Environment

With a longstanding commitment to protecting the environment, Buccleuch values the breath-taking landscape in and around the estates as a precious commodity, entrusted in our care for the benefit of generations to come.

We actively manage our impact on the environment to ensure each decision we make is sustainable for the long term, enhancing the land and wider eco-system, and driving down our carbon footprint. Our Land Use Statement further outlines our commitment to responsible land management.

The natural capital resource locked within the estates will prove an invaluable asset at a local and national level and we are currently undertaking a proactive assessment of the natural capital, peatlands and potential biodiversity net gain capabilities across the estates. As a business, we are embarking on a pathway to net zero, appraising options within each enterprise to drive down emissions.

NATURAL CAPITAL & ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS

At every turn, we strive to manage the land as sustainably as possible and continue the pledge made by our predecessors.

In recent years, Buccleuch has built upon its environmental commitments in key enterprises, such as agriculture and forestry, to develop our understanding of natural capital, and the advances in thinking, science and technology around this. We are working in partnership with national experts across a range of disciplines to fully appreciate the opportunities natural capital presents through alternative land uses, from predominantly agriculture to those which benefit natural assets in perpetuity, such as peatland restoration, native woodland planting, recreation, catchment services and renewable energy.

Operating across a diverse range of sectors, Buccleuch continually balances complex economic, and community needs with those of the environment to allow for sustainable solutions for the long-term.

Below are just a few examples of how we are leading the way with this.

BUCCLEUCH FORMS NEW COLLABORATION WITH CRICHTON CARBON CENTRE TO RESTORE PEATLANDS

A new partnership has been formed between Buccleuch and a not-for-profit environmental organisation to undertake the restoration of peatlands across some of Scotland’s best-known landscapes.

ELECTRIC VEHICLE FLEET

This month, Buccleuch were delighted to take delivery of the first vehicles for their electric fleet at Queensberry Estate.

PEATLAND RESTORATION

One of the most important land resources in the fight against climate change are peatlands, which cover around 20% of Scotland.

BOUGHTON ESTATE JOINS THE RIVER ISE PARTNERSHIP

Buccleuch’s Boughton Estate have joined forces with other environmental and local agencies in the North Northamptonshire area to launch ambitious plans to protect and enhance the natural environment in the Ise Valley.

RED KITE SUCCESS STORY

Red Kites from Boughton Estate will join others for a new life in Spain.

GROUND SOURCE HEAT PUMP

A monumental renewable energy project has begun at the historic Bowhill House, on Buccleuch’s Borders Estate.

CARBON COMMITMENT

With a longstanding commitment to countering climate change, we are excited to be embarking on the next phase of a journey that will help protect the environment and heritage for future generations.

We must work together to take action against climate change. Small steps and wholesale change in the way we manage the land can help reduce our carbon emissions and we are committed to this goal. We must ensure we share best practice and collaborate with our stakeholders, our peers and our communities to build a better future.