Argaty Red Kites welcomed Jim Fairlie MSP, the Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity, at their Perthshire livestock farm last week. The minister was offered a tour of riparian woodland plantations, beaver wetlands and nature-friendly crops, led by owner Tom Bowser and contract farmers Mark and Harriet Donald. 

Mr Fairlie was shown how Argaty is producing food sustainably while also restoring nature at scale. At Argaty, less productive ground where attempts to produce food posed challenges has been set aside for nature. Ponds and new broadleaf woodlands are slowing the flow of water off the land and reducing flooding issues downstream. 

In 2021, Argaty became the first private estate in Scottish history to rehome beavers. The minister was shown the dams and side channels the beavers have created since their release at the farm.

Scientists at Stirling University estimate that an extra million litres of water are now stored in one wetland thanks to the Argaty beavers. The animals have saved Argaty thousands of pounds in flood damage and become a valuable part of the farm's growing eco-tourism business.

Tom Bowser, owner of Argaty, said: "It was such a privilege to host Mr Fairlie and demonstrate the benefits beavers can bring to river tributaries in farmed environments. Balanced nuanced conversations like this are vital if we are to find ways of restoring nature whilst continuing to produce food sustainably."

The minister also visited a kale-rape hybrid crop funded through the Scottish Government's Agri-Environment Climate Scheme. A stubble turnip crop planted as spring forage for sheep has been enhanced by adding quinoa, crimson clover, cocksfoot and phacelia – plants which provide a food source for birds and pollinators.

The final stop on the tour was Argaty's Restoring the Waterways, Reconnecting the Cores project funded through the Scottish Government's Nature Restoration Fund, in which the Argaty burn has been fenced off and 3,700 native broadleaf trees planted.

The minister discussed how work like this can restore and reconnect wildlife habitats, help shade watercourses and improve water quality. These riverbank buffer zones – measuring only 5-10 metres from the water's edge – are a prime example of ways Scotland could make an instant impact for people, nature and climate without taking significant amounts of land out of production. 

Scotland is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world. With around three quarters of the nation's land used for agriculture, the low-cost solutions pioneered at Argaty could help boost biodiversity if adopted more widely.

Jim Fairlie, Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity, said: "It was great to see the work being done at Argaty to demonstrate how sustainable farming can work well alongside restoring nature. Farmers know how important it is to work with the landscape and protect biodiversity and it was fascinating to see how the small beaver population on the farm is contributing to these objectives."

Mark and Harriet Donald, contract farmers at Argaty said: "We welcomed the opportunity to engage with Mr Fairlie, promoting Argaty and demonstrating that delivering for nature can happen alongside and in partnership with a commercial farming operation. It is fully possible to increase production output and natural capital gain while simultaneously reducing inputs such as inorganic fertilisers."

Argaty is a working sheep and beef farm located on the Braes of Doune in central Scotland. It is home to Argaty Red Kites, an award-winning rewilding project.

For more information visit: www.argatyredkites.co.uk