News

Spital Tower Estate in the Scottish Borders Achieves Wildlife Estates Scotland Accreditation

Press Release

An estate in the Scottish Borders has become the latest to achieve international accreditation recognising their outstanding efforts in wildlife and habitat management. Spital Tower Estate at Denholm near Hawick has attained Wildlife Estates Scotland accreditation, a national version of the Wildlife Estates (WE) initiative which seeks to...

Moorland transect surveys show increase in key raptor species

Press Release

Scottish Land & Estates has welcomed the results of the Raptor Transect Survey project, now in its fourth year and administered by the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) for Scotland’s Regional Moorland Groups. Carried out from April to July each year, independent surveyors record the presence of raptors along 10km routes in...

Land manager experience and knowledge key in new National Park proposal

Press Release

Scottish Land & Estates, the rural business organisation, has said the ‘knowledge and experience’ of farmers and land managers must be recognised as a proposal for a National Park in Galloway is consulted upon. The Scottish Government announced today that NatureScot will conduct a public consultation and investigation into whether...

Winners of first Scottish Game Awards announced

Press Release

The outstanding contribution of sporting estates, game dealers, gamekeepers and ghillies in Scotland has been marked at the inaugural Scottish Game Awards. At the Scottish Game Fair at Scone, a host of award winners and commendations were announced across four highly competitive categories. The newly crowned winners are: Game Champion of...

Six Scottish landholdings celebrate Wildlife Estates Scotland accreditation

General News

Six Scottish farms and estates – accounting for over 23,000 acres - have been awarded prestigious international accreditation to recognise their ongoing work in wildlife management and conservation. The award of Wildlife Estates Scotland (WES) accreditation was made at the GWCT Scottish Game Fair by Scottish Government Minister for...

New grouse moor licence scheme set to open as moors encouraged to prepare for application process

Press Release

Grouse moor operators and land managers are being urged to prepare for the new licensing system which is to come into effect shortly before the grouse season starts next month. Scottish Land & Estates, which represents landowners and rural businesses, was speaking after NatureScot announced its intention to open licence applications on...

Appeal for information following Strathspey raptor nest incident

Press Release

Scottish Land & Estates today supported a police appeal for information following a suspected attempt to target birds of prey in Strathspey. Police Scotland officers were called on Saturday, June 8, to a forest near Loch Gynack where a goshawk nest was found abandoned in what are described as "suspicious circumstances". Police have said...

Election hustings see rural Scotland take centre stage

Press Release

Issues of importance to rural Scotland were the focus at a General Election hustings held in Perth last night. Organised by Scottish Land & Estates in conjunction with BASC Scotland and the Scottish Countryside Alliance, the event saw audience members grill politicians during an evening of robust debate. The political panel comprised...

SLE appeals for government to work positively with land managers on addressing climate change

Press Release

Land management is key to Scotland achieving its net-zero ambitions - and it is vital that government acknowledges the advantages of scale when tackling the climate emergency. Scottish Land & Estates commented after the Scottish Parliament voted for a motion on Wednesday affirming the commitment to tackling the twin crises of climate...

Opportunity to enhance tenant farming in Scotland could be lost through current Land Reform Bill

Press Release

Provisions in the land reform bill regarding the resumption of farming tenancies will further weaken the sector, not enhance it, Scottish Land & Estates has said. The rural business organisation was speaking after giving evidence to the Scottish Parliament’s Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee on Part 2 of the Bill. SLE’s legal...