Field Notes: Western Isles community focus

Clara Risi talks about her new role as the Trust's Community Ranger working with the community landowning trusts on the Western Isles

The Western Isles have, for sometime, been a strong example of the abilities of local communities to be in control of where they live through community land ownership. This type of ownership creates benefits for all residents through many different forms, including increasing population, job creation and making money that can be invested back into the community.

Out on the Western Isles, 70 per cent of the population lives on community owned land. Three of the community landowning trusts - North Harris Trust, West Harris Trust and Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn (Galson Estate Trust) - have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the John Muir Trust, formally agreeing to work together to achieve their similar goals.

All three trusts do an amazing amount of work within their local communities. Most recently, Galson Estate Trust worked in partnership with SNH and Carolway Estate Trust to enable pupils to achieve their John Muir Award during a P7 transition programme before starting secondary school together next autumn. All the pupils had an amazing time, made new friends and learnt lots about their local environment.

My role has come about beause of a shared desire to collaborate in areas of mutual interest expressed in the MoUs. It was decided that the best way to do this was to employ a John Muir Trust community ranger, based out on the Western Isles, funded by the ALA Green Trust. I joined the John Muir Trust in March 2020 and work with all four trusts in a variety of duties.

Growing up a bit further south, on the Isle of Wight, I moved to Scotland to undertake a BSc in conservation biology at the University in Stirling. I have since been living in Caithness for eight months doing several long-term volunteer placements with the RSPB and Flows to the Future Project based at their Forsinard Flows reserve. During my time at Forsinard I was leading work parties, carrying out hydrological monitoring on the blanket bog, helping out during school visits and much more.

The main purpose of my new role in the Western Isles is to serve as a link between the community landowning trusts here and the John Muir Trust to create further opportunities for us to work together and achieve common goals, such as to protect and conserve their natural environment through community engagement.

Due to Covid-19 lockdown restrictions on movement, most of my duties have been postponed until further notice. However, during this time I have been focusing on planning future activities, writing articles and designing activities for children relating to the local environment that can be done inside, in gardens or out on their croft.

When I can get back to work, my main set of duties will be habitat monitoring, guided walks, running work parties/volunteer days and to aid in the delivery and set up of the John Muir Awards in schools. I look forward to getting started again when restrictions are lifted.