You Can Become an Official Lord or Lady—and Help Protect the Scottish Highlands

In 2006, zoologist Peter Bevis and his daughter, Laura, came up with an innovative way to revitalize their Scottish land after centuries of farming and forestry: They’d sell it off, bit by bit, and use the profits to plant trees across the entire estate. Each new landowner would technically earn the title of “Lord” or “Lady” (or “Laird,” the traditional name for a Scottish landowner), and they’d also get the satisfaction of knowing they helped protect part of the Scottish Highlands. Peter and Laura christened their organization “Highland Titles” and soon bought another tract of land to add to their operation.

Over the past 15 years, Highland Titles has established five nature reserves across Scotland and another one in Northern Ireland. And as the New Zealand website, Stuff, points out, a Highland Title makes a lovely gift for the aspiring lord or lady in your life (or just anyone who appreciates an unconventional, eco-friendly gift).

It’s surprisingly affordable. For $45, you can purchase a single square foot of land in Scotland’s Glencoe Wood, which also comes with a downloadable certificate bearing the name of the recipient as “Lord, Laird, or Lady of Glencoe.” If you’re looking for something slightly more romantic, you can shell out an extra $30 ($75 in total) for two square-foot plots located right beside each other. There are larger plots available, too: $113 will buy you 10 square feet of Glencoe, and 100 square feet costs $225.

Plot owners can visit their land whenever they want; and there’s even a Highland Titles web app that you can use to view your tract and explore the reserves from afar [PDF]. To learn more, check out Highland Titles’ FAQ section.