The world’s first Rewilding Centre is now open and welcoming its first visitors, introducing them to the concept through the work we have been doing to restore the Caledonian forest and rewild the estate at Dundreggan for the last 15 years.
Trees for Life Founder, Alan Watson Featherstone, and our youngest and newest member of staff, Maddie Hayes, officially opened the centre by hanging their wish for the future of nature on Am bile – the sacred tree – a recycled metal tree that welcomes you to the centre when you arrive. 70 other guests hung their wishes for nature so that those who have been involved in the creation of the centre were part of the opening ceremony.
Then on the 15th April we welcomed hundreds of visitors to the grand opening weekend with chances to visit the tree nursery, go for a walk with one of our expert guides, explore pondlife with Nick Baker and hidden nature with Dan Puplett. Everyone had a fantastic time as they explored Gaelic culture and rewilding through the displays at the centre, accompanied by musicians who had been involved in rediscovering lost music from Glenmoriston. Another highlight was enjoying locally sourced food and drink in An Nead – the nest – café.
I have been involved in this project for almost five years. When I joined Trees for Life, it was just an idea and it is amazing to see what has been achieved, despite Covid lockdowns and cost inflation. Now it is built, the work really begins. Over the next few months, we must learn how to run the centre smoothly and ensure our visitors have a wonderful experience and go away enthused and excited about both rewilding and Trees for Life. We are lucky to have recruited a wonderful team of people who together will greet visitors with Dundreggan’s unique friendly hospitality and share their passion for nature, rewilding, the Scottish Highlands and Gaelic culture. We expect to welcome more and more visitors as the weather warms and Highland residents and visitors decide to go out and explore the region.
We have also opened the new purpose-built accommodation which can welcome visitors for longer and more immersive experiences. You can book the accommodation if you would like to visit Dundreggan and it will also be welcoming visitors who are coming for events and conferences that will enable us to make rewilding happen in many new ways and places. We also plan to use the accommodation to welcome students for study visits and groups with specific needs to take part in volunteering at Dundreggan too.
So, if you are planning on visiting the Scottish Highlands this summer or would like to spend some time at Dundreggan, please come and see us at the Rewilding Centre. You can be assured of a very warm welcome and to take away some great memories.
For more information on what the centre has to offer, go to visitdundreggan.co.uk
Dundreggan Rewilding Centre is generously supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Bòrd na Gàidhlig, the Audemars Piguet Foundation, SSE Sustainable Development Fund, FERN Community Funds, the Garfield Weston Foundation, the Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme led by the Scottish Government and The Natural and Cultural Heritage Fund, led by NatureScot and part-funded through the European Regional Development Fund.