The Knoydart community has won The Michael Dower Award for European Rural Resilience.
The award is named after visionary and tireless advocate for rural Europe Michael Dower and highlights how local communities and individuals are tackling economic, environmental, and social challenges.
The criteria for selection included the successful engagement of communities in rural Europe, the encouragement of democratic governance, accomplishments in pan-European cooperation, and achievement in conflict mediation, social inclusion, capacity building, social innovation and other activities or action which foster and enhance rural well-being.
This was a pan-European award with fellow finalists from Armenia, Germany and Ireland.
The Ranger Service put the application in on behalf of the community with assistance from Davie Newton, who was Knoydart Foundation chair at the time of the application, celebrating the peninsula’s resilience, ingenuity and achievements in the last 26 years.
Ranger Finlay Greig and Davie collected the award along with a €5,000 prize at the 6th European Rural Parliament in Inverurie on Wednesday (22 October). To see our example of rural resilience celebrated and used as an example to empower rural communities across Europe was moving, and is a tribute to all community members who have dedicated blood, sweat and tears to ensuring that our community-owned land is a healthy and thriving one.
Accepting the award on behalf of the community Finlay said:
“Thank you to the Michael Dower Award for shortlisting our community let alone naming us as winner, and to our fellow finalists for sharing their inspiring stories of community resilience.
“Thank you to all directors present and past of the various Knoydart institutions, who set aside countless hours, days, weeks months of their lives voluntarily to ensure our community thrives.
“Last year marked 25 years since the community completed the buyout of the tired remains of the Knoydart Estate.
“In that time our population has near doubled, living standards have improved dramatically and rolling blackouts are a thing of the past thanks to our renovated hydro power scheme.
“Hundreds of hectares of new woodland have been created, our red deer population is under control and a mosaic of habitats are regenerating before our eyes.
“The health of the land and the livelihoods of the people who live in it has thrived in that quarter century.”
Throughout his varied career Michael Dower was a public servant managing the Peak District National Park and Countryside Commission, an academic at the University of Gloucestershire and a champion of pan-European rural development.
His inspiring life was celebrated at the ceremony with his four principles for a fulfilled life highlighted to the audience of delegates from across Europe.
Michael Dower’s four principles for a fulfilled life
– Dare the impossible: Be ambitious about what you can and what you want to do – punch above your weight
– Do it now: Whatever needs to be done – postponing or avoiding action means losing substance, understanding and time
– Help if you can: Volunteer if you see others needing your support. Inspire people to do the same.
– Be reliable: Never promise what you cannot hold. Check what is within your capacity and time before committing
