Save Herdmanflat Woodlands - Feasibility Study Fundraiser
Donation protected
We are Haddington Community Woodlands - The organisation trying to save the woodlands at Herdmanflat in Haddington.
A large scale housing development is planned on the site that will all but destroy our local woodland - a diverse network of ewes, oaks, beeches and elders interspersed with brambles and wild flowers, providing a unique habitat and one of the few rewilded spaces in the town centre. This will remove a key lifeline for biodiversity and a much loved community asset used by many for exercise and mental health purposes.
In response, our organisation has been working hard over the last 12 months to put together a proposal that would see us buy the woodland from the local authority under the provisions of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act. This act allows us to request an asset transfer of publicly owned land to the community. If refused, this Act puts the onus on the local authority to justify their decision and allows us to appeal any decision.
So far, we have:
- Created a charity -Haddington Community Woodlands- that will be able to act as the woodland management organisation and make the official asset transfer request. We are currently waiting on our status being conferred by the Scottish Charity Regulator.
- Raised funds to undertake a valuation of the site which has been carried out.
- Had meetings with council officials to discuss our proposal.
- Raised funds to buy banners and maintain our website, we now have a regular presence at Haddington Farmers Market and have gathered hundreds of signatures of support for our proposal.
- Created a mailing list with over a hundred members.
We now need your help to raise the funds we need to undertake a feasibility study carried out by the Community Woodlands Association. This study will lay out our organisations credibility as a community woodland management organisation and will strengthen our argument in relation to the asset transfer request.
We tendered quotes from several different parties and the best quote in terms of value was made at £2171.
We need to raise this money in order to commission the work and would be eternally grateful to everyone who is able to donate, no matter how much. All funds raised will go towards commissioning the study. If you have any questions please send them by email.
Your support is deeply appreciated.
Ewan Ritchie
Chairman
Haddington Community Woodlands
Organizer
Haddington Community Woodlands
Organizer
Scotland