Four diverse landowners have formed a unique pact to "reawaken the landscape" across an area of Lochaber bigger than Edinburgh.
The founding members of Beò Airceig are Achnacarry Estate, Arkaig Community Forest (ACF), Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS), and Woodland Trust Scotland (WTS).
These partners offer an almost perfect representation of highland land ownership in microcosm - a traditional estate, a community group that has exercised its right-to-buy, a government agency and a nature conservation charity.
Beò Airceig is an ambitious landscape-scale collaboration project between the community and other landowners in the iconic glens surrounding Loch Arkaig. Partners are working together to regenerate and reconnect the ancient Caledonian pine forests and other surviving rainforest remnants within this area, which is also important for its freshwater, peatland and mountain environments.
"Between us we bring not only a great deal of land to the table but also a huge amount of expertise and experience," said Astie Cameron of Achnacarry Estate.
"We are very excited to be working together. We have much to learn from each other and hope what we achieve will inspire others."
Christina Tracey, forest planning manager with FLS said: "We have agreed a vision to reawaken the landscape as a thriving natural ecosystem with a rich diversity of habitats that will support a resilient local community of both people and wildlife with an environmental, social and economic balance."
Liam McLoon of Arkaig Community Forest said: "With 30,000 hectares between us there is a greater prospect of achieving outcomes at landscape scale. Some activities, such as clearing invasive non-native species or increasing biodiversity, have a much greater chance of success if tackled across ownership boundaries."
Henry Dobson who manages Loch Arkaig Pine Forest for Woodland Trust Scotland said: "Two of the members are national organisations but Beò Airceig has emerged from relationships forged locally and will be led by the land managers on the ground to ensure a focus on practical delivery. It is not expected or realistic that consensus will be reached on every issue, but we have all committed to an agreed set of principles."
The Beò Airceig principles are as follows:
There will be a primary focus on habitat restoration and ecological enhancement in the project area, using nature-based solutions to ensure ecosystems are robust and more resilient to climate change.
There is a recognition that direct economic benefits from land management, including income from timber and venison sales, and natural capital investment will continue to be an important objective for some members.
A commitment to maintain, or increase, biodiversity and rare habitats and species within the project area.
The long-standing cultural influences on the landscape are recognised and valued. Local communities will be engaged with and consulted regularly. They will have the opportunity to get involved with Beò Airceig, ensuring it benefits and supports the local area.
Members will actively seek opportunities to cooperate and work across land ownership boundaries including, where appropriate, the sharing of equipment and resources and collaborating on deer management, where possible.
Information will be shared wherever possible, and members will seek to collaborate, particularly on monitoring.
