Scottish Wildlife Trust to host free event on island community buyouts

L-R. Brian Wilson, Maggie Fyffe, and Colin Carr 10 Years after their historic campaign to win their island
L-R. Brian Wilson, Maggie Fyffe, and Colin Carr 10 Years after their historic campaign to win their island
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A FREE event is set to explore how Scottish communities can be empowered through land buyouts.

The Scottish Wildlife Trust was a founding member of the Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust, one of Scotland’s first community buyouts in 1997.

The buyout was one of highest-profile community takeovers in ­Scotland, as 65 residents succeeded in ­taking control after a rich history of colourful and ­controversial landlords such as Keith ­Schellenberg and the German artist Maruma.

In the last 28 years, Eigg has became a beacon of community empowerment and environmental action for activists across Scotland.

READ MORE: Scottish pilgrimage trail named one of the UK's best by National Geographic

Scottish Wildlife chair Kenny Taylor will take part in the group's Simon Fraser lecture  series and reflect on how community led wildlife conservation can create "positive futures for people and planet".

It will be hosted on April 4 at 8pm online.

Taylor will be joined by Eigg’s community, and previous Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust chair John Hutchison, to share memories of Eigg’s generational change in word and music.

Hutchison chaired the Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust from 2007 to 2015, and is currently chair of East Lochaber Community Trust and Constitution for Scotland.

He has previously chaired West Highland Museum, John Muir Trust, the Scottish Rural Parliament, UHI West Highland College, and was a director of Community Land Scotland.#

The Simon Fraser Memorial Series is part of Linn an Fhearainn / 100 Years of Community Ownership. The project focuses on the stories of community owners and the change they created by building a new digital archive.

The event will be live streamed. Click here for further details.

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