Managing wild land
The Trust owns and manages 24,438 hectares of some of the finest wild land in the UK. We own land to protect it, repair damage and to rewild it and then to keep it wild for future generations. Helping us do this are the passionate volunteers who contribute thousands of hours to our conservation work parties each year.
What we do on the land
Rewilding
We work to restore native woodlands and other important habitats, and encourage the return of native species and natural processes.
Path work
We maintain over 120 km of footpaths from woodland walks to coastal trails and world famous mountains routes, including access to seven Munros and five Corbetts.
Biodiversity monitoring
We regularly monitor the growth of tree seedlings, the condition of habitats such as dwarf shrub heath and blanket bog, and track the state of wildlife across our properties.
Wild Land Management Standards
These 28 standards form the backbone of our wild land management
Path work
We look after over 120km of paths from woodland and coastal trails to world famous mountain routes that provide access to seven Munros and five Corbetts. These include the final zigzag to the summit of Ben Nevis and the wild and rocky Steall Gorge path in Glen Nevis.
Deer management
Reducing deer numbers is critical if Scotland's remnants of native woodland are to survive.
- Watch our short film for an insight into the problems facing woodlands and why we need an approach to deer management that's based on nature and not sporting targets
- Read our latest deer management news stories
- Look through our deer management resources
Unsustainable deer management has been a running sore within Scotland’s environment for decades. Our woodlands and peatlands deserve better.
Mike Daniels, Head of Land Management, John Muir Trust
Related news stories
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Planting at Glenridding Common
Pete Barron and Tom Hayek report on planting progress at Helvellyn
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‘Plant a Tree’ at Glenlude
Trust volunteer and supporter Peter Coutts reports on a satisfying close to 2020