Highlands Community Explores Purchase of Bunloit Estate for Rewilding Project by Loch Ness
Friday 27 September, 2024 – A local community in the Highlands has expressed interest in purchasing the 513-acre Bunloit estate by Loch Ness, with support from charity Trees for Life. The community-led initiative aims to ensure rewilding on the land, located near the world-famous loch.
Following a public consultation event at Glenurquhart Public Hall in Drumnadrochit on 25 September, Glen Urquhart Rural Community Association (GURCA) has announced plans to explore all options for purchasing all or part of the estate.
Highlands Rewilding Ltd, the current owners of the estate, recently announced their intention to put the land on the market in October. The company’s main focus is “nature recovery and community prosperity through rewilding taken to scale.” They have until January 2025 to repay a £11m loan taken out with the UK Infrastructure Bank and Top Online Partners, in order to secure land for nature restoration.
Bunloit is located in Glen Urquhart on the western shores of Loch Ness and is home to a diverse range of habitats, including native woodland and peatland.
Susan Griffin, Chair of GURCA, said: “We are excited to explore this rare opportunity for a community buyout, especially since Highlands Rewilding’s founder and CEO, Jeremy Leggett, has stated that the local community will have first refusal on any purchase.”
Both GURCA and Trees for Life believe that a community purchase of all or part of Bunloit would not only protect and restore habitats, but also contribute to addressing the nature and climate emergencies. The project also aims to generate local benefits such as nature-based jobs, better health, and a more populated area.
Steve Micklewright, Chief Executive of Trees for Life, said: “We are fully committed to supporting the community as it explores the purchase of land at Bunloit. This could be an exciting model of locally-led rewilding, which would restore biodiversity and enrich lives.”
Details of the land sale at Bunloit, as well as Highlands Rewilding’s other estates at Tayvallich in Argyll and Beldorney in Banffshire, will be made public on 1 October.
In a statement on their website, Highlands Rewilding stated: “We will give preference to local communities wanting to buy the plots of land we are offering, as long as we are able to fulfill our obligations to our 809 shareholders. We have three priority categories of land-sale, and our local communities come first in all of them.”
The statement also clarifies that Highlands Rewilding has the right to choose who they sell the land to, and it does not necessarily have to be to the highest bidder. The company explains: “We are trying to sell land, making no profit, so that it can be locked up for community-centred nature recovery, essentially forever.”
GURCA is Glen Urquhart’s development trust, which works towards a vibrant future for the area and aims to improve the quality of life, work, and leisure for local residents through community-led initiatives. More information can be found on their website at gurca.co.uk.
Trees for Life is a rewilding charity committed to creating nature-rich landscapes in the Highlands that support both people and wildlife. They work alongside communities to restore Scotland’s natural and cultural heritage while also promoting local livelihoods. For more information, visit treesforlife.org.uk.
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