Regeneration

A powerful, hopeful and deeply observed account of how one of Scotland’s wildest landscapes was brought back from the brink.

Andrew Painting tells the remarkable story of Mar Lodge Estate — its wildlife, its people and the decades‑long effort to restore a damaged ecosystem to life.

About the Ebook

Regeneration is the inspiring true story of how a vast Highland landscape — once scarred by centuries of human impact — has been painstakingly restored to ecological health.

When the National Trust for Scotland acquired Mar Lodge Estate in 1995, its ancient Caledonian pinewoods were dying, its moorlands degraded and its wildlife under pressure. Yet this extraordinary place, home to more than 5,000 species, held the potential to become a model for conservation in the Cairngorms.

Over 25 years, ecologists, rangers, volunteers and local communities worked to revive the land: reducing deer numbers, restoring bogs and burns, protecting fragile habitats and allowing the forest to return. Today, the pinewoods, mountains and moors are flourishing once more.

Andrew Painting weaves together natural history, ecology, personal experience and the voices of those who live and work on the estate. He also tackles urgent questions around rewilding, raptor persecution, deer management and what it truly means to care for wild places.

Longlisted for the Highland Book Prize, this is a moving, insightful and hopeful book about the future of Scotland’s landscapes — and our relationship with them.

Critical Praise

"A thoughtful, passionate and beautifully written account of a landscape brought back to life."

Why You'll Love This Ebook

• A hopeful conservation story showing real ecological recovery in action.
• Rich, immersive nature writing set in the heart of the Cairngorms.
• Insight into modern conservation — from rewilding to deer management.
• Features remarkable wildlife including eagles, otters, pine martens and more.
• A standout Birlinn nature title for readers who love wild places.

About the Author

Andrew Painting grew up in the south of England and studied English at King’s College London and Environmental Anthropology at Aberdeen University. After volunteering with the RSPB, he moved to Scotland and has worked since 2016 as Assistant Ecologist at Mar Lodge Estate.

Publication Details

Publisher: Birlinn Ltd

Imprint: Birlinn

Publication Date: 18 March 2021

Print Length: 304 pages

ISBN (Ebook): 9781788853828

Format: Ebook

Language: English

Categories: Nature Writing & Gardening

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