Dave Thompson MSP

Dave Thompson, SNP MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch has welcomed the news that Morvern Community Woodlands has secured an award of £50,250 from the Scottish Land Fund.

As a result of this award Morvern Community Woodlands will now be in a position to purchase eight hectares of woodland under the National Forest Land Scheme.

Commenting on this Mr Thompson said, “I welcome and congratulate the news of this significant development for Morvern Community Woodlands”.

“This award enables the group to buy the land, which in turn secures its future as an asset for all of the community, which is in essence, the ethos behind community ownership”.

Notes:

Morvern Community Woodlands will purchase Achnaha Wood (8ha -19.75 acres) situated on the Morvern peninsula, Argyll. The purchase, under the National Forest Land Scheme, will bring the woodland into community ownership and control and secure the future of the wood as an asset for the community, empowering them to build on existing income generating activities and create new opportunities for volunteering, training and skills development.

Funded through the Scottish Land Fund, this 1 year grant will part fund the capital cost of the purchase of Achnaha Wood and associated legal costs.

The Scottish Land Fund supports rural communities to become more resilient and sustainable through the ownership and management of land and land assets.   It provides practical support and funding to enable local people to work together to develop their ideas and aspirations, put in place effective structures, and plan and complete viable land and land assets acquisition projects.

The Scottish Land Fund has made £10 million available since 2012 to help communities complete the purchase and some initial development and management of local land and land assets.

The Scottish Land Fund is funded by the Scottish Government and delivered in partnership by the Big Lottery Fund and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

Press Release.

MORVERN COMMUNITY TO TAKE CONTROL OF LOCAL WOODLAND

A community group in Morvern, Argyllshire is poised to take control of its local woodland, thanks to a Scottish Land Fund award of £50,250.

Morvern Community Woodlands has managed the Achnaha Wood on the Morvern peninsula since 2004. Thanks to today’s award, they will now purchase the eight hectares of woodland under the National Forest Land Scheme thereby securing its future as an asset for the whole community.

Welcoming the £50,250 award, Sam Firth of Morvern Community Woodlands, said: "The Morvern Community Woodlands Company is delighted to have been awarded this grant from the Scottish Land Fund, which not only enables us to purchase the woodland, but gives us the opportunity to develop its use within the community. Achnaha Community Wood is a wonderful place which is very important to our small community. Bringing this woodland into community ownership will ensure it remains accessible to all for generations to come and will enable us to build on the success we have had managing the woods. We are very grateful to the Scottish Land Fund for giving us this opportunity."

Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Aileen McLeod, said: “I am delighted to see this Scottish Land Fund award to Morvern Community Woodlands, which will allow the community to take ownership of the Achnaha Wood on the Morvern peninsula.

“Community ownership will bring benefits to local people including the further development of skills in forestry management, the extension of recreational facilities and the further development of the wood. Morvern Community Woodlands is a great example of how the Scottish Land Fund is making a real difference to communities throughout rural Scotland. Projects like this help fulfil the Scottish Government’s commitment to secure more land into community ownership by 2020.”