News

New report praises estates, farms and rural businesses for heroic role in tackling Scotland’s largest ever wildfires

Press Release

Scottish Land & Estates (SLE) has today published a major new report detailing the exceptional response by land-based and rural businesses to the devastating wildfires near Carrbridge and Dava, which burned across an unprecedented 11,827 hectares of moorland and woodland in late June. The release of the report coincides with a visit to...

SLE welcomes publication of Rural Skills and Game & Wildlife Apprenticeships - skills research

General News

The 2025 NatureScot-commissioned report , authored by EKOS, examines the persistent underperformance of Scotland’s Rural Skills and Game & Wildlife Management (G&WM) apprenticeships. Despite being introduced in 2016 and 2018 respectively, both apprenticeship pathways have seen consistently low uptake and high non-completion rates -...

Helping It Happen award nominations hit new high as rural businesses and communities step into spotlight

Press Release

Scottish Land & Estates has announced that 104 nominations have been received for the 2025 Helping It Happen Awards, marking the highest number in several categories in the event’s history. Now in its ninth year, the Helping It Happen Awards – sponsored by NatureScot – celebrate the vital contributions made by rural businesses, estates...

Three estates awarded prestigious Wildlife Estates accreditation recognising their conservation success

Press Release

Three Scottish estates – accounting for over 120,000 acres – have been awarded prestigious international accreditation for their work in wildlife management and conservation. The award of Wildlife Estates Scotland (WES) accreditation was made today at the GWCT Scottish Game Fair by Scottish Government Minister for Agriculture and...

Win for rural communities as number of telecoms masts scaled back

Press Release

Rural business organisation Scottish Land & Estates (SLE) has welcomed the update from the Shared Rural Network project, indicating that the number of 4G masts planned in remote areas of Scotland will be scaled back from 258 to 44. Following pressure from SLE and partner organisations including community councils, the John Muir Trust and...

Speyside & Morayshire wildfires must serve as wake-up call for Scottish Government

Press Release

The devastating wildfires in Speyside and Morayshire must act as a wake-up call for the Scottish Government to urgently prioritise investment in wildfire prevention and response, Scottish Land & Estates said today. Following several days of intense firefighting, aided by rainfall overnight, the immediate situation on the ground has...

Gamekeepers praised for frontline wildfire efforts in Speyside and Moray as call made for more skilled volunteers

Press Release

Gamekeepers and land managers have been praised for their critical efforts in battling a major wildfire across Speyside and Moray - as a call is made for more skilled volunteers to help contain the ongoing blaze. Scottish Land & Estates, the rural business organisation, has commended the bravery, skill and expertise of nearly 100...

New polling reveals healthcare, infrastructure and employment are top of mind for rural Scotland

Press Release

New research commissioned by rural business organisation Scottish Land & Estates (SLE) has revealed that the Scottish public see access to healthcare, improving infrastructure and supporting employment opportunities as the top priorities for rural Scotland. The independent poll, conducted by the Diffley Partnership in April 2025, surveyed...

Minister gains insight into challenges of lowland deer management during stalking visit

Press Release

The practical realities of managing Scotland’s lowland deer population have been demonstrated to the Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity, Jim Fairlie MSP, during a deer stalking visit to Drumchork Holding in Perthshire. The visit, organised by Scottish Land & Estates (SLE) on Monday evening (June 23), comes as the Scottish...

Land-based businesses set out new vision for the future

Press Release

Scottish Land & Estates, the rural business organisation, today unveiled its latest vision for the future of land use and management. Route2050 – Land and Estates for the Future was launched at the Royal Highland Show at Ingliston with the support of Rural Affairs Secretary, Mairi Gougeon MSP. Speaking at the launch of the report, Sarah...