Category: News and blog

The Scottish Government is underfunding Scotland’s wildlife, warns the Scottish Rewilding Alliance today, following the release this week of the Scottish Government’s priorities for this session.

Despite receiving £7.38m generated by the UK’s species recovery programme, Ministers have omitted a dedicated fund from this week’s Programme for Government — leaving native species without targeted financial support.

To bridge this gap, the Alliance is calling on the Scottish Government to ringfence the £7.38m to establish ‘An Tilleadh’ — a dedicated fund to restore missing and critically endangered species across Scottish land and seas. 

The Alliance says that Scotland needs a dedicated Species Recovery Fund that funds the whole process of recovery: from ecological assessment and community engagement through to reintroduction, mitigation, monitoring and long-term stewardship.

The UK Government has committed £90 million over three years to England’s Species Recovery Programme and public forest estate, supporting conservation projects including habitat restoration, captive breeding and species reintroductions. This includes “Wild Again: Restoring England’s Wildlife”, a campaign to protect and recover native species. 

Scotland will receive £7.38 million over the same period, due to a population-based funding formula. With the Programme for Government, which lays out the government’s priorities, failing to mention species recovery, it is unclear whether this funding will be directed towards species recovery or spent on non-environmental purposes. This funding gap threatens Scotland’s legally binding 2030 climate and biodiversity targets. 

Adding further uncertainty to this financial pressure, the Programme for Government also sets out plans to merge SEPA, NatureScot, Zero Waste Scotland, and Scottish Forestry into a single agency to achieve efficiency savings.  

Tom Bowser, Co-Convenor of the Scottish Rewilding Alliance, said:

“Reorganising public bodies must not become an excuse for inaction. Scotland needs real investment on the ground to bring our wildlife back from the brink and return missing species to our landscapes, creating benefits for people, nature and climate.”

The alliance also urges the Scottish Government to act immediately on four priorities:

• Strictly protect the £7.38 million generated through Barnett consequentials for species recovery, preventing it from being absorbed into general departmental budgets.
• Pressure the UK Government to adopt a proportionate, fair-share model based on natural landmass and assets.
• Formalise a gold-standard collaborative framework for building consensus and agency around species reintroductions, integrating local heritage, nature connectedness and Scotland’s official languages into nature recovery.
• Ensure that the proposed merger of environment agencies results in a public body equipped to lead on the monitoring, protection and restoration of Scotland’s nature. 

“Scotland has already shown it can bring nature back, through the return of the Eurasian beaver, white-tailed eagle and wildcat,” said Charlotte Maddix, Advocacy Coordinator for the Scottish Rewilding Alliance. She added:

“It’s time to build on what we’ve learned and improve the process for everyone. Leaving out a dedicated recovery fund from the Programme for Government stalls momentum. An Tilleadh would offer a framework to ensure our nature, communities and cultural heritage recover together.”

Notes to editors

• The Scottish Government sets out its legislative and policy priorities in the Programme for Government (PfG) every September. The latest Programme for Government did not contain targeted funding for a dedicated Scottish species recovery mechanism.
• An Tilleadh: Scottish Gaelic noun meaning “returning,” “coming back,” or “restoration.”
• In April 2026 the UK Government announced it would commit £90 million over three years to England’s Species Recovery Programme and public forest estate, supporting action across a wide range of species.
• England’s Species Recovery Programme allocates £30 million specifically to its 250,000-hectare public forest estate. Forestry and Land Scotland manages 470,000 hectares – nearly double the land area. 

The Scottish Rewilding Alliance is calling on Scottish Ministers to convene a national Scottish Landscape Resilience Summit to bring together land managers, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS), scientists and policymakers to develop a long-term strategy for adapting to Scotland’s growing wildfire risk.

The call follows the recent major wildfire that broke out in the Cairngorms near Aviemore, burning around ten square miles of moorland, woodland and forestry.

Campaigners are calling for a two-tier approach: strengthening emergency response and public fire prevention measures in the short term, while also investing in landscapes that can better retain water and withstand drought and fire over the long term. 

The call comes as concern grows over the increasing risk of wildfires in a changing climate. The Alliance says Scotland needs to build on the Scottish Government’s previous wildfire summit in 2025, which focused on emergency response, equipment and public behaviour change. Campaigners say it’s time to add long term landscape resilience and natural water management to the next phase of planning. 

The proposed summit would explore how different approaches could work together, including conventional fire prevention measures, alongside “fire-smart” ecological restoration — such as rewetting peatlands, establishing ponds, creating native broadleaf buffer zones and restoring beaver wetlands.

Tom Bowser, Co-Convenor of the Scottish Rewilding Alliance, said:

“If we are to successfully adapt our landscapes for an unstable future in a changing climate, we need to bring together different perspectives, share knowledge and build trust. We need to learn from each other – and from elsewhere – about what works to reduce wildfire risk. 

“Artificial fire breaks, carefully managed grazing to create a patchwork of different land types, wetland habitats and peatland restoration must all be on the table.”

The Alliance says landscape resilience measures should be seen as part of a broader wildfire strategy, not a replacement for emergency response or fire prevention. Creating fire resistant landscapes is a shared responsibility that falls to everyone who owns or manages land, including those actively restoring nature. 

Lisa Chilton, CEO of SCOTLAND: The Big Picture said:

“Restoring nature as our climate changes and wildfires escalate is a two-part story: managing young habitat growth today is the essential bridge to a more fire-resistant landscape tomorrow. 

“Young woodland and scrub need to be managed in such a way as to minimise fire risk while still allowing them to develop into mature, fire-resistant woodlands. So it’s vital that rewilding land managers, like all land managers, have robust wildfire plans in place. A Scottish Landscape Resilience Summit, bringing together all stakeholders including rewilding representatives, would play an essential role in finding shared solutions.” 

Organisations and groups wishing to show support for the call for a Landscape Resilience Summit can sign here:

The Scottish Rewilding Alliance expresses its deep gratitude to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, other emergency responders, conservation staff, farmers, gamekeepers, pilots, land managers, local businesses and community volunteers helping to fight the wildfire in the Cairngorms. The collective effort from those on the ground to limit the impact on people and nature is humbling – and reminds us that we can pull together to tackle grave situations. 

We hope that the situation continues to improve.

A community appeal supporting response and recovery efforts on the ground can be supported through the Support for Cairngorm Wild Fires GoFundMe: 

https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-cairngorm-wild-fires

Please note that this fund is entirely independent of the Scottish Rewilding Alliance and our members and we will not receive any income from it. 

When dry weather turns our hills and moors into tinderboxes, we hand our emergency services and land managers an almost impossible task if we do not prevent fires from starting in the first place.

The vast majority of wildfire ignitions stem from avoidable human actions, such as disposable barbecues, discarded cigarettes, campfires, littering, or irresponsible burning during dry weather. Stopping these ignitions through an urgent national push on public education must be Scotland’s immediate priority.

Investment in our capacity to respond quickly to wildfires is also urgent. The UK and devolved governments must come together to equip emergency services and land managers with the tools they need to stop fires in their earliest stages.

Beyond that, to protect our landscapes in the longer term, we must improve our understanding of how wildfires burn. Wildfire research is a growing area of interest and there is much still to learn about how different land management regimes across Scotland affect the likelihood, severity and impact of fire. But evidence suggests that the primary driver of Scotland’s worst wildfires is extreme dryness rather than simple ‘fuel load’: dry vegetation ignites regardless of how it is managed, whereas wet, healthy ecosystems naturally resist burning.

Independent analysis of the 2025 Carrbridge-Dava Moor classified the blaze as the UK’s first megafire. It also revealed that 85% of carbon emissions came not from surface heather, but from dry peat burning deep underground. When shallow peats, slopes, and soils dry out, they act as fuses, carrying surface fire deep into the earth. 

To support our frontline responders and protect communities in a warming climate, Scotland must work at a catchment scale to re-wet key landscape features and create natural firebreaks. By blocking old drainage, restoring peatlands and establishing rich riparian habitats, we can hold water in our landscapes for longer. 

Active beaver wetlands create green, moisture-rich buffers that help limit the spread of fires, giving those on the frontline a fighting chance to contain blazes before they turn into megafires. They also act as vital refuges for wildlife fleeing the fires. 

Expanding native broadleaf woodlands offers another proven defence. Research shows that swapping flammable monocultures for diverse broadleaf species can cut fire intensity by up to five times, creating natural barriers that slow a blaze’s spread.

Research demonstrates that grazing by a mixed guild of herbivores – including hardy native cattle, native ponies, wild boar and wild deer at suitable densities – can also prevent and mitigate wildfires. Free-roaming, low-density herbivores create a patchy mosaic of habitats, with trampling, wallowing, and heavy grazing creating natural, irregular firebreaks across the landscape. 

We need wetter, more resilient landscapes using every tool at our disposal –  before the next megafire ignites.

Tom Bowser of Argaty Red Kites, a conservationist, nature writer and rewilding land manager, is to be the new Co-Convenor of the Scottish Rewilding Alliance (SRA).

Argaty is an upland farm which has been home to the Bowser family since 1916, and to the award-winning Argaty Red Kites project for over 20 years. 

Tom joins Dr Karen Blackport, Chair of the community rewilding charity Bright Green Nature, in representing the Scottish Rewilding Alliance. Dr Blackport also owns a market garden and provides produce to local markets. 

Together, Tom and Karen represent a growing movement of land managers who see nature restoration and food production not as competing interests, but as parts of the same solution to Scotland’s climate and biodiversity crises. Their combined, hands-on experience underscores the Alliance’s commitment to pragmatic solutions that support both rural livelihoods and ecological health.

Tom Bowser, Co-Convenor of the Scottish Rewilding Alliance, said:

“The conversation around land use in Scotland is often polarised. My work at Argaty has shown me that local livelihoods and economic resilience depend entirely on restoring vibrant, living ecosystems. We need to move past old divisions and tackle the crises facing us together.”

This transition marks the departure of outgoing Co-Convenor Steve Micklewright, CEO of Trees for Life, who will remain on the management team. The other members of the management team are Rea Cris from Open Seas, Kevin Cumming from Rewilding Britain and Lisa Chilton from SCOTLAND: The Big Picture.

Dr Karen Blackport, Co-Convenor of the Scottish Rewilding Alliance, said: “Since 2019, Steve Micklewright has been the SRA’s Convenor and then Co-Convenor. Steve has brought grit, dedication and insight to Scotland’s rewilding movement at a critical time. We all owe him a huge debt of gratitude for his leadership. 

“As we look ahead to 2030, rewilding needs to be front and centre as a solution to Scotland’s challenges. If you want to get behind this mission, join us at the Scottish Rewilding Alliance.”

The SRA will continue to advocate for a wilder Scotland, where thriving communities are sustained by healthy ecosystems. 

The SRA is calling on individuals, community groups, landowners and organisations across Scotland who share this vision for a wilder, more prosperous country to join the movement. By becoming a member, you help amplify the voice for nature recovery and support practical, land-based solutions on the ground. To join or learn more, visit www.rewild.scot/join

ENDS

Suggested image caption: Beaver restoration champion, Tom Bowser, of Lerrocks Farm and the award-winning Argaty Red Kites project, will be the new Co-Convenor of the Scottish Rewilding Alliance.

Media enquiries:

Sally Wallis

sally@scotlandbigpicture.com

07961980152

Charlotte Maddix

charlotte.maddix@rewild.scot

07562 913 551

Notes to editors

The Scottish Rewilding Alliance is a coalition of more than 20 organisations working together to help nature recover across Scotland. Founded in 2019, the Alliance works with communities, land managers and policymakers to champion rewilding through evidence-based advocacy, public engagement and collaborative action, with the aim of creating a healthier natural environment and thriving nature-based economies that benefit both people and wildlife.

For more information visit: https://www.rewild.scot/

Comment piece by Kevin Cumming, Rewilding Director at Rewilding Britain. Originally published in the National 08/06/2026.

7 May saw the SNP return as the largest party at Holyrood with 58 seats, though falling short of a majority. A new cabinet has now been formed, and the absence of Nature Minister has not gone unnoticed. Scotland’s nature is crying out for strong leadership – but will the new government deliver?

As a former land manager, I know how much government policy shapes what happens on the ground, on our hills and across our forests – as well as in our rivers, lochs and seas. Scotland is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world, and the next parliamentary term will either create real progress toward a wilder Scotland, or continue to hold us back. We cannot afford the latter.

In the lead up to the election, on World Rewilding Day, the Scottish Rewilding Alliance hosted the first-ever rewilding hustings. For the first time, members of the public were given the chance to question political party representatives on how they will create a wilder Scotland.

Every political party that showed up – the SNP, Scottish Labour, Scottish Greens, Liberal Democrats, and Reform UK – said they supported rewilding. When asked about the reintroduction of the lynx, they all agreed it was something they would seriously consider. 

We need a government that views ecosystem restoration as a key part of other policy areas too. Rewilding delivers exactly that. Not only reversing biodiversity loss but also contributing to climate change mitigation, buffering against floods and droughts, securing our soil and boosting human health and wellbeing.

To turn passive political goodwill into a real plan for recovery, the new government must commit to restoring and rewilding at least 30% of Scotland’s land and sea by 2030. This can’t just be an aspirational slogan. 

We need robust nature recovery targets, a dedicated Nature Minister, and a comprehensive species recovery policy that outlines clear pathways for reinforcing and reintroducing keystone species like the Eurasian Lynx. 

Crucially, we also need to unlock funding for large-scale nature recovery by rethinking our rural subsidy system. People should be at the heart of decisions about our land and seas. By doing this, the government won’t just be saving nature – it will be generating green jobs and securing the long-term resilience of our communities.

The electoral maths has changed, and with it come risks but also opportunities. Reform UK, who attended the hustings, have entered Holyrood for the first time with 17 seats. The Scottish Greens, the one party who gave us specific manifesto commitments at the hustings, won 15 seats and made history by winning their first ever constituency seats. These results matter for nature. With power shifting across the parliament, pushing harder for nature at this stage could open the door to nature surging back.

We need to restore and repair the missing and broken pieces of our ecosystems, and in doing so, rebuild and re-people our struggling rural areas with thriving, sustainable economies. But this vision requires political courage. We need a definitive plan, backed by policy, legislation and targets. It is time for our leaders to deliver a strategy that repairs Scotland’s natural world and secures the future of the communities that depend on it.

Over 1,500 people have already signed the Scottish Rewilding Alliance’s open letter to the First Minister calling for a Nature Minister: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/scotland-needs-a-nature-minister

The Scottish Rewilding Alliance hosted a landmark national hustings on World Rewilding Day last month (20 March), bringing together political leaders to debate the future of Scotland’s natural environment.

Five of the six political parties represented in parliament took part in the Hope for Nature Hustings, with one notable absence. The Scottish Conservatives were unable to send a representative – so a Eurasian Lynx stuffed toy took the final seat on the panel to symbolise Scotland’s missing species. 

The event, which took place at the Pitlochry Festival Theatre and online, was the first ever rewilding themed hustings, organised ahead of the Scottish elections in May. Research has shown that public support in Scotland for rewilding is strong, with 80% believing the Scottish government should implement policies to support rewilding. 

Over 200 people attended the event asking questions on topics ranging from the recovery of Scotland’s seabeds to the reintroduction of the real Eurasian lynx. Monica Lennon’s Ecocide Bill was also mentioned, with panellists expressing support for its return in the next parliament. 

Land reform and the need to rewild for the benefit of all was also discussed. 

The event was also featured in many of Scotland’s national media, including the Daily Record, the Herald, the National and STV.

Karen Blackport, Co-Convenor of the Scottish Rewilding Alliance and CEO of Bright Green Nature, said:

“Rewilding is critically important to our futures. It offers hope – hope that we can restore our land and seas from our nature-depleted starting point. It was fantastic to have so many people, in person and online, taking part in the debate, and it was great to see the national media showcase the hustings too.

“We’re grateful to the SNP, Scottish Greens, Scottish Labour, Scottish Liberal Democrats and Reform UK for being in the room, and we look forward to continuing the conversations with them in the run-up to the elections, and beyond.”

Kevin Cumming, Deputy Convenor of the Scottish Rewilding Alliance and Rewilding Director of Rewilding Britain, said:

“We know that public support for rewilding is strong. Before Scotland goes to the polls in May, we’re challenging political leaders to set out their vision for how they intend to rewild and repeople our country. Whether we’re talking about bringing back missing species, changing how we manage our land and seas or revitalising local communities, Scotland’s politicians need to show up for the debate.”

He continued:

“Rewilding is about restoring the missing pieces of our ecosystems, and tonight, we were faced with a missing piece of our panel. That gap was represented on stage by the Eurasian Lynx, a medium-sized cat that lives across Europe. It is notoriously shy and rests under cover during the day to avoid people.”

The Alliance confirmed that a formal invitation was extended to the Scottish Conservatives in January 2026, with several follow-up attempts made and acknowledged by the party. To maintain the non-selective nature of the hustings required by electoral law, the Alliance kept their seat available on stage throughout the evening.

Following the hustings, the Alliance will share a write-up of all the questions raised with Scotland’s political parties.

ENDS

Notes to editors

• A recording of the livestream is available on the Alliance’s YouTube account: https://www.youtube.com/live/WwKJqPfVLNw 

The challenges facing Scotland’s nature are immense. Does the new Land Use Strategy hold the key to facing them down? 

Scotland’s government has made bold promises for nature. By 2030, we will be a nature positive country. By 2045, we will have regenerated and restored our biodiversity. Does Scotland’s new Land Use Strategy, published this week, provide a path to making these promises a reality?

Its ambition, supported by stakeholders who fed into the consultation, is to provide clarity. The relationship between government strategies, plans, policies and actions, stakeholders said, is not always clear. 

We agree. 

For rewilders, how they fit into the government’s plans at all is decidedly unclear. On the one hand, rewilding’s ability to contribute to ecological recovery is badly needed. On the other hand, there is no dedicated funding, action plan, strategy or policy to encourage rewilding in Scotland.

As a country, how we use our nearly 8 million hectares of land is fundamental to meeting these challenges. From our land can come climate change mitigation and resilience, nature recovery, food, timber and fibre production, clean air and water, and energy provision. Land can be the lynchpin of our economy, and integral to our collective health and personal wellbeing. Scotland’s Fourth Land Use Strategy rightly recognises all of this. 

But for Scotland’s land to serve these purposes in time to meet our targets, we must make choices about how we use our land. While we welcome the principle that integrating land uses is key, we need to recognise that each piece of land will have a primary use – and sometimes, wilder nature is the best and most productive use of land. 

The illustrations in the Land Use Strategy show the missing piece of the puzzle: the closest thing to wilder nature shown is ‘semi-natural landscapes’. 

Land where nature is the primary use isn’t in the picture – literally. This is despite the strategy recognising that biodiverse landscapes lead to more productive agricultural land (along with all their other many benefits). 

A growing body of evidence, from Scotland and across the world, tells us that rewilding is a vital tool for recovering our lost nature and stabilising our climate. It’s boosting pollinator populations, vital for food production. It’s bringing birds back, essential for seed dispersal and nature recovery. It’s regenerating our seabeds, boosting biodiversity and sequestering carbon. It’s putting money into fragile rural economies. 

Rewilding offers a pathway to the large-scale recovery of nature and communities across Scotland. It is inspiring. It is popular. 

That’s why we responded to the consultation to call for 30% of Scotland to be managed for the restoration of natural processes. We would like to see these areas support a diversified, resilient and just economic transition alongside the large-scale restoration and rewilding of nature. 

Being clear about where rewilding fits into the wider pattern of land use would help revitalise local communities and support the Scottish Government to meet existing nature and climate commitments. 

Disengaging from difficult conversations will hold us back. But the Scottish Government’s Fourth Land Use Strategy is silent on rewilding. This strategy should influence the work of those implementing rewilding principles across Scotland alongside all others managing land. Ignoring its potential weakens the strategy. 

The Fourth Land Use Strategy is a far-reaching document, laying out a vision, purpose and shared outcomes for land use across the country. It argues for acting “in an integrated, inclusive, and collaborative way”. We can look forward to a delivery plan following on its heels in the next 12 months. Perhaps, at last, here is a land use strategy that will be actively used by everyone who makes decisions about land use in Scotland. 

But to really do that – it must include everyone. 

• Hustings to take place at Pitlochry Festival Theatre following backing by Alan Cumming last year
• Cumming shared details of event with his 853,000 Instagram followers on Friday

Politicians from all major political parties are set to take part in the first ever hustings dedicated to debating rewilding issues, ahead of Scotland’s elections this May.

The Rewilding Nation: Hope for Nature Hustings event is taking place at Pitlochry Festival Theatre on World Rewilding Day, Friday 20 March. It follows the public backing for rewilding last year by Scottish actor and Pitlochry’s Artistic Director, Alan Cumming, who shared details of the event with his 853,000 Instagram followers last Friday.

All six political parties currently represented in the Scottish Parliament have all been invited to take part on the panel. The hustings will be chaired by TV and radio presenter Jennifer Reoch.

The non-partisan event is being organised by the Scottish Rewilding Alliance, a coalition of more than 20 charities, community groups and rural enterprises. It will give voters the opportunity to compare political visions, ask questions, and understand the commitments each party is willing to make.

Steve Micklewright, co-convenor of the Scottish Rewilding Alliance and chief executive of charity Trees for Life, said: “Scotland is facing a pivotal election in May. With the future of our land, wildlife and communities at stake, the hustings will give the public a direct voice on the need for large-scale nature restoration and the extensive benefits this could bring for people, nature and climate in Scotland.

“We’re also pleased to be holding the hustings in Perthshire, home to the most rewilding spaces in Scotland. By holding it in Pitlochry, we’re also putting rural voices front and centre in holding politicians to account.”

Research has shown that public support in Scotland for rewilding is strong, with 80% believing the Scottish government should implement policies to support rewilding. 

You can register your free place at the rewilding hustings here: https://hopefornature.eventbrite.co.uk.

The Rewilding Nation Charter at www.rewild.scot/charter, calling on the Scottish Government to declare Scotland a rewilding nation, has been signed by thousands of people. The campaign has been backed by high-profile names including Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio, actor Brian Cox, singer Nathan Evans, and activist Laura Young (Less Waste Laura).

Last year, speaking about the Rewilding Nation campaign to see nature restored across 30% of Scotland’s land and seas, Alan Cumming said: “Scotland could have more forests, healthier seas, and lusher wildlife. Rewilding is how we can make that happen – bringing with it balance, hope, and fantastic opportunity – creating jobs, teaching new skills, and bringing people together to look after Scotland’s future.”

ENDS

Notes to editor

Media contacts:

Ian Morton; 07811 183633; ian.morton@campaigncollective.org

Images: Download at https://bit.ly/RewildingNationimages. Please credit as per file name. One- time use only; images should not be used in relation to any other messaging, stored for future use, passed to a third party, or sold for commercial use.