Angus Glens estates deliver £6.6m boost for rural economy, new report finds
Press ReleaseSeven estates in the Angus Glens contributed £6.6m to the economy last year while supporting hundreds of rural jobs, local businesses and biodiversity work, according to a new report published today by the Angus Glens Moorland Group and Scottish Land & Estates.
The report sets out, for the first time, a comprehensive evaluation of the economic, environmental and social impacts of moorland management across seven estates during 2025.
The publication comes at a time when rural communities, biodiversity recovery and wildfire resilience are high on the public policy agenda, and its findings show that active moorland management in the Angus Glens is already delivering practical outcomes across all three.
Among the findings, the estates provided 86 full-time and 768 seasonal jobs, 68 homes in rural areas, annual expenditure of £6.6m, of which £3.66m was spent on employment costs and £2.94m on contractors, goods and services.
The vast majority of expenditure on goods and services – 82.5% – was with local businesses.
There were 84 grouse shooting days during the 2025 season, with 54 seasonal employees required on average, per shoot day, per estate, reflecting the importance of the grouse sector to seasonal work in the region.
The report also demonstrates a diverse ecosystem with abundant native wildlife. Detailed ecological monitoring on one estate recorded 102 bird species, 145 species of butterfly and moth, 19 mammal species and 146 plant species.
Widely distributed across the landholdings are 16 species of bird of prey. The most common of these – White Tailed Eagle, Golden Eagle, Buzzard, Red Kite, Peregrine Falcon and Kestrel – were recorded on every estate.
Key upland species are also found in abundance, including Curlew, Black Grouse, Skylark, Lapwing, and Oystercatcher. These species are facing severe population decline in the rest of the UK, underlining the importance of actively managed upland habitats for their nesting success.
Ross Ewing, Director of Moorland & Strategic Projects for Scottish Land & Estates, commented: “Upland estates in the Angus Glens are creating jobs, providing homes for rural workers, supporting local businesses and enhancing the natural environment.
“With the right support, the Angus Glens can continue to be a stronghold for biodiversity, a driver of economic activity and a model for integrated land management.”
Dawn Black, MSP for Angus North and Mearns, said: “This report demonstrates the enormous contribution that responsible moorland management in the Angus Glens makes to rural Scotland. The estates featured support local jobs, provide housing, sustain local businesses, invest in biodiversity and help maintain some of our most iconic upland landscapes. The evidence presented here shows that these are not single-purpose enterprises, but multi-functional landholdings delivering real benefits for people, rural communities and nature.”
Iona McGregor, Regional Coordinator of the Angus Glens Moorland Group said: “This is the first time we have produced a full report on how integrated land use provides this range of benefits for wildlife, recreation, the economy and rural livelihoods.
“Many people have the impression that all the land is dedicated to country sports but in fact a wide range of activities are undertaken, from woodland creation to biodiversity enhancement, farming and sustainable tourism. This varied land use provides opportunities for job creation and helps ensure the right balance of economic activity with active conservation and community access for leisure pursuits.”
Steve Mitchell of Maryton Garage near Kirriemuir said: “The estates here are fantastic for the area, loads of local businesses benefit. We service all the estate vehicles, the gamekeepers’ vehicles and 4x4s for guests who come for the shooting season. It’s a big part of our business.”
Seven estates contributed to the report, with 54,715 hectares of land under management in all. The estates invested £114,087 in track maintenance during 2025, supporting land management, emergency vehicle access, recreation and research by third party organisations and universities.
Partnership working was a key element highlighted in the report, with dozens of schools, charities local groups and organisations accessing the land for leisure pursuits, education and training, research, or to monitor wildlife, including ecological research conducted by four Scottish universities.
The partnership between Angus Glens Moorland Group and Strathmore RFC is now into its third year, with game from the estates being served as a key part of the Club’s hospitality programme and for the player’s post-match meals. Over the past two seasons 1,519 game meals have been served at the club.
Ross Ewing continued: “We will discuss the report with policy-makers and members of the Scottish Parliament in the coming months and look forward to engaging with them on the issues raised.
“The message from land managers is that they can continue to deliver these benefits for the environment and the economy, as long as the policy direction is clear and there is backing for practical measures which have proved successful – such as wildfire prevention practices and habitat management. The opportunity now is for decision-makers to recognise this contribution and build on best practice. This is a shared opportunity to develop Scotland’s strengths for the future.”
The full report, Moorland Management in the Angus Glens, Economic Environmental and Social Impacts from 2025, and the Executive Summary are available here: