Course: Learning Day - Letting Nature Lead

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture

23rd May and 20th June 2025
Glen Feshie, Cairngorms, Scotland
£70

Conservation & WildlifeEcology


WHAT TO EXPECT

In 1995, Ballintean in the Cairngorms was a heavily-grazed equestrian centre, with 50-plus horses feeding on the floodplain of the River Feshie. As darkness fell, large herds of red deer would emerge to add further hungry mouths, exerting pressure on what had become a threadbare landscape.

When Peter and his wife Amanda, took on Ballintean, they had little ecological knowledge and were advised by many different conservationists to manage the land in many different ways for many different outcomes. In the end, the couple decided to see what would happen by letting nature lead.

30 years on and Ballintean is a very different place - a mosaic of grassland, woodland, scrub and an increasingly complex riverbed.

As a long-term advocate for natural processes being allowed to shape and govern more of Scotland’s land, during a leisurely amble alongside the river, Peter will describe what has changed at Ballintean and just as importantly, why. 

The Learning Day will cover:

  • The history and context of rewilding in Scotland.
  • The ecological concepts that underpin rewilding.
  • Ecological change at Ballintean, mainly through natural processes.
  • Other areas where ‘letting nature lead’ can be observed.
  • How to get started on your own rewilding journey.

This Learning Day is for you if:

  • you’re a student, graduate or interested in pursuing a career within the rewilding/nature restoration sector.
  • you’re a land manager interested in seeing rewilding in action.
  • you’re a local resident or visitor curious about how rewilding looks and works.

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About SCOTLAND: The Big Picture

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture works to drive the recovery of nature across Scotland through rewilding, in response to the growing climate and biodiversity crises. Our vision is of a vast network of rewilded land and water across Scotland, where wildlife flourishes and people thrive.

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