The Natural Capital Laboratory
Background
Situated on 100 acres of scenic hills near Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands is the Natural Capital Laboratory, an innovative rewilding project aspiring to restore native forest and peat bog.
What was initially a stand of commercial conifer forest with remnants of ancient birch woodland will, over the coming years, unfold into something more, showcasing the capacity for regeneration to bring about a wilder landscape.
Our research
David Satori is working with the team to better understand the wildlife that presently exists on site. David will be conducting a baseline fungal diversity survey to help build critical knowledge of the distribution, abundance, and seasonality of fungi, especially those of conservation concern.
The key questions are:
- What can the fungi reveal about the health of the ancient woodland?
- How are fungal populations shifting as new habitats and niches open up?
- What can fungi tell us about the threats that the site faces?
Working alongside David is Alan Watson Featherstone (ecologist, nature photographer, inspirational speaker, and the founder of the award-winning charity Trees for Life) who is undertaking a missing species review, exploring the potential to restore species through the rewilding process.
Timeline
This project is running from October 2021 through to September 2022. This will culminate with a survey report outlining the key findings and recommendations for the site’s future management.
This project is led by Chris White, an Environmental Economist at AECOM.
"Fungi underpin the functioning of ecosystems across the world, and their contribution to woodland health is increasingly appreciated. It is a tremendous honour to be able to work with the NCL and partners to provide data that will ultimately help protect species and rewild this wonderful part of the Scottish Highlands."
David Satori
Partners
Cover photo © Chris Coupland Photography
