Wild Places News

February 2026

Dear Supporter

Welcome to our monthly round up to keep you in touch with the actions we are taking towards creating a lasting future for wild places. February saw the team working hard to advocate for wild places, protecting and restoring and helping more people connect to them.

Read on for some of the highlights - including momentous news from Nevis.

Don't forget to check out our special offers. Scroll down to find out how to enjoy 30% off a stay in one of Kylesku Lodges during April - and how to give the gift of Membership this Mother's Day.

Wild Places News

Advocating for wild places

This month, the Trust’s CEO David Balharry joined a convention of Scottish community leaders in Holyrood to meet with Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy, Gillian Martin and other MSPs. Their aim was to ask for a pause on major energy infrastructure planning applications.

Speaking at the meeting, David said: "The National Planning Framework 4 opened the door for development on Wild Land Areas. Officials are making decisions within a framework which means they are no longer considering what's happening to Scotland's landscape at a strategic scale."

Read more about the meeting and find out how you can support our Power the Future: Protect the Wild campaign calling for a planning system that delivers renewable energy without sacrificing the wild places that define Scotland.

In other news, we are delighted to see that the Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026 was passed by the Scottish Parliament, a year after its introduction.

Thanks to the efforts of our Policy Team, working with partners including RSPB Scotland and Scottish Environment LINK, several important amendments were agreed at Stage 3:

Ministers must now publish a National Deer Management Plan and a Venison Plan, setting clear strategic priorities.

Clear timescales have been introduced for control schemes and control agreements.

NatureScot has a stronger legal basis to intervene - not only where deer are causing damage, but also to enable nature restoration.

There is now a right to request an action review where deer are not being adequately managed.

Read more about how the Bill is strengthening deer management - though we believe more ambition is needed.

Protecting and restoring wild places

Exciting news just in from Nevis: Jahama Highland Estates, one of our partners in the Nevis Nature Network (NNN), has committed to expanding native woodland across its 32,500ha Lochaber landholdings – effectively quadrupling the size of the area covered by the nature restoration project.

Jahama also plans to quadruple semi-natural native woodland cover from 1,425ha to 5,700ha over a ten-year period through natural regeneration in and around existing stands of mature seed trees. The aim is to help new woodlands regenerate naturally by reducing herbivore browsing pressure. Read more

Connecting people to wild places

February saw us return to the Fort William Mountain Festival to celebrate wild places, rainforests and fantastic films. As well as presenting our Wild Places Film Award to Find Mòr – a film by Deep Wild Creative – we invited festival goers to join us on a guided walk through Nevis’ rainforest identifying lichens (like the ones pictured at the top of this newsletter), followed by the chance to tackle invasive rhododendrons that threaten this rare habitat.

And finally, huge thanks to Ben Lomond Gin Schiehallion Limited Edition for donating two of their tasty Gift Sets as prizes for people who took part in our guess the lichen quiz. Read more and try the quiz for yourself.

Thank you for your continued support of the John Muir Trust. We look forward to sharing more updates from across our work in the months ahead.

Meanwhile, our work continues every day. Visit our website for the latest stories, campaign updates and news from across the Trust.

Read more John Muir Trust news

Special discount offers!

Created in partnership with the John Muir Trust, Ben Lomond Gin’s Schiehallion Limited Edition is inspired by one of Scotland’s most iconic mountains. You can enjoy an exclusive 30% discount entering discount code 'JOHNMUIR30' when you buy online.

Up in the North-West of Scotland at the Trust’s Kylesku Lodges, Members and supporters can enjoy 30% off a stay in April 2026. Simply apply the discount code ‘JMT30’ when booking.

Behind the scenes, our team is getting ready for doors to reopen on 1 April.

Dates for your diary

North East Scotland conservation day

Saturday 21 March

All welcome to join a hands-on conservation day at Glen Tanar.

Glenlude volunteer day

Thursday 5 March and Thursday 19 March

All welcome to book to join us for our fortnightly Thursday volunteer work parties at Glenlude in the Scottish Borders.

Illustrated talk: 40 years a ranger with Eric Baird (Aberdeen)

Thursday 23 April

Join the John Muir Trust and special guest - ex Head Ranger at Glen Tanar Eric Baird - for an informative evening celebrating wild places.

John Muir Award Provider workshops

Various dates

Find out more about one of our learning initiatives, the John Muir Award by signing up for one of our free 90-minute monthly online workshops.

Join us - or give the gift of Membership this Mother's Day!

Help protect our wild places

Becoming a Member of the John Muir Trust will help us protect the wild places in our care, campaign on the urgent issues facing wild places and connect more people with them.

Find out more and join now!

Photography: John Muir Trust