Kinclune is an organic farm situated on the edge of the Angus Glen near Kirriemuir. The farm is run by two sisters, Aylwin and Virginia, who believe that livestock can provide a healthy, sustainable food supply for the nation while also providing environmental benefits. The farm has cattle, sheep and pigs which are managed in a way that promotes biodiversity. The sisters have a passion for the waders at Kinclune Farm and, with the help of the RSPB and Working for Waders, have used habitat creation, predator control by local gamekeepers, tree removal and appropriate livestock management to improve and protect the wader population on the farm. The sisters were motivated in part by the overwhelming negative stories in the media about climate change and livestock farming. The pair shared their personal experiences on social media through the Nature Friendly Farming Network, with Aylwin as a leading member of the group.
In 2021, the RSPB recorded 47 bird species at Kinclune Farm, 25 of which were on the Red or Amber Lists of threatened birds. These findings highlight the importance of farmland habitats for threatened species. As a result of this success, Kinclune Farm was an RSPB winner in the food and farming category of the 2021 Nature of Scotland Awards. The sisters have shown the local community and the rest of the country that farming can play a key role in biodiversity, particularly for threatened species. With their success at Kinclune Farm, Aylwin and Virginia can inspire other landowners to take an active role in biodiversity on their own farms and estates. Importantly, the conservation work carried out at Kinclune Farm demonstrates that there are many benefits to be gained from managing livestock with sustainability and biodiversity in mind.