THE BUYOUT
Kevin Cumming, the man leading the buyout bid, works for the Langholm Initiative. He runs its Wild Eskdale project providing outdoor education and promoting eco-tourism. Kevin, 34, who lives on the edge of Langholm with his wife Ellen, 32, and their seven-month-old daughter Freya said: “The experiences of Langholm Moor are unique.
“In a single day you can stand under a sky of spectacular courting hen harriers, witness the silent hunt of a short-eared owl or be mesmerised by the intimate lekking of black grouse.
“This is a special place. But during the eight months I’ve been leading the working group to investigate the community, we have seen the devastation caused by the Australian wildfires and the global impact of Covid-19.
“That is why this buyout is important; it’s a project of vision and hope when we need it, and it is a project for our future. “We need to concentrate on this for our children and the generations that come after. The Langholm Initiative is proposing we undertake climate action, wildlife conservation, ecological restoration and community regeneration all built around a central goal – creating the Tarras Valley Nature Reserve. “We will carry out peatland restoration, new native woodland creation, ancient woodland regeneration and protect and enhance the incredible flora and fauna that lives here.”
The project plans to block drains allowing raised bogs to return and new peat to be created, locking in carbon and increasing biodiversity. New woodland would also help carbon capture. And the buyout would create sustainable, responsible eco-tourism, with commercial spin-offs. He said: “By taking Langholm Moor under community ownership, we can demonstrate how individuals united in a common purpose can perform something truly amazing.”
This is for our children, for future generations