Three Scottish estates earn top wildlife management awards

Three Scottish estates totalling more than 120,000 acres have received prestigious Wildlife Estates Scotland (WES) accreditation in recognition of their exemplary wildlife management and conservation work.

Finzean, Glen Creran and Reay Forest celebrated

The awards were presented at the GWCT Scottish Game Fair by agriculture minister Jim Fairlie MSP to Finzean Estate in Aberdeenshire, Glen Creran Estate in Argyll and Reay Forest Estate in Sutherland.

Reay Forest Estate achieved the highest score of any WES‑accredited organisation in Europe. The Sutherland estate, part of Grosvenor’s portfolio, is delivering one of the UK’s largest conservation initiatives, partnering with the Atlantic Salmon Trust to restore wild salmon across a landscape equivalent in size to urban Manchester.

Glen Creran Estate has focused its efforts on native woodland regeneration and Atlantic salmon protection, working closely with the Argyll Fisheries Trust on electrofishing surveys and hatchery programmes.

Finzean Estate, in the Grampian hills, combines sustainable business with wildlife conservation, safeguarding rare species such as black grouse and capercaillie through deer management and woodland enhancement.

A commitment to habitats and ecosystems

Miles Montgomerie, chair of Wildlife Estates Scotland, called the estates’ work an “extraordinary achievement”, adding that “WES‑accredited estates have made a commitment, often at significant cost, to protect and improve habitats, ecosystems and wildlife, for present and future generations to enjoy”.

Scotland currently ranks second in Wildlife Estates’ European league table for accredited landholdings.