An 1,800-acre hillside between Minard and Furnace on Loch Fyne is up for sale at £3.3 million – with the selling agents marketing it as a “significant opportunity to generate carbon credits and further enhance natural capital values”.
Goldcrest, the chartered land and forestry agents, describe the land – called Goatfield Hill – as “extensive upland hill-ground with afforestation and peatland restoration potential”.
Jon Lambert, a partner at the firm, declined to name the seller of the land.
Carbon credits can be created when a landowner or farmer carries out an activity such as peatland restoration or woodland creation that removes additional carbon from the atmosphere. Credits can be attached to these activities in proportion to the amount of carbon removed.
The landowner or farmer may be able to sell these credits to another business that needs them to offset emissions. In some situations, the value attached to validated carbon credits can be significant.
Goldcrest’s marketing material reads: “Goatfield Hill is an attractive and extensive area of open hill with scattered scrub, native broadleaves and a commercial Sitka spruce plantation on its lower slope, extending to 25Ha.
“Although currently grazed, there are many opportunities including forestry conservation and sporting. Afforestation projects present great opportunities for the creation of carbon credits.
“The property rises from approximately 50m above sea level to the summit of Beinn Ghlas, 420m above sea level. The soils are shown on the Soil Map for Scotland and comprise three main types.
“The lower slopes along the Loch Fyne side of the hills is mineral gley soil which is classified as F4 for forestry with an area of approximately 100Ha.
“The highest ground around Beinn Ghlas and the ridge running northeast along the length of the property is of peaty gleys, classified as F5/F6 for forestry use and about 150Ha. The remainder of the property is classified as F5 for forestry use.
“Parts of the land have been colonised by native woodland, notably on the mineral gley soils at the eastern end, above Drinliath and Sandhole.
“There is approximately 150Ha of this native cover at varying densities. This would not be suitable for new planting as it is already tree covered. Species include alder, birch, hazel, willow and oak.
“On the slopes facing Gallanach, there are the beginnings of scrub colonisation with ‘buttons’ of willow showing through.
“The average annual rainfall of approximately 1,983 mm is recorded at the nearest Met Office Station in Inveraray indicating local rainfall is sufficient for the growth of native broadleaf tree species and a range of conifers.”
Councillor Jan Brown said her immediate concern on any potential land sale is that any plans by a new owner take cognisance of the local development plan.
Goldcrest’s marketing material adds: “This is a region with well-established links to commercial forestry and benefits from… road and sea links to major timber processing facilities…desirable growing conditions with suitable soils and climate…local forestry infrastructure fully developed with a comprehensive management and contractor resource…
“Sporting rights are included in the sale. Due to the scale and topography of the property, there may be opportunities to develop challenging hill ground deer stalking.”
On “carbon and natural capital opportunities” the marketing material adds: “Both pending issuance units and woodland carbon units can be sold in the UK voluntary carbon market, with pending issuance units being used to offset future carbon emissions whilst woodland carbon units are a measure of actual carbon sequestered on site and can be used for immediate offset or inset into UK businesses.”
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Goatfield Hill’s selling agents said: “The property rises from approximately 50m above sea level to the summit of Beinn Glass, 420m above sea level.”