AECOM’s Post

In 2019, a bold experiment began in the Scottish Highlands near Loch Ness. On a 100-acre stretch of former conifer forest, the Natural Capital Laboratory (NCL) set out to rewild the land and uncover how restoring nature could address climate change and biodiversity loss. The vision started with landowners Emilia Leese Ⓥ🌱 and Roger Leese and quickly grew into a collaboration with AECOM, Lifescape Project, and the University of Cumbria. Together, they turned Birchfield into a “living lab” for testing innovative rewilding techniques. Over five years, the NCL has achieved remarkable milestones. Wood ants were reintroduced to the site and nine species were prioritized for rewilding. Cutting-edge tools like Air eDNA and AI-driven analysis have transformed how we monitor ecosystems. The team even developed the first framework for measuring social benefits like well-being and community engagement alongside natural capital. Perhaps most striking is how the project shares its story. Instead of traditional spreadsheets, the NCL created an interactive digital platform, allowing anyone to explore the data, from biodiversity changes to carbon sequestration. As this phase of the NCL concludes, its impact is clear: even small-scale rewilding can deliver big lessons, inspiring others to take action for nature.   Immerse yourself in five years of rewilding here: https://acm.to/5u1f #AECOM #Rewilding #NaturalCapital #Biodiversity