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Highlands Rewilding – Moorland Restoration & Biodiversity Hub in Scotland
Trust T1
- Climate Zones
- Temperate maritime.
- Regenerative Focus
- Rewilding, peat restoration, cultural education.
About this land node
This project restores moorlands and peatlands across the Scottish Highlands, enhancing biodiversity, peat sequestration, and cultural revitalization through community-led rewilding, data-driven monitoring, and regenerative tourism.
Overview
- Project Vision
- Heal Highland landscapes and communities through rewilding.
- Project Purpose
- Restore moorland ecosystems and promote biodiversity while enabling community engagement, carbon sequestration, and sustainable livelihoods.
- Project Title
- Highlands Rewilding
- Political Location
- Scottish Highlands, Scotland
Ecology & biodiversity
- Flora & Fauna
- Heather, Scots pine, red deer, golden eagles, otters.
- Keystone species
- Red deer regulate vegetation and seed dispersal.
- Biodiversity context
- Adjacent to Cairngorms NP, linking Highlands biodiversity.
- Ecological corridors
- Links Cairngorms to Loch Ness.
- Natural boundaries
- Located in River Spey watershed near Cairngorms National Park.
- Ecosystem unity
- Temperate maritime moorlands linking mountains, peatlands, and river valleys to support wildlife and carbon storage.
Climate & water
- Climate Zones
- Temperate maritime.
- Rainfall patterns
- Rainy year-round (~150 mm/month); cold winters.
- Average Rainfall
- 1,500–2,000 mm/year
- Temperature Extremes
- 0°C to 15°C
- Average Temperature
- 7°C average
- Watershed
- River Spey watershed draining to North Sea.
- Aquifers & groundwater
- Sustainable aquifer use and peatland water retention.
- Nearby water bodies
- ≈5 km to River Spey; ≈50 km to North Sea
Land & terrain
- Elevation & slope
- 500–1,000 m; rugged slopes.
- Landforms
- Mountains, peatlands, moorlands.
- Soil Types
- Peaty soils low in nutrients; critical for carbon sequestration and biodiversity.
- Soil health
- Low organic matter, improving with peatland restoration.
- Erosion risk
- Moderate risk due to overgrazing; reduced via rewilding.
- Natural resources
- Water, peat, biodiversity.
- Renewable resource potential
- Solar energy, peatland carbon credits, water harvesting.
People & history
- Land Acknowledgements
- Honours Gaelic culture and stewardship.
- Traditional ecological knowledge
- Gaelic knowledge of land stewardship and rewilding.
- Human Cultures
- Local Highland communities, Gaelic culture, and visitors.
- Cultural continuity
- Local Highland communities, eco-tourists, researchers
- Cultural landscapes
- Peatland rewilding areas, community trails, cultural sites.
- Recent land history
- Past overgrazing reversed by rewilding.
Regenerative practice
- Regenerative Focus
- Rewilding, peat restoration, cultural education.
- Regenerative Methodologies
- Peat rewetting, deer management, native planting, data monitoring.
- Environmental objectives
- Increase forest cover, regenerate peat, restore biodiversity.
- Community objectives
- Engage residents, provide livelihoods, share knowledge.
- Community engagement
- Volunteer programs, eco‑tours, citizen science.
- Economic Model
- Donations, eco‑tourism, carbon credits.
Impact
- Expressed Impact
- Rewilded 800 ha, boosted biodiversity by 15%, engaged 500+ locals.
- Key impact metrics
- Ha restored, carbon sequestered, community involvement.
Visiting & links
- Nearest urban centres
- ≈50 km from Inverness.
- Website
- https://www.ecosystemrestorationcommunities.org/community/highlands-rewilding-uk/
- Social media
- https://www.instagram.com/ecorestorationcommunities