Second Natural Capital Report Published

Following a year on from our first report, our Second Natural Capital Report focuses on Beldorney Estate and paints a picture of tremendous potential for increasing both carbon storage and biodiversity.

The results of our baselining suggest that the estate as a whole holds less carbon and biodiversity than we would expect for typical ecosystems of that kind. Some areas stand out for their ecological value, particularly the remaining patches of ancient semi-natural woodland and wetland that have survived near the estate’s boundaries. Not only are these highly distinctive and rare habitats in their own right, but they also contain by far the greatest reserves of rare species and stored carbon, including multiple species listed in the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. The presence of these patches and the species persisting in them gives us an invaluable opportunity to restore and expand semi-natural habitats across the estate, monitoring methods and outcomes, and generating uplift with relevance for carbon and biodiversity on many other Scottish estates.