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Members' News Members' News MEMBERS’ NEWS JULY 2020 Chair’s welcome This is my first opportunity placed around a third to write to you all since my of its staff on furlough fellow Trustees elected me during March, April and Chair. I have long been an May. At the same time, all admirer of the Trust: colleagues and members attracted to its work as have been affected someone who finds solace professionally and and inspiration in wild personally. For me, this places. To now represent period highlights a strength the membership in this that exists in our shared role is a real privilege. culture: that we care for I am not the only new people and nature and think kid on the block. Chief seriously about the Executive David Balharry importance of community in is six months in post. I am how we go about our work. looking forward to working While in lockdown closely with and supporting I’ve discovered new wild him in the coming years. places from my front door. I know we’re both excited A reminder of how necessary to be part of the Trust. and accessible wildness can We can see opportunities be. My local woodland walks to further improve wild land have been a blessing during management on a large these challenging times, scale and share a view that however I’ve been incredibly simply managing the disappointed by the rubbish New Chair of the John Muir Trust, gradual erosion of wild that has been left in my area Dave Gibson places is not acceptable. and reported across the I believe the Trust should country. Education clearly aim to be an opinion leader matters. It’s important that influence government in its sector, a progressive we support many people and attract partners and and relevant force for the across the UK to get a first supporters to keep wild Governance protection of wild land. hand experience of the wild land protected. matters We must hold on to our and why it should be To all of you who form values, find new and conserved through our John our membership, my Our review of the Trust’s innovative ways to stop the Muir Award. sincere thanks for your governance is progressing and wild land we love from being Finally, I am able to report continued support. I very we aim to issue our consultation diminished and reflect the that, despite the many much look forward to on the Trust’s Articles of need for mitigation of the challenges we’ve faced so far representing you all and Association with Members this climate emergency this year, the Trust remains will ensure that Members autumn. It is important that we throughout our activities. in a relatively stable and supporters continue hear from as many Members as It has, of course, been financial position at this to be at the centre of the possible so please keep a look an unusual time to start time. As lockdown starts to Trust’s thinking and doing. out for the consultation and give as Chair. The response to ease, we will use the coming us your views. Covid-19 means the Trust months to find ways to Dave Gibson For all the latest news from the Trust, sign up for our monthly e-newsletter at johnmuirtrust.org/newsletter 02 MEMBERS’ NEWS Hen harrier over News in brief Langholm Moor • Glenridding Common update As we go to press, the Lake District National Park Authority has started a public consultation regarding an extension of the Trust’s lease and an Option Agreement for the Trust to purchase Glenridding Common in the future. The consultation will last until the end of July 2020 while the Trust’s current three-year lease ends in October. • Scotland’s planning review PHOTOGRAPH: KEVIN CUMMING KEVIN PHOTOGRAPH: The Trust contributed to the Scottish Government’s ‘Call for Ideas’ on the Fourth National Planning Trust supports Langholm Moor Framework (NPF4) at the start of April 2020. We called for NPF4 to include a commitment to community buyout ecological restoration and ‘green and blue infrastructure’; retain Scottish Natural Heritage’s Wild Land Areas map In May, the Langholm diversity of wildlife.” and the policy wording on safeguarding Scotland’s Wild Initiative launched a The project also hopes to Land Areas referencing the map; recognise Wild Land crowdfunding campaign, house new business units in Areas as places of potential, where peatlands, woodlands, attempting the largest refurbished buildings, small wetlands and native habitats can be restored; and retain community buyout in the scale renewable energy and recognition for Scotland’s landscapes, wild land, south of Scotland. responsible nature-based National Parks and National Scenic Areas. The project to turn the tourism. Kevin Cumming said: The Chief Planner has put back the draft of NPF4 ex-driven grouse shooting “The community’s by a year to autumn 2021 due to coronavirus, with ground at Langholm Moor regeneration is a vital part of a final version due for adoption in spring/summer 2022. into the community-owned this process. Development will We’ll work accordingly. Tarras Valley Nature Reserve be undertaken away from has received widespread sensitive areas and closest to • Overhead transmission line upgrade attention and directly the town. It was also vital that In April this year, the Trust submitted a response addresses climate change, the project be financially to a proposed upgrade of the existing 132kV overhead ecological restoration and viable. We hope this project electricity transmission line that runs from Ardmore, community regeneration. can act as a blueprint for north Skye, to Fort Augustus (160km in distance). The Go Fund Me crowdfunder others to follow.” Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) aims to raise just over half of The John Muir Trust was Transmission previously consulted on upgrading this line the £6m valuation on the land, delighted to back the project in 2016 and 2018. The Trust reviewed the options with situated between the Scottish with a financial pledge of a focus on where the line already crosses the Trust’s Borders and Dumfries and £100,000. Head of Land, Sconser Estate on Skye. Currently, we have indicated Galloway. Langholm Mike Daniels, said: “We are our support for the preferred route, following the existing Initiative’s project leader extremely excited about the line around the base of the Cuillin Hills National Scenic Kevin Cumming said: “Our project. The protection and Area. As the proposed upgrade would convert the present community plans here have restoration of wild places and wooden pole structure into a double steel lattice structure, international significance. At a the regeneration of rural we’ve also raised concerns in our response, with time of climate emergency we communities go hand in hand.” questions and suggestions for ways in which wild land are committing to undertake Since the launch, the impacts could be reduced through mitigation and design. direct climate action including project has attracted hundreds In June we participated in an online virtual exhibition peatland restoration, ancient of private donations and and will continue to engage with the proposals as woodland restoration, the £1,000,000 from the Scottish they develop. creation of new native Government funded woodlands and increasing the Scottish Land Fund. Looking towards Sconser The ex-driven grouse from Blà Bheinn on Skye shooting moor could PHOTOGRAPH: CHRIS GOODMAN CHRIS PHOTOGRAPH: be community owned PHOTOGRAPH: TOM HUTTON TOM PHOTOGRAPH: 03 Visiting Sandwood in February before lockdown Returning with respect Chief Executive David Balharry reflects on the impacts of Covid-19 for the Trust PHOTOGRAPH: DAVID BALHARRY DAVID PHOTOGRAPH: It is stating the obvious that the last few months have been remains consistent and as straightforward as possible. I hope incredibly difficult for everyone. Now, we are entering into a new that by the time you read this, we have been able to welcome and delicate phase. I’m delighted that many of our land managers our volunteers and other visitors back into the wild places have returned to their regular duties, but they have a formidable in our care, but treading lightly, responsibly and with task ahead in helping guide reasonable behaviour. consideration for diverse local communities will continue There are also new risks associated with our return to these to be of upmost importance. places for people, wildlife and landscape. Risk appetite varies Elsewhere in the organisation, it has not quite been business from person to person and our partners and neighbours on the as usual but work has continued unabated. The John Muir Award land are a diverse group with different ages, passions, needs and Team has been working throughout to support Award activity concerns. Some are dependent on a resumption of tourism while, where it could still be enjoyed safely and within current for others, visitors bring the renewed threat of infection. It is our government guidelines. As evidenced elsewhere in this newsletter, duty and privilege to understand and respect all these voices and our policy team is consistently busy. We have also organised an listen to any concerns as the situation changes. online AGM and launched the Wild Inside eNewsletter, reaching Our returning land managers have been busy developing safe a largely new audience. working guidance, revising risk assessments in relation to deer and When lockdown hit, many other staff temporarily redeployed woodland management, habitat and species monitoring, managing into new working groups to look with fresh eyes at our carbon contractors, and moving towards a gradual reopening of public footprint, operational planning, staff development and crofting facilities. This is a dynamic process, responsive and ongoing. responsibilities. Some of this is not the stuff of headlines but is The Trust is in regular contact with Government land managers, essential to the better functioning of the organisation into the and other access and conservation organisations and we will future.
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