Farmers and crofters in the Cairngorms have launched the Cairngorms Crofters and Farmers Community (CCFC) following frustrations with the lack of engagement from the National Park and the introduction of beavers.
It followed demonstrations in January outside the offices of the National Park.听
Cairngorms
The group is chaired by Robert MacDonald, a farmer from Grantown-on-Spey, and it has 11 Directors - all crofters or farmers - with a membership building across the whole of the National Park.
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Focused on the Cairngorms, the group intended to work closely with existing organisations such as NFU Scotland, Scottish Crofting Federation, Scottish Tenant Farmers Association and Scottish Land & Estates, among others.
While negotiations were still underway regarding the implications of the released beavers, the group had already taken part in discussions leading to substantial improvements in the Upper Spey Beaver Management and Mitigation Plan.
See also: Scottish farmers and crofters stage tractor protest in fight over government policies
CCFC also successfully requested the set-up of a Beaver Management Group to include farmer and land manager input. The group had also been focused on restarting a Farmers' Forum and setting up an agricultural advisery panel by the Park Authority to enable agricultural practitioners, researchers and policy-influencers to feed into Park plans.听
National Park
Mr MacDonald said it brought a 鈥榥ew and powerful' voice to the decision-making process.
"It is important for us to find a balance between fulfilling the objectives of the Park and those of the rural communities that it serves," he said, adding that as caretakers of the land, farmers and crofters needed to be closely involved in decision-making.
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Vice-chair Lucy Grant, who farms in Laggan, said the voice of the community had the potential to change negative perceptions of the National Park, but it must ensure it was listening and not just offering 鈥榣ip service'.
"On a fraction of the National Park budget dedicated to agriculture, this group has the ability to deliver not just the aims of the Park and the Scottish Government, but also the needs of the people living and visiting here by providing high-quality food, high-quality wildlife and high-quality landscapes. It is important to acknowledge that agriculture is core to our rural economy and well-being," she said.
