Hello, we're Tom & Chloe from the Grange Project. After rewilding our own farm in Wales we set out on a journey across Britain to discover other places where nature is being given space to recover. Of all the nations in the UK, Scotland arguably leads the way on scale and ambition. Here you'll find projects measured in tens of thousands of hectares, community buy-outs to reclaim land for nature, and plans that span centuries rather than election cycles.
This article is part of our "Top Rewilding Projects UK" series. It focuses on five trail-blazing Scottish projects that have inspired us with their long-term vision, community involvement and sheer determination. Each entry includes a brief history, key facts and some of our personal reflections, plus podcasts or videos if you'd like to learn more.
From the windswept Cairngorms plateau to the peat bogs of Langholm and the glens of Sutherland, these projects demonstrate what's possible when ambition, science and community come together.
Cairngorms National Park landscapeKey Species
Cairngorms Connect
It's hard to overstate the ambition of Cairngorms Connect. This partnership between neighbouring land managers aims to restore natural processes across 60,000 hectares – making it the largest contiguous habitat restoration project in Britain. With a 200-year vision at its core, the project is restoring Caledonian pine forests, floodplains, blanket bogs and riparian woodland, while allowing more than 5,000 species to flourish.
What inspires us about Cairngorms Connect is the sheer scale of thinking – a 200-year vision that will outlast us all. Though we haven't yet walked among those regenerating Scots pine stands, the project reminds us that rewilding requires patience: the full results may not be seen for generations, but the groundwork is being laid now. It's a humbling lesson we try to carry into our own work.
Highlights
- 200-year plan to restore Caledonian woodland, wetlands and wildlife
- Managing deer to allow natural regeneration
- Removing non-native conifers from thousands of hectares
- Restoring blanket bogs and hydrology across four estates
Resources & Media
Cairngorms Connect Deer Project
Scotland Outdoors (2023) explores how deer management is critical to forest recovery
Beasts of the Peat & How to Grow a Forest
Cairngorms Connect shares audio tours and short talks on their SoundCloud page
Listen now
© Trees for Life / Dundreggan EstateKey Species
Dundreggan Rewilding Estate
North of Loch Ness lies Dundreggan, a pioneering estate purchased by Trees for Life in 2008. Covering roughly 4,047 hectares, the land is being transformed back into Caledonian forest through a mix of tree planting and natural regeneration. The estate's tree nursery grows saplings from seeds collected on site, volunteers plant trees by the thousand and grazing pressure has been reduced – deer numbers were cut from 16 per km² to just 5, allowing seedlings to thrive. More than 4,000 species of plants and animals have been recorded at Dundreggan, and golden eagles nested here in 2020 for the first time in 40 years.
From afar we've followed Dundreggan's journey with admiration. What draws us to this project is the combination of ecological ambition and community engagement – it shows that large-scale rewilding can coexist with tourism, volunteering and cultural activities. The estate hosts Gaelic events and folklore tours alongside reforestation work, weaving culture and nature together in a way we find deeply inspiring.
Highlights
- Tree planting and natural regeneration across the estate
- Dedicated tree nursery growing saplings from local seeds
- Deer numbers reduced from 16 to 5 per km²
- Dundreggan Rewilding Centre opened in 2023
Resources & Media
Rewilding in Dundreggan
Stories of Scotland (2024) – hosts Annie and Jenny meet staff at the Dundreggan Rewilding Centre
Trees for Life: Dundreggan Overview
Official overview explaining the rewilding journey, the on-site nursery and the centre
Read more
© Tarras Valley Nature ReserveKey Species
Tarras Valley Nature Reserve
Few rewilding stories move us as deeply as the community-led creation of Tarras Valley Nature Reserve. In 2021, residents of Langholm raised £3.8 million to purchase 4,250 hectares of moorland, rivers and peat bog. A second fundraising drive followed, bringing the total area to over 4,249 hectares. The reserve's aims include restoring degraded peatlands, expanding native woodland, encouraging natural regeneration and reintroducing keystone herbivores. Early success has seen rare raptors such as hen harriers and buzzards return.
The story of Langholm inspires us – ordinary people coming together to buy their land back for nature. Though we haven't yet walked those moorlands, we're moved by the community's vision of gifting a living landscape of forests, wetlands and heath to future generations. It's proof that grassroots action can achieve extraordinary things.
Highlights
- Community raised £3.8 million to purchase the land
- Restoring peatlands and ancient woodland
- Reducing grazing to encourage natural regeneration
- Six new jobs created through nature-based enterprises
Resources & Media
Tarras Valley Nature Reserve
Discover the community-led Tarras Valley Nature Reserve in the Scottish Borders
Rewilding Britain: Tarras Valley Case Study
Details the fundraising milestones and restoration objectives
Read more
© Borders Forest Trust / CoreheadKey Species
Wild Heart of Southern Scotland
Carrifran Wildwood is where the modern UK rewilding movement began. On 1 January 2000 a small group of volunteers planted the first trees in a windswept valley in the Southern Uplands. Nearly a quarter-century later, the project has grown into the Wild Heart of Southern Scotland, encompassing Carrifran as well as the adjoining Talla & Gameshope and Corehead estates. Together these sites cover 3,100 hectares. More than 750,000 native trees have been planted, deer are carefully controlled and natural regeneration is encouraged.
Carrifran's journey is a beacon for us. Though we haven't yet walked through those young birch, rowan and oak lining streams once grazed to bare turf, the project's story proves that grassroots community action can re-create lost habitats and galvanise a nationwide movement. We hope to visit one day and see for ourselves what 25 years of patient restoration can achieve.
Highlights
- First trees planted on 1 January 2000
- 750,000+ native trees planted
- Covers Carrifran, Talla & Gameshope and Corehead estates
- Mixing active planting with natural regeneration
Resources & Media
Carrifran Wildwood: A Rewilding Success Story
The story of Carrifran Wildwood and the Wild Heart of Southern Scotland
A mecca for rewilders: the community-led project restoring Carrifran Wildwood
The Guardian (2024) tells the story of Carrifran's 25-year journey
Read more
© Alladale Wilderness ReserveKey Species
Alladale Wilderness Reserve
Privately owned by conservationist Paul Lister, Alladale Wilderness Reserve spans 23,000 acres in the northern Highlands. Purchased in 2003, the estate's goal is to recreate a native forest and reintroduce apex predators such as wildcats and, one day, wolves. Between 2009 and 2012 more than 800,000 native trees were planted in fenced enclosures. Red squirrel reintroductions have been successful, a wildcat breeding programme is under way and deer numbers have been reduced to allow natural regeneration.
Alladale's audacious vision captivates us: imagine wolves roaming a forested glen once again. Though we haven't yet made the journey north, the project's ambition to remove barriers and create a self-sustaining ecosystem with apex predators represents the boldest edge of rewilding thinking. It challenges us to dream bigger about what nature recovery could look like.
Vision: Create a continuous Caledonian forest and eventually reintroduce apex predators such as wolves
Highlights
- 800,000+ native trees planted between 2009–2012
- Peatland and river restoration ongoing
- Successful red squirrel reintroduction
- Scottish wildcat breeding programme
Why Scotland's Rewilding Matters
From the windswept Cairngorms plateau to the peat bogs of Langholm and the glens of Sutherland, Scotland's rewilding projects demonstrate what's possible when ambition, science and community come together. They show that restoring natural processes can revive wildlife, store carbon, reduce flooding and create new opportunities for rural economies.
More importantly, they inspire other projects across the UK – including our own farm – to think bigger and act bolder.
If this Scottish journey has whetted your appetite, explore our other guides in the Top Rewilding Projects UK series.
Rewilding Scotland: FAQs
Want to experience UK rewilding first-hand? Stay in our off-grid cabins on a working rewilding project in Wales.
The Grange Project
Right here in Monmouthshire, we're rewilding 80 acres of Welsh countryside. From wildflower meadows to native woodland, wetland creation to wildlife corridors, we're demonstrating how land can be transformed for nature, people, and planet.
Visit us for corporate away days, stay in our off-grid cabins, or join one of our events to experience rewilding in action.
Get Involved in Scottish Rewilding
Connect with organisations leading the rewilding movement in Scotland