Many centuries ago, the Scottish Highlands were covered by the Great Caledonian Forest – a lost wilderness that provided a home to wolves, bears and lynxes.  The forest’s timber was long ago cleared for industry and agriculture.  The loss of predatory control, combined with sporting tradition, has allowed Scotland’s deer numbers to grow unchecked.  Today, their browsing of tree saplings limits natural forest regeneration.

In Alladale Wilderness Reserve, 23,000 acres in the Scottish Highlands are being ‘rewilded’.  Over one million native trees have been replanted, carbon sinks have been restored, and red squirrel and eagle numbers have soared.  One day, it may even be possible to reintroduce wolves.

To protect tree saplings, Neil and his team must cull high numbers of deer.  For now, their vision of self-regulating nature requires controversial human intervention.

Neil began work at Alladale at 16.  He will be in his sixties when the replanted saplings are as tall as the remaining trees of the old-growth forest.