A millionaire philanthropist is set to turn his 23,000 working Highland estate into a 'Jurrasic Park' type ecological game reserve, by re-introducing species of animals and plants that once lived wild on the land around 2000 years ago. Paul Lister has just been granted a dangerous wild animal license which means that he will soon have animals such as lynx, bears, wolves and wild boar running around his Alladale estate. He also hopes to re-introduce Caledonian Pine, hazel, and round birch trees. He has dreamed of turning his land back over to these once native species for years, and with the help from other local landowners he has already planted over 250,000 indigenous trees as part of the project.
The Alladale estate covers five glens, two river systems and has over 10 hill lochs scattered amongst the impressive range of hills. Lister bought it four years ago for £3.2 million. The plans for the game reserve will involve building 37 miles of electric fences, which has raised concerns about infringing the public right to roam, and tagging all animals so their locations can be monitored. Local farmers and residents are naturally concerned about the fact that there will be so many large and dangerous predators roaming the countryside, but Lister has assured them the safety measures he will introduce means that the animals will be contained and will prove no threat to livestock or humans.
[via The Guardian]
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