Tayvallich Initiative and Highlands Rewilding have started work on identifying potential “joint venture micro-enterprises” following their groundbreaking land management Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
Among the ideas being considered are tree nurseries, deer larders, kelp farming and clean energy production.
Highlands Rewilding raised the money to buy the 3,500-acre Tayvallich Estate for £10.5 million earlier this year, with Tayvallich Initiative (TI) securing funding to buy part of the Tayvallich Estate – the £565,608 award from the Scottish Land Fund (SLF) gave TI the money to bring the farmhouse, farm buildings and land at Turbiskill into community ownership.
Highlands Rewilding said the Memorandum of Understanding “is the first of its kind in the rewilding community and forms a broad framework to start a conversation about how nature and the local community can benefit each other.”
It said that “through a collaboration between the private enterprise of Highlands Rewilding and the local community, this memorandum aims to deliver a unique triple-win partnership for community prosperity, nature restoration and the delivery of ethical profit to shareholders.”
Highlands Rewilding said: “It is hoped that there will also be many opportunities for joint venture micro-enterprises, including for clean energy production, with the community.”
Tayvallich Initiative chairperson Martin Mellor said: “It’s early days because it has been a very, very hectic 12 to 16 months.
“We are in a new phase now…these are potential small businesses which would bring local employment. There is a lot of potential.”
Highlands Rewilding co-chief scientist Calum Brown said: “It is a collaborative structure. There is a lot of suspicion about rewilding (but) it can be a big opportunity for local communities – there is potential.”
The memorandum includes agreements including a no-eviction policy and increased security for tenants on the estate, an undertaking to maintain at least the number of current jobs on the estate “and the application of the Rural Housing Burden on any plots or properties that are sold, with a title condition to use the property as the owner’s primary residence, giving the community the right of pre-emption of future sales.”
The memorandum also includes plans to sell parts of the estate to the community “at cost”.
Highlands Rewilding said a key priority will be to restore the fragments of Temperate Atlantic Rainforest found at Tayvallich Estate, with their high levels of biodiversity.
Mr Mellor added: “The whole thing has come about in a really quick time scale.
“The MoU is a great starting point to develop a relationship with Highlands Rewilding. It is quite groundbreaking, that it is very much a joint effort, a collaborative effort.
“There is a voice here in the community that is concerned about housing for affordable rent.
“We are very early in the process. All these things are long-term development plans.”
Highlands Rewilding recently confirmed that biodiversity credits will form an important part of its business plan going forward.
Biodiversity credits are a new type of financial instrument.
Ecologists measure improvements in the state of the land and its inhabitants and that information is packaged into ‘biodiversity credits’ – which some financial analysts are calling an actual ‘security’.
These financial instruments can be bought by companies that want to show they are making a positive contribution to the planet.
Highlands Rewilding also confirmed a Bloomberg report that it has signed an agreement with a European firm on its plans, but would not give details.