GREEN FOR GO!
All
a'Board for The Southern Uplands Partnership
Pip
Pip hurray!
Nothing
to Grouse about here
Wildwooders
go wild
And
hereby hangs a tale
With
fronds like this ...
Minimalism
in the Borders
Where
there's Muck there's Brass
Woolly
thinking
Jim
Knows how to get IT
Kindling
a New Barbie Business
Beefy
Boost to Borders Business
Need
to get out more?
Dumfries
and Galloway Land use Consultation Extended
They
are out to help you ...
Funding
News
THE
SMALL PRINT
GREEN
FOR GO!
 A
YEAR AFTER the idea for a Southern Uplands Initiative was given a mandate
by the people of Southern Scotland, the Southern Uplands Partnership is
to be launched.
Barbara Kelly, the Convenor of the Partnership, is pleased
that so much has been achieved in the past year, "To get from an idea to
a legally registered Charitable Company in a year is quick work when you
are working in partnership with others. I am delighted that the SUP
is now ready to tackle some of the major challenges we all face in the
Southern Uplands" she said. "The rapid progress reflects the need
to address a range of upland issues that are becoming increasingly urgent.
The current problems in farming and rural development require new ideas
and new ways of working if upland rural communities are to have a sustainable
future".
All
a'Board for
The Southern
Uplands
Partnership
...
THE DIRECTORS WHO will take the Partnership through to the first General
Meeting will be Willie McGhee (Borders Forest Trust), Richard Williamson
(Buccleuch Estates) and Barbara Kelly for Scottish Natural Heritage.
Cllr George Prentice of Dumfries and Galloway Council, and Cllr Alastair
Hewat of Scottish Borders Council, will join the Board in time for the
public launch in December. Elections will take place at the first
AGM in Spring 2000 to choose up to 9 Directors. These unpaid positions
are open to anyone with the vision and energy to make projects happen.
Once elected, the 9 will have the option of co-opting a further 3 Directors
with the aim of getting sound cross-sectoral and regional representation
on to the Board.
If you would like to play a part or get involved or just be kept up
to date with developments, please get in touch. |
| Pip
Pip hurray!
 After
a UK wide search, the SUI Steering Group found just what they were looking
for right on their doorstep. Pip Tabor has been appointed as the
Southern Upland Partnership Project Manager. Pip brings a wide range
of experience to the post. He has worked for the last five years
as Area Officer in the Borders for Scottish Natural Heritage. Before
that, Pip taught science, studied for a MSc and worked for Voluntary Services
Overseas (VSO) in the Himalayas for five years, so he knows something about
Uplands! Pip lives with his family near Lilliesleaf in the Borders.
|
Nothing
to Grouse about here
"BLACK GROUSE ARE THE second fastest declining
bird species int he UK, only Capercailzie are declining faster" says Dr
David Baines of the Game Conservancy Trust. Dr Baines, who is based
in Teesdale, was speaking at a meeting called by the SUP in the Moffat
in September.
 The
Black Grouse is a priority species in the Southern Uplands. It features
in the D&G Local Biodiversity Action Plan (LBAP) and is likely to be
a priority species in the Borders LBAP too. There are currently a
number of projects aimed at reversing this decline. The SUP brought
together all the people with an interest in this species in the Southern
Uplands including the RSPB, the Game Conservancy Trust, FWAG, Scottish
Natural Heritage, Forest Enterprise and staff from both Local Authorities.
A sub-group is now looking to see if the existing project funds can be
used to draw further cash into the Southern Uplands, to the benefit of
both the Black Grouse population and the Southern Uplands as a whole.
|
Wildwooders go wild
A Group of local enthusiasts, under the umbrella of the Borders Forest
Trust, have successfully raised the funds necessary to buy an entire valley
in Moffatdale, at the heart of the Southern Uplands. Carrifran is considered
by the Group to be the perfect site for recreating wildwood - the type
of woodland which would have covered much of the Southern Uplands 6000
years ago, before man arrived and cleared it away. Obviously buying the
land is only the start of the restoration project and the task ahead is
considerable, however the Group are confident that their vision will be
realised - if only for their grandchildren to appreciate. Trees have been
grown from seed collected from local ancient woodland sites and, if the
weather allows, the Wildwooders will be planting the first of the trees
on January 1st 2000 which will perhaps be amongst the more appropriate
ways of marking the start of the new Millennium ... |
And
hereby hangs a tale . . .
THE RED SQUIRREL is native to the British Isles
but has declined drastically in recent years. its population is now restricted
to Scotland, northern England, northern Ireland and a few isolated pockets
elsewhere. Reasons for the decline include loss and fragmentation of habitat
and disease. However, the
most important factor appears to be competition with the introduced
American Grey Squirrel which has become widespread. The grey appears better
able to exploit deciduous and mixed woodland, with higher
 breeding
rates and survival. Red squirrels usually disappear from these woodlands
within fifteen years of greys appearing. The SUP is co-ordinating efforts
to get two full time project officers in post to work with land managers
to help the red squirrel, which is now a priority species in local Biodiversity
Action Plans. Northern England already has a number of such posts, and
if the Red Squirrel is to be saved, it is important that efforts are co-ordinated
on both sides of the border. Borders Squirrel Management Group (BSMG) and
Red Alert South West (RASW) are working hard to raise the funds to match
50% which it is hoped will come from SNH.
FROM
OUR FARMING CORRESPONDENTS
With fronds
like this ...
... who
needs enemies?
Many land managers had difficulty getting approval for
bracken spraying last year, causing frustration and potentially expensive
delays. Knowledge of bracken management is improving rapidly, and new ways
of treating bracken are now available. With the aim of improving the planning
process and the effectiveness of bracken management, the SUP is arranging
a seminar for interested parties. The seminar will take place on February
16th 2000 in the Yarrow Valley. Contact the Project Manager for details. |
 |
Minimalism
in the Borders
| The Scottish Environment Protection
Agency and Scottish Borders LEADER II project are currently
funding a study to promote waste minimisation, and to help farmers to address
the issues associated with present and future legislation. Increasing environmental
legislation coupled with the escalating costs of waste disposal have resulted
in waste minimisation becoming an important part of any business. |
The project will identify waste
minimisation opportunities by targeting the elimination, reduction, recycling
or re-use of wastes (including energy) and offers support for participating
farmers in the form of visits from a specialist consultant. Watch out for
updates in the next issue. |
|
| WHERE THERE'S MUCK THERE'S BRASS
Based at Rigghead, Shawhead, Solway
Recycling have recently collected the millionth bale of silage bale wrap
from local farms. The baled plastic wrap is processed by Dumfries Plastics
into pellets to be used as the base material for a range of other plastic
products. The scheme is popular with farmers who would otherwise have to
dispose of the used wrap in land-fill sites which is expensive, burying
it - which is wasteful, or burning it - which is illegal. Farmers are not
charged for collection. Two jobs have been created so far and with less
waste plastic around, the countryside benefits too. The scheme is supported
by a number of agencies including Solway Heritage who have secured land-fill
tax funds to support a three year pilot study, and the Rural Diversification
Programme (EU funds). |
Woolly
thinking
The Scottish Borders Environment Partnership in association
with the Borders LA21 Project is about to commission a feasibility study
to look into the possibility of adding value to upland wool through using
it to manufacture high quality insulation material. A similar product is
already being imported from New Zealand and a number of UK bodies are keen
to see if such a scheme could be established in the UK.
 |
| Jim Knows
how to get IT
THE RECENT ALARMING trends in agriculture
are without doubt leaving Scottish farmers in a non competitive position
in the increasingly globalised market place. We have the position of decreasing
meat values, due to the strong pound, and the increasing buying power of
the end retailers, who are dictating prices to improve their own margins.
Who can blame them, that's business. But what could we do about it. The
faults are that we are generally marketing our products as commodities
and that we are also acting as price takers with no control of the supply
chain. We therefore need differentiation of the products and control to
come back to the producers. Project AgrIT proposes to tackle this problem
with three instruments:
-
Quality Assurance -
involving the creation of a 5 star QA system for the business buyer that
is consistent with the supplier standard. It will differentiate the
product at many levels and build on current brand promotion such as 'Scottish'.
e.g. The wine industry doesn't just brand French Red and White Wine, there
is a stratified range to suit all customers, £2 bottles to £2000.
-
IT facilitation - provide
the means for the producer to deal direct with his customers through an
online trading platform. Leverage synergies with other industries
such as tourism systems and access to hoteliers and restaurateurs.
Our whole industry can be linked via IT (information technology), e-commerce
transactions all the way down our supply chain. With the margins
being evenly spread throughout our industry, rather than being forced to
the outlet end.
-
Niche marketing - specialist
marketing to promote product quality, branding based on breed and QA classification
with premium pricing promotion.
This may seem adventurous folly to some, but
has already happened in the Scottish Tourist industry with the project
Ossian. A system has been set up where foreign tourists are buying
their holiday package on line e.g. Ossian allows the customer/ tourist
to check the availability of a small B&B anywhere in Scotland and book
immediately. Project AgrIT is being managed by the same company as
Ossian. Therefore the initial targeting of the 8000 catering outlets already
on the sister project's database seems a prudent beginning. Already
the English tourist industry is considering joining Ossian, further opening
doors for our products to be sold through in the future. The key
to such a project's success is that it is industry led, the key to its
continuing success is that it remains that way. At this moment Scottish
abattoirs, meat producers, processors, hoteliers and the manager of Ossian
have formed a steering group involved in setting this system up to give
Scottish Agriculture the global lead in the next millennium. Find
out more, contact Jim Hume at Sundhope or visit www.agrit.net |
KINDLING A NEW
BARBIE BUSINESS
BUCCLEUCH ESTATES ARE currently feeding
the thinnings from Dalkeith woodlands into a new enterprise producing logs,
charcoal and kindling. Lothian Fuels employ up to nine full time workers
and supply the local community, garage forecourts, B&Q and other outlets
with their products. The Dalkeith woodlands have Forestry Stewardship Council
(FSC) recognition and the company hove recently been registered as part
of the BioRegional network, reflecting the high quality and environmental
benefits of the products.
Amazingly there is demand for high quality
logs, charcoal and kindling from all over southern Scotland and even further
afield. Lothian Fuels is considering expanding into the Borders and would
like to hear from anyone seriously interested in working with them to produce
high quality products locally.
Much of the charcoal sold in the UK as
"British" is actually produced in S Africa, often from badly managed forests,
and only bagged in this country. It is good to know that you can now buy
a locally produced, high quality charcoal mode from well managed native
woodlands.
Would you like to get involved? Lothian
Fuels can be contacted on 0131 454 0536.
|
Beefy
Boost to Borders Business
| What started as
a hobby is now a new business for Michael and Hazel Clarke. Keeping
both Dexter and Highland cattle at Ashieburn provided the impetus for them
to venture into the world of retail butchering. They have just opened
a new shop in Ancrum village near Jedburgh, to sell meat from these two
breeds of cattle, and from other rare and traditional |
breeds
of cattle, sheep and pigs. These native breeds are often used to
conserve our wide range of natural habitats. The animals are all
sourced locally, from welfare friendly farmers, slaughtered locally and
then carefully matured to produce an exceptional product at a competitive
price. If you would like to know more please contact Hazel on 01835
830358. |
|
VIABLE, VIBRANT RURAL communities are under threat
from a lack of public transport options. Approximately 30% of Borders
households do not have access to a car. Access to cars can be limited
for a number of reasons: young people who are too young to drive;
adults with disability or illness; situations where the household car is
shared by several drivers. For many others the costs are prohibitive
and the situation is likely to be made even harder if fuel costs continue
to rise. In isolated upland situations, the private car will continue
to be the predominant form of transport, but there are alternatives being
tried across upland Britain.
Community transport services run in areas
where conventional services do not, usually because they are not commercially
viable. Community services can be operated by community groups, local
authorities and/or commercial operators. They are run to
meet the communities needs. Such schemes are usually non-profit
making and the vehicles are often chosen to be accessible to those with
mobility difficulties. Examples of successful rural community transport
services include:
Community Buses
-
like a conventional bus service, but operated by volunteers. To supplement
the income of the bus, it can be hired out to community groups.
Voluntary Car
Schemes - door-to-door transport using volunteers who drive
their own cars, servicing people who find particular journeys difficult
or impossible to make.
Subsidised Taxi
Operations - flexible, subsidised transport service provided
by a local taxi contract.
Taxibus -
service running timetabled or on-demand journeys.
Dial-a-ride
- service running on a semi-fixed route but responsive to needs and requests.
Car Share Clubs
-
group of car users share a pool of cars.
 Assistance
in establishing schemes such as these is available from a specialist in
Rural Community Transport, Elliot Lorimer. Elliot is employed by
the Scottish Borders Rural Partnership and can be contacted at the
RURAL RESOURCE CENTRE
Tweed Horizons, Newtown
St Boswells TD6 0SG
Tel: 01835 824125 or Fax:
01835 824126
DUMFRIES
AND GALLOWAY LAND USE CONSULTATION EXTENDED
FOLLOWING AN INITIAL round of public workshops
in January, a second round of public workshops was held in the mid-Galloway,
and Lockerbie/Langholm areas in September. Over one hundred and twenty
people came along to discuss draft consultation papers on the future scope
for forestry and woodland development and management in the two study areas,
drawn up on the basis of the earlier workshops and other research.
"The September workshops were a key stage in the
public consultation. All the comments and subsequent letters will be taken
into account in refining the documents for the two study areas. There will
then be a further opportunity for people to comment on the next draft,
before the 'Local Forestry Frameworks' are finalised" explained Tony Turner,
chairman of Dumfries and Galloway Council's Environment and Infrastructure
Committee.
 "However,
the high level of continuing interest, particularly from the farming community,
has led the project partnership of the Forestry Commission, the Council
and Scottish Natural Heritage to extend the current deadline for comment
to the end of November.
"Farming and forestry are very important parts
of the landscape, economy, employment and people's everyday lives in these
areas, so it is very important that the Local Forestry Frameworks take
account of the range of local people's aspirations. In the meantime we
want to emphasise that the Frameworks will be reviewed from time to time,
so that they can be flexible enough to adjust to changing circumstances
over the years."
The consultation exercise is being carried out
by consultant Environmental Resources .
Management on behalf of the Council. the Forestry
Commission and Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH). If you have not already
made your view known, you may still have time to comment -contact Sue Bennett
on 01387 260167. We will report on progress in the next newsletter.
They
are out to help you . . .
There are a number of organisations
out there to help you if you have a community project which you want to
carry out. Two organisations have trained and experienced field staff who
can offer advice on how to develop your idea, identify funding sources
and successfully apply to them. Attracting funding is increasingly competitive
and it helps to know what works. In Dumfries & Galloway, South West
Environmental Action Project (SWEAP) have field staff in post across the
region and can be contacted on 01557 331993.
The Scottish Borders Rural Partnership
runs the Rural Resource Centre based at Tweed Horizons in Newtown St Boswells,
and they also have field staff. Contact them on 01835 824125.
| New
Opportunities Fund |
Who
Cares? We Care |
This Initiative
is likely to be launched later in the year and is a new Lottery Distributor.
It will offer funds to projects which:
• improve the quality of life
of people throughout the UK
• address the needs of those
who are most disadvantaged in society
• encourage community participation
• compliment relevant local
and national strategies and programmes.
More news next time.
|
Rural Care is a multi-million
pound initiative by ScottishPower with the objective of improving the reliability
of electricity supply for customers most vulnerable to the damage to power
lines caused by falling trees.
To reduce the likelihood of
damage, wayleaves through woodland and forests may have to be widened.
ScottishPower are keen to work with local groups, conservation bodies and
others to find ways of ensuring that the outcome of any work is positive
in terms of wildlife and |
| Forward
Scotland |
landscape. Where trees have
to be felled, |
| One of the current
funders of Southern Upland Partnership, was launched in 1996 as an independent
company with charitable status. The organisation uses its resources to
promote Sustainable Development (improving the quality of life in the communities
of Scotland by integrating social, economic and environmental issues).
Forward Scotland is guided by four main principles: |
new trees will be
planted at sites to be determined by local people perhaps in schools or
community woodlands. ScottishPower may be approaching your community to
find out your views. There is an opportunity here for your community to
benefit. For further information contact ScottishPower on 0845 2721717. |
|
Tweed
Forum
|
Seeking Partnership;
Working to Empower;
Enhancing Integration and
Equity
By applying these determining principles
together with a project sustainability checklist, Forward Scotland seeks
to obtain quality and value for money from project proposals. They are
working in partnership with a number of other organisations in the region
including the South West Environmental Action Project based in Dumfries
and Galloway and the Borders Local Agenda 21 project.
Should you require further
information on Forward Scotland, their Development Officer is Francis Kiernan
based in Glasgow who can be contacted on 0141222 5611. |
The last six months
have been exceptionally busy for the Forum with the award in June of nearly
£2 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund for the Tweed Rivers Heritage
Project. This is a £4 million multi-disciplinary and multipartnership
scheme which aims 'to conserve, enhance and raise awareness of the rivers
and valleys of the Tweed catchment and develop the recreational opportunities
and the quality of life in the region.'
Many of the 22 constituent
projects are located in the uplands of the catchment and a great deal of
work has already been achieved by the likes of East of Scotland Water,
Borders Forest Trust, the Tweed Foundation and Forest Enterprise in terms
of habitat improvements, community involvement and increasing public access. |
It
takes 2 to tango . . .
Objective 2 latest |
Tweed Forum now employs four
staff and has recently moved into its newly converted offices at Drygrange
near Melrose. |
| All of Dumfries and Galloway
and all the Borders excepting Tweeddale has been put forward for Objective
2 funding from Europe. This is disappointing for Tweeddale, but transition
funding will be available for the next few years as Objective 5 funds are
phased out. The funding is still dependant on acceptance by Europe and
a planning team with representation from both Borders and D&G is working
to produce the necessary documentation and strategy that will convince
Europe of the case for South Scotland. Confirmation is due early next year. |
 |
Why
the Southern Upland Partnership
THE
SMALL PRINT
|
MANAGEMENT SPEAK ALWAYS throws
up a selection of words and phrases that you just know are going to annoy
you. Words like downsizing, animateur, visioning. "Joined up thinking"
is the current buzz phrase in Parliamentary circles and destined to join
an "A" list. What on earth does it mean? Who doesn't think in a joined
up way?
I guess we all do to some extent. Certainly
those of us who work in land management have been as guilty as anyone in
the past of not thinking out of our boxes (sorry! another A candidate there).
We think along narrow professional lines, its what we have always done,
its easy, its what we know. its probably why when you want to make a land
management decision you end up referring to structure plans, local plans,
subject plans, biodiversity action plans, species action plans, access
strategies, indicative forest strategies, local forest frameworks. Not
forgetting to think about SSSIs, NHZs, NSAs, ESAs, 5bs, Objective
2s, SR03s. |
If ever there was a time to begin joining up our
thinking about landuse it was now. But thinking is easy and solitary, joined
up action is harder to do. This means working together, with other people.
It means sharing objectives, strategies, information. We will need to communicate
with other people, not just fellow professionals who understand our secret
coded acronyms but with real people in the real world.
Signing up to the Southern Uplands Partnership provides
a special opportunity to go further than joined up thinking and go for
joined up action. The SUP has broken down some of the barriers to this.
SUP is now working across local government boundaries, across agency boundaries
and across professional boundaries. SUP is about real joined up projects.
Come and SUP with us. You know it makes sense.
This issues comment is by Richard Williamson of Buccleuch Estates and
a SUP Director.
Have you got a comment to share? |
| WHY
WILLIE WANTS TO BE A DIRECTOR |
WILLIE McGHEE IS the one of the dynamic team behind
the Borders Forest Trust, a charity that grew out of the wide interest
there is to recreate the link between people and woodland. He prefers action
to talk and he is now a Director of the Southern Uplands Partnership. He
says:
"My environmental career started on a land use survey
of the Isle of Skye. 1 rapidly became aware of the lack of dialogue between
major land users such as farmers, foresters, crofters and conservationists.
1 also saw the amount of national and European funding that was targeted
at rural interests in the Scottish Highlands. Coming to the South of Scotland
it was clear there was much less funding available. |
"Our projects involve working in partnership
with farmers, foresters, community councils, schools, local authorities,
government agencies and voluntary groups. This partnership working has
reinforced my belief that the best results and greatest gains to be made
in countryside management stem from co-operation and negotiation between
different and often conflicting land uses and interests.
"Many of the issues thrown up during project
working in the Southern Uplands are neither obvious nor widely discussed,
such as the siting of mobile phone receivers and private water supplies.
The Southern Uplands Partnership will be able to raise these issues and
seek sensible solutions". |
| 101
THINGS ABOUT THE SOUTHERN UPLANDS PARTNERSHIP |
THE SOUTHERN UPLANDS PARTNERSHIP is a partnership
of the communities, individuals, organisations, authorities and agencies
having a shared interest in the sustainable use of the Southern Uplands.
The Southern Uplands Partnership aims to achieve
the integration of environmental, social and economic land use policies
in the Southern Uplands.
We want to hear from you. Let us have your thoughts
on what the issues are. What could be done to help you make your living
in the Southern Uplands? What would you like to see the Partnership doing?
What are your concerns for the future? |
Ask folk what they think of
when they hear the word "Scottish Highlands" and they'll have an answer.
Ask them about the Southern Uplands and they'll mostly look blank. The
issues and problems are similar for both and yet the one gets most of the
help.
What do the Southern Uplands mean to you?
What can we do to foster an image that will bring people here and send
them away knowing and caring about the Southern Uplands? is there a particular
image that captures the Southern Uplands? We want to hear from you. |
|