Projects per year
Organisation profile
Organisation profile
The Hill & Mountain Research Centre, with its team of systems-scale researchers, is based at Kirkton and Auchtertyre Farms, a 2,200 ha estate near Crianlarich in the west Highlands of Scotland.
The site is set within the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park and ranges from productive low ground fields to high altitude (over 1,000 metres above sea level) semi-natural habitats of high nature conservation value.
We are a Linking Environment & Farming (LEAF) Innovation Centre and a member of the Global Farm Platform initiative.
Our work aims to seek economically, environmentally and socially sustainable land management systems in the context of international, national and local land use policies.
In particular, our research and demonstration activities help highlight how precision livestock farming approaches can be used to address agricultural and environmental challenges.
The size and diversity of the farms mean that we can investigate a wide range of questions of relevance to current and future land management in the mountains.
Examples include:
- We are assessing how different types of technology can help hill farmers and crofters improve livestock management and while also reducing costs, improving record keeping and saving time and labour
- We have established a Long Range Wide Area Radio Network (LoraWAN) on the farms and are investigating what types of agricultural or environmental sensors can be used in remote, mountainous areas to improve decision making
- We are using modern genetic selection approaches – such as Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) – to show how best to enhance the productivity, profitability and environmental footprint of sheep flocks on mountain farms
- We are assessing the Public Goods associated with different types of land management in the mountains and demonstrating how a greater focus on biodiversity enhancement can be integrated into mountain farming systems
- We are involved in a range of international research projects and knowledge exchange activities as conditions in Scotland’s mountains are very similar to rangelands elsewhere across the globe
Keywords
- Agricultural and Biological Sciences (miscellaneous)
- Animal Science and Zoology
- Forestry
- Plant Science
- Soil Science
- General Biochemistry,Genetics and Molecular Biology
UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. Our work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 2 Zero Hunger -
SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being -
SDG 4 Quality Education -
SDG 6 Clean Water and Sanitation -
SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy -
SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth -
SDG 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure -
SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities -
SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities -
SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production -
SDG 13 Climate Action -
SDG 14 Life Below Water -
SDG 15 Life on Land
Fingerprint
Dive into the research topics where Hill & Mountain Research Centre is active. These topic labels come from the works of this organisation's members. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Recent external collaboration on country/territory level. Dive into details by clicking on the dots or
Profiles
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John Holland
- Integrated Land Management, Hill & Mountain Research Centre - Research Fellow
- Scotland's Rural College - Research Fellow
Person: Academic contract that is research only
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Nicola Lambe
- Integrated Land Management, Hill & Mountain Research Centre - Reader
- Scotland's Rural College - Reader
Person: Academic contract that is research only
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Fiona McAuliffe
- Rural Economy Environment And Society, Environment & Countryside - Lecturer
- Scotland's Rural College - Lecturer
- Integrated Land Management, Hill & Mountain Research Centre
Person: Academic contract that is teaching only, Ph.D.
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Use of genomics and AI to understand rumen volume in sheep and implications in production and methane emissions
Lambe, N. (PI), McLean, K. (Technician) & Gordon, J. (Technician)
1/04/26 → 31/03/29
Project: Research
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Investigating potential approaches to mitigate predation on lambs by white-tailed sea eagle
McCracken, D. (PI), McLaren, A. (CoPI) & Holland, J. (CoPI)
1/02/25 → 31/12/28
Project: Research
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Digi-Rangeland: Digital Innovation and data technology network for rangeland farming systems
Morgan-Davies, C. (PI), McLaren, A. (CoPI), Holland, J. (Researcher) & McCracken, D. (CoPI)
1/02/25 → 31/01/29
Project: Research
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A genetic analysis of lamb survival to different time points and reasons for lamb death
Hay, K., Lambe, N., Roden, J., Jarvis, S. & Dwyer, C. M., 11 Apr 2026, (First published) In: Animal - Open space. 5, 100131.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile31 Downloads (Pure) -
A genetic analysis of the causes of lamb mortality determined by an on-farm postmortem procedure
Hay, K., Lambe, N., Roden, J., Jarvis, S. & Dwyer, C. M., Mar 2026, In: Research in Veterinary Science. 200, p. 106032 106032.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile193 Downloads (Pure) -
Assessing methane production and feed efficiency in both growing and mature ovine animals in six countries across Europe, South America and Oceania
McGovern, F., Johnson, P., McHugh, N., Tortereau, F., Marie-Etancelin, C., Navajas, E., De Barbieri, I., Aspeholen Åby, B., Rowe, S., Conington, J., Ciappesoni, G., Donnem, I., Kizilaslan, M., McDermott, K. & Lambe, N., Feb 2026, In: Small Ruminant Research. 255, 107677.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile1 Link opens in a new tab Citation (Scopus)21 Downloads (Pure)
Datasets
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Data from: A critical analysis of the potential for EU Common Agricultural Policy measures to support wild pollinators on farmland
Cole, L. (Creator), Kleijn, D. (Creator), Dicks, L. V. (Creator), Stout, J. (Creator), Potts, S. (Creator), Albrecht, M. (Creator), Balzan, M. V. (Creator), Bartomeus, I. (Creator), Bebeli, P. (Creator), Bevk, D. (Creator), Biesmeijer, J. (Creator), Chlebo, R. (Creator), Dautartė, A. (Creator), Emmanouil , N. (Creator), Hartfield, C. (Creator), Holland, J. (Creator), Holzschuh, A. (Creator), Knoben, N. (Creator), Kovács-Hostyánszki, A. (Creator), Mandelik, Y. (Creator), Panou, H. (Creator), Paxton, R. (Creator), Petanidou, T. (Creator), Pinheiro de Carvalho, M. (Creator), Rundlöf, M. (Creator), Sarthou, J.-P. (Creator), Stavrinides, M. (Creator), Suso, M. (Creator), Szentgyörgyi, H. (Creator), Vaissière, B. E. (Creator), Varnava, A. (Creator), Vilà, M. (Creator), Zemeckis, R. (Creator) & Scheper, J. (Creator), Dryad, 20 Jan 2020
Dataset
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Data from: Estimating demographic contributions to effective population size in an age-structured wild population experiencing environmental and demographic stochasticity
Trask, A. E. (Creator), Bignal, E. M. (Creator), McCracken, D. I. (Creator), Piertney, S. B. (Creator) & Reid, J. M. (Creator), Dryad, 1 Jan 2018
DOI: 10.5061/dryad.68kk0, https://datadryad.org/stash/dataset/doi:10.5061/dryad.68kk0
Dataset
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Long term management effects on leatherjackets - data
Moffat, A. (Contributor), McNamara, L. (Contributor), McCracken, D. (Contributor) & McCracken, D. (Contributor), Unknown Publisher, 15 Jan 2024
DOI: 10.58073/SRUC.25000007.v1
Dataset
Prizes
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Awarded Professorship in Agricultural Ecology
McCracken, D. (Recipient), 2013
Prize: Other distinction
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Independent Ethics advisor
Morgan-Davies, C. (Participant)
10 Apr 2026 → …Activity: Other activity types › Other
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Upland opportunities: biodiversity, carbon and water
McCracken, D. (Speaker)
22 Jan 2026Activity: Talk, evidence or presentation types › Invited talk
File -
Changes in roles and careers in the rural landscape
McCracken, D. (Invited speaker)
23 Mar 2026Activity: Talk, evidence or presentation types › Invited talk
File
Press/Media
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Britain's protected birds of prey still being shot, trapped and poisoned, says RSPB
26/05/26
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media
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Golden eagles' return to English skies gets government backing
12/04/26
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media