Strathspey and Badenoch enterprises named as finalists in rural awards
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Four Highland enterprises have been announced as finalists for the Helping it Happen Awards.
Organised by Scottish Land & Estates, the awards scheme focuses on estates, farms, rural businesses and individuals enabling success in rural communities.
Balnagown Estate, Inverness-shire, and Butterfly Conservation Scotland, have been nominated for the conservation award for their collaboration aiming to improve the habitat for the Small Blue and Dingy Skipper butterflies by controlling scrub encroachment, clearing open space and then fencing an area to allow winter grazing of cattle to maintain the habitat.
Pitmain and Glenbanchor Estates, Inverness-shire, have been nominated in the same category for the delivering collaborative, nature-based solutions to secure the future of Atlantic salmon through the River Calder Restoration Project involving private and public sector.
The Communities Housing Trust, based in Inverness, is nominated for the working with communities award. The trust engages with local communities throughout Scotland with particular reference to the Highlands to promote, support and develop affordable housing plans and the wider benefit these bring to the local communities.
The Cairngorms National Park Junior Ranger Project has been nominated for the education award. The project is a fun and exciting way for young people aged 11-18 to learn about the outdoors.
Bright Spark Burning Techniques, based in Tomatin, Inverness-shire, has been nominated for the rural business award. Bright Spark are specialists in sustainable land management and wildfire prevention and have pioneered new techniques and training for controlled heather burning.
Scottish Land & Estates’ chief executive, Sarah-Jane Laing, said: “We are delighted to receive a record-breaking number of nominations for this year’s awards and these stories of success from all over Scotland are inspirational. A number of categories have been being hotly contested and we’re looking forward to the opportunity to celebrate with our finalists and winners at the awards ceremony in October.”
Claudia Rowse, NatureScot’s deputy director of green economy, and a judge on the Helping it Happen panel, said: “It has been a privilege to review a fantastic range of applications, and this made it so difficult to choose winners. So many nominees are showcasing how to address the nature and climate crises alongside running profitable businesses that are forward looking and resilient.”
The Helping it Happen Awards ceremony will be held on 5 October at The Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa, Edinburgh.
