A conservation charity has launched an £8million appeal to transform a Highland estate into a “red squirrel superhighway”.
Woodland Trust Scotland wants to buy the 4500-acre Couldoran Estate in Wester Ross and manage it for people and wildlife over the coming decades.
The charity has pledged to revive the spare estate, at the foot of Corbett Beinn Bhan, and make it into a “superhighway” for squirrels to expand their range and other native species, including wildcats, to move freely between woods across the wider area in the future.
Couldoran, near Lochcarron, neighbours the trust’s existing site at Ben Shieldaig and the two will be managed jointly. Together, the two sites would cover 8,365 acres, making it one of the trust’s largest in the UK.
The £8million funding would allow the trust to purchase the state for £3.5million and manage it for decades.
Trust director Alastair Seaman said: “Couldoran is in relatively poor condition. Once restoration is under way, we hope many of the iconic species we have at Ben Shieldaig will flood back in.
“Securing Couldoran will double the area under our management at Shieldaig, increasing potential to bring back more of the native woods that once featured across the wider landscape.”
Reviving Couldoran Estate
As part of the plan, new habitats would be created through tree planting and “natural regeneration” with work carried out to protect the peatland and blanket bog.
An initial walkover survey has revealed more than 1,000 acres of new native woodland of Scots pine, aspen, downy birch, rowan, willow and alder could be created with the remaining open ground.
Restoring the woodland at Couldoran will help connect important nearby sites creating a “nature highway” along Glen Shieldaig.
The trust also hopes by upgrading public access it will help improve footfall across the estate.
Mr Seaman added: “Next door at Shieldaig we see birds such as golden eagle, peregrine, red throated diver, greenshank and golden plover. Pine martens, water voles, badgers, red squirrels and mountain hares have also been spotted.
“If we can improve canopy cover at Couldoran we expect to find many of these species moving in as their range and habitat improves and expands.
“Wildcats were in the area until the 1960s and we’ve heard of potential sightings more recently too. It’s exciting to think we might one day see the return of such a rare and endangered species. Beinn a Chait is one of the hills on the estate and the Gaelic name may reflect this was once “mountain of the wildcat.”
The trust has vowed to liase with the public and provide adequate opportunities for them to have their say on the proposals.
“Continuing our approach at Ben Shieldaig, the Trust will consult with local people and neighbouring landowners on our plans and provide opportunities for people to have their say and get involved,” the director added.