New guidance for Common Grazings committees

The guidance is intended to assist Grazings Committees with their responsibilities to maintain and improve common grazings, providing information on all aspects of common grazings management and the role of a Grazings Committee.

The CC guidance is distinct from Grazings Regulations; instead, it provides an aid to Committees by advising on what must be in regulations and what may also be considered best practice. However, it does not replace or add to the Grazings Regulations which provides the agreed basis for the proper management of common grazings

CC convener, Rod Mackenzie said: “The Commission views the Guidance as an important part of its support for Grazings Committees and the vital role they play in the management of common grazings. With over half a million hectares of common grazings, or two-thirds of all croft land, common grazings are an integral part of the crofting system. As such, the Commission recognises the importance of Grazings Committees and we declared our intent to provide support and advice for them when we set out our Policy Plan in 2017. The Common Grazings Guidance document is part of this process."

The guidance is available on the Commission website www.crofting.scotland.gov.uk/common-grazings-regulations-template or a copy can be requested directly from the Commission by emailing grazings@crofting.gov.scot