The community of Knoydart in the Scottish
Highlands lives according to ancient clan structures. The
residents work together in solidarity, with profits going
back to the community and thus benefiting everyone.
Electricity is produced independently via a small
hydroelectric power plant, forests are reforested, and
native animal species are protected. This makes Knoydart not
only a model for solidarity and coexistence but also for
climate protection.
Legacy of clan
structures: 130 people live together in a supportive
community
Knoydart is a remote peninsula in the
Scottish Highlands. It is not connected to the road network
and can only be reached by boat or a long hike. Around 130
people live here in a community based on traditional
clan structures. The region has a long history of
changes in ownership and displacement. In the 19th century,
hundreds of Knoydart residents were forcibly resettled to
Canada in the wake of the “Highland
Clearances”. Across Scotland, people were driven out
of the Highlands, sometimes violently, to make way for
widespread sheep farming, from which the large landowners
hoped to reap high profits.
For many regions, this
meant the end of communal clan life. But in Knoydart, a few
families refused to be displaced. In 1948, seven men
attempted to take possession of land themselves in order to
establish small farms. Although they failed legally, they
became symbols of resistance and laid the foundation for
later efforts at self-government. Courageous local
resistance to these resettlements continues to shape the
community to this day.
Knoydart Foundation since 1997:
Self-government & affordable housing
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The 1990s
saw a decisive change. The Knoydart
Foundation was established in 1997 to purchase land and
manage it collectively in the interests of the residents.
Two years later, the land was finally acquired. Since 1999,
the peninsula has belonged to the people who live
there.
Under the foundation, the people now organise
many things collectively. This ranges from the local pub to
the village shop and accommodation to tourism and
agricultural projects. This cooperative structure ensures
that profits flow back into the region and benefit the
people who live there. Thanks to affordable housing and
subsidies for building land, young people in particular are
drawn to this remote region in the
Highlands.
Knoydart produces its own electricity and
is committed to modern environmental
protection
Knoydart is not connected to the national
power grid but generates its own electricity via a small
hydroelectric power plant, making the community energy
independent. Respectful coexistence with nature is also
important to the community: coniferous monocultures are
being replaced by deciduous forests, and rare native species
are being promoted. Landscape conservation initiatives are
compensating for ecological damage caused in previous
centuries. At the same time, the people of Knoydart use
local products in agriculture and trade – for example,
through vegetable cultivation and community-run shops and
restaurants. Many residents take on multiple tasks to keep
the community running.
This work is licensed under the
Creative Common License. The original author/source:
https://kontrast.at//Sarah Hammerschmid and link to the
English article:
The rights to the content remain with the original
publisher.
