Funding wins for Loch Duich ecovillage project
Kyle and Lochalsh Community Trust (KLCT) has won a double funding boost in its bid to develop a Micro-ecovillage (MEV) at Loch Duich.
The MEV is a transformative project which will create six much-needed affordable houses for rent at Ratagan along with two business units and a community growing area as well as the creation of two woodland crofts.
Meanwhile, at Saraig there will be three woodland crofts alongside two affordable house sites and one open market site, the revenue from which will be used to support other parts of the project.
KLCT has been awarded £4,500 by Forestry Scotland in order to develop a Community Woodland Management Plan and Spean Bridge based Upland Ecology has been appointed to survey the former plantation landscape to develop a regenerative native woodland management strategy for the five woodland crofts.
Local people will get a chance to feed into the development of the woodland management plan on a community consultation day which is planned for Wednesday February 25 with site visits at Ratagan and Saraig in the afternoon and an evening drop-in session at Inverinate Hall.
The MEV project received further good news when Highland Council awarded £2,920 towards the cost of a notice board at Ratagan and interpretation panels at both of the sites.
The interpretation panels will share aspects of the area’s special natural and cultural heritage.
Maggie Byrne, chair of KLCT, said: "This is an exciting moment for the MEV project as final purchase of the land for the village is imminent and the two aspects of the project for which we have recently secured funding will really add value to it.
"We are grateful to Forestry Scotland and Highland Council for their support and are delighted to have secured the services of Upland Ecology to generate the woodland management plan."
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