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Glasgow Times
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
How to enter Scottish Wildlife Trust writing competition
The contest, held in association with the Scottish International Storytelling Festival, is now open for entries. This year, the theme is 'From source to sea' and participants are encouraged to submit original works about Scotland's freshwater and marine habitats. Read more: Rising stand-up comedians to perform in Glasgow for first time Entries can take the form of poetry, short stories, journalistic articles, essays, letters, or even song lyrics, and can be written in English, Scots, or Gaelic. Jo Pike, chief executive of the Scottish Wildlife Trust, said: "Following a hugely successful competition last year, we're thrilled to bring back Words of the Wild for 2025. "This year we're focusing on the incredible wildlife and habitats found in and around Scotland's lochs, rivers and seas. "Whether it's a memorable moment on a riverside walk, an awesome experience at a seabird city or an epic encounter on one of our snorkel trails, we can't wait to read everyone's stories." River woodland (Image: Scottish Wildlife Trust) The competition will select an adult and junior winner for each language, with more than £2,000 worth of prizes to be won. Entries are limited to one per person and can be up to 1,000 words in length. Adult prizes include a pair of binoculars from Viking Optical and a selection of nature books from Canongate, while junior prizes include a snorkelling set from Arran Active and a £100 wildlife equipment voucher for NHBS. The judging panel features notable names from literature and conservation, including Scots poet Len Pennie, Scottish Wildlife Trust chair Dr Kenny Taylor, and former Scots Scriever Susi Briggs. The deadline for submissions is Saturday, July 12, with the winners to be announced at the Scottish International Storytelling Festival in October. Read more: Orchestra release new album after collaborating with Glasgow recording studio Dr Taylor said: "Nature has inspired some of Scotland's greatest literary creations, from the tim'rous beastie in Rabbie Burns' 'To a Mouse', to Nan Shepherd's exploration of the Cairngorms in 'The Living Mountain'. "Last year's competition highlighted that this talent and connection to nature is still alive and well in the writers of Scotland, and I'm delighted to be involved once again." Donald Smith, director of the Scottish International Storytelling Festival, said: 'Nothing touches us more deeply than our experiences of natural life. "We have to dig creatively into our powers of language and the gift of storytelling to express them. "I am sure that this year's competition theme 'From Source to Sea' will evoke a host of evocative journeys and encounters.' More information about the competition, including details on how to enter, can be found on the Scottish Wildlife Trust's website.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Organization makes historic announcement after receiving largest donation of its kind on record: 'Incredible generosity'
An anonymous altruist recently gifted the Scottish Wildlife Trust the largest donation in its 60-year history. With it, the SWT hopes to achieve conservation goals that were previously pipe dreams. The SWT used the donation money to purchase Inverbroom Estate, a nearly 19,000-acre stretch of gorgeous woodland, peatland, lochs, and more. This amounts to the organization's largest land acquisition ever. A recent announcement declared the SWT's intent to "restore wildlife habitats on [Inverbroom] to help tackle the nature and climate crises." It plans to do this by working with the community to "transform the landscape through woodland regeneration, peatland restoration and nature-friendly farming." The record £17.5 million (around $22.7 million) donation came in timely fashion, as the Inverbroom site was being eyed by foreign buyers. Now, it remains in the hands of a group that is heavily invested in maintaining Scotland's natural beauty and protecting its ecosystems. "The site includes some of Scotland's most iconic species and habitats, so we are delighted to have been able to secure it for the benefit of Scotland's wildlife and people, especially as there was also interest from overseas buyers," Jo Pike, chief executive of the Scottish Wildlife Trust, said. The SWT also intends to protect Inverbroom by removing invasive species that are disrupting the area's ecosystem. British isle Guernsey recently had success with similar efforts from conservationists. In a world where the gap, both cultural and financial, between the haves and have-nots seems to be ever-growing, this story is heartening. While the ultra-wealthy continue to pollute at far higher rates than the rest of us, there's at least one well-to-do environmentalist out there. That anonymous donor is responsible for the largest-ever land acquisition by Scotland's biggest conservation charity. Thanks to them and the SWT, Scotland's citizens — plants, animals, and humans — can enjoy a healthier, greener, better-protected environment. "[The restoration project] has all been made possible by the incredible generosity of a private donor who is passionate about the part that Inverbroom can play in restoring our precious ecosystems, while delivering benefits for local people," Pike said. Which of these environmental causes would you be most interested in supporting with a financial donation? Promoting clean energy Protecting clean air Advancing forest conservation Fighting climate change Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
The Independent
03-03-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Conservation charity secures Highlands estate bigger than Dundee
A nature conservation charity has secured a Highlands estate larger than the city of Dundee, hailing it as an 'important milestone' in tackling the climate crisis. The Scottish Wildlife Trust now owns the 7,618-hectare Inverbroom Estate following its largest ever land acquisition. The £17.5 million purchase has been made possible through a gift from a private donor – the largest donation in the trust's 60-year history. The charity said securing the site will enable it to significantly enhance its efforts to protect and restore wildlife at scale across Scotland. It is situated around eight miles south of Ullapool and the landscape is mainly peatland, ancient semi-natural woodland, farmland and numerous lochs and lochans. Trust chief executive Jo Pike said: 'Not only is the purchase of Inverbroom an important milestone for the trust, but also for Scotland's efforts to tackle the nature and climate crises. 'It is apt that we take ownership of the site on UN World Wildlife Day. 'The site includes some of Scotland's most iconic species and habitats, so we are delighted to have been able to secure it for the benefit of Scotland's wildlife and people, especially as there was also interest from overseas buyers. 'It has all been made possible by the incredible generosity of a private donor who is passionate about the part that Inverbroom can play in restoring our precious ecosystems, while delivering benefits for local people. 'We are extremely grateful to the donor for helping us secure this important site, and to our former chief executive and current Scottish Wildlife Trust ambassador, Jonny Hughes, who facilitated the donation.' The trust said at 7,618 hectares, the estate is larger than the city of Dundee which covers 6,300 hectares. Plans for the site include regenerating river woodland and temperate rainforest habitats, providing homes for creatures such as wood warblers and pine martens, and encouraging a wide range of mosses, lichens and fungi. Other ambitions include restoring peatlands and removing invasive species such as Rhododendron ponticum. The trust has made a commitment to the donor that none of the work at Inverbroom will be funded through the sale of carbon credits. It also plans to work alongside local farmers to promote sustainable agricultural practices that will benefit nature while maintaining a productive business model. Scott Renwick, whose family have farmed at Inverbroom for three generations, said: 'We as a family are delighted to have the opportunity to work alongside the Scottish Wildlife Trust. 'Our grandfather moved to Inverbroom in 1933, so the family have had a knowledge of the land for 92 years. 'There is an incredible diversity of wildlife on the estate, from sea level to 3,300ft, from seals on the shore to ptarmigan on the tops. 'It is exciting to be involved with a highly respected organisation who will take traditional hill farming and wildlife preservation hand in hand, so that we can continue to farm at Inverbroom in such a way as to protect the natural environment.' The site is bordered to the east by two rivers, the Broom and the Cuileig, and to the south by two Munros, A' Chailleach and Sgurr Breac. Two bridges on the estate were designed by Sir John Fowler, chief engineer on the construction of the Forth Road Bridge, who once owned Inverbroom in the 19th century.
The Guardian
03-03-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Mystery donor's £17.5m gift could turn Scottish estate into rewilding showcase
Scottish conservationists hope to convert a Highland sporting estate into a rewilding showcase after a mystery benefactor gave them more than £17.5m to buy it. The Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT), best known for its small nature reserves, has bought Inverbroom estate near Ullapool in north-west Scotland, complete with an 11-bedroom lodge that boasts an indoor swimming pool. It was given the funds needed to buy Inverbroom by a private donor, who does not want to be named, on the understanding the 7,618-hectare estate would be acquired for conservation purposes. Brokered by a former SWT chief executive and the UBS UK donor-advised foundation – a funding vehicle for wealthy benefactors – it is the largest gift the trust has received. It is also believed to be one of the largest given to a conservation body in the UK. The estate, which features a 999-metre (3,277ft) high peak, Sgùrr Breac, also has links to the Forth Bridge near Edinburgh. Sir John Fowler, the chief engineer for the Forth Bridge, owned Inverbroom and in 1870 erected an elaborate A-listed wrought iron bridge over the River Broom, and a second B-listed bridge over a deep gorge and spectacular waterfall used by kayakers. Jo Pike, the trust's chief executive, said it planned to make the estate a model for rewilding in north-western Scotland, focusing on creating new Atlantic rainforest, restoring riverside woodland and restoration of its degraded peatland. Largely open hill, Inverbroom has no notable ecological features, but she hopes their regeneration work could prove to be a catalyst for greater rewilding in the wider area. 'We see so many possibilities for nature restoration, which bring together benefits for nature with benefits for people,' she said. 'It fits perfectly with our priorities.' The SWT will end deer stalking and grouse shooting, which risks irritating neighbouring sporting estates that rely on the free movement of red deer to let out to shooting parties. Conservationists blame Scotland's mushrooming deer populations for overgrazing upland areas, suppressing natural regrowth of native woodland and shrubs. Many conservation-minded landowners aggressively cull deer to promote regeneration. 'Deer management is going to be a really important priority,' Pike said. That would be professionally run but in time, she added, local people might be allowed to hunt deer on an ad hoc basis. The Victorian-era lodge, built on the site of a late medieval courthouse, is to be converted into a holiday let to raise money for the estate, alongside rents from a farm and cottage tenancies on the land. It adds to an emerging trend where conservation charities and community land buyouts raise money from luxury tourism. The Assynt Foundation, which bought 17,806 hectares from the Vestey family in 2005 on the Assynt peninsula north of Ullapool, has gone into partnership with a hotel group to run Glencanisp Lodge on its estate as a boutique hotel. Pyke said SWT hoped to win funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, and state subsidies to help pay for peatland and woodland regeneration. Its donor had also provided money to support running costs for the next few years. Surplus funds will be put into an endowment to pay for upkeep and conservation work in future. Andy Wightman, a land reform campaigner, said he was puzzled by the acquisition, since it seemed out of step with SWT's core purpose of running nature reserves. 'It's a risky business taking on an estate of this scale,' he said. 'We should've moved beyond a world where conservation bodies need to acquire large amounts of land; we should be restoring land through well-crafted public policy.'
