Rewilding project on Loch Ness, Highlands Rewilding, launches crowdfund in bid to expand nature recovery activities
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AN award-winning rewilding project based near Loch Ness is launching a new crowdfunding campaign to support their pledge to counter climate change.
After their recent win at the Nature of Scotland Awards, Highlands Rewilding is hoping to raise at least eight million in funds through their latest call to support their activities across their Bunloit Estate (south of Drumnadrochit) and Beldorney Estate in Aberdeenshire.
Of these funds, £500,000 are hope to be raised thanks to citizen rewilders, with the remainder coming from equity investors and financial institutions.
This second round of fundraising follows on from £7.5m raised with 50 investors in January this year.
Dr Jeremy Leggett, CEO of Highlands Rewilding, said: “This round of funding is an exciting opportunity to significantly scale the project as we look to invest in more land, people, and further improve Scotland’s biodiversity in our efforts to combat the climate crisis and biodiversity collapse.
“We ideally want to have hundreds, if not thousands of shareholders from across the world, but especially Scotland where we will continue to work as closely as we can with local highland communities, including via joint ventures with community organisations. Our citizen rewilder option within the crowdfund allows for genuine co-ownership for a minimum amount of investment.”
The company is focussing on growing the portfolio of land-in-recovery that they already own, with the crowdfunding being aimed at acquiring South Bunloit, Beldorney Castle and one other estate that provides biodiversity opportunities.
A significantly higher amount would improve the team's chances to acquire more or larger estate to widen their nature recovery opportunities.
By managing their own land for carbon and biodiversity uplift, Highlands Rewilding aim to provide its shareholders with ethical returns of at least 5 per cent every year – over 10 years – and to encourage landowners to pivot to net-zero carbon and nature positive practices.
More infromation for those willing to invest are available on Highlands Rewilding's website.
According to the charity, it is expected that most of its 50 original investors will re-invest, which will increase the chances of institutional and other investment.
They also hope that the project can attract debt from banks in this round, which they said would be a first for a for-profit rewilding project.
