Those Europeans coming over here rebuilding our habitats and our wildlife…
Interesting, isn’t it (I think it is) that it isn’t our governments, it isn’t our millionnaires, it isn’t our NGOs, who are leading on rewilding our knackered uplands on a massive scale…
Why not?
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Well our government couldn’t care less. The NGOs should be working together to create mega environments but can rarely agree to do so. Our millionaires are too busy trying to become billionaires.
I have been following the Polvsen’s for a few years now. Still can’t decide which way this will pan out. I’m taking the attitude that they can’t possibly make things worse, and so far at least, they do appear to be doing lots of good things.
I have been cynical about vested interests for so long that I now find it hard to believe that anybody this powerful and rich will be doing something so altruistic, but they may well be an exception.
A very sad state to get in, both my jaundiced views, and the fact that we have to hope that foreigners will be our saviours.
Having seen first hand the work done in Glenfeshie, it is to be fervently hoped that the Povlsen’s will
be allowed to carry on , and extend, their project, for many years to come.
They must not be allowed to fall victim, to the prejudices of a government that is doing precious little
to reverse the mismanagement of centuries.
All right thinking conservationists should support them, and be prepared to speak up if this enquiry
puts at risk their good work.
It is the best chance the highlands have got.
What they have done is commendable and I look forward to seeing how the land develops…if I survive to see it, but I can’t help thinking it says something not especially helpful about the land ownership pattern in Scotland…dependent on benevolent ownership.
Quite whether the Scottish Government will do much in response to the recent Scottish Land Commission report and recommendations remains to be seen.
Also, might be worth looking at Cairngorms Connect. A huge area, 600 sq kms, given over to a 200 year rewilding plan, includes along with the Polvsen’s Glenfeshie, NGO’s in NTS at Mar Lodge and RSPB with Abernethy, and government in the shape of Forestry Commission and SNH. Conspicuous absentee being ‘our’ millionaires.
It is encouraging to see this cooperation and to watch how it develops. Especially in contrast to the eastern Cairngorms dominated by management to shoot birds for fun.
Point of correction Bimbling, SNT at Mar Lodge is not a member of Cairngorms Connect.
Apologies for the inadvertent alternative ‘fact’ and thanks for the correction.
My response is “well they should be”
I suppose this has something to do with the Salvesen Easter Trust money that helped acquire the estate and stipulated the condition that part of the NTS land must be managed in order to kill animals and birds for fun.
I suppose as the money was mostly made when the family were in Scotland rather than Norway it might be classed in Mark’s terms as ‘our’ millionaire’s money rather than Norwegian.
For myself I’d like to see the NTS launch an appeal to raise the money to pay it back so they can manage with freedom.
Perhaps our Royals could step up to the plate. Their money and influence could go a long way in restoring lost habitats which, in turn, would help in combatting climate change.
Yep, getting Chuck to re-wild Balmoral and regenerate Ballochbuie properly would be a good start.
The legal and fiscal situation governing landownership which allows Mr Povlsen to do exemplary work on such a large scale is the same situation which underpins driven grouse moors. It allows landowners in both urban and rural Scotland unlimited ownerships, immense social and economic power over communities, and it rewards them with tax free ownership as a haven for the profits of millionaires who have looted the UK economy since Thatcher. For every Povlsen (who incidentally does pay tax in Denmark for his Scottish ownerships) there are many more who will invest in the tax and social status advantages of grouse moors. The whims of individual owners, however positive, are not a sustainable basis for recovery.