The largest native woodland scheme in Scotland has been completed with the planting of three million trees which created 13,000 acres of new forest in Wester Ross.

The regeneration project on the Gairloch Estate has taken 10 years to complete, but should provide an environmental benefit significant enough to offset the pollution from more than 2000 cars.

Trees such as those planted in the scheme, including Scots pine, alder, birch, hazel, holly and mountain ash, used to dominate the Caledonian landscape before being destroyed by generations of fuel gatherers for use in smelting. Seeds used to recreate the woodland were taken from the islands on Loch Maree, where one of the few surviving parts of this ancient forest can still be found.

The goal of landowner John Mackenzie, whose ancestors have lived on the land around the Gairloch for more than 500 years, was to restore the land to how it used to be centuries ago. He hopes that the new Baile Mor and Bad na Sgalag forests will attract rare species such as capercaillie, wild cats and black grouse.

He said yesterday: "It will be wonderful to see the return of native species that have not been seen in these parts for many years."

CKD Galbraith, the property and land management consultancy, has provided advice on the project and handled the overall management of the work. John Mackay, Galbraith's forestry manager, said: "This has been a massive undertaking which presented a huge logistical challenge."

As well as having an impact on the landscape the scheme, which received grant aid from the Forestry Commission Scotland, will also play an important environmental role. Mr Mackay said: "The planting of these trees could offset 360,000 tonnes of CO2, the equivalent of taking around 2200 cars off the road."