News

Grouse moors braced for major changes in wake of Werritty review

Press Release

Major changes proposed for the operation of Scotland’s grouse moors have not been economically assessed and could deliver a hugely damaging blow to rural Scotland. Following evidence by members of the grouse moor review group to the Scottish Parliament’s Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee today, a joint statement was...

New police wildlife crime training welcomed by SLE

Press Release

New police training to detect and investigate instances of wildlife crime has been welcomed by Scottish Land & Estates. Announced by Cabinet Secretary Roseanna Cunningham MSP, Police Scotland has today (Monday 20 January) launched a new wildlife crime investigators course to enhance capability in this complex area of local policing. Sarah...

English farmers given more certainty than those north of the border

Press Release

Commenting on today’s introduction of a new UK Agriculture Bill, Sarah-Jane Laing, Chief Executive of Scottish Land & Estates said: “Today’s UK Agriculture Bill gives English farmers more certainty than Scottish farmers which demonstrates that we urgently need a long-term vision to secure the future of Scottish farming and land management...

No one-sized-fits-all solution to empty homes in Scotland

Press Release

A vital link exists between the number of empty homes and the vitality of a remote, rural community, particularly in areas with a declining population. That was one of a number of key messages to come from a parliamentary debate held earlier this week into empty homes in Scotland. The debate came as a result of a short inquiry held by the...

Scotland’s vital tourism sector must be supported

Press Release

At a time when Scotland’s fragile rural economy is facing unprecedented changes and an uncertain future, care must be taken to ensure any changes to the regulations for short-term lets doesn’t have a negative impact on Scotland’s vital tourism sector. Following on from the announcement of the Scottish Government’s intention to introduce a...

Call for Scottish budget to fund Scotland’s response to the climate emergency

Press Release

Today the Climate Emergency Response Group (CERG) published a report calling for the Scottish Government to announce a transformative Climate Emergency Scottish Budget that will support Scotland’s transition to net-zero emissions by 2045 with rapid action required over the next decade. The report estimates the public spend required to...

Saving our wild salmon: Making salmon conservation a national priority

Press Release

Leading figures in salmon conservation will meet key politicians at the Scottish Parliament today (Tuesday, January 7) to address a looming crisis in wild stocks. Environmental change, and a range of human impacts across the Northern Hemisphere are placing salmon at risk across their natural range. Today's event will explore what can be...

Next Scottish Land & Estates Chairman announced

Press Release

Mark Tennant has been appointed Chairman Designate by the Board of Scottish Land & Estates (SLE) the rural business organisation. Mark’s family business Innes Estate in Elgin has been a member of SLE for over 40 years. During that time Mark has been a member of the organisation’s Highland Committee twice as well as Vice-Chair (Policy)...

Scottish landowners calling out telecoms giants

Press Release

Farmers and other landowners in Scotland have seen the average rent paid by telecoms giants to use their land for mobile phone masts and broadband apparatus slashed since a new Electronic Communications Code was introduced two years ago. The Code, introduced by the UK Government on 28 December 2017, intends to facilitate the installation...

SLE statement on wildlife crime report

Press Release

Scottish Land & Estates said today that the latest Scottish Government Wildlife Crime Report published today showed that crimes against birds of prey remain at historically low levels but efforts to stamp out raptor persecution were being undermined by rogue individuals. Tim Baynes, SLE’s Moorland Director, said: “Estates share the...