Scottish Wildlife Trust has bought a 7,618-hectare estate after receiving a record £17.5m donation from a mystery donor.
The charity announced today that it has purchased the 7,618-hectare Inverbroom Estate in the Scottish Highlands with the money, which is the largest donation in the charity’s 60-year history and comes from a donor who wishes to stay anonymous.
It made a commitment to the donor that none of the work at Inverbroom would be funded through the sale of carbon credits and that it would act as a responsible landlord and develop opportunities for local employment, training and volunteering, it stated on its website.
The donation of the estate came through the donor-advised fund of UBS UK, which enables high-net-worth philanthropists to donate anonymously and claim charitable tax relief.
A spokesperson for the trust told Civil Society: “Despite not disclosing the identity of the donor publicly, the trust has carried out due diligence on the donation as we would normally do.
“This includes assessing the environmental policies and reputations of donors and associated companies, and investigating donors’ giving histories.
“We are confident in the thoroughness of our due diligence process and have declined donations in the past where there have been concerns about risks such as greenwash.”
‘An important milestone’
The trust took ownership of the majority of the estate on 3 March with the remainder due to come under the trust’s ownership on 8 April.
With the acquisition of the estate, it plans to work with local farmers to promote sustainable agricultural practices that benefit nature while maintaining a productive business model.
Its upcoming projects on the site include restoration of wildlife and habitats, transforming the landscape through woodland regeneration and peatland restoration.
Jo Pike, the trust’s chief executive, said: “Not only is the purchase of Inverbroom an important milestone for the trust, but also for Scotland’s efforts to tackle the nature and climate crises.
“It is apt that we take ownership of the site on UN World Wildlife Day.
“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.
“It 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.
“We are extremely grateful to the donor for helping us secure this important site, and to our former chief executive and current Scottish Wildlife Trust ambassador, Jonny Hughes, who facilitated the donation.”
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