Argyll Islands Landscape Partnership Schemes
Nàdair 1 (2001-05)
The Nàdair 1 programme was completed in January 2005. With an investment of over 3 million, its 28 projects made an important contribution to preserving the heritage of the Argyll islands and making it more accessible to the 8,500 people living there, as well as the estimated 2.5 million people who visit Argyll and the Isles each year.
Participating projects made a significant contribution to the region's economy, with 45 full and part time jobs created or sustained, as well as a significant amount of work contracted out to local businesses. Around 370 volunteers provided input across the projects, many benefiting from opportunities to develop new skills.
An independent assessment of the socio economic benefits of the Nàdair 1 concluded that 'the Nàdair 1 programme has been successful in generating a wide range of local impacts across the Argyll Islands in terms of employment, skills and learning, networking and capacity building'. The full text of this report is available to download here – Evaluation of the Socio-Economic Outputs of Nadair Trust Projects (Hecla Consulting)
For further details of the Nàdair 1 programme, and an outline of each of the 28 participating projects, please download our Nàdair 1 brochure (3 Mb pdf file). Hard copies may be obtained from the Nàdair office on request.
Nàdair 2 (2005-08)
Building on the success of the first programme, a second Argyll Islands scheme - Nàdair 2 - was launched in 2005. The programme received major funding support from the Heritage Lottery Fund, with £2.2 million in grant funding towards an overall cost of £4.6 million.
Nàdair 2 includes a total of 37 projects from the islands of Coll, Colonsay, Gigha, Islay, Jura, Lismore, Luing, Mull, Oronsay and Tiree, as well as a number of inter-island and sea- based projects. The programme is due to be completed by mid 2008. To view details of individual projects by location, click on the list below.
Isle of Coll
Isle of Colonsay
Isle of Gigha
Isle of Islay
Isle of Jura
Isle of Lismore
Isle of Luing
Isle of Mull
Isle of Oronsay
Isle of Tiree
Inter-island
Isle of Coll
Ferret Control & Assessment of Predation on Breeding Waders
Lead Partner: Coll Preservation & Wildlife Management Group
- Protect ground nesting birds from predation by trapping ferrets on the eastern side of Coll
- Assess the impact of predation on ground nesting wader success through a comparative study of east & west Coll.
The Flowers of Coll & Tiree and an Index to the Coll Magazine
Lead Partner: Coll Community Learning Forum
- Produce a user-friendly book on the Flowers of Coll & Tiree
- Produce digital version of all previous issues of the annual Coll Magazine (local history), to be made available on-line with a searchable index.
Totronald Reserve – Land and Countryside Management
Lead Partner: RSPB Scotland
- Manage land to maintain and enhance corncrake populations & to demonstrate conservation techniques
- Implement a traditional Hebridean arable rotation system to benefit farmland birds
- Conserve and enhance wetlands to increase numbers of breeding waders, botanical diversity and wintering geese
- Conserve dunes & machair (rare coastal habitat) through appropriate grazing systems
- Provide opportunities for school, university and adult education visits.
Isle of ColonsayTopˆ
Improving Access to Sites of Archaeological/ Ecological Interest
Lead Partner: Colonsay Community Development Company
- Identify key sites of interest to islanders and visitors.
- Ensure ease of access to each site by clearing vegetation.
- Provide information on sites & routes
Isle of Gigha Topˆ
Achamore Gardens
Lead Partner: Isle of Gigha Heritage Trust
- Plan & implement a 3-year development programme to renovate a world class garden and plant collection, and promote increased visitor numbers
- Develop skills through volunteer programmes and staff training to ensure continuity of specialist skills & knowledge.
Isle of Islay Topˆ
Islay Community Access Phase II & Bridgend Woods Access
Lead Partner: Islay Community Access Group
- Provide, improve and maintain a number of new access routes identified through community consultation
- Improve pathways to provide all-abilities access to Bridgend Woods
- Provide information and organise activities to promote walking as healthy exercise
Bun Othan Harbour
Lead Partner Bun Othan Harbour Development and Recreation Association
- Improve the foreshore area of Port Wemyss and the old fishing harbour
- Create 300 yards of path linking the two ends of the village, and provide picnic areas
- Provide interpretation to highlight the history of this 1800's 'clearance village'
Loch Gruinart Reserve Habitat & Visitor Development
Lead Partner: RSPB Scotland
- Carry out hydrological management works to benefit breeding waders
- Protect and encourage the marsh fritillary butterfly by expanding suitable habitats
- Restore previously drained blanket bog
- Upgrade visitor facilities and interpretation
http://www.rspb.org.uk/scotland/
Mull of Oa Land and Countryside Management
Lead Partner: RSPB Scotland
- Develop land management infrastructure at a new reserve
- Improve access for visitors by providing parking, stiles and kissing gates
- Provide interpretation facilities
http://www.rspb.org.uk/scotland/
Nerabus Burial Ground and Carved Stones
Lead Partner: Finlaggan Trust
- Conserve and protect carved stones dating from the time of the Lordship of the Isles (14/15th century)
- Provide on-site interpretation.
Seanchas Ile
Lead Partner: The Columba Centre
- Organise 'seanchas' events where tradition-bearers share their heritage with other islanders
- Preserve in text and sound aspects of traditional Islay life in Gaelic, particularly the declining Islay dialect.
- Make texts, recordings and translations available to the public in the Columba Centre, Bowmore, Islay
- Produce a book and CD.
Smaull Farm – Land and Countryside Management
Lead Partner: RSPB Scotland
- Carry out appropriate land management using traditional farming techniques to maintain and enhance biodiversity, especially chough, corncrake and farmland bird species.
- Provide low key interpretation on site for visitors
http://www.rspb.org.uk/scotland/
Isle of Jura Topˆ
Jura Heritage Access, & Interpretation
Lead Partner: Isle of Jura Development Trust
- Provide information brochures and signage for visitors, including on-line format.
- Improve access at the north end of the island, close to the Corrievreckan whirlpool, through the restoration of Kinuachdrachd pier.
http://www.juradevelopment.co.uk/
Isle of Lismore Topˆ
Ionad Niaomh Moluag – Lismore Gaelic Heritage Museum
Lead Partner: Comann Eachdraidh Lios Mor – Lismore Heritage Society
- Provide an environmental friendly museum to house artefacts and displays illustrating the heritage of the Isle of Lismore.
- Preserve and archive the cultural heritage of Lismore.
- Provide a facility for education in Gaelic and other aspects of the island's cultural and natural heritage.
- Provide a library, coffee shop and meeting space for the community and visitors.
Isle of Luing Topˆ
Heritage Interpretation
Lead Partner: Isle of Luing Community Trust
- Provide interpretative panels relating to the natural and cultural history of this historic slate quarrying and cattle breeding island
- Provide signage and seating across the island.
Isle of Mull Topˆ
Operation Easter - Sea Eagle Watch
Lead Partner: RSPB Scotland
- Prevent nest robberies and disturbance to sea eagles at the critical egg stage.
- Provide equipment to community volunteers engaged in the eagle watch
- Provide remote and direct viewing facilities to allow volunteers and visitors to view sea eagles in a well managed and informative environment
http://www.rspb.org.uk/scotland/
http://wildlife.visitscotland.com/sitewide/featurerepos/sea_eagle/
Community Gaelic
Lead Partner: Mull & Iona Gaelic Partnership
- Promote understanding of and access to Gaelic culture amongst locals and visitors.
- Provide education materials relating to Highland and Gaelic culture.
Consolidation of Moy Castle
Lead Partner: Mull Historical & Archaeological Society
- Consolidate the upper levels of Moy Castle (c. 1400) and carry out archaeological recording
- Provide an interpretation board on site telling the story of the Clan Mclaine, the Castle and its later role in the iconic wartime film 'I Know Where I'm Going!'
http://www.mull-historical-society.co.uk/
http://www.moycastle.com/
Marine Biodiversity & Environmental Training
Lead Partner: Hebridean Whale & Dolphin Trust
Using the marine survey vessel 'Silurian':
- Undertake investigations & monitoring projects linked to the Local Biodiversity Action Plan for Argyll & Bute.
- Deliver a training programme to marine users, students, island communities & volunteers to increase knowledge of cetaceans, and improve quality of data collected
http://www.whaledolphintrust.co.uk/
Marine Education & Interpretation Programme
Lead Partner: Hebridean Whale & Dolphin Trust
- Develop an internet link between schools and the HWDT research data resource.
- Carry out school visits & field trips relating to specific marine environment project work with secondary school pupils.
- Provide marine education to youth & community groups and primary school children.
- Provide specialised courses in Marine Coastal Ecotourism.
- Continue the development of university level Marine Field courses.
- Liaise with local tour operators & community groups
- Continue the development of a marine environmental library.
http://www.whaledolphintrust.co.uk/
Isle of Mull On-Line Museum
Lead Partner: Mull Historical & Archaeological Society
Create a website to:
- Promote the historical attractions of Mull.
- Provide a research resource with cross referenced data search facility
- Make available material to be digitised from tape recordings, film & images.
- Provide a genealogical database linking to other islands
- Provide a shop window for sales & marketing related to Mull's heritage
http://www.mull-historical-society.co.uk/
Tigh an Rois
Lead Partner: The Ross of Mull Historical Centre
- Create a small museum in a traditional cottage in the village of Bunessan to exhibit heritage artifacts alongside photographic, written and interactive displays
- Create an open air heritage exhibition around the Old Corn Mill in Bunessan on the theme of ‘Land to Mouth' specialising in crofting and milling artifacts
- Research and collate the culture and family history in the Ross of Mull, focusing on the recording of oral history, digitisation of documents and related material, and the production of events promoting tradition
Isle of Oronsay Topˆ
Oronsay Reserve – Land and Countryside Management
Lead Partner: RSPB Scotland
- Carry out land management using traditional farming techniques to maintain and enhance biodiversity, especially chough, corncrake, breeding waders, farmland bird species and the northern mining bee.
- Provide reserve interpretation
http://www.rspb.org.uk/scotland/
Isle of Tiree Topˆ
An Iodhlann– A Virtual Archive
Lead Partner: Co-roinn Ghaidhlig Thiriodhs' Cholla
- Create a virtual archive about Tiree including:
- A database of sound clips, photographs & documents.
- An edited version of the publication 'Island of Two Harvests'.
- A search facility developed in collaboration with Edinburgh University.
Kilkenneth & St. Patrick's Chapels, Tiree
Lead Partner: Tiree Heritage Society
- Preserve and interpret the remains of two early Christian chapels (both scheduled monuments).
http://www.isleoftiree.com/heritage/index.html
Tiree Rural Development Plan
Lead Partner: Tiree Rural Development Ltd
- Promote awareness of Tiree's heritage through interpretation, activities and partnerships with other agencies
- Support traditional crofting practices
- Provide resources to encourage local employment provision & retention
- Improve community facilities to assist with the preservation of traditional culture
Birds of Tiree & Coll Book
Lead Partner: RSPB Scotland
- Produce an attractive book describing the islands birds, including local Gaelic species names, and providing information on where and when to go to see birds and other wildlife on Tiree and Coll
http://www.rspb.org.uk/scotland/
'Water and Birds' Loch a' Phuill
Lead Partner: Tiree Rural Development Ltd.
- Improve biodiversity of an internationally important Special Protection Area
- Install a sluice to enable maintenance of summer water levels
- Contribute to maintaining the island's water supply in dry summers
- Provide a public viewing hide
- Maintain and enhance habitat for breeding and wintering water birds, and other forms of wildlife
- Produce an interpretative leaflet
Inter-island Project Topˆ
Argyll Islands Heritage Leaflets and Promotions
Lead Partner: VisitScotland
- Underpin other Nàdair projects by providing a promotional platform
- Update, reprint & distribute multilingual promotional 'Argyll's Atlantic Islands – Scotland's Sea Kingdom' leaflet.
- Produce additional branded printed materials highlighting specific activities and themes.
- Issue regular press releases.
- Augment existing Sea Kingdom website.
http://www.visitscottishheartlands.com/seakingdom/
Inter-island Topˆ
Butterflies and Burnet Moths: a Recovery Programme
Lead Partner: Butterfly Conservation Scotland
- Improve management at butterfly and burnet moth sites in the islands by working closely with land managers.
- Provide training workshops on habitat management techniques for volunteers.
- Produce ‘farmer-friendly' advice notes for three habitats/groups of species.
- Produce information leaflet about Argyll Islands Butterflies.
- Provide workshops on habitat management for countryside advisers
http://www.butterfly-conservation.org/bcuk/scotland/index.php
Chough & Corncrake Management
Lead Partner: RSPB Scotland
- Secure and enhance feeding and breeding sites in the Argyll Islands.
- Implement hill cattle management agreements with land managers.
- Refurbish appropriate nest sites
- Promote an extensive arable cropping programme to provide late cover for corncrakes and winter stubble for choughs
- Promote management of derelict fields to increase biodiversity and provide cover.
- Provide species habitat management advice to land managers
- Monitor species on site
http://www.rspb.org.uk/scotland/
Inter-island Topˆ
Sea Kingdom Discovery Exhibition, Oban
Lead Partner: VisitScotland
- Develop an exhibition in the Oban Tourist Information Centre to showcase the Argyll Islands, featuring new film & audio material capturing the built, natural and cultural heritage of the region.
http://www.visitscottishheartlands.com/seakingdom/
Wildlife for All
Lead Partner: RSPB Scotland
Provide all schools in the Argyll Islands and associated coastal mainland with:
- a guide to exploring the wildlife of their island.
- a starter pack of identification guides
- observation and viewing equipment linked to the needs/size of the school
- access to partner specialists on the islands
http://www.rspb.org.uk/scotland/
Wildlife from the Boat
Lead Partner: Argyll & Bute Council
- Develop and deliver strategies for regional marine heritage protection, interpretation and visitor management.
- Provide leaflets & interpretation to help people identify and understand marine & island habitats and wildlife
http://www.argyllmarinesac.org/index.htm
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