GIRVAN’S Laura Warrender has been appointed Clydeside Chair of Scottish Land & Estates, the rural business membership organisation.

In her new role, Laura will work with SLE Chairman Mark Tennant, SLE’s Chief Executive Sarah-Jane Laing and local colleagues and members to ensure that the needs of farmers, rural businesses, estates and local communities across

Clydeside are considered by government both locally and nationally.

She will also help steer SLE’s work in the South West of Scotland.

Laura has been a partner in the family business Minuntion Estate for the past three years.

At the heart of it is a large sheep farm but it is also a traditional sporting estate, with self catering holiday accommodation, a woodland school for local children and outward bound groups and commercial forestry.

Commenting on her new position, Laura said: “I’m delighted to

have been appointed Clydeside Chair.

“I am looking forward to helping SLE and Clydeside members continue to play a key role in developing new thinking and approaches in land management and biodiversity, which I am very passionate about.

“As a Wildlife Estates Scotland accredited estate, I would like to help other farms and estates to become accredited by WES – a programme run by SLE which recognises landowners who are committed to best practice in conservation, habitat and wildlife management”.

One of Laura’s priorities for Minuntion Estate is to continue to enhance and protect biodiversity, working towards achieving level 2 accreditation of Wildlife Estates Scotland,.

She also hopes to build on the extensive planting schemes of native woodland, and the restoration of habitats undertaken by her parents in law.