News

SLE statement on Autumn Budget 2021

Press Release

Commenting on the UK Autumn Budget announced by the Chancellor this afternoon, SLE Chief Executive, Sarah-Jane Laing said: “There are a number of positive announcements in the Budget to help Scotland’s rural economy. “We welcome news that the Scottish Government will receive an increased budget by an average of £4.6bn per year and we hope...

SLE statement on RSPB bird crime report

Press Release

Scottish Land & Estates has issued the following statement regarding the RSPB Birdcrime report. A spokesperson for Scottish Land & Estates said: “We condemn all forms of wildlife crime - including raptor persecution. Official police recorded incidents of raptor crime continue to decline in Scotland, which is welcome, and for many years we...

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...

How SLE is supporting COP26

General News

Find out how land managers are continuing to take climate action! COP26 (Conference of the Parties) 2021 takes place in Glasgow from 31 October to 12 November. There’s no better time for stakeholders and the public to find out more about the crucial role land managers in Scotland play in combatting climate change. This is also a great...

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...