News

Dedicated Fund Needed To Save Scotland’s Rainforest from Rhododendron

Press Release

Urgent action is required to stop Rhododendron ponticum wiping out Scotland’s rare rainforest, according to a new report published by Woodland Trust Scotland in partnership with Scottish Land & Estates. Recommendations in the Rhododendron in the Rainforest report includes establishment of a Rainforest Restoration Fund to help communities...

SLE statement on court beaver licence ruling

Press Release

Commenting on the outcome of a judicial review of NatureScot’s beaver licences, petitioned by Trees for Life, Sarah-Jane Laing, Chief Executive of SLE said: “We are pleased that the Court of Session has chosen to uphold the existing beaver management framework as a sound system through which farmers and land managers deal with negative...

New appointments to our Regional Committees

General News

Rural business organisation Scottish Land & Estates is to welcome three new appointments to its regional network. Mairi MacLeod Coleman has been appointed as the new chair of the Highland region, with Rob Whitson (picture centre) becoming vice-chair of the region. In SLE’s Central region, Antony Gifford (pictured right) has been selected...

SLE comments on the Scottish Government’s short-term lets licensing order update

Press Release

The Scottish Government has written to the Local Government, Housing and Planning (LGHP) Committee with proposed revisions to its draft short-term lets licensing order. The changes include removing overprovision powers, simplifying publicity and notifications, adding an appeal for temporary exemptions, reducing public liability insurance...

SLE comments on the Scottish Government’s Tenant Farmer Rent Review Survey Results

Press Release

Commenting on the Scottish Government’s Tenant Farmer Rent Review Survey Results based on just over 1000 responses from tenant farmers, published today (4 October 2021), Sarah-Jane Laing, Chief Executive of Scottish Land & Estates said: “The survey results show that just 15% of respondents state they are fairly or very dissatisfied with...

SLE responds to 'incorrect muirburn comment'

Press Release

Responding to comments made by RSPB Scotland today (1 October 2021) in The Herald article Climate targets ‘at risk of going up in smoke’ over moor burns, a spokesperson for Scottish Land & Estates said: “It is totally incorrect to associate out of control wildfires with muirburn carried out by land managers. The huge summer wildfires we...

Land use rather than ownership should be at the fore in drive to halt climate change

Press Release

Debate around the existence of ‘green lairds’ oversimplifies the significant financial and regulatory challenges faced by land managers when tackling climate change. Scottish Land & Estates, the rural business organisation, spoke ahead of a debate in the Scottish Parliament on the issue. The organisation said it was never more vital that...

Tools rather than targets can help rural Scotland deliver more on climate change

Press Release

Tools to tackle climate change – not simply setting new targets – must be delivered quickly if rural Scotland is to fulfil its role in helping the planet avoid environmental catastrophe. Mark Tennant, chairman of Scottish Land & Estates (SLE), which represents rural businesses, made the comments at the organisation’s annual conference...

UK’s first Eagle Town flies high with the country’s first Eagle Festival to help protect golden eagles

Press Release

The UK’s first ever Golden Eagle Festival (which took place from 19 to 26 of September 2021) saw a wonderful celebration of one of Scotland’s most iconic wildlife species, culminating in the official naming of the town of Moffat in Dumfries & Galloway as the UK’s first Eagle Town. Organised by the pioneering charity initiative, The South...

Fifteen Scottish landholdings gain prestigious wildlife conservation accreditation

Press Release

Awards presented by HRH The Princess Royal and Dr Mike Cantlay OBE at GWCT Scottish Game Fair Fifteen Scottish farms and estates – accounting for more than 211,000 acres - have been awarded prestigious international accreditation to recognise their ongoing work in wildlife management and conservation. The award of Wildlife Estates...