The Nature of Scotland

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A recent research study looked at public attitudes towards estates and landowners in Scotland. David Greer, deputy chairman of the Scottish Estates Business Group, reflects on the results 1 Farmland, birch woodland and conifer plantations in Upper Deeside, Grampian. Public speaking The reputation of estates and land ownership is a subject that will generate a wide range of opinions in Scotland. And the views expressed will, of course, depend on who you ask. Until now, it was difficult to assess accurately what people made of estates, if anything at all. On the one hand, estates could be seen making a significant contribution to rural Scotland, but their reputation was still burdened with various issues. So the Scottish Estates Business Group and the Scottish Rural Property and Business Association – two organisations with significant involvement in land use across Scotland – decided to ask the public what they really thought. They felt the results would be useful in considering the way ahead for land management. The two organisations commissioned George Street Research, an independent market research agency, to undertake the wide-ranging study. It involved focus groups across Scotland, followed up with a survey of over 1,000 adults. The results of the research can be viewed at www.sebg.org/news 26 It’s fair to say that both organisations were a bit anxious about being on the receiving end of a ‘warts and all’ assessment by the public. As it turned out, the results were both surprising and informative for the land management sector. Predictably, the research revealed that the public appreciate the rural Scottish landscape and value highly the well-cared-for natural resources that they can enjoy. They also believe the countryside plays an important part in tourism and leisure. However, those interviewed had very little awareness of estates, and the role that they play was virtually unknown. Some 65% said they knew very little or nothing about estates and only 1% said they knew a ‘great deal’. The participants also said they didn’t regard land ownership on its own as a ‘top of mind’ issue. The public tended to relate to the stereotypical ‘Monarch of the Glen’ image when prompted to think about estates, The Nature of Scotland
1 but they didn’t regard that image negatively. They did, however, form a negative view if they were aware of a particular issue, such as an access problem, but didn’t display general hostility. The public made it clear that, once they were aware of the role of estates, they felt it would be helpful for estates to communicate more positively on what they do. “The study showed that the management and maintenance of the countryside were somewhat taken for granted and people assumed them to be largely a function of nature,” commented Jo Fawcett, managing director of George Street Research. “There was a lack of awareness about estates rather than antagonism, and it’s clear the public enjoy the facilities and going into the countryside. They just don’t think much about how that happens or who’s involved in making it happen.” These were key findings as far as estates are concerned. There are many and varying views on estates, and of course we recognise that we can be viewed in a negative light. It would be absurd to suggest otherwise. But it was also clear that the public’s opinions about estates and landowners were not as strong as we thought they might be. The message coming back from the public is that, when they experience estates, they like what they see. They do not, however, make strong connections between that experience and the contribution of estates. The big lesson for us to learn is that we need to make very clear what role we play. Many rural estates in Scotland contribute a great deal in terms of tourism, leisure and business. And the work that’s done on estates across Scotland in terms of conservation, wildlife and habitat management is something in which we should take pride. The public seems open to finding out more about the contribution we make to rural Scotland. Providing them with better information is a challenge that estates and landowners must meet successfully. www.snh.gov.uk 27
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