In late 2022 FLS completed the purchase of Glenprosen Estate. This investment provides a great opportunity for FLS to support landscape scale habitat restoration in the Angus Glens and Cairngorms National Park.  Our intention is to bring benefits to the area for nature, climate, and people. 

The 3,500 hectare Estate (a little over the size of Inverness) is in a strategically important location and connects other areas of publicly owned land amounting to around 10,500 hectares including: 

• Glen Isla and Glen Markie (FLS)
• Backwater Reservoir (Scottish Water)
• Corrie Fee National Nature Reserve (NatureScot)
• Glen Doll (FLS, adjacent to Corrie Fee) 

FLS and the other public agencies involved are keen to work together and with a wide range of private owners and community interests to capture the massive opportunity that exists for landscape scale habitat restoration, woodland creation, community engagement and collaborative land management in this important area.    

About the purchase 

Forestry and Land Scotland were one of a small number of parties invited to bid for the Glenprosen estate. Given the strategic and natural value of this land with regards to our existing landholding and objectives we opted to make an offer which was accepted.  

• The sale was conducted in a limited tender situation. This is currently a feature of the land market we operate in and as it holds other land in the area FLS was invited to bid. 
• FLS was bound by a confidentiality agreement with the previous owners meaning we were unable to publicise the acquisition until it had formally concluded in late 2022. 
• We’ve worked with the five former employees of the estate to support their needs following their employment being terminated by the seller. For those that previously had housing as part of their employment package and wanted to stay, we secured housing for them on the estate. One former employee is also now contracted to work for FLS. 
• Funding of £17.6m for the purchase was from previous woodland sales and investment from Scottish Government to mitigate climate change. This meant the funding was ringfenced for the sole purpose of land acquisition.