Highland Council's Wildflower Roundabouts project and Highlands rewilding shortlisted for Scottish Land & Estates Helping it Happen Awards 2022
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HIGHLAND rewilding projects were announced in the shortlist for a prestigious rural award.
The Helping it Happen Awards 2022 have announced the finalists for five out of nine categories, with Highland Council's Wildflower Roundabouts project being shortlisted for the Iver Salveson Award for Combatting Climate Change and Highlands Rewilding Ltd for the Enhancing our Environment through Land Management section.
West Loch Ness Farm Cluster was also shortlisted and will run for the Conservation Award.
Run by Scottish Land & Estates, the awards focus on recognising the role estates, farms and rural businesses play in enabling and supporting success in rural communities, rural businesses and rural landscapes.
Sarah-Jane Laing, Scottish Land & Estates chief executive, and a member of the judging panel, said: “Our judging day was such a privilege for all involved. It’s not often you see a hundred inspiring businesses, initiatives and projects all in one place and we all came away feeling inspired by and proud of rural Scotland.
“The judges noted, in particular, strong success stories of collaboration, national impact and projects which are going that extra step in terms of delivering for people and nature. Selecting the winners was no easy task but we look forward to recognising them, and all those shortlisted, at the ceremony in October.”
This year, the awards saw close to 100 entries when they closed for entries last month.
Finalists within the remaining four categories (Rural Business Award; Rural Housing Award; Tourism and Visitor Management Award & Working with Communities Award) will be announced next week.
More information on the awards and the other finalist projects can be found on Scottish Land & Estates' website.
Claudia Rowse, NatureScot’s deputy director Green Economy said: “We are delighted to be sponsoring this year’s Helping it Happen Awards and are impressed by the quantity and quality of applications. All the projects vividly demonstrate how the environment and communities can be put at the heart of developing thriving rural businesses. It is heartening to see the positive work to tackle the nature and climate crisis, and how progressive land-based businesses are taking action so that we all benefit from a nature-rich future.”
All award winners, in addition to a small number of special judge awards, will be announced at the Helping it Happen Awards ceremony which will take place on October 5 at The Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa in Edinburgh.
