About Us

We were founded in 2017 by a zoologist with a passion for saving rare and endangered wildlife. Our primary purpose for our forestry projects is to support wild trees in wild landscapes. The TreeWilder way!

  • We carefully select and shape forest projects to achieve meaningful, lasting outcomes for biodiversity.
  • We also support wetland restoration projects achieving enormous benefits to nature and substantial water quality impacts.
  • Finally, we fund exceptional renewable energy projects to break the fossil fuel addiction.
Red Deer in a Forrest
  • Peatland Code
  • Verified Carbon Standards
  • Gold Standard
  • United Nations Climate Change
  • Bio Carbon Registry
Holding Tree Sap Graphic

The TreeWilder Way

Protecting at Risk, Virgin Tropical Forests

Tropical forests are the most spectacular and biodiverse landscapes on Earth. Sadly, they are disappearing at an alarming rate. An area of around 3 million acres of virgin forest, the size of Belgium, is lost every year.

We support robust, ambitious initiatives to protect tropical forests in countries such as Brazil, Venezuela, Uruguay and beyond. The Amazon alone, for example, is home to 427 mammal species, 1,300 bird species, 378 species of reptiles and more than 400 species of amphibians.

Restoring Wild Forests to their Splendour

The Scottish Highlands are one of the most altered landscapes on Earth. Once, they were almost entirely forested. Today, less than 1% of the once vast Caledonian Forest remains. Through the mass planting of diverse, native trees, we are restoring key areas of Scotland to their former splendour.

Our projects range from the islands and rugged west coast, where mountains erupt from the sea, to the very interior of the Scottish Highlands and the Scottish Borders. Latterly, we are now adding projects in Northern England and Northern Ireland.

Some of the enigmatic wildlife to benefit from these projects include:

  • Scottish Wildcats
  • Red Squirrels
  • Pine Martens
  • Golden Eagles
  • Sea Eagles
  • Ospreys

In some cases, afforestation projects reduce silting into water courses. Thus, they improve water quality for diverse coastal ecosystems, which are home to diverse marine life, including whales, dolphins, seals and fish.

European Otter
Helping the Planet Graphic

Achieving Sustainable Forestry Landscape Impacts

We support forestry projects around the world which achieve continuous forest cover. Rather than large areas being cleared of trees, sustainable forestry entails the selective cutting and replanting of trees within a continuous woodland.

Sustainable forests provide excellent conservation buffers to pristine wilderness areas. They ensure that wildlife is not forced off the land by timber extraction. In the UK in particular, we are restoring native forests to their former splendour.

Peatland Restoration

Per acre, restored peatlands are even more efficient than forests regarding Greenhouse Gas impacts. Scotland is home to 80% of the world’s blanket bogs. Many of these important wetland areas have been drained for conversion to grazing. Once dry, however, they act as giant compost heaps.

They biodegrade and emit methane at scale. Methane is a Greenhouse Gas that is 25 times as powerful as CO2. In Scotland, drained peatlands represent the second largest source of Greenhouse Gas emissions, next to transport. By blocking drainage channels and constructing a matrix of dams, we return damaged peatlands to their natural state. They immediately cease to emit methane. Within just months, they are teaming up with flora and fauna.

Peatland Restoration area
Red Squirrel

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Carbon offsetting?

We all have a carbon footprint as a result of living in the modern world. When we eat, shop and travel, we cause emissions. Or if we are a company, business activities such as commuting, shipping, electricity generation, industrial processes, and agriculture contribute to our corporate carbon footprint.

In order to avoid climate catastrophe and reach the climate targets set in the Paris Agreement, we need to radically reduce our carbon emissions. But even if we cut all emissions today, excess carbon would still be left in the atmosphere. This is why we must compensate by supporting projects that reduce or remove emissions elsewhere.

Carbon offsetting is about removing the emissions we create from the atmosphere via sequestration (such as tree planting to lock up carbon in biomass), or removing even more than we emit through avoidance (via renewable energy).

Carbon offsetting is cheating right?

You may have heard some people claim that carbon offsetting is cheating. It is only cheating when a company decides to offset rather than reduce their carbon dioxide emissions. In reality, however, companies are actively reducing their carbon impacts. They can reduce as much as 90% of their emissions simply by switching to green energy.

Much of the remainder can be achieved through efficiency measures. It is typically financially punitive for a business of offset without major reductions in their emissions.

Does Carbon Offsetting Mean That We Can Continue as Usual?

The climate crisis is undoubtedly the biggest challenge humanity has ever faced. But it will take time and effort to stop creating greenhouse gases completely. Offsetting is a way of taking responsibility for these unavoidable emissions – now.

We need a paradigm shift. We should collectively accept that we have already reached the maximum amount of carbon in the atmosphere and commit to removing at least the amount of emissions that we create.

Offsetting should be considered an investment, not a cost. Understanding your carbon footprint can be the catalyst for making impactful changes to reduce those emissions. When done well, carbon offsetting can also be an efficient way to invest in our future.

Who is the Operator of treewilder.com?

The website treewilder.com is operated by Highland Carbon Ltd, a purpose-driven UK business. Founded by a zoologist, Highland Carbon sources authentic, impactful carbon offsetting projects in dozens of countries and restores nature through its own projects in the spectacular wilds of Scotland, Northern England and Northern Ireland.

How do I go About Carbon Offsetting my Business?

If you require up to 18 tonnes of offsetting, you can achieve that here via the TreeWilder subscriptions. If you require an offset of 20 tonnes or more, please contact richard@highlandcarbon.com.

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