Riccardo Liguori Thanks to the donation, a sporting estate in the Scottish Highlands will be transformed into a thriving ecosystem. The Scottish Wildlife Trust plans to restore forests and peatlands, ending deer shooting and promoting biodiversity
@Landfor
The Scottish Highlands are on the verge of a green revolution. With a very generous £17.5 million ($21.5 million) donation from an anonymous donor, the Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT) has acquired the Inverbroom Estate with a view to turning it into a rewilding model.
The ambitious plan will restore indigenous forests, bring back degraded peat moors, and give wildlife an ideal habitat. But not everyone welcomes the proposals: the ending of deer stalking would create tensions between the estate and local sporting estates.
An oasis for biodiversity
Located near Ullapool, the Inverbroom Estate is 7,600 acres (3,078 hectares) in size and has the top of Sgùrr Breac, which is 3,278 feet (999 meters) above sea level. The estate was used earlier for sporting tourism and hunting, but it is now set to serve as an example of environmental preservation.
SWT has already outlined the initial steps towards rewilding: establishing an Atlantic rainforest, restoring forest plantations along the river, and re-growing peat bogs. These habitats are crucial in the battle against climate change, storing CO2, and preserving biodiversity.
Ending hunting: a controversial decision
One of the most controversial aspects of the project is stopping deer and ptarmigan hunting. The deer in the Highlands are ever-increasing, and overgrazing is threatening forest regeneration. Many environmentalists argue that deer populations need to be reduced for the recovery of the ecosystem. However, this may bring about conflict with neighboring hunting estates, which derive income from hunting.
In order to compensate for the financial cost of the transition, SWT will redevelop the Inverbroom Lodge, a Victorian villa with 11 bedrooms and an indoor swimming pool, as a high-end holiday home. Rental revenue will be used in the management of the estate.
A new conservation model
The purchase of Inverbroom by an environmental charity raises questions about the future of Scottish land management. Land reform expert Andy Wightman has voiced his concerns, highlighting that conservation must be encouraged through public policy rather than private acquisition.
But more and more charities and local communities are going down this path. For example, the Assynt Foundation purchased a large area of land in the Assynt Peninsula in 2005 and redeveloped Glencanisp Lodge as a boutique hotel to fund conservation work.
SWT is seeking additional funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and government grants for restoring ecosystems. Meanwhile, the kind anonymous donor will cover management expenses for the foreseeable future, ensuring a secure future for the project.
The Inverbroom experience is one of a growing trend: the implication that conservation has to be compatible with sustainable economic development.
