FEARANN EILEAN Iarmain, an estate on Skye, saw off tough competition from two other finalists to win this year's Golden Plover Award.
Organised jointly by The Heather Trust and the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust Scotland, the award is now in its fifth year, and was given a geographical theme for 2017, with applicants sought from across the north Highlands and West Coast, including the Hebrides. The judges then honed down the applicants to a final shortlist of three, with site visits carried out in June.
Fearann Eilean Iarmain extends through the parishes of Sleat and Strath in the southern part of Skye and is based around a network of crofts, farms and hill ground with extensive areas of regenerated and native woodland. It is home to a wide variety of birdlife including breeding populations of hen harrier, greenshank, curlew, golden plover and white tailed as well as golden eagles, and work is actively undertaken to promote the conservation of many ground nesting bird species.
Having been presented with a print of a Golden Plover by the wildlife artist Colin Woolf, estate gamekeeper Scott McKenzie commented on how important the award was to the team there: "It’s a real recognition of all our hard work. We have got a great set-up at Eilean Iarmain, and we’re always trying new things. This award goes to show what can be achieved when you work together, and we hope the Golden Plover will help to really put us on the map for the future."
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