Trees for Life

RCN SC021303, Findhorn

Trees for Life stands at the forefront of rewilding in the Scottish Highlands. Hopeful and bold, we are committed to creating nature-rich landscapes that include and support people. Working on a grand scale, we aim to close the gap between people and nature. Focusing on Scotland’s spectacular Caledonian forest, we foster biodiversity and encourage natural processes essential to life. From the iconic red squirrel to the elusive lynx, we are working to bring more life back to our landscapes. Rewilding is a shared journey. Together with communities, we are restoring Scotland’s natural and cultural heritage while supporting local livelihoods. Join us on this path of hope and positive action. Rewild the Scottish Highlands.

Trees for Life is rewilding the Scottish Highlands. With your support, we can restore the globally unique Caledonian Forest that once covered much of Scotland, creating space for wildlife to flourish and communities to thrive.  

We work with hundreds of volunteers and like-minded partners each year to restore, regenerate and expand native woodlands. Communities lie at the heart of our approach. People are part of nature, and crucial to its recovery.

1628280677_copy_of_cw_-_dd_-_17.04.15-22_group_at_the_gate.jpg

Here’s an overview of our current projects: 

Red Squirrel Reintroduction. We're creating new populations of the red squirrel across the north of Scotland, carefully capturing reds from their strongholds and transporting them to new forests.

1628272585_adobestock_267060872.jpg

Caledonian Pinewood Recovery is a large-scale project to save Scotland's ancient pinewood remnants by encouraging their active management. We are working with landowners and managers to ensure that these precious forests, and all the wildlife that depend on them, have the best chance of survival. 

1628272695_scots_pines_at_glen_affric_dsc6906.jpg

Affric Highlands is a collaborative project to scale up rewilding across a large area of the central Highlands. If we can better connect nature to communities and livelihoods, all three can flourish and support one another.    

1628278798_eww_tourism_mum_and_boy_watching_loch_katrine,_trossachs_adobe_stock.jpeg

Skills for Rewilding is providing 15 people with high-quality, fully-funded training in rewilding. Trainees will gain the practical skills and experience to support future careers in conservation. 

1628279575_copy_of_img-20200505-wa0016.jpg 

Lynx to Scotland is a collaborative project by the Vincent Wildlife Trust, SCOTLAND: The Big Picture and Trees for Life to begin a respectful, open conversation about lynx, and to explore the social feasibility of their reintroduction to Scotland.

1628280408_copy_of_eurasian_lynx_adobe_stock_225516347.jpg

Dundreggan Estate is our flagship example of rewilding in action. It's home to our tree nursery, where we grow native species from seed - many of them rare and hard to find. These saplings are then carefully planted across the estate and beyond to create forests of the future.

1628282061_20201023_140052.jpg

Planting trees. We have planted nearly two million trees and our work will continue until we have planted many millions more. 

1628281383_copy_of__mg_1721.jpg

We hope you've enjoyed learning more about the work of Trees for Life. 

We have made great progress in returning bleak landscapes of overgrazed grass back to wildlife-rich wild forest. But there is still much more to do. Generous support by donors is vital to help save the wild Caledonian Forest and all the wildlife that depends on it. 

 


Fundraisers


A loyalty points scheme donated to this cause

A loyalty points scheme has provided £194 of match funding

Latest

David Evans – £20 + an est. £5.00 in Gift Aid

Thanks for the videos, 'mon the trees

16th September 2025   Donation for: Caledonian Pinewood Challenge

Aleks – £5

Keep up the good work

31st January 2023  

Vivianne – £5

8th January 2023  

Aleks – £2

22nd October 2022  

Anonymous – £100 + an est. £10.00 in Gift Aid

1st September 2022  

Bob Carr – £40 + an est. £10.00 in Gift Aid

3rd May 2022  

Anonymous – £1

10th April 2022  

Richard Soutar – £60

Keep up the good work !

13th February 2022  

Anonymous – £3

11th February 2022  

Thomas Homan – £8

Keep up the top work! Hopefully I will get the chance to volunteer up there some time soon!

9th February 2022  

Anonymous – £50

9th February 2022  

fin monteith – £20

1st February 2022  

Donate to this charity