28 Aug OATS’ Skye Iconic Sites Project announced as finalist in The Helping it Happen Awards 2024

Scottish Land & Estates have announced the finalists in their Helping it Happen Awards 2024, sponsored by NatureScot; over 30 exceptional organisations, businesses, and individuals transforming rural Scotland.

As one of four finalists in the Enhancing Our Environment through Land Management Award, a category that acknowledges exceptional efforts in safeguarding and enhancing Scotland’s natural beauty, OATS has been recognised as a champion of environmental stewardship for their Skye Ionic Sites Project, a ground-breaking environmental restoration and protection project to solve problems caused by the increase in visitor numbers at the Old Man of Storr, the Quiraing and the Fairy Pools on Skye.

The annual Helping it Happen Awards celebrate those making remarkable contributions to the vibrancy and sustainability of Scotland’s countryside in 11 diverse categories, including education, conservation, farming, tourism and visitor management, property innovation, climate change initiatives and rural business, that epitomise innovation, dedication, and community spirit while delivering huge benefits right across rural Scotland.

Sarah-Jane Laing, Chief Executive of Scottish Land & Estates and chair of the judging panel expressed her enthusiasm: “The quality of entries this year has been truly inspiring. From every corner of Scotland, we’ve seen incredible stories of passion, resilience, and innovation that are driving our rural communities forward. The competition has been exceptionally fierce, and we are really excited about celebrating the outstanding achievements of our finalists and winners at the awards ceremony this October.”

Claudia Rowse, NatureScot’s Deputy Director of Green Economy and judge on the Helping it Happen panel, added: “The quality of applications for the Helping it Happen Awards this year has been inspiring. These businesses and community groups show us the positive ways there are to build a resilient rural economy while adapting to the changing climate and valuing, protecting and restoring nature. The nominees are creating thriving rural communities today and ensuring that there will be a nature-rich future for tomorrow.”

OATS were the big winners in this prestigious awards scheme for rural businesses in 2022, winning awards in two of the nine categories. The Fairy Pools car park and off-grid toilets development on Skye, where OATS provided a unique solution to a local problem created by the global phenomenon of social media-driven tourism, won the Tourism and Visitor Management Award. The Mountains and The People, the largest and most complex upland path project ever undertaken in the UK covering 120km of paths in two national parks, won the Enhancing our Environment Through Land Management Award.

The Enhancing Our Environment through Land Management Award category finalists in The Helping iIt Happen Awards 2024 are:

• Glenfalloch Estate: For their visionary landscape recovery project, restoring and rejuvenating natural habitats on an impressive scale.
• Auchlyne & Suie Estate: Commended for pioneering sustainable practices, bolstering conservation efforts, and educating the public on effective environmental stewardship.
• Skye Iconic Sites Project (SISP): Recognised for a transformative three-year initiative addressing environmental challenges posed by over-tourism, ensuring the preservation of three of Skye’s most popular and cherished heritage sites.
• Caerlaverock Estate: Celebrated for creating thriving habitats such as ponds supporting species like the Natterjack Toad, while seamlessly balancing agricultural productivity and community engagement through education and outreach programmes.

For a full list of categories and finalists for 2024 go to https://www.scottishlandandestates.co.uk/meet-years-finalists

Further Information on The Skye Iconic Sites Project

The Skye Iconic Sites Project (SISP) was a ground-breaking £760,900, environmental restoration and protection project. From 2020 to 2023 the Outdoor Access Trust for Scotland (OATS), delivered tailor-made solutions, on behalf of a larger partnership, to problems caused by overtourism at the Old Man of Storr, the Quiraing and the Fairy Pools.

Work included:

• Building (and maintaining) paths, bridges and viewpoints to protect the surrounding environment from footfall damage.
• Restoration of fragile upland environments caused by footfall and extremes of weather
• The installation of co-ordinated interpretation of the unique landscape

SISP has transformed visitors’ experience of Skye and guaranteed the future of these sites.

The Skye Iconic Sites Project had a total budget of just under £1 million, having received £650,516 from the Natural and Cultural Heritage Fund (NCHF), led by NatureScot and part-funded through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Additional partnership funding was secured from the Outdoor Access Trust for Scotland (OATS) (£98,793), Scottish Government Rural Payments Inspections Division (SGRPID) (£150,000), the Minginish Community Hall Association (£20,000), and Highland Council (£10,000).

The Natural and Cultural Heritage Fund (NCHF) is part of the Scottish Government’s current European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) programme, which runs through to 2023.