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Scottish Environment LINK
Scottish Environment LINK - The voice of Scotland's environment movement

THE STATE OF SCOTLAND'S FARMED ENVIRONMENT 2005

13. LAND TENURE AND LAND OWNERSHIP

Community Organisations

Although community ownership is not a new phenomenon, it was given new meaning in 1992 with the purchase of North Lochinver Estate by the Assynt crofters. This triggered a number of similar purchases including Borve and Annishadder on Skye in 1993, Eigg in1997 and Knoydart in 1999. Later community buy-outs have been assisted by the creation of HIE’s Community Land Unit in 1997 and the setting up of the Scottish Land Fund through the National Lottery in 2001. Whilst community “right to buy” has been a flagship component of recent land reform in Scotland it is important to note that where such a right has been in existence for some time (e.g. under the Transfer of Crofting Estates Act 1997) it has rarely been exercised. One of the prime motivations behind the successful “buy-outs” appears to be a reaction to difficult landowners. There seems little hard data on the environmental management ambitions of these community organizations but anecdotal evidence suggests that they are strongly environmentally motivated and active in securing relevant agri-environment and woodland grants.

Community ownership has seen a rise since the purchase of North Lochinver Estate by the Assynt Crofters in 1992, and is now supported by HIE's Community Land Unit and the Scottish Land Fund.

Sources

  • Bryden, J. (1997): The land question in Scotland . Scottish Association of Geography Teachers Journal 26: 18-24.
  • Crofters Commission (2005): External Website
  • Highlands and Islands Enterprise> Community Land Unit (2005): External Website
  • MacGregor , J.A. and Stockdale, A. (1994): Land use change on Scottish Highland estates. Journal of Rural Studies 10(3): 301-9.
  • Scottish Crofting Foundation (2003): External Website
  • Strutt and Parker (2005): Scottish Estates Review. Strutt and Parker, Edinburgh
  • Warren , C. (2002): Managing Scotland’s Environment. EDINBURGH University Press.
  • Wightman, A. (1996): Who owns Scotland ? Canongate, Edinburgh
GENETICALLY MODIFIED (GM) CROPS - BACKGROUND – REGULATORY FRAMEWORK >>