Highland landowners team up to revive ecosystem area larger than Edinburgh

Four diverse landowners have formed a unique pact to "reawaken the landscape" across an area of Lochaber bigger than Edinburgh.

The founding members of Beò Airceig are Achnacarry Estate, Arkaig Community Forest (ACF), Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS), and Woodland Trust Scotland (WTS).

These partners offer an almost perfect representation of highland land ownership in microcosm - a traditional estate, a community group that has exercised its right-to-buy, a government agency and a nature conservation charity.

Beò Airceig is an ambitious landscape-scale collaboration project between the community and other landowners in the iconic glens surrounding Loch Arkaig. Partners are working together to regenerate and reconnect the ancient Caledonian pine forests and other surviving rainforest remnants within this area, which is also important for its freshwater, peatland and mountain environments.

"Between us we bring not only a great deal of land to the table but also a huge amount of expertise and experience," said Astie Cameron of Achnacarry Estate.

"We are very excited to be working together. We have much to learn from each other and hope what we achieve will inspire others."

Christina Tracey, forest planning manager with FLS said:

"We have agreed a vision to reawaken the landscape as a thriving natural ecosystem with a rich diversity of habitats that will support a resilient local community of both people and wildlife with an environmental, social and economic balance."

Liam McLoon of Arkaig Community Forest said:

"With 30,000 hectares between us there is a greater prospect of achieving outcomes at landscape scale. Some activities, such as clearing invasive non-native species or increasing biodiversity, have a much greater chance of success if tackled across ownership boundaries."

Henry Dobson who manages Loch Arkaig Pine Forest for Woodland Trust Scotland said:

"Two of the members are national organisations but Beò Airceig has emerged from relationships forged locally and will be led by the land managers on the ground to ensure a focus on practical delivery. It is not expected or realistic that consensus will be reached on every issue, but we have all committed to an agreed set of principles."

The Beò Airceig principles are as follows:

• There will be a primary focus on habitat restoration and ecological enhancement in the project area, using nature-based solutions to ensure ecosystems are robust and more resilient to climate change.
• There is a recognition that direct economic benefits from land management, including income from timber and venison sales, and natural capital investment will continue to be an important objective for some members.
• A commitment to maintain, or increase, biodiversity and rare habitats and species within the project area.
• The long-standing cultural influences on the landscape are recognised and valued. Local communities will be engaged with and consulted regularly. They will have the opportunity to get involved with Beò Airceig, ensuring it benefits and supports the local area.
• Members will actively seek opportunities to cooperate and work across land ownership boundaries including, where appropriate, the sharing of equipment and resources and collaborating on deer management, where possible.
• Information will be shared wherever possible, and members will seek to collaborate, particularly on monitoring.

Notes to editors

For further information contact George Anderson on 07900 891691.

The name Beò Airceig is Gaelic and means 'living Arkaig'.

Achnacarry Estate is the seat of the chiefs of Clan Cameron.

Forestry and Land Scotland manages forests and land owned by Scottish ministers in a way that supports and enables economically sustainable forestry, conserves and enhances the environment, delivers benefits for people and nature, and supports Scottish ministers in their stewardship of Scotland's national forests and land.

Woodland Trust Scotland and Arkaig Community Forest bought Loch Arkaig Pine Forest in 2016 from Forest Enterprise Scotland under the National Forest Land Scheme. Their joint aim is to restore native woodland habitats including Caledonian pinewood, re-connect local people with caring for and managing the land, and using the woods to encourage sustainable rural development in the nearby communities of Achnacarry, Bunarkaig and Clunes.

About the Woodland Trust

The Woodland Trust is the largest woodland conservation charity in the UK with more than 500,000 supporters.

With a vision of a world where woods and trees thrive for people and nature, today the Trust owns and cares for more than 1,000 woodland sites, covering around 33,000 hectares.

The Woodland Trust has three key aims:

1. protecting the UK's rare, unique and irreplaceable ancient woodland
2. restoring damaged ancient woodland, nurturing precious pieces of our natural heritage back to life
3. establishing new native trees and woods to create healthy, resilient landscapes for people and wildlife.

Access to all Woodland Trust woods is free so everyone can experience the physical and mental benefits of trees.