THE GOLDEN PLOVER AWARD 2017
The
Heather Trust and Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) have announced
the finalists for 2017’s Golden Plover Award for Moorland Management, sponsored
by Lindsays.
The Award
is presented annually to recognise progressive, practical and sustainable
moorland management in Scotland, and the process is open to estates, farms,
individuals and syndicates who have “gone the extra mile” for our hills
This
year, the award has focused on the north and west of Scotland, appealing to landholdings
that have shown a dedicated level of commitment to integrated land use, and this
has taken the award into new and exciting terrain. After several years in the
eastern Highlands, 2017’s applicants embraced diverse issues such as upland
fisheries, rural employment, conservation, peatland, deer management and
crofting.
There
was a great deal of interest in 2017’s award, but the judges have identified
three finalists who will now progress to the next stage. Ardnamurchan is a ten
thousand hectare sporting estate on the west coast with a balanced approach to
deer management, agriculture and tourism, while Reay Forest lies in Sutherland
and has established a strong reputation for carefully integrated work between interests
such as conservation, deer stalking and renewable energy. The third finalist is
Fearann Eilean Iarmain, a stunning estate on the Isle of Skye which links
traditional land management with crofting, a distillery and support for a
thriving gaelic culture.
Speaking
about the next stage of 2017's Golden Plover Award, Heather Trust Director
Simon Thorp said “We had some really positive interest in the Award this
year from estates and projects in the north highlands and up and down the
west coast. We believe we've chosen a strong, diverse spread of applicants
to go forward as finalists, and we look forward to learning more about their
work in the next few weeks".
Head
of Rural Services at Lindsays Michael Yellowlees added: “We are delighted to be
supporting the Golden Plover Award again this year and to see such progressive
work being recognized on estates across this area.
“We
are particularly interested in the focus of this years’ award given our
longstanding relationships with clients in the Highlands and Islands. Before the Second World War Lindsays acted as
factors and solicitors for numerous landed estate clients in that area and in
the post-war era served these clients through the West Highlands Estates Office
in Fort William. The firm continues to
provide legal services to many of the same estates.”
Site
visits will take place in May and June, and judge Adam
Smith, Director Scotland, Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust added was
looking forward to heading out on the road. He said “All those on the shortlist have a strong case to be the Golden Plover
winner this year, but there can only be one that takes the prize. This award
continues to go from strength to strength and we look forward to announcing the
result for 2017 on 30 June”.
The
2016 Award was won by the Hopes Estate in the Lammermuir Hills, and previous
winners have included Finzean Estate near Banchory, Mar near Braemar and
Edinglassie on Donside.
