Ardtornish

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Spanning over 1000 hectares of land and a period of 50 years, this new partnership signals a commitment from both parties to the restoration of nature and mitigation of the climate crisis.

Starting in Spring 2024, the partnership focuses on long-term monitoring and restoration of peatland, expanding native woodland and the improvement of freshwater habitats, and promises significant research opportunities for academics and students at The University of Edinburgh and benefits for the community of Morvern.

Native woodland is being created at Ardtornish with the intention of increasing the area of precious temperate rainforest in collaboration with the Alliance for Scotland’s Rainforest and the Saving Morvern’s Rainforest initiative.

Ardtornish will serve as a long-term outdoor living laboratory where the impacts of projects, changing ecosystems and conservation efforts can be monitored over an extended period, to address pressing environmental challenges.

Annie Yang, Academic Lead at The University of Edinburgh expressed enthusiasm about the partnership:

This collaboration exemplifies the power of academia-industry partnerships in driving positive environmental change. By combining our academic expertise with the resources and stewardship ethos of Ardtornish Estate, we have a remarkable opportunity to make a tangible difference in the restoration of Scotland's natural landscapes.

Annie Yang, Academic Manager, Forest and Peatland Programme

Benefit to communities 

Economic benefit to the local area, such as employment opportunities, community activities and community facilities will be a key component to the partnership.

Over the course of the next 12 months, Ardtornish, with the support of The University of Edinburgh, will engage with the local community and collaborate on establishing how best to deliver benefit.

Hugh Raven, manager and co-owner of Ardtornish is delighted with this pioneering collaboration:

It’s a privilege for us at Ardtornish to contemplate many years of working with one of Europe’s great universities. We were delighted to find that our objectives fit together so well. The prospect of working with their huge expertise in many areas, their assistance in helping us meet our ecological and environmental ambitions, and our common interest in the sustainable development of this area and community is something we look forward to with great excitement.

Hugh Raven, manager and co-owner of Ardtornish

Native woodland and habitat restoration 

Native woodlands play a vital role in supporting biodiversity, providing habitats for wildlife, improving water quality, and enhancing flood resilience. Restoration efforts at Ardtornish will include planting and regeneration of native tree species, controlling invasive species, riparian and catchment restoration, and active deer management.

The University of Edinburgh will take an active role in supporting the management of Ardtornish’s landscape, both through scientific research projects and by joining the Ardtornish and Rahoy Hills Reserve Ecological Advisory Board.

Through restoring these habitats, Ardtornish and the University aim to create interconnected networks of ecosystems that support a wide range of species and contribute to the overall health of the landscape.

The carbon sequestration benefits of creating continuous cover native woodlands and peatland restoration forms part of the University’s drive to reach net zero by 2040 - where emissions generated from flying, which can’t currently be reduced to zero, will instead be offset using the restored sites

More information 

• Ardtornish Estate

• This work will compliment a river restoration project at Ardtornish that is funded by Nature Scot. More information on that can be found here: Aline Catchment Restoration Nature Restoration Fund

• Alliance for Scotland’s Rainforest: Saving Morvern’s Rainforest

• University’s Climate Strategy 

• University’s Forest and Peatland Programme