Green land investment in rural Scotland: social and economic impacts

Annex 6

This is the interview guide that was used for all landowners:

Socio-economic impacts of green land investment – draft interview guide for landowners/landowner representatives (i.e. including intermediaries)

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 these interview is to help to verify the theoretical and literature- derived definitions, motivations and typology of green land investments, to understand private sector interests and awareness of perceived/actual impacts on local communities of place and communities of interest due to green land investment, as well as existing practices around community engagement by the landowner/landowner’s representative.

Interviewee background:

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

Please can we start with some background to your connection with [case study landholding].

Landowner: Can you tell me how you/your family/company came to own [case study landholding]? How long have you owned [case study landholding?] What is your role in the running of the landholding?

Landowner’s representative: Can you tell me how this landholding came to be owned by [landowner]? What is your role in the running of the landholding?

Understanding motivations and purpose of land ownership/management objectives

Landowner: How would you describe the landholding (e.g. diversified, forested, sporting, rewilding, etc.)? What type of area/landscape does it encompass? Are there sporting interests on the landholding?

What are your main motivations for owning this landholding? How would you describe the purpose of your land ownership and/or your management objectives? What are you trying to achieve? What changes have you made recently/are embarking on in terms of land management and land use? What are the current enabling factors/barriers inhibiting this change?

How does the financial vehicle/business model shape land management activities?

Landowner’s representative: How would you describe the landholding (e.g. diversified, forested, sporting, rewilding, etc.)? What type of area does it encompass? Are there sporting interests on the landholding?

What do you understand are main motivations for [landowner] in owning this landholding? How would you describe the purpose of their land ownership and/or your management objectives? What are you trying to achieve?

What changes have been made recently/are being embarked on in terms of land management and land use? What are the current enabling factors/barriers inhibiting this change?

How does the financial vehicle/business model shape land management activities?

Both: What changes are you most proud of or consider to be a success? Why? Which have been more challenging and why?

Are you involved with or do you plan to join the local deer management group? Where do you turn to for land management advice?

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

Landowner: Since owning the landholding, can you describe any changes that you have noticed in the local community? Why do you think these changes have occurred?

Landowner’s representative: Since the current owner bought the landholding, can you describe any changes that you have noticed in the local community? Why do you think these changes have occurred?

Both: Have there been any benefits or disbenefits (in your opinion) to the local community given the current ownership of this landholding? How you believe the land management approach is understood/perceived by members of the local community?

Are there any groups that may have been more or less affected by the change of landownership/ land management objectives?

How does the financial vehicle or the business model influence or support the delivery of socio-economic benefits? Where do you see opportunities for socio-economic benefit for the local community (now and in the future)?

How do you think it might be different if the landholding was in community ownership (wholly or partially), or if a different model of green land investment had been used (e.g. leasehold / debt finance rather than acquisition)?

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 should be invited to the focus group?

Current community engagement practices

Both: Can you describe how you currently interact (or have interacted) with people who live and/or work locally (including those who live and work on the landholding) and those who visit the landholding? How do you undertake community engagement? (Can you give me any examples?) What do you find are the benefits or challenges of community interactions or undertaking engagement processes?

How does the financial vehicle or the business model influence or support community engagement?

What would help you undertake positive community engagement in future?

Future goals and vision

Both: To conclude, please can you tell me more about the future plans for the landholding? 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].