Bunloit
Bunloit Estate is based on the west shores of Loch Ness in Inverness-shire. The site contains a mosaic of habitats from native woodland to peatland, pastures to plantations. Overlooked by the mountain Meall Fuar-Mhonaidh, the land was purchased at the beginning of 2020, kick starting the journey to becoming a biodiverse carbon sink that fights the crises of climate meltdown and biodiversity collapse.
Since the start of the project, the Bunloit estate has been the subject of a twelve-month consultation with conservation groups, scientists, expert ecologists, government and the local community. In the second year we conducted baseline natural capital surveys that are informing our land management plan for the future.
We have published detailed land management plans for Bunloit, following our natural capital baselining. These are presented in our latest report, Building Natural Capital.
If you would like to bring your team to visit Bunloit Estate and gain insight into the emerging natural capital economy, explore our retreats page. If you have a smaller group and are looking for a self-catered holiday cottage at Bunloit, head over to our cottage stays page.
START YEAR: 2020
SIZE: 513 hectares
HABITAT: Mosaic of broadleaf woodland, grassland, peatland and non native plantations
Timber Harvesting Operation Bunloit Estate - January 2025
More information on forestry works for peatland restoration at Bunloit.
Bunloit insights
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The area of Bunloit has been inhabited for centuries. It was originally part of the larger Balmacaan estate, with records dating back to 1545 showing a sparsely populated area with 4-5 dwellings along the lower Bunloit slope, leading down to the water’s edge. By 1875, there were twenty-three roofed buildings recorded on Bunloit Farm, in the first edition of the Inverness-shire OS map.
Much of the land comprised of moorland for game, forestry, common grazing and cultivated areas for livestock and crops. However, after World War II, people moved away from the area and the land was sold and let out for grazing.
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The intertwining ecosystems of woodland, peatland and grassland provide a home for an abundance of species, from the microorganisms in the soil to the large mammals that roam the land. Bunloit hosts a variety of Scottish species such as the pine marten and red squirrel, as well as the more commonly known mammal species, badger and fox. A mix of roe, sika and red deer also live on the estate, accompanied by wild boar.
Bird life also excels here with sightings of crested tits, crossbills, barn and tawney owls, a variety of raptors including ravens, red kites and golden eagles. Such a diverse web of life creates a place that erupts with life through the warmer months as the insects emerge, alongside the rich flora of the Highlands.
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Woodland
In the south we have oak, birch and juniper woodlands, supporting internationally significant lichen populations. The deep wooded ravine of the Grotaig burn holds moisture so well that it contains an exceptional rainforest community. In the north we have areas of Scots pine, as well as a number of plantations of non-native conifers. We will mostly replace these plantations with mixed native tree species, boosting biodiversity and long-term carbon sequestration. We are controlling deer numbers to allow the planting and natural regeneration of trees to prosper.
Peatland
On the plateau, sitting at 260m above sea level, are three areas of peatland with peat up to 4 metres deep. In August we see their full beauty as the heather blooms and covers the estate in a blanket of purple. As we control drainage and fell the non-native plantations atop them, we should be able to turn these bogs into much improved carbon reservoirs.
Grassland
Our pastures have likely been farmed without the use of chemicals for thousands of years, and erupt with fauna and flora in the spring. Rewilding initiatives by Rewilding Europe, Knepp Wildland and others, offer encouragement that optimising the mix of grazers in the pastureland will lead to both greater biodiversity and increasing carbon content in our soils.
What are we doing at Bunloit?
Natural Capital
Baseline surveys were completed in 2021, measuring the carbon stored on the estate and the biodiversity that lives upon it. The results, methodologies and recommendations can all be found in our first Natural Capital Report that was launched at COP26. We will continue to monitor the land each year as we implement new strategies and assess the effects of our work, learning as we go to develop best practice in rewilding.
Land management plans, building on Bunloit’s baseline, can be found in our latest report Building Natural Capital, with monitoring updates in our Fourth Natural Capital Report: Monitoring nature restoration.
Land and Habitat Management
Felling some of the non-native conifer plantations that sit atop peatland and within our broadleaf woodland began in 2022. As part of our aim to improve biodiversity and carbon storage on Bunloit Estate we are planning a project which involves forestry works and peatland restoration. You can read more about this in our blog. Grasslands at Bunloit are also being improved using a form of adapted multi-paddock grazing.
Thermal drone imagery - deer and boar
As part of our data-gathering and analysis, in early 2024, BH Wildlife Consultancy conducted a thermal imaging drone survey of Bunloit estate, to check the numbers of deer and boar on the estate. We share those findings here.
We have a growing programme of monitoring boar on Bunloit estate, and if you are interested in our approach, please also read this blog, written prior to the thermal drone surveys.
We will continue to research and collaborate with neighbours to assess numbers and, where possible, monitor impacts on other land.
Community
Creating a place that benefits people as much as nature is a top priority across all Highlands Rewilding projects. At Bunloit we are working with the local school to provide outdoor education classes, and are consulting regularly with the local, regional, national and international communities as we seek to navigate the most beneficial routes for the future. You can also volunteer at Bunloit, on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month, head to our Get Involved page to find out more.
Hairy Wood Ant Reintroduction
In Spring 2024, we reintroduced the hairy wood ant back into our pine woodland. This is a species which can play a disproportionally big role in the ecosystem.
You can read more about how we relocated these nests in our blog. We are keeping a close eye on these nests as they re-establish. Follow our social media channels for more regular updates on these small but mighty ecosystem engineers. Watch our YouTube playlist for video updates on the wood ant nest relocations.
Soil science and collaboration
Soil science is crucial but can also be very resource-intensive, and working together is one important way of making it feasible.
At Bunloit we are conducting and experiment together with soil scientists and ecologists associated with Oxford University’s Leverhulme Centre for Nature Recovery and Nature-based Solutions Initiative. This experiment focuses on Mycorrhizal fungi and native woodland establishment.
For this we have planted a range of native tree species with and without pellets containing the soil fungi that those trees associate with. We plan to monitor tree growth and soil properties to assess the effects of such interventions.
Bunloit vision
Bunloit is the primary scientific test-bed of Highlands Rewilding. With innovative research and cutting edge technologies, we will become an open air laboratory that will provide the evidence base for change in land management practices, towards a more sustainable model for people and nature.
The local community will benefit from rural green new jobs, enhanced nature and investment in the local area. Children will be inspired about the environment whilst eco-businesses prosper in the surrounding area.
Bunloit is also part of a wider vision, to create an east to west corridor called Affric Highlands. Encouraging landscape-scale rewilding and re-peopling at the heart of the Highlands.