estate Successful first year for the Scottish Land Matching Service The Scottish Land Matching Service (SLMS), supported by NFU Scotland, has had a successful first year and is looking to build on its momentum. Managed by Ian Davidson, former Head of Agriculture Policy at Scottish Government, the SLMS is a consortium approach, involving several Scottish stakeholders, which aims to match new entrants and developing businesses with wellestablished farmers and crofters who may be looking to step back. In the past year, the service has received 152 enquiries with four times as many people looking for opportunities compared to those in a position to offer. Enquiries have included all scales and types of enterprise from market garden up to extensive sheep, cattle and arable operations. Four successful matches have been made, including a joint venture and partnership agreement, and this provides an excellent platform for a more successful matches in the future. Ian Davidson said: “It has been a busy first year for SLMS and tremendous strides have been made. I am really pleased with the number of enquiries and that SLMS has been able to help a number of parties reach successful agreements. “There is a clear need and demand for this service. Its strength is that it provides free independent advice and facilitation for anybody thinking about a joint venture. This means that it can help parties interested in ventures of all scales and types”.
4HE 'AME 7ILDLIFE #ONSERVATION Trust (GWCT) Advisory Services in Scotland launches Muirburn Advisory Service By Hugo Straker, GWCT Senior Advisor, Scotland
Muirburn, which covers the controlled burning of heather, gorse bushes and grasslands under the Hill Farming and other relevant Acts, is an important land management and conservation tool. With the muirburn season underway from 1 October, our new service provides an excellent opportunity for managers to review their muirburn practices. This is particularly important in light of the recent Scottish Government commissioned review of grouse moor management which made recommendations for increased regulation of muirburn activities. The muirburn season was temporarily suspended earlier in the year due to the Coronavirus lockdown and the Scottish Government may once again impose
restrictions if the COVID-19 situation worsens. But at the time of writing it is business as normal. The new Muirburn Advisory Service has been designed to help estates develop, maintain and deliver simple user-friendly muirburn plans in what is becoming an increasingly politically charged and sensitive environment. GWCT’s professional advisors will help estates and farms through specialist advice to evaluate and manage risk of harm to the environment from muirburn, and to undertake it in line with the revised Muirburn Code and meeting all necessary statutory requirements. The new service provides three distinct options: moorland risk-mapping; muirburn planning; and
muirburn mapping and monitoring. Whilst GWCT has offered advice on muirburn in the past, it has not been formalised in the way that we can now present through the creation of a distinct and dedicated Muirburn Advisory Service. In the current climate, with muirburn under increasing scrutiny every season, we believe that this service will provide invaluable support for safe, compliant muirburn planning and management, as well as assistance with Agrienvironment Climate Scheme (AECS) applications. It builds on the training that we already offer and is an important step towards safeguarding this important conservation tool for the future.
For more information and prices contact the GWCT Muirburn Advisory Service via: Hugo Straker, Senior Advisor, Scotland 07713 074147 hstraker@gwct.org.uk or Nick Hesford, Advisor, Scotland 07896 006322 nhesford@gwct.org.uk See also https://www.gwct.org.uk/muirburn
