Annual ReportAnnual ReportAbout the Countryside Trust

The Trust was established in 1997 and is a partnership between Perth and Kinross Council, Scottish Natural Heritage, Scottish Enterprise, the Gannochy Trust, and Forestry Commission Scotland. Funding is provided by the partners supplemented by grant aid from other sources from time to time. The Trust welcomes contributions to support its work.

It aims to

‘Provide and promote high quality opportunities for access and recreation throughout Perth and Kinross for the benefit of the community as a whole.’

Its current priorities are to:

• Develop and promote path networks in and around towns and villages

• Provide technical and financial help and advice for projects that fulfil the Trust’s aims

• Develop a number of strategic routes throughout Perth and Kinross for walkers, cyclists and horseriders

• Promote responsible access to the countryside for local people and visitors

Its Executive Committee (Board of Directors) for 2010-11 consisted of members from Perth and Kinross Council, the Gannochy Trust, Scottish Natural Heritage, Scottish Enterprise and Forestry Commission Scotland as well as representatives of tourism, recreation, community and land management interests.

Members

Councillor Bob Ellis (Chairman)

Councillor Willie RobertsonStewart MacLeod, the Gannochy Trust

Murdoch MacKenzie, the Gannochy Trust

Stephen Baillie, Scottish Enterprise

Mike Shepherd, Scottish Natural Heritage

replaced by Carolyn DeasleySyd House, Forestry Commission Scotland

Jane Anderson, Land Management Interests

Gilbert Summers,Tourism Interests (resigned September 2010)

Joe Richardson Community Interests (resigned March 2011)

Alasdair Hamilton Recreation Interests

The day to day work of the Countryside Trust was carried out by the following members of staff:

Paul McLennan (Manager)

Andrew Barrie, Robbie Gordon, Angela Hughes (Project Officers)

Assisted by the following representatives of the main partners:

Gillian Taylor (Company Secretary)

Scott Walker (Treasurer)

Colin Castle, Brenda Clough, Chris Ford, Alistair Godfrey, Fiona Meikle (Technical Advisers)

The Auditors are Tenon Audit Ltd

Established in 1997, Perth and Kinross Countryside Trust is a company registered under the Companies Act with charitable status and is limited by guarantee.

Registered Office : 2 High Street, Perth PH1 5PH

Staff work from Pullar House, 35 Kinnoull Street, Perth PH1 5GD

If you would like to know more about the work of the Countryside Trust contact the Trust Manager, PKCT, Pullar House, 35 Kinnoull Street, Perth PH1 5GD.

Tel: 01738 475255 Fax: 01738 476510

Email: info@pkct.org

www.pkct.org

Another year of the small PKCT team achieving big things – with continued help from the executive, partner organisations, supporters and funders.The following overview, and our yearly round up in photos, gives a taster of some of our work throughout Perthshire Big Tree Country. As usual, it reflects the focus and objectives of the Scottish Executive for communities in Scotland.

WeAlTHier AnD fAirer A range of events and projects brought economic benefits and investment to local communities. Through Supporting Big Tree Country, staff and guests of The Gleneagles Hotel raised over £100k for projects to improve and conserve the area in which the hotel operates.Thanks to the Mega Geocaching event, the Heart of Scotland 100 Mile Challenge and The enchanted forest™ – all supported by the Trust – an estimated £1.9 million was spent locally. With smaller events such as Wild Connections adding to this, the figure is pretty impressive.

HeAlTHier

A Trust grant to Highland Safaris helped create BikeTrax, a new

cycling skills loop allowing novice mountain bikers to experience difficult terrain and obstacles to prepare them for forest trails.

The publication of volumes 3 & 4 of experience Big Tree Country completed the set of walks booklets from local author Felicity Martin. For those looking for more of a challenge, final preparations for the Cateran Yomp are underway – 54 miles in 24 hours!

SAfer AnD STronGer

Several local communities have safer access to the countryside thanks to projects and grants from PKCT. Access along both the Provost Walk, Auchterarder and Blairgowrie riverside has been made safer and easier with improvement works carried out by the Trust.

Working with Stanley Community Development Trust, and local landowners, the Trust delivered a new path through farmland at Shiel Hill overlooking the historic Stanley Mills, and continued support of

TrACKS allowed a new path at Burleigh Castle, Kinross.

A grant to Highland Perthshire Cycling enabled the group to develop initiatives from a schools training programme to getting local tourist providers involved in the Cyclists Welcome2 initiative.

SMArTerThe Trust’s new outdoor learning initiative Woodlands, Words & Wonders is now up and running and is already receiving lots of attention. The first two rounds were over-subscribed and feedback from the pupils taking part has been extremely positive and enthusiastic. An activity pack – Great outdoors – has been developed to complement the project and there will be a series of CPD teacher training events. The activities will also be featured on the new Big Tree Country website later in 2011.

GreenerMoncreiffe Hill benefitted from an upgrade helped by a grant from the Trust, and the orchard festival in the Carse of Gowrie provided a fun way for the local community to get involved with the Historic Orchards project. Finally, winners of the BTC Awards enjoyed an afternoon at The Gleneagles Hotel. St Madoes Primary School, Cairn O’Mohr Winery and the 10th Perthshire Scout Group received beautiful awards hand-carved by PKCT project officer Robbie Gordon.Our newsletter and website feature more on our work or take a look at www.perthshirebigtreecountry.co.uk.

PERTH & KINROSS COUNTRYSIDE TRUST 2010-11

Chairman’s Report 2010-11

This project is part fundedby the European Union

Europe and ScotlandMaking it Work Together

Councillor Bob EllisChairman, Perth and Kinross Countryside Trust

www.pkct.org

© Z

oe B

arrie

Highlights from an independent evaluation of the BTC Heritage & Access Project:• BTC brand is worth £1.8

million per annum to the area• Over a dozen new sites are

now accessible to the less able bodied

• 95% of visitors interviewed rated their visit either good or very good

Wildlife in close up at Wild Connections

Geocaching in Craigvinean as part

of the Mega event – is it a plane?

Local writer Linda Cracknell was the popular presenter of the BTC Awards 2010

Finance in 2010-11 Finance in 2010-11

Income

A year in pictures ...

Latitude 56˚, you really are geocaching that far north!

Trying out the terrain at the new

BikeTrax at Highland Safaris

www.pkct.org

Drumming up support at the Moncreiffe Hill

open day

100 miles over 48 hours really is

challenging … and a lot of fun!

Income £Perth & Kinross Council 36.3% 198,114Scottish Enterprise Tayside 4.6% 25,000Scottish Natural Heritage 0.7% 3,754Forestry Commission 2.8% 15,075Big Tree Country Forest Education Initiative 5.5% 30,000NHMF Lottery Fund 3.9% 21,020The Gleneagles Hotel Scheme 6.4% 35,000Upper Tay Paths Group 0.8% 4,500Sustrans 9.8% 53,600Enchanted Forest 28.3% 154,127Interest 0.1% 728Other Income 0.8% 4,591 545,509

Expenditure Project costs 51.6% 355,865Grants 19.1% 131,737Staff related costs 28.6% 197,052Other costs 0.8% 5,369 690,023 -144,514

Perth & Kinross Countryside Trust’s fourteenth financial year ended on 31 March 2011.

36.3%

4.6%0.7%

2.8%5.5%3.9%

0.8%

9.8%

0.1%

6.4%

28.3%

0.8%

19.1%

0.8%

Expenditure

51.6%

28.6%

Photos by Zoe Barrie, Anna Henly, Highland Safaris, Woodland Trust Scotland

Roseanna Cunningham MSP plants a tree at Gleneagles to mark money raised by staff and guests

Sit in quiet contemplation along Blairgowrie Riverside

Learning about plants

with Running Fox

The new look BTC Award hand carved by Robbie Gordon

Members of 10th Perthshire Scout group are congratulated on their BTC award

David Douglas, Running Fox and Henny outside the Woodlands, Words and Wonders tipiWoodland animals find a new home on Moncreiffe Hill

Lighting the way through the Enchanted Forest at Faskally