In reply to pasbury:
> Letting the natural world back into these places would enrich us all.
'letting'..?
'enrich us all'
-since the UK population exceeds 60 million, and as they can't all access the uplands, then presumably the mere EXISTENCE VALUE of any reintroduced species is considered to be 'enriching' (assuming you're not just looking at a 'reordering' of what's already there)-e.g. I've never seen the Blue Whale but nice to know it exists, so, hey, I'm enlightened and can continue on with my destructive consumerist lifestyle.
Are people enriched by being told that the landscape they perceive of as barren has several different species of upland willow upon it or are they only to be enriched by the introduction of the Lynx?
If it's enrichment through personal sighting then not all species are as 'high vis' as the Red Kite or Sea Eagle so you'll need to travel to meet it= more access-sounds like more domestication to me.
And so to the concept of rewilding -well, it's gardening on a grand scale- surely the epitome of domestication? You may of course not want to acknowledge that this is the process that underpins your personal Walden.
Saor Alba highlights the link between land and language.
There is a modern component to this- linguistic landscaping-would sir prefer to see the reservoir or the rebadged 'lake/loch'.
The Fisherfield 'wilderness' is no more wild than many other parts of scotland but the mere name seems to provide a frisson of expedition excitement for car going munro baggers. Ah, yes, the remoteness that we drive to!
All sounds very suburban- fits well with wild swimming and wild camping.
Ramblin Dave has said it quite succintly- folk meddling in areas they contribute little to.
and why such selectivity in the species for reintroduction?
Surely with the reduction in the population of 'gael' e.coli since the highland clearances, SNH and JMT can rectify the matter with a 'jobbies amongst the heather' grant for indigenous estate workers. Of course, you visitors will still have to carry yours out in case they contain the 'grey squirrel' of the e. coli world.