Reconnect & Restore…

Hi there! My name is Sam and I am a professional Forester and outdoor content creator based in the Highlands of Scotland. In 2020 I created Highland Woodsman on Instagram and a few shorts months later after surging to 70,000+ followers on the platform I decided to create my YouTube channel.

For years I have been frustrated by the overly exploited, ecologically defunct and largely unnatural landscapes in the Scottish Highlands and further afield in the UK. No-one is talking about, educating or raising awareness of the disconnect and misunderstanding of the land we are all living, working and playing in, especially when it comes to social media.

So, during the first COVID lockdown I decided to turn that frustration into action and started talking about the many ecological issues we face from talking about why Scotland has lost most of its forest to the impacts of unnaturally high deer populations and many related topics in between. I do this by taking you with me when I head outside, usually on camping trips with my dog Darach, and we talk about what we are actually looking at when we are there.

What qualifies me to talk about these subjects? I have been a Highland resident and outdoor enthusiast all of my life and in 2012 I completed my degree in Sustainable Forest Management at the Scottish School of Forestry. Since then, I have been working in forest management and nature conservation for the last decade which also includes time spent overseas working and studying in Finland, Norway and Poland. My current role covers Loch Ness, Glen Moriston and Glen Affric and I have been heavily involved in delivering native woodland and montane scrub restoration projects.

So, what is the purpose of Highland Woodsman?

I have a deep passion for nature restoration and woodland ecology and I will continue to share that through my social media platforms and strive to raise awareness and educate people on the subjects outlined above in the hope that it contributes in some small way to a much more positive future for people and nature here in the Highlands and around the world.

Thank you for taking the time to find out more about me. Make sure to check out my blog, subscribe and follow using the links at the top of the page.