Magnus said ‘We are desperately in need of more young people to get involved in community ownership and regeneration. It’s our future and that of our children that is at stake. I have three children at home, and I want the first option for all of them to be able to stay here when they are older, if that is what they choose.’

‘The Northern Highlands have such fantastic potential for community led regeneration, community renewables and we must make sure young people’s voices are heard about the big issues affecting our region. Communities can deliver affordable housing and help stem both the tide of depopulation but also look at re-peopling areas which lost people over the last 250 years. On various branches of my family there are relatives cleared from Strathnaver and Kildonan, as well as I think Eilean Hoan on the north coast of Sutherland. We must find ways of providing more housing and crofts and land for people who want to stay, or return, or come and live in this fantastic culturally rich landscape. I care deeply about both people and nature and this is not an either ‘environment or people’ argument – there is room here for both here to thrive and we need to find ways of achieving this.’

Community Land Scotland are planning a series of awareness raising events in the region over the next 3-4 months.

Ailsa Raeburn ‘We know there are lots of concerns locally about the impact of some large landowners and the power they feel they can exercise over local people and local democratic decisions. This is Scotland in the 21^st century, a Scotland with a very exciting future for its people and land – not a Scotland rooted in the 19^th century where a very small number of people held huge power over the land and its people. Diversifying land ownership and spreading the benefits of who owns the land and natural assets is critical to achieving this fairer Scotland. We are looking forward to speaking to people in Caithness and Sutherland over the next wee while, to talk about what community ownership has achieved elsewhere in terms of getting a better balance of power.’

The final word goes to Magnus ‘I am proud to be from the Black Isle but now call Caithness my home. I identify deeply with Highland culture and that obviously leads me to be passionate about wanting to see change that puts more power into the hands of local people. I want to see the incredible resources we have up here in the Far North be used to benefit local communities – whether that’s via land ownership, community led renewables, community led climate mitigation or more affordable housing. Community land is the obvious alternative to improve on the social, economic, environmental, and cultural landscape we currently see today, often associated with the negative impacts of concentrated and absentee ownership.’