Scotland: National Rural Network
This week's newsletter has a focus on events. Below you'll find details on a whole range of workshops, conferences and events, from the Local People, Local Paths conference to a befriending event in Dumfries and Galloway. And of course, the regional events programme of the Scottish National Rural Network has been taking us out and about.
On Tuesday 16th February the regional event for the Scottish Borders took place in Kelso, and the following day Lockerbie Town Hall was the venue for the Dumfries and Galloway regional event. Both events were lively with excellent presentations on a whole range of projects and businesses including Whitmuir Organics, the Tweed Valley Tourist Consortium and the Xcel Project. Early next week all the presentations, photos, event reports and some video from the events will be on the website in our Rural Network Regional Events archive.
The regional events programme continues next week with events in West Lothian and Rural Tayside. The details are:
These free events are a great opportunity to hear about inspiring initiatives taking place across the country and in the local area, to get updates on funding opportunities and to network with a wide range of people. The West Lothian event has a theme of Rural Development and Communities and will include a presentation from the Fauldhouse Development Trust. In Rural Tayside, presentations will come from Comrie Development Trust, Eassie, Nevay and Kirkinch Community Hall and the Pultneytown People's Project. For more information, and a link to the booking forms for these events, go to Booking open for West Lothian and Rural Tayside events.
Booking is also open for the regional event in Ayrshire, which takes place on 5th March at Oswald Hall Conference Centre, Scottish Agricultural College, Auchincruive from 10.30am to 3.30pm. You can get further details and a link to the booking form in Rural Network Ayrshire regional event flyer.
The remaining Rural Priorities Assessment Committee rounds for 2010 have been announced by the Scottish Government. There will be two more rounds this year - one in Summer and one in Autumn. You can get more information, including the dates you need to know in Rural Priorities: Remaining 2010 RPAC rounds announced.
The Macaulay Land Use Research Institute have submitted two news stories on events that took place this week. A workshop on protecting woodland species, organised by the North East Biodiversity Partnership was held at Thainstone on 18th February. You can find out more here. The importance of grassland and grazing for sustainable agriculture was highlighted at a seminar at the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute on Wednesday 17th February. You can get more information in Seminar to explore methods for sustainable agriculture.
A new project from Scotland's Moorland Forum aims to focus on issues relating to upland economics, carbon management and upland birds and will talk directly with landowners, land managers and local communities. The Upland Solutions project will focus on the Muirkirk area in Ayrshire and the Upper Findhorn catchment area in Inverness-shire. Two workshops are taking place, one in each area. You can get details of these events, and find out more about the project in New project will explore upland management issues.
If you're involved, or interested in, community paths then the Local People, Local Paths conference is for you. Paths for All, in partnership with FEVA (Forum for Environmental Volunteering Activity), Forestry Commission Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) are proud to announce a new event for 2010. The event will be held at SNH's Battleby Conference Centre on Wednesday 24th March, and will provide an opportunity for community groups and agencies that are developing, managing or promoting paths to meet, share experiences and ideas and plan ahead. You can find more information in our events calendar.
Patrick Vickery's latest Rural Rambling is a thought-provoking installment about a recent visit to a hospital. You can read all about it in Rural Rambling 30.
You can now find a link to the Glaitness Class 3/4 Blog in our Blogs section. Find out what pupils at this rural school have been involved in. And if you write a rural blog why not send us the link for this section? Contact us at editor@ruralgateway.org.uk.
The Dunnet Head Educational Trust have added a story about a run around Britain's coast and their hopes for a North Highland Way. You can find out more here.
A two-day conference and discussion forum on Scotland's Wild Places will take place on 13th and 14th May 2010 at the SNH Battleby Conference Centre. The event is organised by the Centre for Mountain Studies in collaboration with Leeds University (Wild Land Research Institute), Lochaber College, Scottish Wild Land Group, SNH, the Cairngorms National Park Authority and the John Muir Trust. You can get more information in the events calendar.
Other events recently added to our gallery include:
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