1 Acknowledgements Assynt Crofters’ Trust (ACT) wishes to thank Organisations Workshop and field trip leaders The following organisations gave generous Sarah Allen, Andrew Anderson, Claire Belshaw, (Achmelvich), Suil na Mara B&B (Lochinver) support, without which the event would not Amanda Bryan, Peter Cairns, David Cameron, Acorn Signs - roadside signs have been possible: Camille Dressler, Catherine Francis, Richard Anne Edwards – co-ordination, administration, Ullapool Construction Frew, Maggie Fyffe, Iain MacDonald, Alastair bookings, etc Tilhill Economic Forestry Maciver, Iain Maciver, Laura MacLean, Cathel Bertie Buchanan – electrics Royal Bank of Scotland MacLeod, Durrant MacLeod, Iain MacLeod, Duncan McInnes – youth event management Caithness and Sutherland Enterprise Norman MacLeod, Sarah MacLeod, John training Highlands and Islands Enterprise MacKenzie, Kenny MacKenzie, Mark Grants Tent Hire – marquee hire Highland Wellbeing Alliance MacKenzie, David MacPhail, Calum Millar, Hector MacKenzie – site water Leader + Robin Noble, Bob Perrett, Chris Perkins, Jon HOST & Local TIC Staff – TIC ticket sales at Crofters Commission Priddy, Bill Ritchie, Wilma Robertson, Becky Durness, Lochinver & Ullapool Crofting Community Development Scheme Shaw and John Toal, for leading workshops KSM Motors – transport European Union: Community Economic and field trips. Limelight Audio Services - stage, sound, Development. lights Note-takers Lochinver Hall Committee – loan of till Local helpers Claire Belshaw, Kenny Graham, Munro Gauld, Lochinver Transport – carriage of marquees The many local people – including members Mandy Haggith, Donnie Mackay, Norman to and from Mallaig of the Assynt Crofters’ Trust - who helped in MacLeod, Andrew MacKenzie, Madeline MacGregor Industrial Supplies - generators a huge variety of ways - Claire Belshaw, MacPhail, Chris Perkins, Alex Scott and John North of Scotland Marquees - equipment Stuart Belshaw, Mathew Bulch, Chris Ford, Toal, for taking notes of discussions at hire Jennifer Grant, Marcia Hendry, Stuart Hill, workshops and on field trips. Performance Ticket Printers – ticket printing John Holdsworth, Ailsa Kinnaird, Anji Scotiakabins - toilets Kneebone, Mark Kneebone, Ishbel Macaulay, Chairs and facilitators Stoer Grazings Committee – hire of site Mairi MacKay, Catherine MacLeod, Julianne Kenny Mackenzie, Simon Fraser, Andy Stoer Hall – workshop venue MacLeod, Marion MacLeod, Andrew Wightman and Graeme Scott, for chairing Signcentre – T-shirt printing Mackenzie, Eachan Mackenzie, Fiona and facilitating sessions. SMG – security MacKenzie, Frances Mackenzie, Iain Wester Ross Events (Tommy Beavitt & Jan Mackenzie Bordan, Kenny MacKenzie, Morag Musicians and entertainers Robinson) – venue, transport, bands etc Mackenzie, Flossie MacPhail, Madeline Kenny John Matheson, Kenny & Marlene Ullapool Catering (John and Jo) – catering, MacPhail, Kirsty Mason, Dougal Menzies, MacKenzie, Andrew Mackenzie, Agnes venue planning, equipment & power. Catherine Matheson, Donald Matheson, Dickson, Annella Bulch, Mathew Bulch, Kenny John Matheson, Sheila Matheson, Calum Millar, Lochinver School Choir, North The conference report Avishia Russell, Andy Sanders, Maureen Assynt Junior Choir, Blue Ridge, Tommy David Reid - compiling and editing the report Sanders, Maureen Scott, Joseph Shepherd, Beavitt, Peat Bog Faeries, Graeme Mitchell Karen Grant - design and layout Marianne Simpson, Gary Smith, Meg Telfer, Scottish Dance Band, Ishbel MacAskill, Iain Heather Walker - proof reading Grace Vine, Heather Vine; all those who MacKay, Woodland Orchestra, Carol Anne Photos - large cover images and the cover donated sandwiches and other food for MacKay, Graeme Scott, for music, photo of children were taken by Andy evening events. entertainment and feis classes. Summers. The other photos were supplied by Assynt Crofters’ Trust and others. The 10th Anniversary Working Nature guides Group Highland Council Rangers Andy Summers, The report was printed by Posthouse Printers, Anne MacCrimmon, Mark MacKenzie, Laura Julianne Macleod, Tina Loyd Jenkins and Findhorn, Moray, on Scottish-made recycled MacLean, Durrant MacLeod, Sarah MacLeod, Claire Belshaw, for the Rockpool Rummage paper using vegetable inks. David MacPhail, Issie MacPhail, Calum Millar and Guided Walks. and Andy Rushton, for organising and coordinating. Contractors and suppliers Accommodation - Achnacarnin Chalets, Speakers Ardglass Guest House, Ard na Mara B&B ACT under 30s (Laura MacLean, Sarah (Stoer), Clachtoll Beach Campsite, Cruachan MacLeod, David MacPhail and Calum Millar), Guest House, Culag Hotel, Ellen MacKenzie David Cameron, Camille Dressler, Maggie B&B (Stoer), Flossie MacPhail B&B (Stoer), Fyffe, David Green, Kenny Maciver, John Flora Young Caravan (Clachtoll), Mackenzie, Bill Ritchie, John Watt, Andy Inchnadamph Hotel, Inverlodge Hotel, Wightman and Allan Wilson. Polcraig Guest House, Shore Caravan Site The Fling in the Fank was held over three days at the end of August in 2003. A number of marquees were erected on the green at Stoer and used for the conference during the day, for ceilidhs in the evenings and for a feis on the Saturday afternoon. The organisers used local organisations and resources wherever possible. Catering was provided by a local firm and local bands played at the ceilidhs. 2 Contents Acknowledgements 2 Towards an agenda for the next ten years: key themes and issues 4 The conference Welcome and introduction: Kenny Mackenzie and Laura MacLean 7 Community land ownership: sharing the experience Embarking on a buy-out: David Cameron, North Harris Estate 8 Business planning: John MacKenzie, Assynt Crofters’ Trust 9 Looking to the future: Maggie Fyffe 10 Involvement of the young people of Assynt: Laura Maclean, Sarah Macleod, David MacPhail and Calum Millar 11 The Long Haul: Kenny Maciver 13 The wider context The political context: John Watt 15 Strategic action on landownership: Bill Ritchie 15 Current legislation: Allan Wilson 16 The crofting community right to buy: Bob Perrett 18 Sustainable development 19 Challenges and opportunities Crofting in the 21st century: David Green 20 Surviving CAP reform: Becky Shaw and Sarah Allen 21 Housing: John Toal, Maggie Fyffe and Wilma Robertson 22 Supporting young people’s involvement: Allan Wilson 24 Working together: John Watt 25 Organising for change: Camille Dressler 27 Developing fishing and wildlife tourism Angling: Cathel MacLeod, Iain MacLeod, Calum Millar and Mark Mackenzie 29 Wildlife tourism: Peter Cairns 30 Forestry Crofter forestry in Assynt: Bill Ritchie and David MacPhail 31 Culag Community Woodland Trust: Claire Belshaw and Robin Noble 31 Forestry and Rural Development Scheme: Chris Perkins 32 Renewable Energy Assynt Hydro Scheme: John MacKenzie 33 Options for communities: Iain MacIver and John Priddy 34 Building on cultural resources: Norman MacLeod and Iain MacDonald 35 Appendices Appendix One: Conference programme 36 Appendix Two: Field trips and workshops 37 Appendix Three: Participants 37 3 Towards an agenda for the next 10 years Key themes and issues from the conference • There is a growing movement in community landownership. The achievements are impressive (particularly those of the last ten years), but represent only a few steps on a long road. It is important to keep up the momentum: as they move forward, new buy-outs inspire, encourage and support aspiring communities. • The political context, new legislation, reforms (proposed and in progress) and the support available to communities (from agencies and other organisations) indicate that the tide is in communities’ favour. • Individual communities must seize opportunities, but there is a need for a strategic approach and an awareness of the full variety of the different forms of community landownership. • Release of government-owned land would be a means of recreating communities in emptied areas and of helping existing community landowners to ease shortages of land for housing and new crofts. • It is a huge privilege and opportunity to have control of the land, and to take responsibility for sustainable social, environmental and economic development. However, self-reliance is not an easy option. • Communities can achieve much through partnerships, particularly if they approach these flexibly, ready to assume whatever role is the most appropriate in their circumstances. • Nearly all existing community landowners currently depend on large amounts of voluntary effort in running their affairs, accessing funding and taking forward projects. • In recent years community landowners have had access through the Community Land Unit (CLU) and the Scottish Land Fund (SLF) to a wide range of support not available in the past to either the Stornoway Trust, in the distant past or the Melness Crofters Ltd or the Assynt Crofters’ Trust in the last decade. • The activities of Melness Crofters Ltd and Assynt Crofters’ Trust show clearly that action by crofting community ownership groups achieves positive economic, social and environmental impacts for the wider community as well as for 4 crofting members. In these two cases in which all the land is in crofting tenure, the motivation is to facilitate better economic returns for the crofting tenants but the activities pursued to achieve this benefit the whole community. • Communities must look after their members and encourage their participation by being inclusive, open, democratic, accountable and engaging (by communicating, consulting and listening); and by providing opportunities for them to