If you haven’t already heard the term, ‘rewilding’ you certainly will as time goes by. This is one of the new directions in conservatism, and involves restoring the natural balance of large swathes of natural wilderness. 

In Scotland, Wildland is one such rewilding organisation, established by Anders and Anne Povlsen to help the conservation and sustainable development of some of Scotland’s most rugged and beautiful country.

Essentially a combined group of traditional estates in Scotland’s stunning north, since 2006, Wildland Ltd has been working with recognised experts to help restore the natural balance of this stunningly beautiful landscape, and to allow others to come, enjoy and in doing so, support the work that is being done.

The Wildland approach is multi-faceted, not just concentrating on rehabilitating the actual countryside, but also protecting the history and communities that live in the Highland areas. 

To that end the conservation work of people like Thomas Mc Donell, Director of Conservation at Wildland, go hand in hand with the commercial operations providing tourism opportunities for those looking to explore this rugged landscape.

Accommodation options are varied, from traditional luxury through to self-catering cottages deep in the mountains and glens, with facilities that include such things as wifi and charging facilities for charging electric and hybrid-electric vehicles. 

This is a case of business and conservation working hand in hand and it is a project that is invested in the long term. The vision is to move from monoculture which has seen widespread overgrazing, to a sustainable mosaic approach, which sees natural lands and habitat return to their original vibrancy. 

“It is a project that we know cannot be realised in our lifetime, which will bear fruit not just for our own children but also for the generations of visitors who, like us, hold a deep affection the Scottish Highlands,” says Wildland founder, Anders Povlsen. 

“All-in-all, we are working towards an entirely sustainable model – everything in balance – a project that can endure beyond what Anne and myself can ever expect to see in our own lifetime.”