Brilliant to see so many join us at our Tayvallich community event at last Friday, sharing our latest rewilding research and biodiversity baselining data and how this will inform our land management plans for nature recovery across the estate. We also gave an update on the company and our upcoming fundraising round.
A huge thanks to everyone who showed up, asked questions and dived into the fascinating data with us, collected over the last year, and presented in our latest annual Natural Capital Report.
The event was split into two parts, a drop-in session from 2-7 pm and an evening presentation and Q&A from 7-8:30 pm.
Event Report:
11 team members present: Ewan Paterson EP (Estate Manager), Jeremy Leggett JL (CEO), Hannah Rudman HR (Director of Business Development), Keir Smith KS (Head of Forestry and Woodlands), David Smyth DS (Marine Rewilding Lead), Calum Brown CB (Co-Chief Scientist), Penelope Whitehorn PW (Co-Chief Scientist), Cathy Atkinson CA (Chief Data Scientist), Frances Mills FM (Head of Marketing and Media), Rowan Paterson RP (Head of Hospitality, Tayvallich), Claudia Foster CF (Research Associate).
There was a notice on the door on arrival to note that filming and photography was taking place. One person approached Frances to ask that her face not be shared on social media.
Drop-in 2-7 PM
22 non-staff members came to the drop-in throughout the afternoon.
No one from 2:00-2:50
2:50-3:15 = 7
3:35 = 2
3:55 = 3
4:20 = 2
4:50 = 1
5:15 = 2
5:25 = 1
6:15 = 3
6:30 = 1
Total = 22
Organisations represented by those who came to the drop-in
Primary school
Argyll Smallwoods Cooperative
Argyll Hope Spot
Tayvallich Initiative
Science and company update meeting: 7-8:30 PM
Presentation attendance: 25 who were not counted in the 22 above. (excluding staff members).
AGENDA (started 7:05)
19:00 Welcome and company update: Jeremy Leggett. No slides.
- Introduction to team members present
- Humble apologies about current uncertainty. The uncertainty will definitely end in May, because that is when we have to repay what remains by then of our debt. And if the net positive trend of the last two months continues, we can hope for a positive outcome.
- Objectives:
1. Fundraising: 2025 round to raise a minimum of £5 million
2. Sell property across some of our estates. Get balance right between land sales and fundraising.
3. Interest of the communities where we work at top of our priorities
- Fundraising: going well, better chance this time due to the Scottish Government Market Framework. Casting net wider (not just Financial Institutions).
- Discussions underway on all three estates, incl. offers that would entail a land-management partnership with Highlands Rewilding (our OSPREY offering).
- We ask for your trust
19:20 Baselining the land – Penelope Whitehorn, see slides.
19:35 Baselining the sea – David Smyth, see slides.
19:45 Land management – Keir Smith, see slides.
19:55 Jeremy Leggett gave a short talk on the importance of the work we are doing and why Natural Capital has to be trusted and verifiable. Hannah Rudman gave a short talk on how well HRL work is being received by the academic community, and the academic connections.
20:00 Q&A.
Summary of questions and paraphrased answers:
1. Oxygen Conservation has been getting lots of money and buying lots of land. They appear to be structured similarly – how does HRL compare to them.
a. JL: We skill share and talk to them. They have a lot more money than us. We wish them well.
2. A question about tree planting. Why are trees planted so close together these days? Is it dictated by Scottish Forestry? What are your thoughts on this?
a. KS: There are different models within the Forestry Grant Scheme (FGS). We would be looking to go for the native woodland model. This has a lower stocking density. There would be variation across different habitat types.
3. What will happen if things don’t work out in May the way you are hoping? What will happen with the surveys and the monitoring?
a. JL: We may be forced to sell the land to those who are not in favour of our work. But we have in our scopes an outcome that would involve a land management partnership with HRL on all three of our estates as things stand. That is a possibility now and we are shooting for this outcome. These would be OSPREY models, where the asset buyers partner with us to manage the land, continuing with the work we have been doing.
b. Follow up Q: does our surveying make us some of the most surveyed land in the country – does this affect the price. JL: Yes, and this we think is a factor in the offering.
4. Question on the planting – is aspen in the mix?
a. KS: Yes, we discovered this in the NVC survey. Sycamore is also in the planting mix as NatureScot believes it fulfils the same role as Ash (with Ash dieback).
5. How would HRL control natural generation on dry heathland?
a. KS: We would continue to graze it with cattle, perhaps with collars etc. Discussion needed on how, but that is the broad plan.
6. Sounds like the OSPREY model might become a reality – can you remind us what that model is? Would there be any tie on people entering in to that agreement.
a. JL: [Described the OSPREY model]. Partnership with a long-term lease. HRL manages the land, we pay our own costs, then we receive a win:win share of natural capital income. Ethical return to investors.
b. Follow up Q: How much is there protection for HRL around that.
c. JL: We have to perform. That’s fine, because we fully intend to and we have a track record already that shows we can.
7. Can you tell us about the Market Framework Changes in November, and how this affects the Business plan?
a. JL: We took the assumption in our 2024 business plan that we would have to separate carbon and biodiversity. It is clear from the framework now that you can bundle these, so that is what we have done now in our 2025 business plan and the numbers are a lot more positive. Previously the big financial institutions were holding back because the policy framework from SG wasn’t in place.
8. Question on deer overgrazing issue. I used to be a ghillie on the hill. Previously a larder was just big enough to hang a deer, I’m clearly out of date. Why do you need a larger larder?
a. EP and KS: To meet current regulations, we need to have our larder refrigerated. We can shoot up to 10-12 deer a night. Our larder has a capacity of 12. So if we shoot 12, then our larder is full, and we have to wait for Highland Game to collect these carcases before we can continue a cull. Potentially a larder the size of a shipping container for 30 beasts. I can sell deer in skin, but not as a processed piece of meat as this is food, which requires much more regulated processes in place. We could do this in the future. Our current larder is about 3x6. It is quality assured, so really strictly regulated. We get a lot of inspections, and it ticks all the boxes, but cannot cope with more deer.
b. Follow up Q: Is the market big enough for the size of the cull that is required.
c. EP: Yes, I think it is. The issue would be the capacity of the team.
d. JL: bear with me for a bit of futuristic dreaming. This is an example of where we have the potential to help create a new Scottish industry. We create the Tayvallich Venison Company, and this becomes an exemplar to be copied nationally. A small sustainable company. The challenge is that most investors in nature recovery will want an exit in 15 years. Beyond that period there must be a mechanism to safeguard the nature restoration achieved. That can be financed by the profits from sustainable micro-enterprises, rooted in nature, created by HRL and the community in the 15 years, for example the notional Tayvallich Venison Company.
9. What do you think of the huge rafts of Sargassum [Sargassum muticum – an invasive seaweed]
a. DS: There was a huge explosion, and then a balance from predators. We can expect to see this equilibrium reached.
b. Follow-up Q: At the blooming stage, it can block lakes. Should we try to get rid of it?
c. DS: to get permission to get rid of it, you would need to jump through lots of hoops. You need a piece of paper. Could be removing a lot of species that are within it. Probably wouldn’t really recommend it.
10. Is there difficulty with reintroducing the native oysters here, than up the coast?
a. DS: Yes, you are so restricted within an MPA. NatureScot themselves find it difficult to navigate the legislation. You need to approach the native oyster situation at a higher level. At Loch Craignish – Danny has put in 300,000 into that loch. You wouldn’t have a hope of doing that here. The only champion side of it all is that it is a designated feature, so you have some weight behind you. It is a mismanagement by the authorities.
b. Follow up Q: Are we allowed to gather them up.
c. DS: No, you need clearance from NatureScot to gather them up and put them in a group.
d. JL: We need to start a campaign – this is the kind of thing we can do together.
11. Last question: “It is truly amazing what you have done in such a short amount of time. Truly amazing”. JL: Thank you, thank you. But it’s really important to note that although this work was planned and co-ordinated by the HRL science team, most of the actual data collection was done by members of the local community.
20:30 Ends
Advertising the event
Highlands Rewilding invite you to join them in the Tayvallich village hall on Friday 31st January to learn more about their work on the Tayvallich estate.
From 2pm to 7pm there will be a drop-in session where Ewan (Estate Manager) and members of the Science team (Co-Chief Scientists Calum Brown and Penelope Whitehorn, Head of Forestry and Woodlands Keir Smith, Chief Data Scientist Cathy Atkinson, and Head of Marine Rewilding David Smyth) will be available to discuss any aspects of our work. Feel free to stop by the village hall at any time within this session to ask your questions, or share with us the knowledge you have of the area and wildlife.
From 7pm to 8:30pm there will be a public meeting. This will include a company update by Jeremy Leggett (CEO), presentation of the results of the work the Science team have been doing to baseline the land and sea, and a brief overview of how our land management plans are progressing, including proposals for woodland expansion. There will be a little time for questions after the presentations, but if you already have a question that you would like to discuss in detail, it would be great if you could attend the drop-in session.
