The community of Knoydart in the Scottish Highlands lives according to ancient clan structures. The residents work together in solidarity, with profits going back to the community and thus benefiting everyone. Electricity is produced independently via a small hydroelectric power plant, forests are reforested, and native animal species are protected. This makes Knoydart not only a model for solidarity and coexistence but also for climate protection.
Legacy of clan structures: 130 people live together in a supportive community
Knoydart is a remote peninsula in the Scottish Highlands. It is not connected to the road network and can only be reached by boat or a long hike. Around 130 people live here in a community based on traditional clan structures. The region has a long history of changes in ownership and displacement. In the 19th century, hundreds of Knoydart residents were forcibly resettled to Canada in the wake of the “Highland Clearances”. Across Scotland, people were driven out of the Highlands, sometimes violently, to make way for widespread sheep farming, from which the large landowners hoped to reap high profits.
For many regions, this meant the end of communal clan life. But in Knoydart, a few families refused to be displaced. In 1948, seven men attempted to take possession of land themselves in order to establish small farms. Although they failed legally, they became symbols of resistance and laid the foundation for later efforts at self-government. Courageous local resistance to these resettlements continues to shape the community to this day.
Knoydart Foundation since 1997: Self-government & affordable housing
The 1990s saw a decisive change. The Knoydart Foundation was established in 1997 to purchase land and manage it collectively in the interests of the residents. Two years later, the land was finally acquired. Since 1999, the peninsula has belonged to the people who live there.
Under the foundation, the people now organise many things collectively. This ranges from the local pub to the village shop and accommodation to tourism and agricultural projects. This cooperative structure ensures that profits flow back into the region and benefit the people who live there. Thanks to affordable housing and subsidies for building land, young people in particular are drawn to this remote region in the Highlands.
Knoydart produces its own electricity and is committed to modern environmental protection
Knoydart is not connected to the national power grid but generates its own electricity via a small hydroelectric power plant, making the community energy independent. Respectful coexistence with nature is also important to the community: coniferous monocultures are being replaced by deciduous forests, and rare native species are being promoted. Landscape conservation initiatives are compensating for ecological damage caused in previous centuries. At the same time, the people of Knoydart use local products in agriculture and trade – for example, through vegetable cultivation and community-run shops and restaurants. Many residents take on multiple tasks to keep the community running.
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