WIREDGOV

The entire Aigas Forest in Inverness-shire will be brought into community ownership, thanks to additional money announced yesterday (3 DEC) through the Scottish Land Fund.

The award of £519,000 to Aigas Community Forest takes the total Scottish Land Fund investment in this project up to £740,000 to purchase all 286 hectares of the community woodland.  It follows an original award of £221,000 made back in January 2014 to purchase a smaller area of land of 49 hectares.

The First Minister recently announced the Scottish Land Fund will treble from £3 million this year to £10 million a year from 2016. This will make it easier for communities around Scotland who are interested in owning their land collectively to do so.

Aigas Forest is adjacent to Crask of Aigas, Beauly, Inverness-shire. The purchase, which will be made under the National Forest Land Scheme, will see the whole forest developed and managed to provide a wide range of economic, social and environmental benefits to the local community. This will include new foot and cycle tracks, associated visitor infrastructure, recreational and educational activities and new business opportunities.

Andrew Leaver, Secretary of Aigas Community Forest, said: “This increase to our grant from the Scottish Land Fund will enable the community in Lower Stathglass to realise our ambition to buy the entire 700 acre Aigas woodland from Forestry Commission Scotland.  Owning the whole forest will allow us to develop a thriving and vibrant asset supporting local businesses and providing recreation and conservation opportunities for local residents and visitors alike.  Our thanks go to the Scottish Land Fund committee and all the other supporters who have contributed to this purchase.”

Environment and Land Reform Minister Aileen McLeod, said: “I am delighted to see this further Scottish Land Fund award to Aigas Community Forest, which will allow ownership of the whole of the Aigas Forest, a long-held ambition of the community. Having clearly demonstrated how the acquisition of the whole forest will provide additional benefits to the community, I look forward to seeing the positive impact in terms of realising economic, environmental and social value as well as long-term sustainability. This project is an excellent example of how a community can transform ambition into reality. Through the Scottish Land Fund, the Scottish Government is looking forward to supporting other communities as we seek to secure more land into community ownership by 2020.”

Scottish Land Fund Committee Chair, John Watt, added: “This award will help Aigas Community Forest to realise its dreams of purchasing and owning all 286 hectares of community woodland. This will develop a stronger, resilient and more sustainable community with the ability to develop a wider range of income generating opportunities for the future.”

For more information on this release please contact

Big Lottery Fund Scotland
Landa.rolland@biglotteryfund.org.uk
0141 242 1458 / 07795 454 960

Scottish Government Press Office 
Julie.MacBeath@scotland.gsi.gov.uk 
0131 244 5193

Highland and Islands Enterprise Press Office 
kim.thain@hient.co.uk 
01463 244238

Notes to editors

• The Scottish Land Fund has £9 million over four years to assist communities in rural Scotland to acquire, develop and manage local land and land assets. The programme is funded by the Scottish Government and delivered in partnership by the Big Lottery Fund and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, both of which have extensive experience of helping communities to acquire and develop their assets for over a decade. 
• The SLF Committee was appointed following the normal procedures for public appointments. Committee members are non remunerated.
• The BIG Lottery Fund distributes lottery funding to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK. It also uses its expertise in grant-giving to distribute non-Lottery funding. Full details of the BIG Lottery Fund programmes and grant awards are available on the website: http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk. BIG Lottery Fund Public Enquiries Line call: 0300 123 7110
• Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) delivers the Scottish Government Economic Strategy across more than half of Scotland - from Shetland to Argyll and from the Hebrides to Moray. It aims to support businesses and social enterprises; strengthen communities and fragile areas; develop key sectors, and create the conditions for a competitive and low carbon region. HIE has an annual budget of more than £75m and employs around 250 people in locations around the Highlands and Islands. See more at www.hie.co.uk