Joan Mitchell - Chair of Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere Partnership
There has been a great deal happening in 2018. It was the first full year of operation for the new board structure. This has been successful in achieving greater input and support to officers particularly from the trustees who have been willing and able to supplement officer activity. Our partnership board members, including the new recruits who have settled in well, have also been active in promoting the Biosphere and working within their own communities.
We made big strides in business involvement. The big highlight was the launching of our product and services Certification Scheme in June at Culzean Castle with Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs and Beth Taylor Chair of UK Commission for UNESCO. Visit Scotland have recognised the significance of UNESCO designations as a marketing tool and in conjunction with UNESCO have set up a working group covering the thirteen Scottish UNESCO designations with a view to launching a UNESCO trail across Scotland.
Our close working partnership with the Southern Uplands Partnership has helped us deliver the Biosphere’s remit through external project funding secured through them. They were successful in a bid for Heritage Lottery funding to take forward our PLACE project and the NPA SHAPE project which involves communities in a range of northern countries.
Between these two projects and our expanding Biosphere Communities initiative the Biosphere is now working closely with a considerable number of communities in different parts of the Biosphere.
The success of the Biosphere depends on partnership working and we are very fortunate that the £5M Galloway Glens Landscape Partnership project along the Ken/Dee valley, developed in association with GSAB , has been successful in gaining substantial funding and has now recruited a team of officers who are starting to deliver the Biosphere in Action. We are currently working with the Coalfield Communities Landscape Partnership Project in East Ayrshire to develop a similar initiative that will benefit some of the post-industrial parts of the Biosphere.
A year ago I referred to the potential of GSAB to provide a forum for the discussion of the huge questions on the future land use of the Southern Uplands in the face of Brexit and Scottish Government policies around a rural land use strategy and forestry policy. In January we ran a conference in Dalry which attracted around sixty participants from a wide variety of land management and rural business backgrounds. This fitted into a national discussion about the establishment of rural partnerships which has had something of a revival in 2018 with the appreciation in some quarters that GSAB could be a good delivery vehicle in southwest Scotland. This was followed up by the Biosphere hosting the Moorland Forum where the key discussion was on land use challenges faced by communities and land managers and whether a Regional Land Use Forum could help address some of them.
In summary we have made very good progress in 2018 in the level of activity within the Biosphere – there is a great deal happening. Credit must be given to the dedication of staff, all our funders and partner agencies, our Biosphere Supporters, and our board members and trustees who are freely and enthusiastically giving their time outside the formal meetings because they appreciate that the Biosphere designation is so significant and relevant to the times in which we live.
Wishing everyone a Good Christmas and All the Best in 2019
Joan
A Changing Landscape Conference at Dalry
100th Business to sign as a Proud Supporter
Kirkcowan Primary School sign up as Proud Supporters of the Biosphere
Biosphere Community Whithorn
Ayrshire College Partnership - HND Tourism students Learning Event
GGLP developed in association with Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere
