Our approach to being a sustainability-focussed estate has three main areas of investment; renewable energy, restoration projects and land management.
We believe that we need to support all natural systems, in order to restore and safeguard the landscape as a whole.
Renewable Energy
In 2015, we constructed a 500kW run-of-the-river hydroelectricity scheme on the Abhainn na l-Uamha, generating in excess of 1.8 megawatt hours annually: enough to power over 350 homes. The project was delivered in close partnership with Scottish Natural Heritage and we are proud of its minimal environmental footprint.
Beyond hydro, we continue transitioning the estate’s infrastructure towards sustainable energy. Several residential properties are now fully off-grid, with others fitted with solar, heat exchange or additional hydro technologies. Guests will find EV charging points on site, some powered by renewable sources. We reuse and recycle to best practice standards and review our systems each year.
Landscape and Deer Management
The red deer is arguably Scotland’s most iconic native species and a vital part of our ecology, economy and culture. As land managers, we are responsible for the welfare of our herd and the habitat they depend on. This means managing numbers through selective annual culling between July and February, with our stalkers choosing cull stags on the basis of poor genetics or age, and selecting hinds to favour good conformation and strong calves. After the rut, when stags are physically at their lowest, we provide supplementary feed to carry the herd through until spring grazing improves.
We work closely with our tenant farmer to ensure livestock are appropriately managed across the estate, safeguarding areas particularly sensitive to grazing which includes our native broadleaf woodlands. Our broader purpose is to restore and protect the hills, glens and rivers of this large landscape, keeping them pristine while encouraging access for all.
Native Woodland Creation
Following the success of the Glen Forsa Native Woodland Scheme, we are now in the final stages of securing permission to plant a further 220 hectares of native broadleaf woodland in Glen Cannel. Sensitive to the glen’s long human history and archaeology, these new woodlands will extend those alongside Loch Ba, creating movement corridors and habitats for species that have had little or no presence here for decades, alongside vital riparian stabilisation. We hope they will also draw people further into the hills and glens of Benmore and southern Mull. Further details can be found at highfield-forestry.com/glen-cannel.
Restoration Projects
Native Atlantic Salmon are a key indicator of river health, and across the UK their numbers have declined sharply over the last 30 years. In 2019 we built a non-commercial hatchery at Glenforsa to address this directly. Each year we release fry, parr and smolts into the River Forsa, alongside restoring the natural riparian structures that were previously removed. Fish counters gather data to track progress, and we work closely with academic and government organisations to tackle the wider challenges facing the species. We are beginning to see improvements in the river’s biodiversity and remain committed to its long-term restoration: a project we expect to span the next 10 to 20 years.
Our ambition extends to the coastline. We are investigating the restoration of ancient native oyster beds in Loch na Keal, depleted over time but capable of significantly enhancing local marine biodiversity. We are also exploring seaweed regeneration to provide richer habitats for fish, crustaceans and other marine life, and to offer greater protection for the migratory species that run our rivers.
