Carbeth Home Farm and neighbouring Little Drumquharn have joined Northwoods – a network created by Scotland the Big Picture to support and facilitate small scale rewilding and ecological restoration projects in Scotland. Northwoods aims to prove the power of rewilding at this scale to restore habitats, recover wildlife populations, mitigate climate change and support rural communities.
Key aims fo the network
- To increase the area of land committed to rewilding for the benefit of nature, climate and people.
- To enable effective rewilding actions, grounded in best practice, to deliver positive ecological, environmental and socio-economic outcomes.
- To demonstrate new models of land management and showcase the successes of partners, leading to more rewilding actions across different settings.
- To demonstrate the range of nature-based business opportunities rewilding can drive, promoting it as a viable option for small and medium-sized landowners.
- To expand knowledge and understanding of the principles and benefits of rewilding.
Core rewilding principles
- Establishment of new native woodland and enrichment of existing woodland
- Creation or restoration of peatlands, ponds and wetlands
- Naturalisation of watercourses and flood plains
- Removal of wildlife migration barriers and improvement of habitat connectivity
- Returning missing native species and/or expanding the range of existing species
- Revitalising natural processes such as vegetation succession, predator-prey interactions and nutrient cycling
- Establishment of natural grazing patterns
- Engagement with local communities to explore opportunities around recreation, education and employment
- Development of diverse and sustainable nature-based enterprise based on rewilding principles
