Hebridean land war looms over nature reserve plans

The tiny Hebridean island of Berneray is famous for crofting and for its machair - rare wild flower meadows which grow on sand made from broken sea shells.

The tiny Hebridean island of Berneray is famous for crofting and for its machair - rare wild flower meadows which grow on sand made from broken sea shells.

But the community of 140 people is also famous for fighting to save its way of life: legend recalls islanders rioting successfully in 1872 against threatened evictions, a victory which led to the so-called "Highland Land War''.

More than a century on, the crofters now claim that their fragile traditional way of life is threatened again - this time by government plans to designate much of their lands a site of special scientific interest.

Islanders say the plans proposed by Scottish Natural Heritage mean that 75 per cent of the machair, where they graze their cattle and sheep, will become subject to stringent regulations. Designation would mean that any change of land use would have to be notified to ensure that the local bird populations would not be effected.

If classified, the area would form part of a network of sites throughout the EU designed to conserve natural habitats and species of birds, plants and animals which are rare, endangered or vulnerable.

The Prince of Wales is also understood to have voiced concerns about the move. He has visited the island frequently to learn about crofting first hand, and helped in a wide variety of tasks, including planting potatoes, gathering sheep and harvesting hay.

"We love the birds and the animals and it is well-preserved and we hope to keep it that way," said John Angus MacCuish of the island's Machair Action Group, which hosted a crisis meeting with SNH last night on the island. "I don't think we need two pages of conditions from Scottish Natural Heritage to carry this on."

Last night Jeff Watson of SNH defended the move saying that the island's crofting life was not in danger. He said Prince Charles had been kept informed. "We would share his concerns if we believed that this was to be the end result... I do not believe that SSSI status will damage crofting. In many ways to have this kind of recognition will give the crofting community on Berneray a head start."