Kinloch Woodland SCIO

The project, jointly supported by Kinloch Woodlands SCIO, the University of Edinburgh, and Scotland The Big Picture (SBP), combines community-led management with academic research and environmental restoration.

Originally purchased and maintained by Claire and Richard Munday, Kinloch Woodlands has been co-managed with the local community for over 20 years. Supported by trustees, the site embodies a collective community effort in conservation. 

The University of Edinburgh collaborates with Kinloch Woodlands SCIO and SBP under a structured agreement that ensures sustainable financial contributions to Kinloch Woodland and the Northwoods Rewilding Fund, aiding nature recovery efforts across Scotland.

Academic engagement includes:

- Research initiatives: The University’s Forest and Peatland Academic Manager is collaborating to expand research and teaching drawing on Kinloch Woodlands experience.

- Educational outreach: Shieldaig Primary School’s Head Teacher and the University’s Forest and Peatland Community Ranger are exploring the development of community-centred learning programmes that emphasise conservation and forest ecology.

With a Scottish Forestry-approved management plan, Kinloch Woodlands focuses on sustainable woodland restoration, through good deer management, natural regeneration and some further selective tree planting. The aim is to encourage Scotland’s rainforest ecosystem to restore itself through natural processes.

Though carbon monitoring is included, Kinloch Woodlands is primarily dedicated to native woodland creation. Remote sensing will be deployed to track biomass and assess carbon storage over time.

Shieldaig and Kinloch Woodlands are situated on the shores of Loch Torridon on the west coast of the Highlands about an hour and a half west of Inverness and five hours from Edinburgh. 

Kinloch Woodlands exemplifies the impact of community-based stewardship. This partnership is especially focused on sharing knowledge and developing insights for practical forest management.

Schools like Shieldaig Primary School and Gairloch High School will also have the opportunity to participate in educational projects aimed at deepening community engagement.

The Kinloch Woodlands project represents a deep commitment to protecting and enhancing Scotland’s native woodlands. Together with the University of Edinburgh and Scotland: The Big Picture, we’re creating a legacy of restored rainforest ecosystems and a space for community-led learning and innovation. 

It’s a model of what may be possible to achieve through partnership and shared purpose. 

Kinloch Woodlands are open to learning, teaching, and research (LTR) collaborations. If you are interested in exploring opportunities to access the site for research or teaching purposes, please visit the LTR webpage and/or contact the Academic Manager.

Opportunities for education and research

Please note that all LTR research activities involving partnership land must follow the site access procedures set out by the Forest and Peatland Programme and partners.

Researchers are encouraged to report back findings to partners, providing an overview of what the results mean for their site and the broader landscape. All data collected is expected to align with FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable).

Research priorities

Key research priorities identified at Kinloch Woodlands are aimed at supporting and enhancing sustainable land management across the landscape, these include:

• Caledonian pine forest/woodland regeneration and ecosystem dynamics: A key priority for Kinloch Woodlands includes research and monitoring of native pine forest/woodland restoration, by natural regeneration and with some carefully selected small scale assistance e.g., by planting. Furthermore, the study into natural regeneration of native trees, particularly second-generation trees. Focusing on seed dispersal, growth rates, limiting factors, and the longer recovery observed in phase-two pine stands is welcomed. Including monitoring and support for the development of effective climate change mitigation and adaptation measures.
• Sustainable deer management and monitoring: Evaluating deer management techniques, and assessing their ecological impacts on the woodland landscape, especially on woodland restoration is a further priority. Utilising innovative deer management and monitoring techniques such as thermal imagery and the use of drones, that could assist with Herbivore Impact Assessments (HIAs).
• Community engagement and socio-ecological connections with woodland restoration: Exploring how local communities interact with, benefit from, and contribute to the stewardship, education, economical, and cultural value of the woodland and wider landscape, especially linking to woodland creation activities in the area. This includes studying the direct and indirect socio-economic benefits generated through woodland creation efforts, including voluntary and/or paid activities.
• Freshwater and marine ecosystem health connections to woodland restoration: Research into freshwater and marine ecosystem health through long-term monitoring, with a particular emphasis on understanding the impacts of woodland restoration on fish populations and wider riverine biodiversity are encouraged. The research may include studies of plankton communities, eel populations, drawing on electrofishing data, and analysis of records collected by Scottish Government’s Marine Directorate records spanning more than 25 years. Research interests further include the generation of evidence that will inform land management decisions and support the development of effective climate change mitigation and adaptation measures.

• Kinloch Woodland SCIO [external]
• University’s Climate Strategy
• University’s Forest and Peatland Programme
• Northwoods Rewilding Fund [external]
• Partner Portrait [external]