From woodland to peatland, the acquisition unlocks a new era of restoration and innovation in one of the UK’s most iconic landscapes. Leading natural capital asset manager Oxygen Conservation is proud to announce that it has acquired Kinrara Estate, a…
Upper Speyside
Set within the Cairngorms National Park, Kinrara is one of the most significant landscapes in the UK
Spanning nearly 10,000 acres of moorland, peatland, and native woodland in the heart of the Scottish Highlands, a landscape defined by sweeping glens, open hills, and habitats that hold immense ecological value, both locally and nationally.
This is also a landscape already in transition. Kinrara has been the focus of one of Scotland’s most ambitious woodland creation projects, alongside large-scale peatland restoration. These early interventions have laid the foundations for long-term recovery—reintroducing native woodland, restoring degraded peat, and beginning to rebuild ecological processes across the Estate.
Today, Kinrara enters its next chapter. Under Oxygen Conservation’s stewardship, the Estate represents a rare opportunity to deliver nature recovery at scale—building on this strong foundation to create a resilient, functioning Highland landscape for generations to come.
Estate Projects & Plans
Click the link to be taken to our estate-focused community website, where you can view detailed plans, updates, and stay connected with what’s happening on the estate.
Community Website
Woodland Creation
Kinrara is already home to one of the UK’s most ambitious native woodland creation projects, and this will remain central to its future.
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Peatland Restoration
The peatlands of Kinrara are a critical natural asset—both for biodiversity and for climate.
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People, Access & Long-Term Stewardship
Kinrara is not only a place for nature, but for people.
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A landscape renewed
Kinrara is being shaped as a landscape-scale restoration project — one that reflects both the scale of the estate and the importance of its habitats within the wider Cairngorms ecosystem.
As new custodians, we are working closely with local partners, stakeholders, and the Cairngorms National Park Authority to build a long-term vision grounded in ecological knowledge and local context.
At its core, that vision is to restore natural processes across the estate: expanding native woodlands, recovering degraded peatland, and creating a landscape where nature, people, and rural livelihoods can thrive together.
Woodland Creation
Building on the work already undertaken, we will continue to expand and establish native woodland across the Estate—reconnecting fragmented habitats and creating a more continuous forested landscape. Using locally sourced seed and appropriate species mixes, this woodland will support biodiversity, improve soil health, and contribute to long-term carbon sequestration.
Over time, this work will help restore a more natural Highland landscape—one where woodland once again plays a defining role.
Peatland Restoration
Significant restoration has already taken place, with large areas of degraded peatland rewetted and stabilised. We will continue this work across the Estate, ensuring peat systems are functioning effectively as carbon stores while supporting the unique habitats and species they sustain.
By restoring peatland at scale, Kinrara contributes not only to local ecological recovery but also to national climate objectives.
People, Access & Long-Term Stewardship
Our vision includes improving access, creating opportunities for green jobs, and building strong relationships with local communities and stakeholders. This begins with listening—engaging openly with those who live, work, and spend time on the Estate to ensure its future reflects both ecological priorities and local needs.
Over time, Kinrara will become a demonstration of how large-scale land management can deliver benefits for both nature and people—supporting rural livelihoods while restoring the landscape.
Explore the estate with this interactive map
One of our most ambitious landscape-scale restoration projects
Prior to acquisition, substantial progress had been made across the estate, creating a strong foundation for what comes next. These early interventions mark the beginning of a long-term transformation — one that will expand woodland cover, restore peat systems, and strengthen ecological connectivity across the wider landscape.
Looking ahead, the focus is on delivering landscape-scale outcomes for biodiversity, carbon, and community — guided by data, partnerships, and long-term stewardship. Through these efforts, Kinrara will contribute to clean water, carbon storage, wildlife habitat, green jobs, regenerative agriculture, and community impact, outcomes aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The figures to the right represent the long-term impact we aim to deliver, measured over the lifetime of the Estate.
353,000 tonnes of CO2
removed or avoided
12 km
of restored watercourses
2.5 jobs
supported across the Estate
Articles from across the Estate
Meet your Estate Manager
Supporting with the Estate Management whilst we look to recruit is Ed Curley, our brilliant Dorback Estate Manager. With over a decade of experience across freshwater, peatland and upland environments, and a PhD in Ecology, Ed combines scientific insight with practical field expertise. They have led river and peatland restoration, biodiversity assessments, hydrological monitoring and species recovery projects in Scotland and internationally. Deeply interested in how ecosystems function and respond to change, Ed is motivated by restoration that is both ambitious and achievable — rebuilding resilient, thriving landscapes in ways that respect local knowledge, support rural livelihoods and create lasting impact for nature and people alike. Alongside overseeing Dorback’s growing ecotourism operations, they work closely with local communities and partners to ensure the estate’s restoration is collaborative, grounded and built for the long term.
Email Ed