Scotland’s Landscape Alliance launches

Trust joins with 60 organisations to increase the public and political profile of landscapes

The John Muir Trust was one of 60 organisations at Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh yesterday for the launch event of Scotland’s Landscape Alliance (SLA), which aims to ensure that Scotland cares for, improves and benefits from its landscapes.

The SLA will seek to make a strong case for landscapes in Scotland and how they contribute to all our lives and to people’s well-being. It includes organisations that represent a wide spectrum of interests including environmental and health, public bodies, charities and the private sector - all with an interest in the protection and promotion of Scotland’s landscapes and places.

The keynote speech at the event from Chris Dalglish - Director of Glasgow-based heritage organisation Inherit and Chair of the Landscape Research Group - focused on the link between human rights and the quality of the places in which people live. He made it clear that there is a need for a more democratic context for landscape work, both in terms of policy and in the way people can influence that policy.

Andrew Bachell, the Trust’s chief executive, who attended the event said: “Scotland’s wealth includes the fine landscapes and wild places we can all enjoy. For many years there have been calls for better management, investment and protection of such places and there is no doubt that we need new ideas and collaboration to bring that about for the benefit of the nation and local communities alike.

"I hope that the Alliance will inspire new conversations about this often overlooked aspect of our environment and that policy makers will see landscape as a natural, cultural and economic asset to be nurtured.”

We will bring you more news of the SLA as it develops.  

Photo by Blair Fyffe shows visitors on the summit of Ben Nevis