Green land investment in rural Scotland: social and economic impacts

Annex 5

Two separate interview guides were used; one was for community representatives and the other was for landowners/landowner representatives. As can be seen in these guides, certain questions were tailored to specific members of the community/landowner team. This is the interview guide that was used for all community representatives:

Socio-economic impacts of green land investment – draft interview guide for representatives of communities of place and communities of practice

Welcome and thanks to interviewee

Introduction to researcher and the project, including overview of purpose of interview within wider project aims.

Reiterate key points in consent form – e.g. anonymity of interviewees (i.e. through high-level analysis) and confidentiality of data, but noting that it is not possible to guarantee complete anonymity because of the risk that characteristics of the local community or landholding are too difficult to anonymise.

The purpose of this interview is to help the research team to develop a rich understanding of the impacts on people and communities from what we have termed green land investment.

Interviewee background:

[Take note of interviewee’s age and employment status through introductory conversation.]

Where do you live? How long have you lived here?

For community of place representative: What is your role in the community? (If no formal community roles) As a resident, do you feel you have any roles in the community, and what are those roles?

For farmer/crofter: Can you tell me about how you came to own/rent your landholding? What are the main activities on your farm/croft?

For rural estate employee: Can you tell me about what your role is/was on [X] Estate?

For rural business owner: Can you tell me a bit about your business? When was it established? Who are your customers?

Understanding of local land ownership/management objectives

For community of place representative and rural business owner: Can you tell me about local landownership? Are you aware of who owns the land around [community name]? How has that changed over recent years? Do you have any contact with the landowner(s)? (Do you know how to contact them?) What do you understand to be their reasons for owning the land? What do you understand are the main land management activities/goals? How has land management changed with the current landowner?

Do you feel you are well informed about land management and land use locally? Do you feel you have a right to be informed?

Do you feel strongly about what the landowner does with the land/what land management is undertaken (and therefore land use)? Does it matter to you? If so, in what ways?

For farmer/crofter and rural estate employee: (How) has local landownership changed since you have lived and worked here? Do you have any contact with the landowner(s)? What do you understand to be their reasons for owning the land? What do you understand are the main land management activities/goals? How has land management changed with the current landowner?

Do you feel you are well informed about land management and land use locally? Do you feel you have a right to be informed?

Do you feel strongly about what the landowner does with the land/what land management is undertaken (and therefore land use)? Does it matter to you? If so, in what ways/ under what circumstances?

Understanding influence of landownership/management on local communities/ other groups

For all interviewees: What do you consider have been the main changes in the community over the past few years? Why do you think these changes have happened?

Have there been any benefits or disbenefits (in your opinion) to the local community of local landownership changes and/or land management activities?

Are there any groups that may have been more or less affected by the change of landownership/ land management objectives (e.g. farmers/crofters, rural estate employees, rural businesses, local residents, etc.)? How have their activities/livelihoods/experiences of living here been affected?

What do you consider may be the impacts of such land ownership/management on a larger scale? (I.e. across the region, country, globally?)

What are your hopes and fears for the future based on your experience with the current landowner and their land management activities so far?

As you know, we are planning a community focus group, where we will discuss the likely future impacts of local green land investment. What do you anticipate may be shared as current and future impacts?

Who would suggest should be invited to the focus group to ensure that all community voices are heard (in particular, lesser-heard voices)?

Current community engagement practices

For all interviewees: Can you describe how landowners or representatives of local estates currently interact with people who live and/or work locally? (If there appears to be no interaction, are you aware of who the landowner /landowner representatives are?)

Can you describe any examples of recent community engagement activities? Did you have the chance to share your views? (Why/why not?) What do you find are the benefits or challenges of estate-community interactions or engagement processes?

What would help the community undertake positive engagement with local landowners in future?

Future goals and vision

For all interviewees: To conclude, please can you tell me more about your future plans for your community/farm/croft/business? What are your future goals and ideal vision?

Thanks and interviewee close

Do you have any final thoughts? Is there anything that you thought we would talk about that we haven’t talked about yet? What is the most important thing you have told me today?

Thank you very much for your time [describe the next steps with the project].