Three estates awarded prestigious Wildlife Estates accreditation recognising their conservation success

Press Release

Three Scottish estates – accounting for over 120,000 acres – have been awarded prestigious international accreditation for their work in wildlife management and conservation.

The award of Wildlife Estates Scotland (WES) accreditation was made today at the GWCT Scottish Game Fair by Scottish Government Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity, Jim Fairlie MSP.

The accreditations were awarded to: Finzean Estate in Aberdeenshire, Glen Creran Estate in Argyll and Reay Forest Estate in Sutherland.

WES is a national version of the European Wildlife Estates initiative. It is endorsed by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Environment.

Agriculture Minister Jim Fairlie commented:

“This awards ceremony is one of my favourite events at the Game Fair and this year’s recipients are continuing to carry the baton for excellent land management practices. Reay Forest, Glen Creran and Finzean estates all show how incorporating nature into your land management and making an asset of the biodiversity on your doorstep can offer huge benefits to both the estates and to Scotland’s environment. I want to commend all three for their hard work and wish them all the best for the future.”

Miles Montgomerie, chair of Wildlife Estates Scotland, said:

"I congratulate these estates on their extraordinary achievement. It is fitting that they should be publicly recognised today, through Wildlife Estates Scotland.

“WES-accredited estates have made a commitment, often at significant cost, to protect and improve habitats, ecosystems and wildlife, for present and future generations to enjoy.

“Achieving WES accreditation is a rigorous process, requiring independent evaluation of conservation work undertaken for the benefit of the natural environment. These three estates are an inspiration to other rural businesses, and indeed to all of us."

The coveted Wildlife Estates accreditation is open to any size and type of landholding, farm, or estate.

Scotland is currently in second place in the league table of Wildlife Estates land in Europe, with only Spain ahead.

The WES-accredited estates are as follows:

Finzean Estate

Nestled in the Grampian hills, Finzean balances sustainable business and tourism activities with wildlife conservation, protection of the environment and the provision of local amenities. Close collaboration with tenants, local trusts and experts to monitor wildlife, habitats and soil health is yielding detailed data. This data is used to inform management plans for continuous improvement.  In addition the estate works with local communities to provide sites for housing at low cost; this sustains local communities and enables people to continue to live in the area.

The woodlands at Finzean are of great biodiversity value, home to rare species including Black Grouse and Capercaillie.  Finzean is working to enhance the condition of semi natural ancient woodland through a range of measures including deer management. Natural expansion of the native woodland and hedgerows is an encouraging sign that grazing numbers are at a sustainable level. Whilst benefiting biodiversity and improving habitats, Finzean's commitment to best practice and sustainable management activities also enhances a landscape that is renowned for its beauty and tranquility.

Andrew Farquharson, co-owner of Finzean Estate said:

“Finzean are proud to have been part of the WES scheme since 2014.  It’s been a great way to show the Estate’s commitment to conservation, sustainable land management and improving biodiversity.

“Being part of WES has also highlighted our long term involvement with the local community to keep it thriving.”

 

Glen Creran Estate

The land at Glen Creran rises from near sea level to over 900m in places. With two Munros and a number of other significant hills, there is a steady stream of visitors enjoying hiking, climbing and Munro bagging. Other parts of the estate are particularly still and tranquil, with minimal human disturbance allowing nature to flourish.

The collection of extensive species and habitat data informs the land management. While limited by the topography, the esate’s efforts to encourage mixed native woodland regeneration are commendable, with the holistic approach having a positive impact. Significant work is also being undertaken to protect and monitor wild Atlantic Salmon, in close collaboration with the Argyll Fisheries Trust. The estate electrofishes salmon and uses a hatchery to support the wild population, eventually returning the fish and any new eggs to the rivers from which they were caught.

Henriette t’Kint de Roodenbeke of Glen Creran Estate commented:

“Our family — originally from Belgium — has been devoted to this beautiful region of Argyll for four generations, ever since we first set foot here in 1979. Coming from a country where industrialisation and urbanisation has left little space for true wilderness, we feel not only privileged to have such a remarkable landscape, but also profoundly responsible for preserving and enhancing its natural beauty.

“That sense of responsibility has guided our actions, most recently in the effort to prevent the construction of a mast on the hill — close to where two golden eagles have nested for years. And for the past five years, we have been working on the reintroduction of wild salmon in the River Creran and the Ure. Protecting species like these, and the fragile habitats they rely on, is not only a duty, but a joy.”

Reay Forest Estate

Reay Forest Estate in Sutherland has received the highest score achieved by any organisation in Europe accredited by Wildlife Estates.

A traditional rural estate, famed for its deer, trout and salmon, Reay Forest is one of the three rural estates in the Grosvenor Estates’ portfolio.

A series of science-led surveys have been carried out including using lasers to create 3D models of the land that are accurate to 5cm, soil organic carbon sampling – measuring the soil’s ability to store carbon and water – as well as an innovative pilot investigating whether environmental DNA in soils can be used as an early indicator of ecological biodiversity and therefore soil health.

Working in partnership with the Atlantic Salmon Trust (AST), Grosvenor’s Reay Forest Estate is also delivering one of the UK’s most extensive conservation projects with the goal of restoring critically endangered wild Atlantic salmon populations. It is hoped the project will restore 118km2 of the landscape – an area the size of urban Manchester – with up to a million trees being planted, enhancing biodiversity and benefitting the whole ecosystem.

Ben Mardall, Estate Manager, Grosvenor’s Reay Forest Estate said:

“Everything we do at Reay Forest is focused on our long-term commitment to delivering a lasting economic, social and environmental benefit in our communities and safeguarding the estate’s unique and sensitive environmental habitats. While we’ve always believed that this was the right approach, it’s wonderful to have all of our people’s hard work independently endorsed by Wildlife Estates. Everyone at Grosvenor is absolutely delighted to receive both the gold award and to have been awarded the highest score of any accredited estate in Europe.”