Community development

The Scottish Rural and Island Transport Community (SRITC) are hosting a conference on September the 14th and 15^th to address the immediate challenges facing the users and operators of Scotland’s rural and islands transport services.

The next stage in making Scotland a global leader in sustainable and regenerative agriculture has been launched.

People are being urged to take part in a consultation on the Scottish Government's forthcoming Agriculture Bill.

The Scottish Government climate change plan has committed to reducing agricultural emissions by 31% by 2032.

The consultation covers a range of key themes including:

This week sees the release of the latest edition of the OnFarm podcast supported by the Scottish Rural Network.

In the first of a two part special Lewis crofter and presenter of BBC Alba's An Lot (The Croft) Domhnall Macsween - known to most as 'Sweeny' - takes OnFARM producer Dave Howard on a tour of his community of Ness, on the island’s most northerly tip.

This is the first of two episodes featuring Sweeny and it’s a great listen. 

A £970,000 fund designed to support projects and ideas to benefit the environment and local communities has opened for its third round of applications. 

Crown Estate Scotland’s Sustainable Communities Fund, which started in 2020, has already delivered around £620,000 in valuable support to people across the country. It consists of two grant programmes: 

Paths for All’s new £1.5 million Ian Findlay Path Fund for accessible communities will enable more people to walk, wheel or cycle for their everyday journeys to improve air quality, reduce CO2 emissions and improve physical health and mental wellbeing.

The Scottish Government funded Self Build Loan Fund will be extended for an additional five years and will reopen in autumn 2022 following the appointment of a Fund administrator.

The South of Scotland’s largest community buyout is set to double in size having defied the odds and “achieved the impossible” for a second time in two years, following one of the most ambitious community fundraising campaigns ever seen. 

A historic agreement for 5,300 acres of land and three properties between The Langholm Initiative charity and Buccleuch will now go ahead, after the Dumfriesshire town of Langholm successfully reached its goal of £2.2m by the 31 July deadline.