Walk & Talk - Corrour Estate: Data-driven Land Management for Long Term Ecological Sustainability

Corrour is a remote 57,000 acre Highland estate, located in South East Lochaber, at the edge of Rannoch Moor. It is 23,000 hectares (57,000 acres) of hill, moor, forest and lochs with a perimeter of 86 kilometres (54 miles). Activities include forestry, deer stalking, four run-of-river hydroelectric schemes and tourism. The estate has self-catering cottages, runs the Station House Restaurant as well as receiving tens of thousands of visitors each year, including many walkers, hikers and climbers.

The estate is ecologically important, and the land is managed toward long-term ecological sustainability; encouraging the return of the diverse flora and fauna that once flourished and support the natural habitats for many species. Focusing on whole habitats and allowing natural processes to take place, this journey is underpinned by 14 years of data including baseline assessments and ongoing monitoring and measurement. This data is at the heart of decisions regarding land management and this data-driven approach will be a key focus of the Walk & Talk.

Participants will learn about the overall philosophy of Corrour Estate and have the opportunity to see and discuss a number of aspects of the management of the land including:

• Natural regeneration of woodland and restructuring of commercial forestry to new native woodland establishment
• The estate’s approach to deer management in the context of landscape-scale habitat restoration
• How data on habitats and the estate’s flora and fauna is driving future land management decisions and Corrour’s ‘dashboard’ of Ecosystem Health Indicators

We will be hosted by Donald Rowantree, Estate Manager, and Sarah Watts, Conservation Manager, with input from Corrour’s Head Forester, John Sutherland.

This event is free of charge to SLE Members, but booking is essential through the SLE website.

Additional event information:

Meeting point:

We’ll gather at the estate office from 09:30 with a view to starting promptly at 09:45. Tea and coffee will be available on arrival.

The estate office is at the Moy turning. Using a SatNav, input the Corrour postcode PH30 4AA, but where you would leave the A86 onto the Corrour drive, carry on west for about a mile and the Moy turning is on the left through some galvanised gates. A detailed map will be sent to participants the week before the Walk & Talk.

Format of the event

The Walk & Talk will open in the meeting room with an overview of Corrour Estate from Donald Rowantree, Estate Manager, and a presentation from the Corrour’s Conservation Manager, Sarah Watts. We will then get into a smaller number of 4WD vehicles and head out on the estate.

The drive will include a woodland stop where participants will have an opportunity to discuss the restructuring of commercial forestry to native woodland with Corrour’s Head Forester, and a second stop at Loch Treig where we will walk for about an hour and discuss landscape scale habitat restoration and the approach to deer management; reducing the pressure on the land and encouraging and facilitating natural processes.

The walking will be relatively easy.

From Loch Treig we will drive to the Station House for a light lunch before heading back to the estate office to wrap-up. For participants who are interested, there is an option to visit one of the hydropower schemes at the end of the programme.

Other information: Much of this event will take place outdoors, so please bring suitable clothing and footwear.

Booking information: Booking is essential. To secure your place please book online today.

Date: Thursday 4 May, 2023

Time: 09:45 - 15:00