SCOTLAND: The Big Picture 100 sites strong - Scotland’s rewilding network expands

SSEN Transmission works in partnership with SCOTLAND: The Big Picture and the Northwoods Rewilding Network to identify opportunities to support and fund nature restoration projects that contribute towards our Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) targets, helping to deliver positive outcomes for nature, climate and local communities.

This article was written by SCOTLAND: The Big Picture and tells the story of the Northwoods Rewilding Project, a Scotland-wide network supporting farmers, crofters, communities and landowners to restore nature across the country. The Northwoods Rewilding Network is coordinated by SCOTLAND: The Big Picture and brings together over 100 land partners committed to rewilding and ecological recovery.

Find out more about the project at: https://www.scotlandbigpicture.com/northwoods

100 sites strong: Scotland’s rewilding network expands

A network of farms, crofts and community woodlands committed to rewilding has reached 100 partners across Scotland and a total area of 31,576 acres since its inception in April 2021.

The Northwoods Rewilding Network is convened and coordinated by rewilding charity, SCOTLAND: The Big Picture. Its Scotland-wide chain of landholdings are united by a shared vision for an ecologically restored landscape – where habitats are better connected and species can recover, expand and disperse.

Northwoods Project Lead, James Nairne, recently signed the 100th land partner, Cambo Estate in Fife. He sees this milestone as encouraging proof of an increasing recognition that nature recovery is needed across large portions of Scotland’s landscapes.

‘There is a growing awareness that Scotland is one of the most nature-depleted countries on the planet, but there is also an expanding cohort of people keen to do something about it,’ he explains.

‘Northwoods is the living proof. Since its launch, the appetite for nature restoration has really surprised and thrilled us. From Sutherland to the Solway Firth, this is a landowner-driven aspiration – they’ve come to us more than the other way round.

‘Our network is made up of farmers, crofters, community groups and other landowners, who are responsible for relatively small plots in Scotland, but who have come together to create something much bigger,’ he continues. ‘Many of them are taking their first steps in rewilding, while others are building on longstanding commitments to nature restoration.’

The size of partner rewilding sites ranges from 50 to 1,000 acres. Each Northwoods partner makes rewilding commitments tailored to their specific site, which could involve expanding or enriching native woodlands, restoring carbon-storing wetlands or creating natural corridors to help wildlife move freely across the landscape. By harnessing the appetite for rewilding from individual land managers, the Northwoods Rewilding Network has emerged as a model for how working collaboratively can deliver significant collective impact. So far, the network has driven significant ecological recovery across 31,576 acres of land – more than two thirds the size of Glasgow – whilst creating over 100 jobs and more than £3 million in local investment.

Jasmine Burnley from Cambo Estate said:
‘Cambo is delighted to be the hundredth partner of the Northwoods Rewilding Network. Habitat restoration has long been a key component of Cambo’s approach to land management, so this is a natural step for us and we are greatly excited about the opportunity to work across the network with like-minded land owners.’

‘Rewilding is ultimately about re-establishing dynamic natural processes, and Northwoods was established to help remove the barriers to taking action,’ continues James. ‘Our partners share a determination to be part of the solution to climate breakdown and biodiversity loss – and we support them with ecological knowledge, practical advice and funding opportunities.’

With 100 sites now secured across the length and breadth of the country, from Shetland to Dumfries and Galloway, the focus will now be on finding more funding to ramp up impactful rewilding interventions at existing land partner sites.

The Northwoods Rewilding Network aims to demonstrate how rewilding can be applied across different scales and settings – as well as the range of benefits it can bring for nature, climate and people. As a collaborative network, it enables land managers of small to medium-sized landholdings to share rewilding resources and knowledge. For more information, visit www.scotlandbigpicture.com/northwoods