Drop-in sessions over Flow Country World Heritage Site bid
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
THE bid to have the Flow Country designated as a World Heritage Site is being stepped up with a series of community consultation sessions taking place across Caithness and Sutherland this month.
The far north peatland is recognised as being the best landscape of its type in the world and now local residents are being invited to find out what World Heritage status would involve.
Joe Perry, the Peatland Partnership’s World Heritage Site project co-ordinator, said: “A Flow Country World Heritage Site would not only be an enormous accolade for the area and the many organisations, land managers, crofters and farmers who have maintained this land for generations but it could also bring many positive development opportunities and undoubtedly some challenges too.
“The purpose of the consultation is to find out what our local communities think about this idea and to see if we can help meet some of their aspirations through developing a World Heritage Site that meets their needs as well as recognising the global importance of this vast peatland.”
The consultation process will start on Tuesday, May 14, in Wick with the first of a series of 13 drop-in events. They will run from 11am to 7pm (except for Golspie which will be from 1pm to 7pm) and are part of a larger community consultation about the whole idea of a World Heritage Site in the Flow Country.
It’s really amazing to think that we have something right on our doorstep that ranks in global importance alongside the Great Barrier Reef, the Grand Canyon and the Pyramids.
Dates and venues are: May 14, Pulteney Centre, Wick; May 15, Golspie Community Centre; May 16, Timespan, Helmsdale; May 17, Dunbeath Heritage Centre; May 20, Brora Community Centre; May 21, Lybster Community Centre; May 22, Altnaharra Hotel; May 23, Youth Centre, Halkirk; May 24, Thurso Library; May 27, Lairg Community Centre; May 28, Strathy Village Hall; May 29, Tongue Village Hall; May 30, Kildonan Hall.
The independent chairperson of the Flow Country World Heritage Site working group, Frances Gunn, said: “It’s really amazing to think that we have something right on our doorstep that ranks in global importance alongside the Great Barrier Reef, the Grand Canyon and the Pyramids. Who would have thought it?
“These drop-in sessions are a great opportunity for local people to come along and see what the World Heritage Site project is all about and what it might mean for them. World Heritage sites are an internationally recognised brand and might bring a number of opportunities for local people and any budding entrepreneurs out there.”
The partnership will collate all the feedback from these sessions as well as gathering local people’s ideas and stories about the Flow Country.
Working group members and Joe Perry will be on hand at the drop-in sessions to speak to people and note their comments. Feedback forms will also be available which can be completed there and then or taken home to be completed and sent in at a later date.
David Richardson, of the Federation of Small Businesses, said: “The Flow Country is of international significance and yet it remains one of our best-kept secrets and an underutilised asset. Population forecasts for 2016 to 2041 show a 21.1 per cent decline in Caithness and an 11.9 per cent decline in Sutherland, and many of the people remaining will be ageing fast.
“We must do more to retain our young people and attract more young families to move in, and World Heritage status can and should play an important role. Not only will it protect what matters to us all environmentally, it will also preserve traditional land uses and open up a whole range of new, sensitive, compatible and sustainable business opportunities.
“These, together with the many great businesses already in existence, will be able to market themselves as belonging to the Flow Country World Heritage Site – a powerful brand to conjure with.”
If anyone cannot attend the drop-in events, consultation forms will also be available on the Flow Country website and on Highland Council’s online consultation portal.
Both these can be accessed from May 14.
