Lisa Kjellsson

In no more than 350 words, tell us why you think you/your work should win this award. You may wish to consider factors such as what inspired you, the challenges involved, the impact of the output, and what makes your work stand out?

As a travel writer, I aim to highlight ways to travel sustainably. I believe we should feel free to explore every part of our beautiful planet, but tread lightly and leave a place better than we found it. We can do so by supporting local initiatives, such as the conservation work at Alladale Wilderness Reserve, which I had the privilege of visiting last year. My aim with this feature was to showcase the important rewilding work carried out by the European Nature Trust in the Scottish Highlands, and to pique readers’ interest in Scottish native wildlife. My article for The Times generated much interest and helped drive tourism to the region. The fact that the Caledonian forest is dangerously close to vanishing is something most people are blissfully unaware of, and I wanted to bring it to people's attention. What is so refreshing about Alladale Wilderness Reserve is how they have eschewed the traditional hunting, shooting and fishing format in favour of boosting biodiversity — and educating guests about it. I was inspired to tell the story about Alladale's owner, Paul Lister, whose vision has always been to bring wolves back to Scotland, to regenerate the landscape and create a whole new rural economy around wildlife tourism. His inspiration is Yellowstone National Park in the US, where wolf-watching generates more than £60 million every year. Unlike in America, the Scottish equivalent would be a fenced reserve though, to protect farm animals. Even so, I am well aware that this is a controversial idea and that not all land owners would support it, but I think it is an innovative idea that should be considered. Regardless of whether Alladale succeeds in its mission, my story for The Times created a real buzz around this beautiful part of Scotland and got people talking about land management, conservation, and ways to reinvigorate the rural economy.