1 THE CROFTER, DECEMBER 20131 Scottish Crofting Federation THE CROFTER rooted in our communities The journal of the Scottish Crofting Federation, the only member-led organisation dedicated to the promotion of crofting and the largest association of small-scale food producers in the UK DECEMBER 2013 Number 101 Did the 2010 Questions on Scottish Act equalise availability of Government land sale policy OLLOWING THE Scottish Government's expressing an interest in the land, when, as crofting grants? decision to withdraw part of its Rosal the sales particulars were keen to point out, Fforest estate in Sutherland from communities were cleared from this land and open market sale after public criticism, the it is a deserted wilderness. ROFTING-SPECIFIC grants, SCF asked the government to examine its Putting this land on the market in this way is namely CCAGS and CHGS, policies on the sale of public land, community simply perpetuating a system of land ownership were expected to be extended to ownership and the creation of new crofts. concentrated into few hands, a system the C SCF chair Derek Flyn believes the Rosal Scottish people want to see changed.” owner-occupier crofters by virtue of the Crofting Reform (Scotland) Act 2010. case demonstrates some of the problems He continued “A great deal of effort and The former scheme provides grants caused by the manner in which the Forestry public money has been invested in reforming towards agricultural developments such Commission conducts the process of land crofting. The SG has pledged its commitment as sheds, barns, fencing and other sale. He said: “There is no surprise that to the crofting system and has legislated to permanent improvements; the latter local communities did not come forward Continued on page 3 towards the building of a croft house. As one would expect, myriad regulations control the provision of each, but there is little doubt that these grants are still a major draw for those wishing to build croft houses and/or carry on agricultural activities on their crofts. Before 2010, it was the case that both types of grant assistance ceased to be available to owner-occupier crofters, and therefore this was a major reason to remain a tenant crofter. The Crofting Reform (Scotland) Act 2010 was intended to equalise owner- occupier crofters and tenant crofters, both in terms of the regulatory framework to which they were subject, and also the financial assistance which was available to them. However, the regulations which are required in order to facilitate the extension of financial assistance to owner-occupier crofters have only been passed in respect of CCAGS, not in respect of the CHGS. Eilidh Ross approached the Scottish Government for a comment on this matter Continued on page 3 LOCATION Rosal Forest is located within one INof theSI fewDE remaining TH ISwilderness ISSU TheE forest is shown on the location plan within these sale Human settlement in this area dates back at least 6,000 years, but areas in the north of Scotland. The area is known as Strathnaver particulars and inCrofters’ more detail on the sale plan enclosed. voice The Strathnaver heard is known more for the in Sutherland Clearances of the and Naver Forest, renowned for its excellent salmon and trout forest can also be found on 0S 1:50,000 sheets 10 and 16, with 1800’s when the locals were displaced from their lands to re-settle fishing and deer stalking. The• SCFforest itself gathering adjoins the report River the main entrance located at Grid Reference NC 701 414. on the coast or travel by sea to the eastern seaboard of America Naver and its tributary, the River• Mallart.CAP updateAlthough the forest is parliament onand New goose Zealand to make way forpetition a new era of sheep farming. situated in quite a remote location, there is good access on to the HISTORICAL NOTE Indeed, within Rosal Forest there are many historical features B871 public road heading south •to KinbraceScottish and onkye to Helmsdale HE SCF appeared before the Scottishdating backexisting to this periodgoose and management beyond. The ruined programmes; settlements Nabaros - The Naver -parliamentary is one of the oldest petitions names forcommittee a river to and assign additional resources to crop meeting with the A9 trunk road and south to Inverness. recorded in Britain and pre-dates the known languages of the of Rosal Village in the north of the forest and Truderscaig in • Shed design defend its call for the government tothe do south, protection provide a fascinatingand adaptiveinsight into themanagement struggle for There are regional airports situated at Wick, 70 miles to the north, area. The meaningT originates from a root word ‘nabh’ found more about the escalating numbers of geese programmes to ensure this threat to the in Greek, Latin and Sanskrit meaning ‘cloud’ or ‘wet cloud’, to ownership of this land. and Inverness, 82 miles to the south.• Animal Both airports health provide car devastating crofters’ crops. future of crofting is averted. which the Gaels added Strath and gave the name Strathnaver. hire and helicopter charters are available from Inverness airport. SCF director Roddy MacDonald and chief Roddy said “The MSPs were very attentive The nearest railway station is in• Kinbrace,Shetland a short cattle car journey embryos executive Patrick Krause defended the SCF and sympathetic to the issue and in an unusual from the forest. • A view from a petition, calling on the Scottish Parliament to move for this committee, apparently, referred the Crofting Commissioner urge the Scottish Government to address the petition directly to the committee for rural affairs. problems created by increasing populations of This is a very good outcome for crofters. There and much more wild geese in the crofting areas as a matter of is a way to go yet but we are seeing progress, in priority; reassess its decision to stop funding that the parliament is taking this very seriously.” 2 THE CROFTER, DECEMBER 2013 Message from the chair... Derek Flyn significant role in the lives of many the boundaries of the croft in the in sunshine. The SCF meeting crofting communities. You will find Crofting Register. at Lerwick was well attended full coverage of the event in the Observers will be aware that by members. The topic was centre pages. a glitch in the law required to the introduction of the Crofting SCF has been encouraging be rectified this year and an Register. I was pleased to have crofting community mapping as amendment was passed at the opportunity to present honorary a way to develop a collective Holyrood with the active support life membership of SCF to Norman approach. The new national of SCF. Having heard what we Leask in the company of his own Crofting Register will provide a had to say, MSPs were sufficiently folk. A pleasant task indeed. definitive map-based record of all persuaded to recommend to the As we go to press, the Crofting land within crofting tenure and we Scottish Government that further Commission is consulting on have worked closely with Registers plans be made to ensure crofting a new grazings regulations of Scotland in its preparation. law is clear, consistent and fit for the template and the duty to report There is now a clear demarcation 21st century. form. Much discussion has UR ANNUAL gathering in between the regulation of crofting, A well-supported SCF petition already taken place on the duty of September took place in which is in the domain of the calls on the government to do more a grazings committee to report on OStornoway Town Hall and Crofting Commission in Inverness, about the escalating numbers of both their common grazing and was well attended. and the registration of crofts in the geese devastating crofters’ crops. on the crofts of the shareholders. The theme was “Common Crofting Register in Edinburgh. This required our chief executive The hope is that, with refreshed grazings: utilizing potential” – From now on, all actions triggered Patrick Krause and director Roddy regulations, crofting communities with the intention of stimulating by a regulatory application to the MacDonald from South Uist to will become more self-reliant and activity on this extensive resource. Crofting Commission for approval, attend the petitions committee at business-like. Common grazings make up a such as assignation or decrofting, Holyrood to state our case. We were calling for this at our large proportion of land covered must be accompanied by an In October, Patrick and I visited gathering in Stornoway so it is by crofting tenure and can play a application to register or update Shetland and found it basking something that we must support. Our man in Brussels Crofting acronyms E CONTINUE TO FIGHT that as machinery and tags do not on several fronts for you produce 100% accuracy it is unfair These acronyms are used throughout The Crofter. in Brussels. to expect the crofter to have 100% W BnG Bòrd na Gàidhlig By the time you receive this, results, thus meaning that cross- the CAP figures will be presented compliance records should not CAB Citizens Advice Bureau by the Scottish Government. require 100% accuracy. EID will CC Crofting Commission I do hope that they and the never be fit for purpose until we CCAGS Crofting Counties Agricultural Grants Scheme Westminster government will put get back to the batch system that CHGS Scottish Croft House Grant Scheme their ideological differences to bed stopped the 2001 foot and mouth CLS Community Land Scotland at this time and use what we have outbreak at the borders of Scotland CnES Comhairle nan Eilean Siar made possible when negotiating and sorted out the 2007 outbreak.