Real Monarch of the Glen

[Papagenos]

Did anyone watch the BBC2 Scotland programme about Paul Lister and his Alladale Estate? For those of you outside Scotland or who missed it is available on BBC iPlayer.

Once again the BBC seem to be doing Mr Lister's public relations job for him, seemingly extolling his plans to great a grand wildlife reserve in the Highlands. I have an open mind about the introduction of wolves, brown bear, moose and wild boar. I say introduction and not re-introduction as they have been extinct here for thousands of years and in the meantime the habitat and landscape has changed considerabley. The advocates call it a reintroduction.

I do object to thousands of hectares of land being enclosed behind a 3m high electric fence and asked to pay £45 to access land I have a right to roam over at present. The narrator said Mr Lister wanted to create a little wilderness in the Highlands. Wilderness? More like a safari park.

Perhaps, the remaining programmes in the series will be a little more balanced.

[canisp]

I did see the programme which was on about a month ago, and personally i hope he doesn’t succeed with this venture.
I did the Graham (Carn a’Choin Deirg), to the northwest of Alladale lodge earlier this year, and took the following bottom 3 photo’s, near to Alladale lodge.

http://www.geograph.org.uk/gridref/NH4389
Note the upgraded road from the photo (bottom left), with how it used to be (top left).

[Myth]

Sadly the remaining programs will *not* be more balanced, as they are being directed by Englishmen who seem to applaud the selfless enthusiasm for re-introduction... different mindset - surely EVERYONE can see that selflessness is the LAST thing on his mind. Even my mother-in-law can't see what's wrong with "building a fence round his land -after all it's his".

I'm all for re-introduction of native species (objections re climate/habitat noted) but that implies "...to the wild" not to a reserve. Things like Lynx and beaver - fine. The Lynx will vanish into forestry, and probably be rarely, if ever, seen of noticed (except that deer will start behaving more like they did in the past!), and beaver will get on with what beavers do without upsetting much of anything. Wolves and bears - I feel that sadly there is no valid ecological niche in the wild now.

Anyway, I give up - but will happily lie in front of bulldozers if it comes to it - and more...

[Paul Webster]

We totally agree - the fence keeping people out of the reserve must not be built. I'm all for reintroducing extinct native species when ecologists say the habitat has been regenerated enough to support it (e.g the current beaver reintroductions in Argyll) - and for regenerating habitat - Scotland has too little natural forest - but not for creating a massive private safari park. The prices for accommodation on the estate show who this is aimed at, and Mr Lister has already closed the MBA bothy on his land.

As Myth says, animals such as Lynx (and wolves) will disappear into a natural landscape and rarely be seen (wolves have a huge natural range) - on an enclosed park like this paying guests will want to see the animals and the temptation will be to keep them in greater numbers than what would be a natural density.

Obviously the fence will contravene the Scottish access laws, and will also need planning permission, so there are more barriers to prevent this at the moment. The MCofS and Ramblers are both following developments.

When planning permission is applied for we will help to make this issue widely known so walkers' voices can be heard.

btw. wolves have only been extinct from Scotland for about three hundred years, not thousands.

[Papagenos]

I did see the programme which was on about a month ago, and personally i hope he doesn’t succeed with this venture.
I did the Graham (Carn a’Choin Deirg), to the northwest of Alladale lodge earlier this year, and took the following bottom 3 photo’s, near to Alladale lodge.

http://www.geograph.org.uk/gridref/NH4389
Note the upgraded road from the photo (bottom left), with how it used to be (top left).

This is a slightly different programme from the one aired earlier in the year. This was part one of a six part series. They showed two officials from Scottish Natural Heritage, who had come to inspect the damage already done. There response was: "It is nowhere near as bad as we thought it was from the reports we had received. It will soon recover."

It was extremely one-sided portraying Paul Lister as the perfect laird who is making such a wonderful difference to the area.

[johnj]

I can't see how this ridiculous scheme is going to work - its based on the premise of the re-introduction of wolves in the USA but the animals had only been absent for around 50 years and no major environmental changes had taken place. This guys is talking about reintroducing bears, wolves and lynx back into a landscape which is now dominated by sheep. The landscape has changed vastly on the last 300 years from largely pine/birch forested valleys to managed grouse moors and sheep farming. How will it affect the resident wildlife - the wild cat which is already in decline with have to compete against the lynx and the wolf. The scale of the project is all wrong - has this guy any idea of how much space a wolf pack needs to survive ?
One consolation - it looks as if they are going to be foiled by the EU - apparently if they fence the area they come under zoo regulations which forbid the keeping of predator and prey in the same enclosure.

[john]

I have been following this series since it started and it is clear that Lister is doing this only to create a private and restricted area of Scotland for himself and his affluent friends.

The fence is clearly obtrusive and I really did wonder how the officials did not consider it to be so. I am not sure that I approve of the reintroduction of these species. Since they died out in the highlands, the environment has chaged significantly. In last weeks episode. it became apparent that the boars were beginning to cause harm to the native Scots pines and I wonder how the authorities will react to that. These areas of woodland are protected, as far as I am aware. It was also sad to hear the estate manager dismiss his failure to administer antibiotics to the ailing boar as quite insignificant and then the poor beast died. Anyone with half a brain could tell that an infection at the base of the tusk was a real problem to a foraging animal.

I was not sure about his plan to upgrade and lease out the old estate cottage but I was certain that it was one of the open bothies. Now it appears that these have to be removed.

At this stage, it seems clear that this idiot will fail in his plans leaving a shambles to repair. I clearly get the impression that he is not someone who will accept his responsibilties as a landowner to make good the damage that he has done to the environment and the local people which depend on the estate.

It is also evident that some of his 'mentors' from Africa and Scandinavia seem to consider his plans poorly considered for this are.

Sadly, Alladale has a history of being unwelcoming prior to the Listers taking ownership. It looks as if it is still not out of trouble.

[bootsandpaddles]

I have also been watching all the programmes in this series and I agree with most of what the other contributors have written. I think there are two main issues here. The most important of these is access. It is totally unacceptable to fence off such huge areas of the country thus preventing the general public from enjoying them, as is their right under the 2003 legislation. I have written to the access officers in the area concerned expressing my concerns and I suggest that this is another way that walkers can register their disapproval of Mr Lister's project. The second issue is the introduction of large carnivores into an area which cannot, I believe, sustain them. There are plenty of other ways in which the flora and fauna of the area could be conserved and enhanced without going to these lengths. But then Mr Lister is clearly is clearly not interested in conservation as such but in making money from up-market "eco-holidays".

[bigbertie]

I'm also in sympathy with views on here. Much reintroduction of plant and animal species is being carried on in the Highlands without denying access. The Scottish tradition of access to the hills (now enshrined in legislation) is admirable and it would be sad to see this ruined by a new wave of enclosures by wealthy landlords. The TV programme I saw made Lister and his tame academic look pompous and aggressive - I don't think it will have done him much good. However I think we should take the threat seriously.

Bootsandpaddle - which access officer did you write to? I might write too. And do we know of any organisation co-ordinating any pro-access viewpoints? (sorry have just re-read the posts - Ramblers & MCofS are monitoring). and Myth - I'll join you in a protest

I haven't been up Alladale yet but it's on my wishlist - I don't want to find it closed. bigbertie

[Papagenos]

Big Bertie has asked for details of the Highland Council Access Officer responsible for the Alladale area so that any objections to the wildlife park plan can be registered.

The details are:

Mr Matt Dent
Access Officer - Sutherland
Planning & Development Service
Service Point
New Buildings
Main Street
Lairg
IV27 4DB

Tel/fax: (01549) 402729
E-mail: matt.dent@highland.gov.uk

Remember that at the moment no plan has been submitted by Alladale Estate to create this wildlife park. However, it will do no harm for those of us in the outdoors community to make Highland Council aware of our concerns of the possible restriction of access across the Alladale Estate. All local authorities in Scotland have a duty to establish Local Access Forums where issues about access can be dealt with. The Alladale Estate falls within the Sutherland Local Access Forum area and I have details about the membership of that forum. I will do some research to find out contact details so those members can be contacted directly as well.

Continuing my research I have looked back at the minutes of this forum since its establishment in 2005 for any discussions about access on the Alladale Estate. The only reference is from August 2007:

"7. Wildlife Park, Alladale

Mr B Field referred to recent reports concerning the proposal to create a wildlife park at Alladale, covering an area of 23,000 acres. He expressed concern at the potential for dangerous wild animals to be located over such a vast area, and the associated risks for walkers.

Mr G Robson reported that currently the Park extends over 500 hectares, and there is an existing compound which contains elk and wild boar, and in relation to which there have been no significant issues arising. However any proposal to extend this enclosure may involve the developer having to apply for planning permission for change of use, a zoo licence and access exemptions, the latter of which would require the Forum to be formally consulted.

It was agreed to note the position meantime."

It’s interesting that the forum members thought that a 3 metre high fence extending to some 5 miles that has already been erected is not a significant issue. Surely, this creates a significant restriction to access, even with the inclusion of gates along the fence. I think that I shall attempt to make my own research rip to Alladale to see the extent of the project established so far for myself. At the same time I will be writing to the Highland Council, under the Freedom of Information Act, to find out what objections have been received by third parties to the existing fence and also what discussions have been held between council officers and the estate. If you have any other questions you think I should ask let me know.

I am starting this latest post on the Real Monrach of the Glen programme with the words of Paul Lister, repeated in the opening sequence of every programme,

"....the animals and re-wilding are what is important."

There we have it Paul Lister’s scheme is entirely altruistic. No thoughts of profit come into the plan whatsoever. He’s just doing it for the animals and to create a wonderful wilderness area.

Of course, this is all part of the carefully crafted public relations plan created for the Alladale Estate, that unfortunately the BBC seem happy to propogate. In the latest episode we are treated to yet more images of the soft-cuddly benign laird as he invites the local Primary School to visit the estate, so that they can experience wildlife. The wildlife he is reintroducing seem to be far from wild but semi-domesticated both the boar and moose are unperturbed by human contact.

One other thing Lister said struck me, when he was talking about the access roads they are building on the estate, "We need access to more wild areas." This is his justification for tearing up large swathes of the countryside to construct Land Rover tracks. I didn’t realise the wilderness consisted of large fenced off areas with vehicle tracks built across them. I thought wilderness areas by their very definition were meant to be difficult to access!

At long last we have seen the other side of the argument, in a brief interview with Cameron McNeish. He sums up the counter-argument succinctly as follows:

This project is not a re-wilding of species but the creation of a zoo.
The project rides roughshod over the Land Reform Act that so many activists fought for, over many years.
Let’s hope that when a plan is eventually submitted these counter-arguments win.

[john]

Thanks for all that, papagenos. Very useful and interesting and if you do make your trip to Alladale, please feed back to us.

It may be that this series backfires on Lister. He clearly thinks that most of us will be behind him in his effort to reintroduce some wild species to the area but the programs show us that Lister is nothing more than a bumbling amateur who is trying to impose his store management style on estate management.

I too picked up on the point in last week's episode that the very pleasant 'Shy' the bulldozer driver was about to be asked to plough another track across the landscape. I thought those days were gone and that the local authorities restricted such developments.

As I say, I think that this series may backfire on Lister. I am certain that as the series progresses, more and more of us are becoming alarmed at his proposals. This will inevitably result in considerable resistance to his policies and may alarm even the Scottish government. Remember that they and landowners are very kean to ensure that the current legislation - which depends on a great deal of self regulation - is effective and that firmer legislation is not required. I am sure this is part of the reason that his neighbouring landowners are less than convinced by his plans.

I am sure that we all realise that sadly when this man becomes frustrated with this enterprise, he will grow tired of the estate, leaving the staff and local comunities to pick up the pieces.

[bigbertie]

thanks papagenos - there are clearly some strong feelings here. bigbertie

[canisp]

I took the following 2 photo’s in April this year, the first shows building work/repairs at Grid Ref 425895, this may have been the bothy, i’m not sure . The second was taken around Grid Ref 423900, my guess a water supply to the building in the first photo. It surprised me when i came across it, and it just looked a mess .


Building work at 425895


Water supply at 423900

[wandererjon]

I hope you don't mind Canisp, but I took your photos and played with on my computer. In the first pic the bothy seems to be in the far distance and the building on the left is, I think, a new timber frame building being constructed (was planning applied for?)
In the second one, this looks more like a chamber (or artificial lair) being built to appear to be underground. I have some experience of these having worked as a mammal keeper at a zoo, where things are made to look "natural". The water pipes are big enough to supply a small village, so could be used for "tunnels". I could be way off the mark but.........

[canisp]

I hope you don't mind Canisp, but I took your photos and played with on my computer.

No worries.

You can see/copy the original 2mb photo‘s below if you wish.

http://www.panoramio.com/photos/original/13064722.jpg

http://www.panoramio.com/photos/original/13064757.jpg

It was my first time down the Glen, and i never really thought to take more than a couple of snaps on the day.