H+I x Cairngorms Connect: 1% for the Planet Partners
The Challenge
Scotland’s once-expansive Caledonian pine forest has drastically shrunk and become disconnected over the centuries, largely due to human actions. Today, only 1% of Scotland’s original pine forest remains.
We’ve got ambitious aims to double our native forests in size, expanding them to their natural limit, and restoring woodland habitats that we should expect to see in this landscape.
A key factor holding back forest expansion is over-browsing by an unnaturally large population of Deer, whose nibbling teeth mean young saplings have little hope of growing into forests.
Whilst Red and Roe Deer are part of Scotland’s ecosystem, a near-absence of predators means deer numbers are unsustainably high. This can make it hard for Deer to find enough food in the winter, and Scotland’s woodland landscape has little chance to regenerate. As there are no natural predators in this landscape, it is the responsibility of land managers to keep deer numbers at an ecologically sustainable level.
Cairngorms Connect’s Solution
The Cairngorms Connect partners carry out collaborative deer management, which means acting in the role of a natural predator, keeping deer moving across a landscape, and removing a percentage of the population every year. This practice is informed by extensive science and research and is monitored using Herbivore Impact Assessments.
Following decades of deer management, Cairngorms Connect Partners have seen clear positive impacts, including an increase in natural regeneration, with more young trees visible on the forest edge and climbing up the slopes of the Cairngorms. This also means healthier deer as a result of less competition for food during the winter months and increased accessibility of wild venison for the local community.
The strength of Cairngorms Connect is the coming together of like-minded managers committed to delivering habitat enhancement at a scale unparalleled in Britain. Cairngorms Connect is a partnership of WildLand Limited, NatureScot, Forestry and Land Scotland, and RSPB Scotland, with the Cairngorms National Park as a supporting partner.
People are central to the work of Cairngorms Connect, including the 60+ staff that are employed across the partnership area, dedicated groups of volunteers, and the wider local community.
Cairngorms Connect’s biggest annual community event, Hill to Grill, is a celebration of local forests and local food, and an opportunity to explore forest restoration through stories, music and food. In 2025, we were delighted to support the Hill to Grill event with free guided cycles through the forest with staff from RSPB Abernethy to explore the story of ‘hill to grill’ on two wheels!
Sydney Henderson, Communications and Involvement Manager at Cairngorms Connect said:
“We’re happy to be supported by H+I Adventures through 1% for the Planet. Thanks to their support, both financial and in-kind, we will be able to achieve more of our shared goals.
“Cairngorms Connect believes that wild nature is good for people. Wild landscapes soothe our soul and allow our imaginations to soar. This is an inspiring place for people of all ages, both local and those who visit from afar. This is a place for people to learn and develop their careers; to be creative, have fun, get active, or to find a place of tranquillity.
“Mountain biking, and cycling more generally, is a popular activity locally, and a key attraction for locals and visitors. Supporting and promoting sustainable travel options is part of our commitment to facilitate meaningful, long-term connections between people and place. This collaboration, through 1% for the Planet, will enable us to deliver more of this work.”
Catherine Shearer, CEO of H+I Adventures added:
“The team and I are very excited about working more closely with Cairngorms Connect in 2026 to strengthen our partnership and help the organisation to achieve more of their goals over the coming years.
“Cairngorms Connect has big ambitions and a long-term vision and we are committed to playing a part – however small – in realising their mission to regenerate the natural habitats of one of Scotland’s most beautiful and important environments.”
