The story so far…
How we began and what we have achieved.
Regenerate Our Green Space was formed in April 2022. Recent world events, and their economic and social consequences had resulted in a change in the way people wish to live, with more people living outside of cities and working from home. One impact locally had been a surge in demand for Allotments at Rosemarkie Allotments & Gardens Society.
The Highland Good Food Conference in 2021 provided inspiration for communities in the Highlands to seriously consider community food growing as a way to reduce “food miles” and increase local knowledge and experience of a more sustainable way of living. We understood the need to build local resilience to be able to cope with the challenges of climate change. We felt that this was the right time to start building that resilience, since there had never been more local/national government and national voluntary organisation support for such initiatives.
The Scottish Government set in place the Scottish Land Commission on 1 April 2017, with the aim of supporting communities to become more resilient and sustainable through the ownership and management of land and buildings. The Scottish Land Fund was set up to achieve more sustainable economic and environmental and social development through community ownership of land and buildings. We plan to take advantage of these reforms to get land into community ownership so we can provide a way for the community to work together in order to be more sustainable and resilient in the longer term. Our founding members have recently organised hedge planting on Easter Greengates, and near the Beach Café in Rosemarkie. We have also successfully lobbied Historic Environment Scotland to plant two large areas of Fortrose Cathedral grounds with wild flowers (planting begins in autumn 2023). We also hope to partner again with Rosemarkie Amenities Association to create wild flower patches in locations throughout the village. Future plans are to lobby for a reduction in the use of pesticides and herbicides in the communities of Fortrose & Rosemarkie.
Our most ambitious project is to create new allotments, community food growing and a community garden. We are currently working on an application to the Scottish Land Fund and Community Right To Buy, to enable us to buy land within the town of Fortrose.
We are setting up our Constitution with the help of the Scottish Land Fund so we can be compliant with their requirements and those of the Community Right To Buy, and we expect this to be completed by summer 2023.
If you would like to get involved in any of the activities we are organising please join our email list to receive updates, find out when and where you can help, and ensure you have your say on proposed community projects.
We look forward to working alongside you to protect and improve our environment through positive community action.
