Lottery funds for Skye and Tomintoul landscape projects
- Published
The exhibits in Skye's ecomuseum are features of the landscape
A museum on Skye that has no walls or roof and a landscape project in Moray have secured Lottery funding.
Staffin Community Trust has been awarded a grant of £522,100 for its ecomuseum, which is the first of its kind in Scotland.
The museum's exhibits are features of the landscape at Staffin, on Skye, such as archaeological sites and geology.
Tomintoul and Glenlivet Landscape Partnership has won a £2.24m grant for social and environmental projects.
These include turning Tomintoul Museum into a discovery centre and tourist hub and restoring woodland along sections of the River Avon.
Cabinet Secretary for the Environment Roseanna Cunningham has welcomed the awarding of the grants.
She said: "It's great to see this investment in and support for Scotland's landscapes.
"Our landscapes are iconic and will provide a magnificent backdrop for these projects that will encourage people to explore Scotland's spectacular outdoors, protect our biodiversity, benefit rural communities and encourage visitors from home and abroad."
Tomintoul and Glenlivet Landscape Partnership has secured major funding
Donald MacDonald, chairman of Staffin Community Trust, said the funding would help develop the ecomuseum.
He said: "As a committee we aspire to our theme of climb the Cuillin, walk Trotternish and for the whole of Skye this is a significant investment in our tourism and educational infrastructure.
"The fact that this funding will also create a new three-year post is also important in a remote fragile area and will help to give people confidence, pride and a sense of place."
Cairngorms National Park Authority board member Eleanor Mackintosh said the £2.24m represented a "massive boost" for the Tomintoul and Glenlivet area of the Cairngorms.
She added: "Heritage Lottery funding will result in investment in new and improved facilities and infrastructure, new job opportunities and other community driven projects - there are exciting times ahead.
"I would like to thank and congratulate all those involved in helping to secure this funding."
Moray Council's chairman of both its economic development committee and of the Moray Economic Partnership, John Cowe, added: "We've been extremely supportive of this initiative from the start, including committing £200,000 to it.
"I'm sure this level of backing from all those involved has demonstrated to the Heritage Lottery Fund that the project has huge local support. We're delighted for all those that have worked so hard to bring this about."