News

Risk of Lyme disease increasing, warns Scottish Land & Estates

Press Release

Rural business organisation Scottish Land & Estates (SLE) is warning of a heightened risk of Lyme disease due to the increasing number of ticks in the countryside. In summer 2023 the number of Lyme disease cases reported in the UK increased by a third compared with the preceding year. Members of the public are warned to check themselves...

Rural organisations sound alarm over muirburn licensing rollout and wildfire risk

Press Release

Leading rural organisations are urging the Scottish Government to adopt a pragmatic approach to the introduction of muirburn licensing — or risk exacerbating the growing threat of wildfires across Scotland. With the muirburn season closing earlier this week (April 15) [1], Scottish Land & Estates, NFU Scotland and the Scottish Gamekeepers...

Public urged to be vigilant as wildfire danger continues across Scotland

Press Release

Rural business organisation Scottish Land & Estates (SLE) is urging the public to remain vigilant to wildfire following the publication of the latest wildfire danger rating assessment. The assessment classifies the wildfire danger as ‘very high’ across all areas of Scotland on Tuesday 8th and Wednesday 9th April, and ‘extreme’ in...

SLE welcomes new approach to Heat in Buildings Bill - but urgent clarity needed for rented sector

Press Release

Changes to the Heat in Buildings Bill announced today by the Scottish Government have been welcomed by Scottish Land & Estates. The rural organisation said the new approach, announced at Holyrood by Acting Minister for Climate Action Dr Alasdair Allan, showed increased recognition of the unique challenges faced by rural and island...

Farms & estates affirm their commitment to achieving Scotland’s 30x30 nature target

Press Release

Landowners stand ready and willing to help Scotland deliver a commitment to protect 30% of the land and seas for nature by 2030 – but further detail will be required on the tools proposed by government to meet this ambitious goal. Enhancing biodiversity, conservation and habitat restoration was the central focus of the 2025 WES Annual...

New appointments to Scottish Land & Estates’ regional network

Press Release

Rural business organisation Scottish Land & Estates (SLE) is making two new appointments to boost its regional network. Elizabeth Steuart Fothringham has been appointed as the new chair of the Central region committee, succeeding Antony Gifford, while Dr Gordon Drummond joins as the new North East chair, following on from David Fyffe, who...

Scottish rural policy takes centre stage at SLE’s Land Managers' Training Day

Press Release

Scottish rural policy, agricultural support, housing, renewable energy, and community engagement were among the key topics explored at Scottish Land & Estates’ (SLE) highly successful Land Managers’ Training Day. Held at Perth Racecourse, the annual event—sponsored by Savills and Brodies LLP—brought together landowners, estate managers...

Scottish Land & Estates calls for government to protect farming businesses amid potential UK-US trade war

Press Release

Scottish Land & Estates (SLE) has today urged the UK Government to ensure that any response to a potential trade war with the US does not put Scotland’s farming businesses and rural economy at risk. The warning follows Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s comments in Paris yesterday, vowing that he would ‘keep all options on the table’ in...

Statement on Scottish Government Response to NZET Committee Land Reform Bill Report

Press Release

The Scottish Government is failing to act decisively on key flaws in the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill which is being debated in the Scottish Parliament. Following publication of a key government report on the Bill today, Scottish Land & Estates said that the Scottish Government had ‘dodged’ fundamental problems with the Bill and were...

Land reform bill report is a flashing red light to Ministers

Press Release

A new parliamentary report criticising the land reform bill underlines the need for fundamental changes to the draft legislation, Scottish Land & Estates (SLE) said today. The rural business organisation commented after the Scottish Parliament’s Net Zero, Energy & Transport (NZET) Committee said that Part 1 of the Bill in particular “...