Risks & concerns
Purchasing and developing Wind’s Eye exposes HDT to substantial risks, which we are taking seriously and mitigating wherever possible.
An example is through our decision to pursue ‘only’ acquisition of the Wind’s Eye block, rather than larger areas of Gartly Forest we considered at the outset.
Together with our advisors, Community Woodlands Association (CWA), we concluded that Wind’s Eye can deliver significant community benefit at the lowest acquisition cost.
Remaining risks identified – operational, technical financial and reputational - include:
- Funding challenges
- Timber price fluctuations
- Windblow & tree disease
- Community capacity & volunteer involvement
- Community concerns about the wind farm proposal
We aim to mitigate these through open communication, careful planning, phased development, professional input, financial prudence, partnership working, considering alternatives and ensuring HDT continues its strong governance.
Learning from other community groups e.g. Abriachan Forest Trust (www.abriachan.org.uk) is a great way to identify risks and avoid mistakes. We will arrange learning journeys to them over the coming months and hope that interested community members will join us.
Should acquisition prove impossible, a fallback for us is to seek a lease of Wind’s Eye from FLS. However, the CWA feasibility study (PDF) clearly concludes that community ownership offers the best balance of community benefit, affordability, long-term control and flexibility for future generations. It effectively confirms our view that not trying to secure the opportunities that Wind’s Eye offers is riskier than trying to do so!
