OUR VISION & AIM

Our goal is to protect & restore the natural beauty, biodiversity & eco-systems of the Scottish highlands & islands for the benefit of all by working in partnership with local communities to implement sustainable & regenerative projects.

The ability to scale and replicate our projects will allow extensive restoration & protection of these unique habitats, rich in flora & fauna.

Get involved

Our people

A Steering Committee (SC), comprised of founding & actively involved donors, direct the strategy.  They analyse & approve grants & use their personal networks to broaden the base of supporters.  SC members have a wide array of backgrounds & interests, but all share a passion for protecting & restoring the outstanding natural beauty of the Scottish highlands & islands.

Our local team consists of one person acting as the local Executive Director in charge of day-to-day management & coordination work on the ground, assisted by advisors & the SC.

LOCAL TEAM

  • SALLY McNAUGHT

    Executive Director

    Sally is the local Executive Director for the HIEF.

    She brings over 25 years’ experience to the role, having worked with many charities, large and small, supporting a number of different causes.  With a professional background based on fundraising and marketing roles, working in partnership with local communities and volunteers has been at the heart of her work to ensure that appropriate and long-lasting benefits are achieved.  The harsh spotlight provided by the COVID19 restrictions on impending environmental challenges have convinced her that now, more than ever, there is a fundamental need to make sure that we do more than simply minimising harm but instead actively work together to protect, restore and regenerate nature all around us to provide people and the planet the best, most sustainable future possible.

    Sally lives in Edinburgh with her husband and teenage children.  She enjoys walking, whether that’s in the woods or along the promenade, where she is often motivated by the sight of nature, capitalising every available opportunity, even within city boundaries, to prosper for the benefit of all.

OUR STEERING COMMITTEE

How we work

The Highlands and Islands Environment Foundation (HIEF), a new charity registered in Scotland, SC043026, will:

Help individuals & businesses maximise the impact of their donations by pooling funds & creating leverage;

Use our expert advisors to ensure that projects offer the best returns for nature;

Work with, empower & strengthen local communities to create sustainable, long lasting change on their doorstep;

Test & develop solutions which identify best practice & which can be replicated to create systemic change;

Provide a flexible, independent & effective grant-giving model centred on enabling grass roots solutions to generate a positive impact for nature & the local communities