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Owner of Rum agrees shift to islander control ISLES: DEVELOPMENT
Sunday Herald, The, Dec 16, 2007 by Judith Duffy
IT'S an island which has been strictly protected as a nature reserve for the past half century - but now moves are under way to boost the population and economy of Rum.
Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), which owns the small isle off the west coast of Scotland, has agreed to a shift towards community control of the island, with plans for the establishment of new crofts and sale of land.
The island was designated a national nature reserve in 1957. This has allowed threatened species such as sea eagles to thrive and enabled vital scientific studies of animals such as red deer.
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However, in recent years, there has been concern over the sustainability of the island community: currently the population stands at 28, with a primary school roll totalling just three. All existing housing is owned by SNH and used by staff who work on the nature reserve.
After a landmark meeting at Morar, near Mallaig, earlier this month, SNH has now agreed to sell a small number of housing plots and work with the Crofters Commission to establish new crofts. Susan Davies, SNH's north operations director, described it as a "significant step forward" in helping to develop the community on the island.
"In freeing up these plots and crofting areas, we should begin to see some real social and economic diversity and we very much welcome that, " she said.
Environment minister Michael Russell, who led the "Rum Summit", called on public bodies to support community-led developments, including a possible shift towards community control.
He said: "Rum has tremendous potential. It is unique in its geology and nature conservation interest and has untapped potential for sympathetic economic development, especially around tourism and land management."
Andrew Thin, chairman of SNH, said the initiative opened an "important new chapter" in the history of Rum.
"[It is] a chapter in which the presence of a world-class national nature reserve on the island provides the basis for significant population growth and economic diversification, " he said. "SNH welcomes the prospect of a shift towards community control of Kinloch village and glen as part of the process of enabling this to happen."
SNH is also hoping to transfer ownership of a derelict building, known as the tattie house, to Lochaber Housing Association, which has an adjacent area that could also be developed for housing. Other steps agreed for the island include the appointment of a project development officer and the commissioning of a study into renewable energy.
Broadcaster Lesley Riddoch, who chaired the Rum Summit and is a member of the trust that managed the successful community buyout of the Hebridean isle of Eigg, said she hoped to work with the community, ministers and SNH to shape the future of Rum.
"The population here is even smaller, but its great advantage is the support of landowner SNH, " she added.
The population of Rum peaked in the early 19th century at more than 400. In 1826 the landowner, Maclean of Coll, ordered the clearance of the land, with the inhabitants forcibly shipped to Nova Scotia and replaced by 8000 sheep. Later the island was bought by the Bullough family, who sold it in 1957 to SNH, then known as Nature Conservancy. It turned Rum into a nature reserve, with the aim of minimising the impact of human activity on the environment.
Community representatives welcomed the new moves by SNH. Fliss Hough, chair of Rum Community Association, said: "The community on Rum has been working towards a sustainable independent future for the past 10 years without a great deal of success. We consider the outcome of the Rum Summit a breakthrough and have high hopes."
Resident David Frew, who moved to Rum with his family 18 months ago, added: "There appears to be a strong commitment from all the key stakeholders involved with the island to move towards a more sustainable future."
NEED TO KNOW THE FACTS A key summit on the future of the Isle of Rum has paved the way for boosting the population and economy of the island.
BACKGROUND Rum is the largest of the island quartet known as the Small Isles. It is also one of the largest of Britain's national nature reserves, at more than 100sq km.
NEED TO KNOW MORE?
www. isleofrum. com Rum community website.
Copyright c 2007 Newsquest Media Group
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.
