Scotland is one of the most nature depleted countries on earth, with a concentrated pattern of land ownership meaning only 3% of land is currently within community ownership and in many rural areas like Langholm, there is a lack of economic opportunities for young people.
We know we can’t solve these issues as a small community development trust, but we recognise that a community- led approach through land ownership is a powerful tool to make an active contribution at a local level. It is a means to shape our own future to respond to local needs and aspirations, and most importantly it helps to put the power back into local hands.
We are at the very start of our journey following our historic community land buy-outs and we’re all learning together about how the community become sustainable custodians of this very special landscape for many generations to come. Through what we do here we want to help inspire others and act as a real example of the true impact that communities can make towards the issues we face as a society.