The ELAV partner organisations in Scotland are Forestry Commission Scotland; the Community Woodlands Association; Highlands & Islands Enterprise Community Land Unit; and Forest Research. During 2005 these organisations worked on a programme of actions to deliver the ELAV project aims in the Scottish highlands. These aims can be summarised as:

¨ Establishment of a forum involving state and private forest owners, managers and regulators, and local communities and other stakeholders

¨ Gathering and collation of a range of inventory and other data, including community aspirations

¨ Creation of a strategic forest plan focussing on enhancing multipurpose use of forests and forest lands and identifying opportunities for rural development

¨ Refinement of methodologies employed to produce planning tools applicable in other regions and sectors

As in the other participating countries, the Scottish partners had to define a project area in which to carry out the work. After careful consideration of a number of competing bids, the management team chose East Sutherland, an area bordered by Dornoch Firth to the south, Strath Brora to the north, and upper Strath Oykel to the west. As the project progresses the definition of the boundary, and therefore the decision whether a particular piece of woodland or a community lies within or outwith the project area, will become clearer.

Other Scottish activity last year included preliminary discussions with potential stakeholders, a visit to the Swedish ELAV project area, and the recruitment of a project officer to manage the ELAV project in Scotland.

Ailsa Spindler began working as the ELAV Scotland project officer in mid-January 2006, based in Golspie. She has established a local management group for the project, and is organising a programme of exchange visits to the other partner countries. Sites on which to focus the consultation process have been selected, and consultation will begin in September 2006. Ailsa has now moved on to another post, and Viv Halcrow has been appointed as project officer.

If you want to know more about the ELAV project, or you are interested in the exchange programme, you can contact Viv on 01408 634386, at her office at: Alba, Main Street, Golspie KW10 6TG

or at viv@community-woods.org.uk