Rewilding project buys Tayvallich Estate

Tayvallich Estate has been sold to a national company that prioritises “nature recovery and community prosperity through rewilding”. The sale was successfully completed by the end of March.

The estate went on the market last year with offers sought over £10 million, or as 13 individual lots. It includes several islands in the Sound of Jura and three Special Areas of Conservation and five Sites of Specific Scientific Interest.

Highlands Rewilding, the preferred bidder, has now successfully raised the money necessary to buy the estate through crowdfunding and small investments.

The company already owns two existing rewilding sites – Bunloit in Inverness and Beldorney in Aberdeenshire.

Community

The news of Tayvallich Estate’s impending sale caused local concerns that tenants and longstanding members of the community might be forced out if the lots were sold individually.

Tayvallich Initiative was established as a result, with hopes that a community partial-buyout would be possible.

Glic was awarded two contracts by the group to complete housing and land management feasibility studies on the community ownership. This involved assessment of the likely costs and return of various environmental and biodiversity projects in the area, and the potential for development of new affordable housing in the community.

Dr Jeremy Leggett, Highlands Rewilding’s founder and CEO, has stated that it will continue the tenancies and employment currently tied to the estate and that collaboration with the local community is a priority.

Highlands Rewilding intends to carry out projects that would regenerate Atlantic temperate rainforest and maximise biodiversity, creating new job and enterprise opportunities in the process.