Rewilding in Scotland

Creating healthy woodlands, peatlands and salt marshes in Scotland

Established in 2008 by photographers, filmmakers and writers, SCOTLAND: The Big Picture became the first organisation in Scotland dedicated to communicating the benefits of rewilding and bringing the conversation into the mainstream. Their vision is of a vast network of rewilded land and water across Scotland, where wildlife flourishes and people thrive. Today they remain dedicated to making rewilding happen across Scotland as a solution to the growing climate and biodiversity crises — by influencing opinion and delivering practical change.

Info

Purchase type

By funding this project you are contributing to their work. You will receive impact reports and measurements but you won't receive a carbon credit.

Active since: 31 May 2024

Category

Biodiversity

Background

Why did we choose this project?

Climate breakdown demands natural solutions to habitat restoration and carbon storage. Rewilding is a vital tool in the fight against climate change, restoring ecosystem health and locking away carbon. Healthy native woodlands, peatlands, salt marshes, and seagrass meadows absorb huge amounts of CO2. When these living systems function properly, they can also reduce the impacts of flooding, drought, and wildfires. Rewilding offers us a more hopeful future for nature, climate and people.

How does it work?

The Rewilding Fund provides a pathway to tackle climate breakdown and ecological decline, by returning fully functioning wild ecosystems to thousands of acres across Scotland. All contributions to the Fund are invested in the restoration of natural habitats, either within the Northwoods Rewilding Network – a diverse group of land partners including farms, crofts, small estates and community landholdings – or in Loch Abar Mòr, a landscape-scale partnership in the west of Scotland, which brings together land managers, businesses and communities.

How do we know it's working?

They record and track metrics against a range of Rewilding targets and baseline data, reporting annually on: - No. of Rewilding land partners - Area of land & water committed to rewilding - Area of land & water committed to rewilding (Scotland-wide) - Dashboard of rewilding interventions - Number of trees planted - Number of wetland features created - kilometres of hedgerows planted

UN Sustainability Goals

About UN Sustainability Goals

Location

Highlands, Scotland

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Action feed

Wild boar are a key focus within SCOTLAND: The Big Picture's conservational work. These mammals are dynamic ecosystem shapers that turn over soil, wallow, disperse seeds and boost woodland regeneration. Photo credit: SCOTLAND: The Big Picture

Over a week ago

A highlight of 2025 was the successful release of beavers at a partner site, restoring wetlands, improving water management, and boosting biodiversity.

Over a month ago

One of the project's measurable benefits includes 289 ponds and wetland featuring 2,085m of re-naturalised watercourse.

Over a month ago

Thanks to the Northwoods rewilding project, 1,368 hectares have been set aside for natural tree regeneration.

Over a month ago

Since July 2025, 38,839 riparian trees have been planted.

Over a month ago

Scotland: The Big Picture have produced a visual representation of how a Scottish landscape could develop over half a century with reduced grazing pressure, showing native woodlands expanding, natural processes returning, and biodiversity flourishing.

Over a month ago

Through their Fiadh Project, Scotland: The Big Picture have launched a new film series on deer management. The series demonstrates how deer are an integral part of Scotland's ecosystems, and encourages constructive, solutions-focused dialogue around this sometimes polarised issue.

Over a month ago

In September 2025, after a year of preparatory work, two beaver families were released at a Northwoods partner site north of Loch Ness. This marked a major milestone in restoring this keystone species.

Over a month ago

The Northwoods Rewilding Network are on track to grow their network to 100 land partners by the end of 2025. This is proving to be a powerful catalyst for nature recovery, connecting land, wildlife, and people to build a resilient, nature-rich future.

Over a month ago

🌳 It wasn’t so long ago that wild forests, free-flowing rivers and rich wetlands stretched across much of Scotland, supporting a complex web of life. Today, despite its majestic vistas, Scotland's land is emptier and poorer, its wildlife diminished. 🌱 We have to recognise what has been lost, but more importantly, imagine what could return. Rewilding provides hope for a more nature-rich future that brings a wealth of benefits to us too.

Over a month ago

Rewilding in Scotland joined Pinwheel!

Over a month ago

Northwoods Rewilding Network: a growing network of over 70 land partners - committed to nature recovery, Impact 2021-2023

Over a month ago

Rewilding in Scotland was verified by Pinwheel

Over a month ago