Scotland’s leading nature conservation charity has announced its largest ever land acquisition after securing the 7,618-hectare Inverbroom Estate in the Scottish Highlands. The £17.5m purchase of this ecologically and historically significant site, which is larger than the city of Dundee, has been made possible through a gift from a private donor, the largest donation in the Trust’s 60-year history.
Securing the site will enable the charity to significantly enhance its efforts to protect and restore wildlife at scale across Scotland, with planned nature restoration work supporting the Scottish Government’s ambitions to “protect 30 per cent of our land and seas for nature by 2030”, in line with international targets.
Situated approximately eight miles south of Ullapool, the landscape at Inverbroom is one of epic proportions. The site is predominantly made up of peatland, ancient semi-natural woodland, farmland and numerous lochs and lochans, the largest being the 2.5-mile-long Loch a’ Bhraoin. The site is bordered to the east by two rivers, the Broom and the Cuileig, and to the south by two Munros, A’ Chailleach and Sgùrr Breac. The built infrastructure includes two bridges designed by Sir John Fowler, chief engineer on the construction of the Forth Road Bridge, who once owned Inverbroom
Jo Pike, Chief Executive of the Scottish Wildlife Trust, said, “Not only is the purchase of Inverbroom an important milestone for the Trust, but also for Scotland’s efforts to tackle the nature and climate crises.
“The site includes some of Scotland’s most iconic species and habitats, so we are delighted to have been able to secure it for the benefit of Scotland’s wildlife and people, especially as there was also interest from overseas buyers. It has all been made possible by the incredible generosity of a private donor who is passionate about the part that Inverbroom can play in restoring our precious ecosystems, while delivering benefits for local people. We are extremely grateful to the donor for helping us secure this important site, and to our former Chief Executive and current Scottish Wildlife Trust Ambassador, Jonny Hughes, who facilitated the donation.”
Following the purchase, the Trust has announced several ambitions for the site, from the regeneration of river woodland and temperate rainforest habitat to restoring peatlands and removing invasive species. It has made a commitment to the donor that none of the work at Inverbroom will be funded through the sale of carbon credits.
In recent years, the Trust has campaigned for more support to be made available for nature friendly farming. With the acquisition of Inverbroom, it plans to work alongside local farmers to promote sustainable agricultural practices that will benefit nature while maintaining a productive business model.
The Trust is also committed to acting as a responsible landlord and over time will develop opportunities for local employment, training and volunteering.
Scott Renwick, whose family have farmed at Inverbroom for three generations, said, “We as a family are delighted to have the opportunity to work alongside the Scottish Wildlife Trust. Our grandfather moved to Inverbroom in 1933, so the family have had a knowledge of the land for 92 years. There is an incredible diversity of wildlife on the estate, from sea-level to 3,300ft, from seals on the shore to ptarmigan on the tops. It is exciting to be involved with a highly respected organisation who will take traditional hill farming and wildlife preservation hand in hand, so that we can continue to farm at Inverbroom in such a way as to protect the natural environment.”
Pike added, “Our vision is for a network of healthy, resilient ecosystems on land and sea, supporting Scotland’s wildlife and people. As with our wider work in the North West, Inverbroom provides us with a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate that managing a landscape for wildlife and climate can go hand in hand with managing it for people. We have already held positive and constructive conversations with members of the local community and look forward to working together to create a sustainable future for Inverbroom.”
Image: Inverbroom, Landfor