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
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
Farmland, birch woodland and conifer plantations in Upper Deeside, Grampian.
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