Festival-goers urged to help rewild north

MUSIC lovers at this year’s Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival are being urged to help rewild the north by having their own trees planted by Findhorn-based charity Trees for Life.

Organisers of "Bella" 2019 are calling on festival-goers to mitigate the carbon impact of travelling to the event near Inverness through donations to fund native trees.

Every tree will help Trees for Life restore the Caledonian Forest together with wildlife such as red squirrels and pine martens.

The trees will be planted at Trees for Life’s acclaimed Dundreggan Conservation Estate – a 10,000-acre forest regeneration site in Glenmoriston near Loch Ness.

"We’re delighted Bella is helping to bring back one of the world’s most magical forest habitats. As well as trees, rewilding is about people, culture and place – so it’s wonderful to connect nature, music and the wild spirit of the Highlands like this," said Steve Micklewright, Trees for Life chief executive.

Belladrum's Claire Clark said: "The wild Caledonian Forest once covered much of the Highlands, but today only 1% remains – which we think is a really big problem. So we’re asking Bella-goers to help. Every £6 donation will allow Trees for Life to plant a native tree – a lasting legacy, and a great, green way to give back to nature when visiting Bella 2019."

So far Trees for Life’s volunteers have established 1.7 million native trees.

See www.treesforlife.org.uk/bella for more information.

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