Scottish wildlife charity buys Highland estate in historic moment with 'incredible' £17.5m donation

Scottish Wildlife Trust has acquired the 7,618-hectare Inverbroom Estate, larger than the city of Dundee, near Ullapool in the Highlands.

The donation was the largest sum of money given to the charity in its 60 years of existence.

In a commitment to the donor, whose name has been kept private, none of the work on the estate will be funded through carbon credits, the Trust said.

The nature conservation charity said it plans to work closely with the local community to transform the estate’s landscape through woodland regeneration, peatland restoration and nature-friendly farming.

The estate has previously been a shooting estate, with deer stalking, salmon and sea trout fishing and walked up grouse shooting. It has a Victorian-style refurbished 11-bedroom lodge with a heated indoor swimming pool. There are several other properties on the estate with development potential.

The land, according to Land for Chartered Land & Forestry Agency (Landfor), the agent who advertised the estate for sale, is predominantly made up of peatland, ancient semi-natural woodland, farmland and numerous lochs and lochans, the largest being the 2.5-mile-long Loch a' Bhraoin.

The estate is bordered to the east by two rivers, the Broom and the Cuileig, and to the south by two Munros, A’ Chailleach and Sgùrr Breac. Other infrastructure on the site includes two bridges designed by Sir John Fowler, chief engineer on the construction of the Forth Bridge, who once owned Inverbroom.

Following the purchase, the Trust announced several ambitions for the site, from the regeneration of river woodland and temperate rainforest habitat to restoring peatlands and removing invasive species. 

In recent years, the Trust has campaigned for more support to be made available for nature-friendly farming. With the acquisition of Inverbroom, it plans to work alongside local farmers to promote sustainable agricultural practices that will benefit nature while maintaining a productive business model.

Jo Pike, chief executive of the Trust, 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.”

The Trust said it will also act as a responsible landlord and, over time, develop opportunities for local employment, training and volunteering.

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.”

Inverbroom was placed on the market through Landfor in August last year. The Trust takes ownership of the majority of the estate today (March 3) with the remainder due to come into the Trust’s ownership on 8 April.