Back to nature: Masterplan announced to reimagine Scotland’s future forests
Several organisations have joined forces to rewild parts of the country, writes George Mair
A CHAIN of nature-rich rewilding hotspots is to be created across Scotland in a bid to help tackle the nation’s nature and climate crises.
The Northwoods Rewilding Network, launched by the charity Scotland: The Big Picture, will bring together a diverse group of estates, farms, crofts and community-owned land in one of the first schemes of its kind designed to restore nature.
The network of rewilding “stepping stones” will allow more of Scotland’s many smaller landholdings of 50 to 1,000 acres to play a bigger role in restoring and connecting rich habitats full of life to boost declining species, tackle climate breakdown and create opportunities for rural communities.
Organisers say Northwoods will complement Scotland’s major landscape-scale rewilding sites by filling in the gaps in local areas and joining together a tapestry of smaller nature recovery sites and wildlife corridors.
A dozen initial land partners include farms, crofts, small estates and a community woodland covering 3,500 acres between them.
Spanning Scotland, they include Carbeth Home Farm and Little
Drumquharn Farm in Stirlingshire; Ardura Community Forest on the Isle of Mull; Ballinlaggan Farm and Ballintean Farm in the Highlands; Argaty Red Kites; Bamff Wildland, Comrie Croft, and Upper Brae of Cultulich Farm in Perthshire; Drumadoon Farm on Arran; and Kinkell Byre in Fife.
The project hopes to expand to at least 10,000 acres within two years.
James Nairne, Northwoods’ project manager, said: “With Scotland’s nature in crisis, we want to harness the potential of smaller landholdings to come together.
“We need to scale up nature restoration while highlighting the economic and social opportunities that rewilding brings for people.
“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 turn this around.”
Research in 2016 estimated that only 28 countries out of 218 around the world have lost more biodiversity than the UK, with Scotland faring only slightly better than the
United Kingdom average. Scotland is also described by the project as “one of the least wooded countries in
Europe”, meaning native woodland regeneration is a priority across many Northwoods sites.
Rewilding – the large-scale restoration of nature – they say, goes beyond protecting the fragments of nature now left.
It restores vibrant living systems across woodlands, peatlands, wetlands, rivers, and at sea.
Land partners joining Northwoods will work to an agreed set of principles covering issues such as establishing native woodlands, restoring wetlands and creating habitat for missing native species such as beavers, red squirrels, red kites, wildcats and great crested newts as well as heavy grazing animals including horses and Highland cattle.
As well as enabling ecological change on the ground, Northwoods will develop sustainable nature-based business models, focusing on opportunities for local communities.
Peter Cairns, Scotland: The Big Picture’s executive director, said: “We want to see vibrant, prosperous communities within nature-rich landscapes, as increasingly enjoyed across Europe.”
In February, the Scottish Rewilding Alliance, a coalition of more than 20 organisations, launched a campaign for Scotland to become the world’s first “Rewilding Nation”.
The alliance called on the Scottish Government to commit to rewilding 30 per cent of the country’s land and sea within a decade, ahead of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) to be held in Glasgow in November.
An inspiring animation, Rhythms of Life, narrated by wildlife presenter and filmmaker Gordon Buchanan, showed how rewilding can help make Scotland a place where “nature recovers, wildlife flourishes and people prosper”.
Scotland: The Big Picture has launched an appeal to raise £20,000 to help Northwoods develop over its first two years, with match-funding platform The Big Give to double every donation.
The appeal can be supported at bit.ly/northwoodsappeal.
With Scotland’s nature in crisis, we want to harness the potential of smaller landholdings