United Kingdom: Huge 200,000 hectares of Scottish Highlands set to be rewilded

As a part of a 30-year project to restore wildlife, a large cover of the Scottish Highlands running between the west coast and Loch Ness is set to be rewilded. The 'Affric Highlands project' intends to connect ecosystems and boost species diversity throughout a 2,00,000-hectare area that includes the Kintail mountain range, as well as the glens of Cannich, Moriston, and Shiel.

Planting trees, strengthening river corridors, recovering peat bogs, and developing environment-friendly farming practices are all part of the strategy, according to a report by The Guardian. The project was initiated following two years of discussions and meetings with local residents and environmentalists from the 'Trees for Life' charity. 

It's a community-led attempt to restore nature over a vast region, similar to the 'WildEast project' in East Anglia, that organisers hope will be a catalyst for social and economic revitalization, the report stated. 

The Affric Highlands initiative is located on the west of the Cairngorms Connect project, which covers 60,000 hectares and is one of the United Kingdom's largest land restoration projects. The Affric Highlands project is three times the size of Cairngorms Connect in terms of total area but only a quarter of the Affric Highlands region is being controlled by people who have signed up, such as farmers, landlords, and fishermen.

However, Alan McDonnell, the project leader, hoped that more people will come on board once the project is launched. He was quoted by The Guardian as saying

"This was previously a much more populated region with abundant species, and we believe we can re-establish that connection once again. The idea behind doing it at scale is that you get a much larger natural response because the landscape allows for change and dynamism."

Practical work on the ground set to begin in 2023

McDonnell has met with over 50 local stakeholders and has been working with a psychologist to assist him in interacting with those who may be sceptical about this, as well as ease fears of livelihood loss that have accompanied previous rewilding projects in the United Kingdom.

Meanwhile, The Esmée Fairbairn Foundation has provided a £200,000 grant to support a two-year development period, during which McDonnell is expected to hire three full-time employees to work on the project. The practical work on the ground is expected to start in 2023.

As a part of the Caledonian Forest restoration, 'Trees for Life' has already planted 2 million trees. On the 4,000-hectare Dundreggan estate, the organisation plans to open its rewilding centre in 2022, which will have 40 beds, event areas, classrooms, and a cafe, reported The Guardian.

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