From Cleared Land to Emerging Forest: How 6000 Trees are transforming our off-grid Croft

When we first took on Cormonachan Croft we knew that true off-grid living meant more than just engineering our own power, water, and waste systems. It meant listening to the land itself. And if you listen closely to the soil here, it tells a story of a lost forest—and a remarkable, self-willed comeback.

Thirty-five years ago, this land looked entirely different. It was originally covered in ancient woodland, a vibrant ecosystem that was tragically and illegally chopped down. In the decades that followed, cattle grazed the open ground. While the cattle did their job, their constant grazing meant that any brave little sapling attempting to poke its head above the grass was immediately eaten. The forest was effectively locked in place, unable to return.

Then, a decade ago, things changed.

The Power of Letting Nature Lead

Ten years ago, cattle grazing on the croft was scaled back. Once the constant pressure was lifted, the land did something beautiful: it immediately began to heal itself.

Without human hands planting them, pioneering trees began to explode across the landscape. These are the hardy, resilient species that specialize in reclaiming open ground. Over the last decade, approximately 5,500 trees have naturally established themselves on the croft.

It has created a rich, diverse canopy of native Scottish species: The Pioneers; fast-growing Willow, Birch, and Alder (which thrives in our damp, peat-rich margins). The Understory & Broadleaves; Hazel, Rowan (the ancient mountain ash), and pockets of stubborn, slow-growing Oak. The Winter Green; Scattered Holly, providing vital shelter and color when everything else goes dormant.

Watching this natural regeneration has been a masterclass in rewilding. The seeds were always there, waiting in the soil or carried by the wind and birds—they just needed the space to breathe.

Giving Nature a Helping Hand: Our New Hedgerows

While the 5,500 pioneering trees did the heavy lifting on the open ground, we wanted to add structural diversity, windbreaks, and rich wildlife corridors across the croft. To complement nature’s hard work, we manually planted approximately 700 new trees to establish thriving hedgerows.

We chose species specifically for their benefits to local birds, pollinators, and small mammals. Hawthorn & Blackthorn create dense, thorny protection for nesting birds and bursts into white blossoms in spring, followed by autumn berries and sloes. Crab Apple & Wild Cherry provide early nectar for bees and a vital, sugar-rich food source for wildlife ahead of winter. Aspen, one of our most beautiful native trees, adding incredible golden color in autumn and that distinct, gentle rustling sound in the breeze.

A Truly Self-Sustaining Ecosystem

Living off-grid has taught us that everything is connected. The Starlink dish keeps us connected to the world, the solar panels harvest the sky, the burn provides our drinking water, and the sewage treatment tank protects the loch.

But it’s these 6,000+ trees that truly anchor us to this place. They are cleaning the air, stabilizing the soil, creating windbreaks for our home, and inviting biodiversity back to a piece of Scotland that was silenced 35 years ago. We aren't just living on the land anymore—we are watching it come back to life.

What's next for the croft?

Now that the canopy is closing in, we're starting to see the return of woodland floor plants, fungi, and birds we haven't seen here in years. Stay tuned as we continue to document our off-grid journey and the rebirth of our woods!