Latest news with #StephanieKiel
The National
08-05-2025
- General
- The National
Scottish rewilding initiative launches as new independent charity
Affric Highlands has committed to restoring 20,000 hectares of land for nature, people and the climate over the next 30 years. The charity, which includes local people and landowners, aims to protect and recover peatlands, rivers and forests. It has operated as a joint venture led by Trees for Life with support and advice from Rewilding Europe. Its efforts will also focus on sustainable fishing, farming, timber and wildlife tourism to create a network of businesses supported by rewilding and supporting the environment further. READ MORE: Pro-republic rally returns to Edinburgh this weekend Affric Highland looks to cover more than 700 square miles of connected landholdings from Loch Ness to Kintail on the west coast, with the charity's area is centred on Glen Affric in Beauly. Stephanie Kiel, Affric Highlands's executive director, said: 'Affric Highlands is a community focused vision of hope. 'It's hugely inspiring to be setting out as a new charity on this ambitious 30-year journey to take large-scale nature recovery to a new level. 'We want to create new opportunities and real benefits for local landowners, communities and rural economies, so nature, people and livelihoods can all thrive together.' A statesman from the charity added: "The region is stunningly beautiful but largely ecologically damaged, with much land degraded following centuries of deforestation and overgrazing. "The globally unique Caledonian forest has been reduced to isolated fragments. Damage to peatlands means they are emitting rather than absorbing carbon. Lochs and rivers are depleted of salmon. "This damage to the natural world means the region now supports fewer people than it could – limiting people's opportunities for sustainable land-based jobs, and undermining sustainable agriculture which depends on functioning natural processes." The charity's partnerships cover 58,000 hectares of land curated by 19 local landowners. The individual landholdings are free to decide what benefits their land so solutions can be tailored to the landscape's specific needs. Trees For Life has been aiding Affric Highlands since the 1990s. The charity's chief executive, Steve Micklewright (above), said: 'Affric Highlands's success so far has brought us to the point where it can now begin a new era as an independent charity. 'This is fantastic news for breathing new life into the Highlands through rewilding.' Trees For Life cares for a 10,000-acre estate in Dundreggan, Glenmoriston which is where the world's first rewilding centre was founded – Dundreggan Rewilding Centre. They have pushed for planting native tree species like the Scots pine in Glen Affric which has brought wildlife back to its former home Affric Highlands became the ninth member of Rewilding Europe's coalition of rewilding sites in September 2021. Frans Schepers, Rewilding Europe's executive director, said Affric Highlands will 'enrich the social fabric and wildlife of these glens and hills, while inspiring the growth of landscape-scale rewilding across Europe too'. Rewilding Europe covers ecologically precious areas such as the Danube Delta, Romania's Southern Carpathians and the Iberian Highlands in Spain.
Daily Record
08-05-2025
- General
- Daily Record
Scotland's endangered wildcats could be saved in massive 800 sq mile Highland rewilding plan
The new Affric Highlands charity has set out ambitious plans to restore nature and wildlife over a sweeping area from Loch Ness to the west coast. Scotland's endangered wildcats could be saved as part of a massive 800-square-mile rewilding plan across the Highlands. The new Affric Highlands charity has set out ambitious plans to regenerate native woodland, peatland and riverside habitats and boost endangered species like wildcats, covering a sweeping stretch of the country from Loch Ness to the west coast. The group said it will work with local landowners to boost the local economy and make the region a hub for sustainable timber, fishing, farming, venison and wildlife tourism. Affric Highlands - whose emblem is a wildcat, also known as the 'Highland Tiger' - vowed to see the iconic animal flourish as it takes on the huge 30-year project. The beautiful and rare wildcat - once widespread across the UK - is now only found in northern Scotland. With fewer than 300 left, the mammal is considered critically at risk of extinction. In a statement, Affric Highlands said: 'It is hoped that habitat restoration will support efforts to help this much-loved species thrive again.' It also promised action to aid conservation efforts for other struggling species like red squirrels, mountain hares and Atlantic salmon. The rewilding plan will cover a linked network of landholdings stretching from Loch Ness to Kintail in the west, and encompassing Glens Cannich, Urquhart, Affric, Moriston and Shiel. Despite the region's world-famous beauty, it is largely ecologically damaged, with much land degraded following centuries of deforestation and overgrazing. That includes the globally unique Caledonian forest which has been reduced to isolated fragments, while damage to peatlands means they are emitting rather than absorbing carbon. The charity said this was limiting people's opportunities for sustainable land-based jobs and undermining sustainable farming which depends on functioning natural processes. Affric Highlands executive director Stephanie Kiel said: 'Affric Highlands is a community focused vision of hope. 'It's hugely inspiring to be setting out as a new charity on this ambitious 30-year journey to take large-scale nature recovery to a new level. 'We want to create new opportunities and real benefits for local landowners, communities and rural economies, so nature, people and livelihoods can all thrive together.' Restoring habitats will boost biodiversity and benefit wildlife including golden eagles, red squirrels, black grouse, mountain hares, salmon, trout, ospreys and otters. Despite Scotland's renowned landscapes, data shows the country is one of the most nature-depleted in the world. Rewilding means the restoration of nature on a large enough scale that it can then take care of itself. Affric Highlands began work in September 2021, operating as a joint venture led by Trees for Life with support and advice from the Rewilding Europe network - before now launching as an independent charity. It has already built a broad coalition of 19 landowners backing the project, covering an area of around 225 square miles within the vast landscape. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Local rewilding schemes so far include restoring native woodlands and peatlands - and creating new woodland on riverbanks to provide shade, nutrients and shelter to Scotland's threatened wild salmon population. Steve Micklewright, Trees for Life's chief executive, said: 'Affric Highlands' success so far – coupled with the opportunities for people offered by its bold vision of landscape-scale nature recovery – has brought us to the point where it can now begin a new era as an independent charity. 'This is fantastic news for breathing new life into the Highlands through rewilding.' Frans Schepers of Rewilding Europe said: 'Affric Highlands will enrich the social fabric and wildlife of these glens and hills.'
The Herald Scotland
07-05-2025
- The Herald Scotland
Rewilding scheme Affric Highlands launches as charity
It will rewild the landscape and allow nature to connect and thrive across large areas – creating social and economic benefits for communities, supporting re-peopling, and tackling the climate and nature emergencies. Affric Highlands will work with local landowners to strengthen land-based rural livelihoods and nature-based economic opportunities, making the region a hub for sustainable timber, fishing, farming, venison and wildlife tourism. This will include the creation of a network of businesses benefitting from rewilding. 'Affric Highlands is a community focused vision of hope. It's hugely inspiring to be setting out as a new charity on this ambitious 30-year journey to take large-scale nature recovery to a new level,' said Affric Highlands executive director Stephanie Kiel. 'We want to create new opportunities and real benefits for local landowners, communities and rural economies, so nature, people and livelihoods can all thrive together.' Black Grouse (Image: Siân Addison/Affric Highlands) Restoring habitats will boost biodiversity and benefit wildlife including golden eagles, red squirrels, black grouse, mountain hares, salmon, trout, ospreys and otters. The initiative will potentially cover over 700 square miles stretching from Loch Ness to Kintail in the west, and encompassing Glens Cannich, Urquhart, Affric, Moriston and Shiel. The region is stunningly beautiful but largely ecologically damaged, with much land degraded following centuries of deforestation and overgrazing. The globally unique Caledonian forest has been reduced to isolated fragments. Damage to peatlands means they are emitting rather than absorbing carbon. Lochs and rivers are depleted of salmon. This damage to the natural world means the region now supports fewer people than it could – limiting people's opportunities for sustainable land-based jobs, and undermining sustainable agriculture which depends on functioning natural processes. Affric Highlands began work in September 2021, when it also became the ninth member of Rewilding Europe's network of large, iconic rewilding landscapes across Europe. This followed the initiative's first three years of work as Trees for Life's East-West Wild project, during which the charity carried out extensive preparation and local consultation. READ MORE: Affric Highlands has since operated as a joint venture led by Trees for Life with support and advice from Rewilding Europe. The initiative has grown so successfully that it has now been launched as an independent charity, to take forward and upscale its pioneering work. Affric Highlands' growing partnership already consists of a broad coalition of 19 landowners, covering an area of over 58,000 hectares within the vast landscape. These separate landholdings – which have all signed a memorandum of understanding – are making their own decisions on what nature recovery interventions are right for them, with the Affric Highlands team providing guidance and also support for seeking funding. Native woodlands and peatlands are being restored to boost biodiversity and absorb carbon. Riverwoods are being created by returning woodland to the banks of upland streams and rivers to provide vital shade, nutrients and shelter for Scotland's struggling Atlantic salmon. Executive Director Stephanie Kiel (Image: James Shooter) The landscape is centred on Glen Affric, where native woodland restoration has been pioneered by Trees for Life since the 1990s. Thirty years on, these original areas are now alive with Scots pine and other trees, and wildlife is thriving. Trees for Life's own 10,000-acre estate at Dundreggan in Glenmoriston – regarded as an exemplar of rewilding in the Highlands, and home to the world's first Rewilding Centre – is one of over 45 different estates that own most of the land in the Affric Highlands landscape. Steve Micklewright, Trees for Life's chief executive, said: 'Affric Highlands' success so far – coupled with the opportunities for people offered by its bold vision of landscape-scale nature recovery – has brought us to the point where it can now begin a new era as an independent charity. This is fantastic news for breathing new life into the Highlands through rewilding.' Rewilding Europe's family of major European-wide flagship rewilding landscapes range from Affric Highlands to Swedish Lapland to Italy's Central Apennines. Frans Schepers, executive director of Rewilding Europe, said: 'By recovering a tapestry of habitats, bringing together landowners and communities, and creating tangible benefits for people, Affric Highlands will enrich the social fabric and wildlife of these glens and hills, while inspiring the growth of landscape-scale rewilding across Europe too.' The Affric Highlands emblem is the Scottish wildcat. It is hoped that habitat restoration will support efforts to help this much-loved species thrive again.
Scotsman
07-05-2025
- General
- Scotsman
New rewilding charity launches covering 200,000 hectares of central Highlands
Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... A new rewilding charity has launched in Scotland with the aim of bringing people together to carry out nature-led projects across the Highlands. Affric Highlands said it sets out to 'restore nature across more than 200,000 hectares of the central Highlands over the next 30 years'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It plans to achieve this by bringing together a broad partnership of people, including landowners and communities, to help 'boost wildlife'. The river Affric running into Loch Beinn a Mheadhoin in Glen Affric, Affric Highlands. | James Shooter / Rewilding Europe The charity said it hopes to link and rewild areas across a network of landholdings that reach some 700 square miles from Loch Ness to Kintail in the west, and encompassing Glens Cannich, Urquhart, Affric, Moriston and Shiel. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Affric Highlands said its partnership already consists of a broad coalition of 19 landowners, covering an area of over 58,000 hectares within the vast landscape. It said these separate landholdings, which have all signed a memorandum of understanding, are making their own decisions on what nature recovery interventions are right for them, with the charity 'providing guidance and support for seeking funding'. Glen Loyne contains what is thought to be Scotland's oldest wild Scots pine, which is at least 565 years old. | Siân Addison The charity said it hopes to strengthen rural livelihoods and nature-based economic opportunities, making the region 'a hub for sustainable timber, fishing, farming, venison and wildlife tourism' and to create a network of businesses benefitting from the rewilding plans. Affric Highlands executive director Stephanie Kiel, who previously worked as an environment consultant in renewables, said: 'We want to create new opportunities and real benefits for local landowners, communities and rural economies, so nature, people and livelihoods can all thrive together.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Affric Highlands executive director Stephanie Kiel | James Shooter / Rewilding Europe The charity said the Affric region was 'largely ecologically damaged, with much land degraded following centuries of deforestation and overgrazing'. It hopes to restore certain habitats to boost biodiversity and benefit wildlife including golden eagles, red squirrels, black grouse, mountain hares, salmon, trout, ospreys and otters. Affric Highlands began work in September 2021, when it also became the ninth member of Rewilding Europe's network. It has since operated as a joint venture led by Trees for Life, another large rewilding charity based in the Highlands. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The landscape the new charity is focusing on is centred on Glen Affric, where native woodland restoration has been taking place by Trees for Life since the 1990s. Trees for Life's own 10,000-acre estate at Dundreggan in Glenmoriston, which is home to a rewilding centre. The charity said it is one of more than 45 different estates that own most of the land in the Affric area of the Highlands. Steve Micklewright, Trees for Life's chief executive, said: 'Affric Highlands' success so far – coupled with the opportunities for people offered by its bold vision of landscape-scale nature recovery – has brought us to the point where it can now begin a new era as an independent charity. This is fantastic news for breathing new life into the Highlands through rewilding.'
