Communities across Scotland are getting more support to develop woodland crofts with the announcement of a new project officer to drive forward the initiative.
Sandra Holmes has been appointed as the new Woodland Crofts Projects Officer with a role of kick starting the initiative to get woodland crofts up and running. The initiative is being funded jointly by Forestry Commission Scotland and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
Woodland crofts have the potential to support and sustain rural livelihoods, with community groups owning and managing woodland for economic, social and environmental gain. Announcing the new appointment, Environment Minister Michael Russell said: “Crofting is part and parcel of Scotland’s cultural heritage and we are committed to sustaining and safeguarding this way of life.
Woodland crofts will provide a range of opportunities for rural business and the promotion of a sustainable lifestyle. “It is important that we make it attractive for people to stay or move to remoter rural areas and the development of woodland crofts is another important step to making this happen. The appointment of Sandra will act as a catalyst to give communities advice and support to purchase land and develop it into a successful woodland croft. ” These crofts could provide scope for local business development and opportunities to live and work in remote rural areas. Sandra Holmes, Woodland Crofts Projects Officer, said: “Woodland crofts will provide new opportunities for people to access crofts. It is important that the public benefits of woodland crofts are safeguarded, and this will be achieved by creating crofts without the right to buy and with the community landlord retaining control of croft allocations. Combining community ownership and crofting tenure in this way has the potential to provide real and lasting benefits for rural communities.” Under the National Forest Land Scheme, land for woodland crofts has been added as a fourth option along with existing options of community acquisition, land for affordable housing and sale of surplus land.
