The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
£126k funds from the Crown Estate
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Afarm near Fochabers is one of nine environmental community projects in Scotland to receive a share in £126,000 of Crown Estate Scotland funding.
The Environment Grants form part of the Sustainable Communities Fund – founded in 2020 by the estate – which has distributed more than £1.4 million to support local regeneration and sustainable development.
Lower Mill of Tynet Farm, well-known for producing award-winning free range and organic free range eggs, will receive £20,000 for the installation of a biodigester.
It will be used for cattle and poultry waste, promoting sustainability and reducing the farm’s environmental impact.
Another successful environment grant recipient is Broadford and Strath Community Company on the Isle of Skye, which will receive £18,500 to fund a community tree nursery.
Along with the Community Capacity Grants programme – open to all communities within five miles of Scotland’s coastline or situated within one of Crown Estate Scotland’s four rural estates – these funding programmes provide money to help communities develop projects of greatest priority to them.
Annie Breaden, head of policy for Crown Estate Scotland, said: “The breadth of projects which have secured funding demonstrate the flexibility of the environment grants programme and highlights the ingenious ways people across Scotland are tackling the challenges they want addressed.”
The Crown Estate
Scotland includes 37,000 hectares of rural land with agricultural tenancies, residential and commercial properties and forestry on four rural estates – Glenlivet, Fochabers, Applegirth and Whitehill.
The grants – of between £5,000 and £20,000 – are available to Crown Estate Scotland tenants for projects which can deliver demonstrable environmental benefits within 18 months of funds being given.
Applications for the next round of the Sustainable Communities Fund will open in August.