News

Collective effort needed to help mountain hares on unmanaged moorland

Press Release

The absence of mountain hares on unmanaged moorland across Scotland should be a collective priority rather than exclusively focusing on hare populations on grouse moors. Scottish Land & Estates, the rural business organisation, made the comments in response a Scottish Green Party amendment at stage 3 of the Animals and Wildlife (Penalties...

Landlords appeal to Scottish Government on energy efficiency improvement works

Press Release

Landlords of private rented homes and their agents are urging the Scottish Government to consider the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic on Scotland’s ongoing efforts to improve the energy efficiency of Scotland’s private rented homes. Four membership organisations representing the private rented sector have joined forces and written...

Covid-19 community champions urged to enter national awards

Press Release

People and businesses in rural Scotland who have gone the extra mile to help their community during lockdown or those who have changed their business to deliver a local service are being urged to enter the 2020 Helping it Happen Awards. Organised by Scottish Land & Estates, the rural business organisation, the annual Helping it Happen...

Loch Clunie disturbances prompts appeal for action over anti-social behaviour

Press Release

A group of Perthshire estates have appealed to politicians for help following serious incidents of anti-social behaviour that has wreaked havoc in rural areas. As lockdown restrictions began to ease, there was a dramatic rise in the number of people accessing Loch Clunie which led to incidents around the A923 between Dunkeld and...

Supporting economic recovery must be the guiding principle for Brexit date

Press Release

Prioritising a smooth exit from the EU, with the right trade deals and legislation in place, is going to be central to ensuring our rural businesses and communities are in as strong a position as possible and will not be put under any unnecessary pressure, Scottish Land & Estates (SLE) has said today. Following on from today’s...

Threat of wildfires remains very high warn gamekeepers and estates

Press Release

The risk of wildfires across moorland and grassland in Scotland remains exceptionally high, gamekeepers and estates have said today. The warning comes after a spate of wildfires south of the border, including one on Bamford Moor in Derbyshire’s Peak District on Saturday evening. The fire, which is believed to have been started by a...

Celebrating Scotland’s Gardens Online

General News

The Scottish Summer Garden Festival is going ahead as a virtual event following a decision by organisers, Discover Scottish Gardens, that restricted travel is no reason for garden lovers to miss out on the glory of the season in full bloom. Supported by Scottish Land & Estates, the on-line spectacle will run from Saturday, 13 June until...

Letter to COSLA on flytipping

General News

Scottish Land & Estates has written to COSLA, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, to highlight our concerns about the increase in flytipping during lockdown. In recent correspondence with council leaders we have also seen a real divergence in how each local authority is responding the flytipping, and we have called on their...

Nine in ten rural business owners confident they can reopen safely

Press Release

Over 90% of rural business owners in Scotland are confident they can reopen their business while safely adhering to social distancing measures. A new survey carried out this week by Scottish Land & Estates (SLE), the rural business membership organisation, found that of the 250 businesses who responded, 56% are confident they can reopen...

National campaign to encourage farmers to #KeepTalking

Press Release

A national #KeepTalking campaign, fronted by Perthshire farmer and TV comedian Jim Smith (pictured this week on his farm), is set to be launched this week by RSABI, the charity which supports people in Scottish agriculture and supported by Scottish Land & Estates and other rural organisations. Auctioneers around the country have been...