Mount Stuart Estate

The world-renowned Mount Stuart Estate is renowned for its castle comprising grand, Gothic revival architecture that is reminiscent of St Pancras Station and the Houses of Parliament, in London.

 

The estate was the Baronial home of the Marquess of Bute, and is now held in the Mount Stuart Trust for the public benefit.  The purpose of the Trust is the maintenance of the built and natural environments, education, sustainable farming and public access. 

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Planting Scheme

The project is located on the West coast of the northern, mountainous part of Bute. The project comprises a diverse native broadleaf scheme with Hazel, Sessile oak, Dwarf Birch, Goat willow, Rowan, Hawthorn and Common alder. 

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Project Features

The project is located on the Atlantic Coast, in the northwest section of the island.  From a conservation perspective, the project complements Sites of Special Scientific Interest and a Marine Protected Area.  The lands and seas of the Isle of Bute are home to a rich variety of life including: Killer whales, Minke whales, Harbour porpoises, seals, Basking sharks, Golden eagles, Sea eagles, Roe deer, ospreys, Peregrine falcons and much more.
 

According to NatureScot

Scotland’s rainforest is as important as tropical rainforest, but even rarer. It’s a kind of coastal temperate rainforest, which itself is incredibly rare on a global level. Scotland’s rainforest, also known as Atlantic woodland and Celtic rainforest, is made up of the native woodlands found on our west coast in the so-called “hyper-oceanic zone”.  Here, high levels of rainfall and relatively mild, year-round temperatures provide just the right conditions for some of the world’s rarest bryophytes and lichens.

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It’s the diversity of these bryophytes and lichens that are found in vast quantities on trees, boulders, in ravines and on the ground, that makes Scotland’s rainforest internationally important. We have some of the best remaining rainforest sites in Europe. Find out more about some of these important habitats and where to experience them.

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Some estimates suggest that as little as 30,000 hectares might remain of Scotland's rainforest. Only a fraction of land on Scotland's west coast that has conditions ideal for rainforest, actually hosts it.

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The remnant oak, birch, ash, native pine and hazel woodlands are small, fragmented and isolated from each other. Almost all show little or no regeneration due to high levels of grazing; almost half are being choked with Rhododendron ponticum and a fifth have been planted up with exotic conifer plantations. They also face threats from diseases like ash dieback; as well as nitrogen pollution, infrastructure development and climate change.

Isle of Bute Coastal Rainforest

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Location

• Isle of Bute

• Inner Hebrides, Scotland

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Offsetting Capacity/Size

• Estimated: 84,874 tCO2e

• 201,551 trees

• 140 Hectares

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Project Status

• Planned

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Sustainable Development Goals

• Clean Water & Sanitation

• Good Health & Wellbeing

• Quality Education

• Climate Action

• Life on Land

• Life Below Water

• Partnerships for the Goals​

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Recognised Offsetting Framework

Woodland Carbon Code

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Recognised Offset Standards

Pending Issuance Units (PIUs) becoming Woodland Carbon Units (WCUs)