The Scottish Countryside Alliance (SCA), along with other rural campaigners, have written to a Scottish college to support a gamekeeping course.

SCA, Scottish Gamekeepers Association, BASC and the Heather Trust wrote to Scotland's Rural College (SRUC) to express “strong support for the retention of the HND wildlife and conservation course” at SRUC Oatridge.

This comes at a time when the SRUC are also closing their Animal Care course at Elmwood campus in Fife, a move which has caused considerable backlash from the local community and many MSPs, including Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife. This is yet another loss for further education in a rural area of Scotland

In February the SRUC initiated a review of its operations after its deficit more than doubled to £10.8m in the 2023-24 fiscal year. The college launched a three-year recovery plan.

The group of rural organisations stated “the need for skilled practitioners has never been greater” at a time when the Natural Environment Bill is going through Scottish parliament. “Losing this course would be a significant setback: both for the students… and for the wider conservation and wildlife management sector that relies on such well-trained graduates,” it says.

Jake Swindells, director of the Scottish Countryside Alliance, said:

“An outdoor learning experience could mark the beginning of a young person's journey toward a career in the countryside - one they might never have considered without the opportunity to engage in outdoor education through their school.

"We need our young people to live and work in rural areas to maintain a thriving and economically rich countryside, by showing them that they can have a fulfilling career in farming, forestry, conservation, gamekeeping, fishing, or land management. This is achievable with the support and growth of initiatives such as the Scottish Government's Learning About Forests (LEAF) programme and Thrive Outdoors, as well as organisations like NatureScot and Learning through Landscapes.

"I can’t understate how valuable this course is. When the Scottish government is looking to retain youngsters in the countryside, allowing the likes of SRUC to withdraw courses like this means only one thing – depopulation. That is something we are trying to fight against.”