Event: The environmental implications of redistributive land reform

University of Aberdeen,

Regent Lecture Theatre

Speakers: Malcolm Combe, Dr. Jayne Glass (The Centre for Mountain Studies, Perth College, University of the Highlands and Islands) and Dr. Calum Macleod (University of Edinburgh, School of Geosciences).

The First Minister has told Holyrood that Scotland’s land must be an asset that benefits the many, not the few. Some, including the new Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change & Land Reform, have noted that the pattern of ownership of land in Scotland is too concentrated.

Land ownership is linked to land use, which is in turn linked to community identity and survival, economic development, and environmental protection. Considering that any process of redistribution will have an impact on these potentially competing aspects, it will have to face claims about which should be prioritised and how. The new Cabinet Secretary’s role covers both the environment and land reform, but how do they interact? Where does the environment sit within the contemporary Scottish land reform debate?

This hour panel lecture will start at 6pm and will be followed by a 30 minute discussion and then a reception, which has been kindly sponsored by Stronachs LLP.

The event is free but please register your interest in attending with Suzi Warren - smjwarren@abdn.ac.uk – in advance.

This lecture forms part of a two-day programme, culminating in a one-day conference on 26 August 2016 looking at land reform from legal, historical and policy perspectives.