An anonymous altruist recently gifted the Scottish Wildlife Trust the largest donation in its 60-year history. With it, the SWT hopes to achieve conservation goals that were previously pipe dreams.
The SWT used the donation money to purchase Inverbroom Estate, a nearly 19,000-acre stretch of gorgeous woodland, peatland, lochs, and more. This amounts to the organization's largest land acquisition ever.
A recent announcement declared the SWT's intent to "restore wildlife habitats on [Inverbroom] to help tackle the nature and climate crises." It plans to do this by working with the community to "transform the landscape through woodland regeneration, peatland restoration and nature-friendly farming."
The record £17.5 million (around $22.7 million) donation came in timely fashion, as the Inverbroom site was being eyed by foreign buyers. Now, it remains in the hands of a group that is heavily invested in maintaining Scotland's natural beauty and protecting its ecosystems.
"The site includes some of Scotland's most iconic species and habitats, so we are delighted to have been able to secure it for the benefit of Scotland's wildlife and people, especially as there was also interest from overseas buyers," Jo Pike, chief executive of the Scottish Wildlife Trust, said.
The SWT also intends to protect Inverbroom by removing invasive species that are disrupting the area's ecosystem. British isle Guernsey recently had success with similar efforts from conservationists.
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In a world where the gap, both cultural and financial, between the haves and have-nots seems to be ever-growing, this story is heartening. While the ultra-wealthy continue to pollute at far higher rates than the rest of us, there's at least one well-to-do environmentalist out there. That anonymous donor is responsible for the largest-ever land acquisition by Scotland's biggest conservation charity.
Thanks to them and the SWT, Scotland's citizens — plants, animals, and humans — can enjoy a healthier, greener, better-protected environment.
"[The restoration project] has all been made possible by the incredible generosity of a private donor who is passionate about the part that Inverbroom can play in restoring our precious ecosystems, while delivering benefits for local people," Pike said.
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