Ian Merrell

Are you involved in Community-Led Local Development (CLLD), LAGs, Scottish Rural Network or Scottish Rural Action? A friendly reminder that there are multiple surveys currently open (until the end of August). Scan the QR code or the link in the comments below to get involved!

Lots of opportunities to get involved in the Rural Communities Policy Review coming up. #Scotland #rural #RuralDevelopment

New Blog by @IanMerrell_ : @SRUC and @ScottishLandCom launch the Rural Land Market Insights Report 2025 at the Royal Highland Show. Available on our Rural Exchange: ruralexchange.scot/blog/new-repor…

We propose a goldilocks optimum of 'not too closed, not too open' as the ideal workspace for entrepreneurs operating in New Workspaces

It's been a while since I had a paper published as a lead author - but here is a new one! tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.10… 'Workspaces for entrepreneurs: conceptualizing openness in new workspaces as clopen office provision'. Authored with @NICRErural 's Matt Gorton and @JeremyPhillipso

New Research Briefing on factors influencing capital investment into Scottish farms published today. Clear correlation with profitability, succession planning, younger farmers and external factors. ruralexchange.scot/blog/new-resea…

@ScottishLandCom @JamesMacKL would you like me to come along?

The first CPD webinar of the year for land agents is here. Join us at 12pm on Wednesday 5 March 2025, for a land reform policy and land market update and Q&A discussion with experts from our Policy and Good Practice teams. ℹ Booking & details: eventbrite.co.uk/e/land-agents-…

New publication: 'Food and Rural Entrepreneurship' chapter, co-written with @DrEifiona and Rebecca Jones (Bangor University) now available in 'Rural Entrepreneurship: Harvesting Ideas and Sowing New Seeds' emerald.com/insight/conten…

@davidrobertchar and myself discuss clustering policy and have created a new typology of different clustering approaches appropriate for rural place and entrepreneurs. emerald.com/insight/conten…

This book is to celebrate 20 years of the Rural Entrepreneurial Conference (this year hosted by @BangorUni). @gary_boz, Polly (@impacthubINV) @bob80454367, @ArturSteiner1 and Don Webber came up with idea and its packed full of amazing authors.

Like buses, two book chapters have came at the same time! This time in "Rural Entrepreneurship: Harvesting Ideas and Sowing New Seeds" emerald.com/insight/public…. I was partnered up with my friend @davidrobertchar to discuss clustering policy over the past 20 years.

DEADLINE APPROACHING! 4 days left to get your abstracts in for the @ESRSociology conference in Riga. Working groups and all manner of interesting topics esrs2025.rsu.lv including ones hosted by @RuralPolicySRUC and @JamesHuttonInst on land reform and island populations

@gkrtzs 🫂

@IanMerrell_ Thank you for your wonderful chapter Ian - always lovely to work with you! 👏👏👏

Such a pleasure to be invited to contribute to this bold new vision of rural areas in a post-capitalist world from a star-studded line up of amazing Academics ♥️

📢 New book: Postcapitalist Countrysides @UCLpress! From land commoning and rural social enterprises, to experimental food commons, Indigenous collectives & land art practices. And more! Co-edited with @gallent_n, @marksco_envplan & A Purves #OpenAccess uclpress.co.uk/book/postcapit…

ICYMI Rural Poverty - @NICRErural State of the Art report by @MarkShucksmith & Jane Atterton now available. @UniofNewcastle @cretweeting @RuralPolicySRUC @ACRE_national @RSNonline @DefraRural @rurallabouruk @DrJayneGlass @PollyCh71717157 Free download nicre.co.uk/media/oa2awzgu…

This year the Rural Entrepreneurship Conference will be held in Wales for the first time at Bangor University. With @DrEifiona at the helm it's sure to be a good one! More details here: bangor.ac.uk/events/22nd-ru… Abstract submission is 28th February

SG's Approaches to Rural Proofing published today w/ intl examples from Spain, NZ & Korea gov.scot/publications/a… Informed by Jane Atterton's work on rural proofing & @SEFARIscot Specialist Advisory Group on the Rural Lens ruralexchange.scot/policy/the-rur… @SGRESAS #RuralDeliveryPlan

The @ESRSociology 's 2025 Conference is open for paper submissions! We have two Working Groups; Land Reform and Community-Owned Land for Liveable Futures (@IanMerrell_ and @cdoyle34) and Studying Islands on their Own Terms (@a_vuin). See you in Riga! esrs2025.rsu.lv/deep-dive

@RuralPolicySRUC @ScottishLandCom He most certainly is a 🧙‍♂️!

SRUC's GIS wizard Simon Gibson-Poole contributed to the new Rural Land Market Data Report with @ScottishLandCom The report provides insights into farmland, forestry and estate transactions from 2020-23 showing a slowdown in sales activity compared to previous years.