Nominee Summary
Ardhuncart Estate is delivering an ambitious programme of river restoration, habitat enhancement and floodplain reconnection to improve biodiversity, ecological resilience and long-term environmental sustainability. The project focuses on restoring natural river processes, enhancing riparian and wetland habitats, and improving habitat connectivity across the wider landscape through collaborative, evidence-led land management. By working with nature-based solutions and long-term stewardship principles, the estate is demonstrating how productive rural land management can support conservation, climate resilience and healthier ecosystems while delivering lasting environmental benefits for future generations and contributing to more resilient rural landscapes across Aberdeenshire.
What was the motivation?
The restoration work was driven by a long-term commitment to improving biodiversity, restoring natural river processes and enhancing the resilience of the estate landscape for future generations. Recognising the increasing pressures facing rural environments, including habitat fragmentation, biodiversity decline and climate change, the estate identified an opportunity to take a proactive, landscape-scale approach to conservation and habitat restoration. A key motivation behind the project was to reconnect the river with its natural floodplain, improve ecological connectivity and enhance riparian and wetland habitats that support a wide range of wildlife species. Particular emphasis has been placed on improving habitat quality for salmon and trout by restoring more natural river function and creating healthier aquatic environments. Reconnecting the floodplain will also help slow water movement and increase natural water storage within the landscape, contributing towards reducing flood risk further downstream through nature-based flood management. Working collaboratively with organisations including the River Don Trust and Board, the Atlantic Salmon Trust, Buglife, the Woodland Trust, and The Wild Trout Trust, the project combines practical land management with evidence-led conservation and long-term environmental stewardship.
The impact of their work
The restoration work being undertaken at Ardhuncart Estate is delivering significant environmental benefits through improving river function, enhancing biodiversity and restoring natural floodplain processes across the estate. By reconnecting the river with its floodplain and improving riparian and wetland habitats, the project is helping create a more resilient and ecologically connected landscape capable of supporting a wider range of wildlife species. A key aspect of the project has included the installation of Large Woody Structures within the river channel to help restore more natural river processes. These structures create greater variation in flow rates, promote natural gravel deposition and gravel bar formation, and increase habitat diversity within the river corridor. They also provide valuable refuge habitat for juvenile salmon and trout during high flow conditions, while improving spawning and feeding opportunities for aquatic species. The work is helping create healthier aquatic environments and strengthening long-term ecosystem resilience. The restoration work is designed not only to benefit the estate itself, but also the wider catchment. Reconnecting the floodplain and slowing water movement through nature-based approaches is helping improve natural water management and reduce pressure further downstream. Since sections of the floodplain were opened up, estate sheds located further downstream that previously experienced flooding have not flooded, demonstrating the practical benefits of working with natural processes. Collaborative working with the River Don Trust, River Don District Salmon Fishery Board, Wild Trout Trust and Atlantic Salmon Trust has strengthened the project and ensured restoration work is informed by ecological expertise and best practice.
Including the community
Ardhuncart Estate recognises that successful conservation work depends on collaboration, community involvement and promoting a wider understanding of the importance of habitat restoration and sustainable land management. The project has actively engaged with local organisations, environmental partners and members of the local community throughout the restoration process. Local volunteers from the community were involved in riparian tree planting works undertaken as part of the river restoration project. This provided an opportunity for people to become directly involved in practical conservation activities while learning more about the importance of healthy river systems, biodiversity and floodplain habitats. The planting work will contribute to improving riverbank stability, enhancing habitat diversity and supporting long-term river health. The estate has also worked collaboratively with organisations including the River Don Trust, River Don and District Salmon Fishery Board, Wild Trout Trust and Atlantic Salmon Trust, helping to promote awareness of river restoration, natural flood management and habitat enhancement across the wider catchment. By undertaking visible, practical conservation work and engaging with the local community, the project demonstrates how rural estates can play a positive role in protecting and enhancing Scotland’s natural environment. The work highlights the importance of working with natural processes to create healthier, more resilient landscapes that benefit both wildlife and local communities.
