Every spring, male lambs are castrated to avoid unwanted pregnancies. It is routine sheep husbandry, but how it is done matters. In May, Farm Manager Erik Riddell trialled ClipFitter, a Scottish invention that applies a clip to crush the cords, nerves and blood supply. #RegenerativeFarming

The job of Estate Manager at Tayvallich is varied. Last week saw Ewan Paterson fitting in a bit of bracken rolling. Bracken, left to its own devices, can become a bit of a headache. It crowds out grasses and rules out grazing. The solution? An ATV, a heavy roller, and a bit of plant biology.

A new deer larder at Tayvallich. Improved access to local venison – available now. Across Scotland, deer numbers are higher than the land can sustain. Local venison ⁠reduces food miles, supports rural economies, meets national standards, increases food security.

Divers, trays of seagrass plants – a seabed ready for meadow expansion at Loch na Cille. With Seawilding, we transplanted seagrass from Loch Craignish to a new home off the shores of Tayvallich. Seagrass meadows improve water quality, support biodiversity, stabilise sediment and sequester carbon.

@jeremyleggett.bsky.social is in the middle of the action at the #BlueEarthForum for #LondonClimateActionWeek. London is baking. Inside, we are working out how to make an ethical profit from solving the climate emergency. The founder of Highland Rewilding and NatureProsperity is part of it.

The new Great Glen Way through land managed by Highlands Rewilding at Bunloit is now open. More than 3km (Drumnadrochit, Grotaig) has been rerouted off the public road. Funding for construction and route management by @highland.gov.uk Council and expertly constructed by Hitrak Ltd.

Two Beef Shorthorn bulls are settling in well at Tayvallich under the watchful eye of Erik Riddell.They've come from a fully grass-based system and bred for low-input farming: small-framed cows that carry themselves through a Scottish winter outside. #RegenerativeFarming #GrassFed #SoilHealth

In thirty years, the hillside on South Bunloit will be unrecognisable. Keir Smith, describes what that future looks like. This is rewilding not as leaving land alone, but as a considered, long-term plan for wildlife and for the communities around it. The work starts now. The reward comes later.

We have an important and exciting announcement to share. Jeremy Leggett, our founder and Chair, has made the decision to focus his full energy on NatureProsperity, the nature-positive investment company that launched on Friday. Keir Smith is stepping up as Acting CEO. Keir has been COO since 2023.

Today, on World Environment Day, @NatureProsperity goes live. Highlands Rewilding is part of it. NatureProsperity is built around a simple idea: nature recovery, done rigorously, can attract serious long-term investment. Highlands Rewilding is the nature recovery partner at the heart of that model.

🌱 A wee woolly mat for each sapling The first native trees are now going into the South Bunloit New Wood above Loch Ness. Each sapling is planted into a biodegradable sheep’s wool mat – helping suppress gorse regrowth while the young tree establishes itself. #NativeWoodland #NatureRestoration

At South Bunloit, something practical is taking shape. South Bunloit, one of our OSPREY partners, is now a NatureProsperity Resilience Reserve. More on what the model means when NatureProsperity launches publicly next Friday, 5th June #WorldEnvironmentDay #ResilienceReserve

“Acting locally for global impact,” is a call for us all to take action on this, International Day for Biodiversity, to halt and reverse biodiversity loss. #InternationalDayForBiodiversity #BiodiversityDay #IDB2026 #ActingLocallyForGlobalImpact #HaltBiodiversityLoss #ForNature #ScottishRainforest

Take a look across the water to Taynish National Nature Reserve for a glimpse of what Tayvallich once was, and what it could become again. #Scotlandsrainforest #woodland #carboncredits #rewilding #regenag #Natura2000 #Natura2000Day #EuropeanNatura2000Day

Why did we microwave the gorse? When you clear land for new woodland, you release the carbon stored in what you removed. But how much? Almost no UK measurements of gorse had been made, until now. Clearance here was planned carefully, outside the bird breeding season.

Sheep at Tayvallich are playing their role in nature recovery, helping wintering geese find the food they need to thrive. By grazing the grass to just the right height, they keep the land perfect for these migratory visitors. On #WorldMigratoryBirdDay watch the full story, first shown in Oct 2025

From Gorse to Woodland. Film One. Meet the mulching machine cutting through dense gorse above Loch Ness. This is where the South Bunloit New Wood begins. Gorse is a native species. It supports wildlife and enriches soil. But at this density, woodland cannot establish through it. #WoodlandCreation

‘Our native oysters say “No” to hand gathering’ These new signs are now in place and the children from the Tayvallich wildlife club, helped install them. Now, visitors to Loch Sween can clearly see that these oysters are protected and why they need to be left undisturbed.#NativeOysters #MarineLife

We’re protecting Loch Sween’s native oysters with NatureScot and the local community by installing new signage at key access points around Tayvallich helping visitors understand both the law and the fragility of what lies beneath the surface. #oysters www.highlandsrewilding.co.uk/blog/our-nat...

🌳 Today is Arbor Day A moment to celebrate trees and the landscapes they help shape. 🌱 Coming soon – films from a innovative woodland creation project at Bunloit Estate #ArborDay #Woodland #TreePlanting #NatureRecovery #Rewilding

We were joined by adults and children from the Tayvallich Wildlife Club to install bat boxes designed for common and soprano pipistrelle bats; small but vital species that act as important indicators of a healthy ecosystem. We are happy to celebrate #BatAppreciationDay today.

An otter has been spotted on camera – twice – the first sighting in more than 3 years at Bunloit Estate. This male otter could be out looking for a mate – males have big territories and travel far. Otters eat fish (when they can find them) but also frogs, toads and newts. #otters #biodiversity

🌱 Growing more than food Food growing is powerful in more ways than one. Working together, being outdoors, and sharing a common purpose can bring real benefits for wellbeing. The Let Us Grow project– food for the community – building connections. #Community #LocalFood #FoodSecurity #NatureRecovey

🌱 From garden to community Food grown through the Let Us Grow project is grown locally and shared locally. Fresh, sustainable produce which looks great…and tastes even better. In the next episode find out the hidden benefit of this sort of activity. #Community #LocalFood #FoodSecurity

Growing food, strengthening community. Early spring marked the first session of the year for the Let Us Grow project – a Joint Venture between Highlands Rewilding and GURCA in response to the Community Action Plan written by GURCA and initiated through grants from the NatureScot FIRNS project.

Before winter turned to spring… Senior Ranger Daniel Holm was out surveying the woodlands at Bunloit – reading the landscape for signs of browsing pressure and animal activity. At this time of year, the evidence of the past winter is still visible – each detail tells a story. #WoodlandRestoration

From Empty Buildings to New Opportunities. The Barrahormid Trust, an OSPREY partner has gained planning permission in principle for the redevelopment of 8 abandoned properties. They will be offered at affordable prices, with priority given to buyers who have a housing need and local connections.

News from the nests. Each spring, we return to check on the smallest residents on Bunloit estate. Almost 2 years ago, we translocated Hairy Wood Ant nests. Since then, it’s been a waiting game each winter – have they survived? Dr Penelope Whitehorn revisits both sites to find out how they’ve fared.

Part 4 Storms reshape the edge of land and sea. What happens next matters. At Tayvallich, Marine Rewilding Lead David is assessing storm damage to the salt marsh – a fragile habitat that protects coastlines, stores carbon, and supports life above and below the waterline. #WorldRewildingDay

Part 3 Rewilding is not something we do alone. At Bunloit, Estate Manager Alex is leading a volunteer day – planting trees, surveying birds, and bringing people into direct contact with the land they’re helping to restore. In Part 4: Storms reshape land and sea. What happens next matters.

Part 2 Can cattle help rewild land? At Tayvallich, farm manager Erik is using remote cow collars to guide the herd - not with fences, but with invisible boundaries. It allows us to move animals precisely and protect sensitive areas. In Part 3: Rewilding is not something we do alone.

Part 1 Rewilding isn’t guesswork. It’s measured. At Bunloit, Head Ranger Daniel Holm is on the land carrying out a browsing survey - a critical task – examining how much new woodland growth is being eaten and disturbed. In Part 2: Can cattle help rewild land? #WorldRewildingDay

#ChooseOurFuture – 4 people. 1 mission. Rewilding in action. Drop into the estates managed by Highlands Rewilding to see some of the work shaping a positive future. This #WorldRewildingDay, we’re sharing a glimpse of what rewilding looks like in practice, through the voices of our team.

The Barrahormid Trust has been successful in being awarded planning permission in principle for eight abandoned properties on the Barrahormid Estate in Tayvallich, managed by Highlands Rewilding. #ruralhousing

@hannahrudman.bsky.social (host) and @jeremyleggett.bsky.social (speaker) will be at the #NATUREFINANCEINTOACTIONEVENT tomorrow, Thursday 19th March. @naturescot.bsky.social and the University of Edinburgh are hosting this full day event, discussing all things natural capital finance.

A new ecological survey of our Northwoods Rewilding Network compared rewilded areas with neighbouring non-rewilded land – and the differences are striking. Clear evidence that rewilding is driving dramatic nature recovery across Scotland. 👉 Discover the full story: https://bit.pulse.ly/dyhomd7pi4

Following on from Friday’s film featuring the seagrass meadow at Tayvallich, today, on #WorldSeagrassDay, we turn to restoration and the pioneers helping lead it. Join Marine Rewilding Lead David Smyth and Danny Renton, Founder and CEO of Seawilding, from Loch Craignish.

A seagrass meadow – in exceptional condition – at Tayvallich, needs protection and extension. Marine Rewilding Lead David Smyth and researcher Rebekah Bajko (Queen’s University Belfast) take us underwater to survey a site that is not just biodiverse, but unusually intact. #worldseagrassday

In The Herald today. A detailed look at @jeremyleggett.bsky.social's concept of the “Nature Prosperity Pump” – how linking forest restoration with sustainable timber construction could help tackle both the rural housing crisis and the climate and biodiversity emergencies. #NaturalCapital

Today, on #InternationalDayOfWomenAndGirlsInScience, we’re proud to spotlight two members of the Highlands Rewilding team whose work is helping shape how nature recovery is understood, financed and delivered. @hannahrudman.bsky.social

Work is underway at Bunloit Estate to make the Great Glen Way safer and more enjoyable. We’re delighted to be working with the @highland.gov.uk on this project which will see more than 3km of the Great Glen Way, removed from the public road, and into Bunloit estate’s natural woodland.

We are delighted to welcome walkers on this new route through Bunloit estate. Taking the Great Glen Way off-road will undoubtably make the area safer for everyone, while opening up some beautiful views and guiding people through the mosaic of wildlife habitats we're restoring at Bunloit.

Captured on camera during a recent drone survey at Tayvallich Estate, carried out by BH Wildlife Consultancy. A young Sika stag and a fox sharing the same space with little reaction. This is one small glimpse from a wider survey. We’ll be sharing more insights from the work in due course.

#WorldWetlandsDay | Helping ancient peatlands to breathe again 💨 Peatlands are one of the world’s most important wetland ecosystems. Covering just 3% of the Earth’s surface, they store 30% of the world’s soil carbon – twice as much as forests combined. At Bunloit estate, we are restoring peatland.

Highland Rewilding – one of only two Scottish organisations to adopt the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) 🔗 Read this blog www.highlandsrewilding.co.uk/blog/in-conv..., a conversation between @hannahrudman.bsky.social and @helen001.bsky.social about TNFD

Two UK newspapers have picked up on research led by our Co-Chief Scientist Calum Brown, exploring why non-native Sika deer could outcompete Scotland’s native Red deer. www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-15453713/British-red-deer-fate-red-squirrels.html

Farming and rewilding are often seen as opposites. But what if they could work together to restore nature? Regenerative agriculture can be a powerful tool for ecosystem restoration. #rewilding #regenerativeagriculture #highlandcattle *film first shown in Spring 2025 #OFC26 #ORFC26

Healthy, ethical, locally sourced. A new larder at Tayvallich will value deer beyond the cull. An improved, on-site facility will allow us to process venison directly on the estate to supply healthy, ethical, locally sourced meat to our community, local businesses, and potentially schools.

2025 - the science that guides us, the celebrations that lift us, the people that make it happen Thank you to everyone who has supported, encouraged, and followed us this year, on our mission for nature recovery. Wishing you a peaceful, restorative, and hopeful festive season. #naturerecovery

First results from our Sapling Protection Trial At Bunloit Estate we’ve been experimenting ways to protect young trees from deer browsing. The trial : * an untreated control area (4 plots) * a Trico-treated (lanolin spray) area (4 plots) * a sheep fleece treated area (4 plots)