Volunteer and Visitor Coordinator Appointed for Bennachie
August 2021
The conservation charity, the Bailies of Bennachie, supported by NatureScot Better Places Green Recovery Fund, have appointed Estée Farrar as Visitor and Volunteer Coordinator. Dave Peter (Bailies’ Trustee) said:
“Estée comes with a wealth of experience and we are delighted to appoint her in this role. Many thanks to @NatureScot for supporting our project to make visiting Bennachie an even better experience for both visitors and the community, through the #BetterPlacesFund for a #GreenRecovery @GreenerScotland @VisitScotland @ScotGov”
He explained:
“During 2020, Bennachie and the surrounding area experienced increased visitor numbers, which resulted in extra strain on infrastructure, at a time when COVID-19 restrictions prevented maintenance. Anti-social behaviour such as littering and inconsiderate parking caused some concerns with local residents. With numbers set to increase further in 2021 and in order to address some of these issues, the role of Visitor and Volunteer Coordinator has been created”.
“Bailies’ volunteers have recently returned to the hill, following easing of COVID-19 restrictions and Estée will coordinate maintenance activities to make the best use of their time. Interaction with visitors will include education to promote responsible access to the countryside and the visitor experience will be improved through the monitoring of facilities and making stakeholders aware of any issues. Education of visitors and management of facilities will help to ease any potential conflict between visitors and the local community”.
Estée’s introducing herself said:
“I am an environmental scientist and ardent outdoor enthusiast, working extensively in conservation, environmental science, outdoor access policy roles and working in the backcountry, in Britain and overseas. I've dedicated my career to actively protecting and restoring the environment with a focus on enhancing access to green space; reconnecting people with nature; sustainability and improving biodiversity, soil and water quality”.
“I am genuinely excited about working with the Bailies of Bennachie, as the organisation cares about Bennachie, delivering wider public benefit. This role enables me to share my wealth of experience in environmental management: protecting and enhancing the natural environment, cultural heritage and unique landscape for future generations; developing and improving access to the outdoors, and promoting relationships between the organisation and volunteers, visitors and the local community”.
This project is supported by NatureScot, through the Better Places Green Recovery Fund.
@NatureScot #GreenRecovery #BetterPlacesFund
@GreenerScotland @ScotGov @VisitScotlland
