TI Newsletter, Sep 2025

We’re pleased to update you that we now have two new members of the TI team. 

Project Manager
James Allan has been appointed to the Project Manager role. He has extensive project management experience and is relatively local. 

Background info from James: “I’ve been visiting Loch Sween for over 40 years and have always loved the hills, seas and countryside of the area. People will probably have seen me windsurfing on the loch or sailing round the coast at some point. I now live permanently in Ardfern and work mainly as a consultant for community and charitable organisations. Tayvallich is a very special place and I am delighted to be able to work as Project Manager with Tayvallich Initiative to build on the incredible progress already made. I am particularly looking forward to getting to know more of the people in the community.” 

You will no doubt have a chance to meet James over the coming weeks. 

And a huge thanks to Ellie Logan for all her work over the last two years; Ellie has made an enormous difference to TI’s work and we wish her well with her next endeavours.

Rhododendron Technician
Hilary Blyth is being appointed to the role of Rhododendron Technician. Hilary lives at Scotnish and she has technical experience in Rhododendron control and a detailed approach to the work. She will be working with the Community Rangers on a project supported by Highlands & Islands Environment Foundation. 

Upcoming events and meetings

Grassland Survey and Plant ID Session with Claudia Foster
Thursday 4 Sept, 2pm. Meet at the Tayvallich shop (what3words ///garage.stream.reporting)
Full details at https://tinyurl.com/250904-TI-survey-ID-walk 


TI Community Steering Group meetings

• There are plans for a couple of TI Community Steering Group meetings over the next 2–3 months focusing on Renewables and on Housing. 
• Autumn will also be a good time to review the visioning work that Nils and Keira did earlier in the year, looking at how best to develop a Community Action Plan involving all the community organisations and businesses.
• More details and dates will be announced shortly.

Past events 

Tayvallich Flower Show 

• As ever, a great Flower Show thanks to the dedication and hard work of the committee… with a great spread of baking, preserves, photos, children’s sections, cut flowers and fruit/veg.
• Mary MacDougall always had many exhibits at the Tayvallich Flower Show … gardening was a passion of hers and her veg was very impressive. For the first time Tayvallich Community Garden veg was entered in to the Flower Show, grown on Mary’s Land… and came away with prizes for onions, beetroot and peas… it’s great that Mary’s green fingers are being honoured at this annual event!
• If you’d like to be part of the community garden project, please email info@tayvallichinitiative.org; a great opportunity to learn about and enjoy fruit growing, veg growing, etc even if you don’t feel you have green fingers. Hands-on help is also needed to put up fencing, and to put on protectors on saplings.

Tayvallich Gala Day

• TI Community Rangers had a pirate-themed table at the Tayvallich Gala Day in July. 
• The table included a new walking map for the blue and red routes (developed by Claudia Foster, and the map is also available in Tayvallich Shop) and a show of veg from Mary’s Land.
• There were also requests for thoughts on signage and interpretation boards (get in touch via ranger@tayvallichinitiative.org if you’d like more info)
• Argyll and the Isles Coast and Countryside Trust (ACT) also had a table, providing more info about rhododendron control. Information about their work is available here: https://www.act-now.org.uk/act-rainforest-restoration-package; ACT reported: “Heather and Stuart had a brilliant time! It was lovely chatting to folk about the work our Rainforest Squad’s doing to clear Rhododendron ponticum in the area, plus sharing info on how to get involved through Our Rainforest Futures. We even met some friendly pirates along the way.”

Other recent events

• Any Questions? on Radio 4: In May, Any Questions came from Ardfern… Tayvallicher Louise Logue asked a question about rural housing at 42mins in… While not undervaluing the economic benefits of holiday lets, Louise asked about support for building further homes to help younger people live and work in the area. Link to the programme here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002c3l3
• Himalayan balsam pulling: On the community land beside the old Carsaig road Himalayan balsam was pulled up a year ago, with more to pull up this season… but pleasingly the patches were much less dense and they were relatively easy to deal with. It will be intriguing to see how they look in summer 2026.
• Damsel, Dragon and Butterfly Walk and Photography: Thanks to Steve Carter for a great afternoon in July exploring the Cnoc Leis peat pools to discover and ID wonderful dragonflies, damselflies and butterflies. 

Finally, a reminder that TI meeting notes/minutes are available at http://tinyurl.com/TI-Meeting-Notes, and there are also print-outs in a folder in the café. There are a couple of people who prefer to receive emails as hard-copy printouts; if you know anyone who’d like this, please email info@tayvallichinitiative.org; there’s also a TI mailbox at the Hall.

The TI Board