic diversity of 1,000,000 flying #insects from across the UK. Wellcome Sanger Institute #rewilding

A passion for planting trees and a science driven approach to land management. Bunloit's head ranger, Daniel Holm, describes his work in the latest in our series 'People in Rewilding'. #jobswithapurpose #jobsinnature #rewilding #trees Trees for Life 

It was brilliant to host a Nature4Health session for the Huntly Youth Club at Beldorney Estate last week, getting kids out into nature. Everyone got involved in practising fire lighting, first with cotton wool and then with thistledown and birch bark, before cooking some tasty "doughnuts" on the fire. We learned about prey and predator behaviours before heading out to look at some animal tracks and signs. After some warming spruce tea, learning some knots and making some wooden Christmas decorations with nettle cordage for hanging, we rounded off the morning with lunch round the fire and hot chocolate. Many thanks to N4H, Rachel, Barnardo's, and the funders of the wider FIRNS project NatureScot and The National Lottery Heritage Fund Find out more about our FIRNS projects here: https://lnkd.in/dBrqb7-i

A brilliant evening in Edinburgh yesterday, sharing this groundswell of rewilding hope with the Scottish Government - and asking them to act in support of #rewilding and declare Scotland a Rewilding Nation, committing 30% of our land and seas to nature recovery.