Rewilding company buys £10m Argyll estate

Tayvallich Estate includes several islands and Sites of Special Scientific Interest

A 3,500-acre estate in Argyll has been sold after the preferred bidder raised £10m through a crowdfunding appeal for the purchase.

Tayvallich Estate includes several small islands and a number of Sites of Special Scientific Interest.

The new owner, Highlands Rewilding, said it planned to restore the estate's natural environment.

This would involve expanding areas of rare and ancient Atlantic temperate rainforest.

The woodlands found on Scotland's west coast are rich in oak, birch and native pine trees as well lichens, rare mosses and liverworts.

The plant life thrives in mild, wet weather.

Dr Jeremy Leggett said Highlands Rewilding had the local community at the heart of its plans

Highlands Rewilding already owns two Scottish estates, Bunloit in Inverness-shire and Beldorney in Aberdeenshire.

Founder Dr Jeremy Leggett said adding the Tayvallich estate to that portfolio is a fantastic opportunity to scale up efforts to tackle climate meltdown and biodiversity collapse.

There has been controversy about wealthy individuals and companies, who have been dubbed green lairds, for buying up large pieces of land where they can make money by planting trees to offset carbon emissions elsewhere.

Dr Leggett said Highlands Rewilding was different and he had community prosperity at the heart of his plans.