A large moorland estate in the Cairngorms National Park has been granted a new lease of life after being taken on for nature restoration by the Scottish government.

Glen Prosen – which up until recently was maintained for grouse shooting – was bought by Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS), the government agency responsible for looking after Scotland’s national forests and land, in a bid to boost biodiversity and habitat restoration.

Following decades of burning and drainage to provide heather for game birds to eat, it is expected that FLS will focus on returning Glen Prosen’s peatlands to their healthier, wetter state to deliver carbon storage and homes for wildlife.

Expanding broadleaf woodlands to tackle climate change and enhance landscape resilience through nature-based solutions is also anticipated to be a significant part of the government agency’s restoration drive.

Luke Steele, Executive Director of Wild Moors, said: “Wild Moors applauds Forestry and Land Scotland for giving this damaged and degraded grouse moor a new lease of life by turning it into a nature restoration initiative. We look forward to seeing the project developing.”

SLF’s decision to acquire Glen Prosen follows a series of similar buyouts for nature restoration by companies, communities and wildlife conservation organisations. As well as delivering demonstrable benefits for nature and the climate, these initiatives have also resulted in the creation of jobs in environmental restoration and community engagement.