ISLE OF MULL

A community forest on Mull could soon be a link in a chain of rewilding ‘stepping stones’ to tackle Scotland’s nature and climate crises.

Charity SCOTLAND: The Big Picture is talking to Ardura Community Forest about becoming part of a new rewilding network.

The Northwoods Rewilding Network will allow more of Scotland’s many smaller landholdings of 50 to 1,000 acres to play a bigger role in restoring and connecting habitats.

The plan is that the project will complement Scotland’s major landscape-scale rewilding sites by filling in the gaps in smaller areas.

Northwoods hopes to expand to at least 10,000 acres within two years and so far has engaged 12 initial land partners include farms, crofts, small estates and a community woodland covering 3,500 acres between them.

‘Despite their beauty and drama, many of Scotland’s landscapes have been in ecological decline for a very long time, with many species extinct and others once prolific now teetering on the edge. Northwoods will help to turn this around,’ said Northwoods’ project manager James Nairne.

As well as making way for ecological change, Northwoods will develop sustainable nature-based business models, focusing on opportunities for communities.

‘We want to see vibrant, prosperous communities within nature-rich landscapes, as increasingly enjoyed across Europe,’ said Peter Cairns, SCOTLAND: The Big Picture’s executive director.