SWMID Community Survey: Your Voice on Our Future

Community Survey

Your Voice, Our Future: Help Shape the Next Chapter for South West Mull and Iona Development!

Now is a truly exciting moment for our community. SWMID is inviting you to help shape the direction of our island for the next three years and beyond. This is your chance to influence how we care for our forests and coastline, support local enterprise, create new opportunities, and ensure our community thrives for generations to come.

Every response to this survey will help build a future that reflects our shared hopes, values, and ambitions. Whether you’ve lived here all your life, just arrived, or care deeply about our area, your perspective is vital—let’s make our voices count together!

This information is designed to help you understand the key issues, options, and opportunities facing South West Mull and Iona Development (SWMID) as you complete the community survey. It covers all major areas of the survey and provides background, current status, and what your choices could mean for the future of our community.

SWMID Vision, Mission & Values

We have summarised a draft vision, mission and values , this survey will help us to refine or adapt these to fit with the community feedback.

Vision: To create a thriving, sustainable and resilient future for South West Mull and Iona through community-led development that balances environmental stewardship with economic opportunity and social wellbeing.

Mission: To develop and manage community-owned assets and sustainable enterprises that create local opportunities, strengthen community resilience, and protect the natural environment.

Core Values:

Community Leadership: Local people shape decisions
Environmental Stewardship: Regenerative practices
Collaboration: Partnerships and collective action
Innovation: New approaches for community needs
Sustainability: Long-term thinking for future generations

Your feedback on whether these reflect your priorities will help shape our direction.

Strategic Themes (2025–2030)

These are some suggested core themes that SWMID will work within for the next 5 years however you can add to or change these within the survey.

Sustainable Land and Sea Management: Regenerative forestry and marine farming, aiming for carbon neutrality.
Community Enterprise Development: Local employment, new businesses, and increased revenue.
Community Engagement & Governance: Stronger participation and democratic decision-making.
Organisational Resilience: Secure funding and adaptive management for long-term stability.
Partnership & Innovation: Collaborations and piloting new ways to serve the community.

Key Projects & Decisions

As we approach 2027, South West Mull and Iona Development (SWMID) faces some of our most important decisions yet. Our three largest assets—Aird Fada Seaweed Farm, Tiroran Community Forest, and the Columba Centre—have each played a unique role in our community’s story. Now, we’re inviting you into the conversation about what comes next, and sharing the numbers and realities behind each choice.

Aird Fada Seaweed Farm: A Fork in the Road

When we launched the Aird Fada Seaweed Farm on 6 hectares of Loch Scridain, we hoped it would become a model for sustainable local enterprise. Our first harvest in 2022 yielded 30 tonnes of sugar kelp, and we invested heavily—over £126,000 in infrastructure. But despite our efforts, the farm’s revenue has remained a small fraction of SWMID’s income, far below our target of £4,000–£5,000 per month.

With the farm’s license expiring in June 2027, we must decide soon: do we keep going, sell, or close? Selling the license and equipment could bring in between £30,000 and £60,000—funds we could reinvest in other priorities. It would also save us from £20,000–£40,000 in decommissioning costs. If no buyer comes forward, shutting down would still cost us £10,000–£35,000 for marine contractors and equipment removal. There’s also a third option: remove the equipment but keep the lease (just £140 per year), giving us the flexibility to restart in the future if circumstances change.

Each path has trade-offs—between immediate funds, long-term opportunity, and the staff time we can devote to other community work.

Tiroran Community Forest: Balancing Income, Nature, and Community

Our community forest spans nearly 790 hectares and has been a steady, if challenging, source of local jobs and revenue. In 2022–23, timber sales brought in £241,392, but obligations to restock, fence, and maintain the land remain.

The market for timber is currently low, so timing matters. If we harvest the remaining east coupe (over 15,000 tonnes), we could bring in £535,723 from timber sales and another £99,330 in restocking grants. But this is balanced by major costs: £359,898 for restocking, £141,036 for new fencing, and over £100,000 in management fees. When all is said and done, this phased approach is essentially break-even, with a projected net of –£14,970. Plus, after harvesting, we’d need to wait five years to control pine weevils before restocking.

Alternatively, selling the eastern block could give us a one-off windfall of £400,000–£600,000, but at the cost of long-term income and community control. There’s also a bold, future-focused option: shifting from timber to biodiversity, aiming for up to £5.9 million over ten years if Scotland’s ecosystem services market matures. It’s a big vision, but with high uncertainty and a long payback.

The hybrid approach—harvesting now, but investing in biodiversity for the future—could offer both stability and new opportunities, if we have the capacity to manage it.

The Columba Centre: Unlocking Community Value

The Columba Centre has long been a familiar space for local groups, events, and fitness, bringing in about £397 per month—just under £4,800 a year—from rentals and gym memberships. However, it costs SWMID around £11,000 each year to operate, meaning the Centre currently runs at a significant loss.

Rather than focusing solely on the possibility of exiting, we’re asking: how can the Columba Centre work harder for our community? There’s real potential to increase its value as a local hub. Ideas include expanding programming, hosting more classes and events, and encouraging new partnerships or community-led initiatives. With the right energy and involvement, the Centre could boost its income, better serve local needs, and become a more sustainable and vibrant asset.

We’re keen to hear your ideas for how the Columba Centre could play an even bigger role in community life—whether that’s new activities, different uses, or fresh ways of bringing people together.

What Happens Next?

We’re making these decisions in stages:

By December 2025: We’ll set our direction for all three assets.
By March 2026: We aim to have a buyer for Aird Fada (or a closure plan) and secure approvals for the forest.
By December 2026: Transitions should be underway, with new partners confirmed.
By June 2027: SWMID will be focused on our core strengths—community forestry, the garden, and the boat yard.

How Your Input Will Be Used

Your responses will guide SWMID’s Board in making decisions that reflect community needs. Results will shape a three-year plan, and a summary will be shared before any final decisions.

For questions or more info, contact admin@swmid.co.uk

This work is supported by DTAS

Community Survey