Funding secured for geese management

Financial support will be made available to help crofters and farmers on Scotland’s islands manage local greylag geese populations.

To address the damage to farmland caused by geese, the Scottish Government is providing further funding to existing adaptive management projects on Orkney, Uist, Lewis and Harris, and Tiree and Coll.

A total of £50,000 will be provided for these schemes, to be spent over the next two years.

Established by NatureScot in 2012, these projects aim to help local communities to control goose populations and reduce their impacts on agricultural activity, while retaining their conservation interest.

Environment and Land Reform Minister Mairi McAllan visited Rennibister Farm this morning to announce the funding and meet farmers and members of NFUS.

Ms McAllan said:

“I have listened to the concerns of farmers and crofters on Orkney, Lewis and Harris, Uist, Tiree and Coll about the difficulties they have had in controlling resident greylag populations.

“I understand how serious the impacts can be for crofting communities, and for the unique machair habitat and biodiversity that their traditional form of agriculture supports.

“That’s why we are contributing up to £50,000 towards resident greylag goose control on these islands over the next two years to mitigate the impact on agriculture and support unique and important habitats.

“This is part of our wider approach to delivering more resilient and sustainable farming systems.”

For the full story, see next week’s edition of The Orcadian.