RSPB cleaner sacked over Flow Country protest stance
AN RSPB Scotland worker has been sacked after objecting to the charity’s plans to develop its Forsinard Flows Visitor Centre as part of a £9.6million project.
Linda Bower (51), a part-time cleaner at the centre, put a sign up in her garden reading "RSPB not welcome in Forsinard" and also wrote letters to the media to voice her opposition to the proposals.
RSPB began a disciplinary procedure and she was told last Friday that she had been dismissed with immediate effect for "gross misconduct".
Mrs Bower, who moved with her husband Jeff to Forsinard over two years ago from Surrey, claimed this week she had been made a "sacrificial lamb".
"I feel I have a right to free speech. I live here. This is something that affects my life. I did not know any other way of objecting," she said.
The Flow to the Future project involves the erection of a new field centre at the Forsinard reserve and a viewing observatory on the Dubh Lochan Trail, as well as new trails, viewpoints and information points. One of the most important aims of the project is the restoration of seven square miles of peatland.
RSPB Scotland is co-ordinating the initiative on behalf of the Peatlands Partnership which comprises Highland Council, Forestry Commission Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage, Plantlife International and the Environmental Research Institute, Thurso.
The partnership has already been granted £4 million Heritage Lottery funding and has also been given planning consent.
Partnership chairman John Henderson has previously said the project will generate significant benefits for local communities and businesses, as well as help restore some important areas of peatlands.
But the planned developments in such an unspoilt area have attracted widespread condemnation from the Forsinard community who have called the centre a "modern monstrosity adorned with wood and glass".
Residents including Mrs Bower objected to planning consent being granted and also attempted to stymie Heritage Lottery Funding. A Facebook page has been set up called "Forsinard Says No".
Their campaign has attracted some heavyweight support, with environmental campaigner and botanist David Bellamy this week reported as being against the developments.
Mrs Bower formerly ran an online search engine optimisation business with her husband before moving north.
She took up the part-time cleaning post in 2011 and worked 10 hours a week from April to October and four hours a week out of season.
Mrs Bower said she had never been given RSPB’s employment handbook, which sets out the conduct expected from its workers.
She said the disciplinary procedure had started a couple of months ago and had been "long and drawn out".
"My direct line manager never approached me but I had three face-to-face meetings with people higher up," she said.
"I had a final disciplinary hearing on 20th June and at that time I was told I would be notified of the decision within a week,
"On 25th June, I got a phone call to tell me I was dismissed with immediate effect and a letter would follow.
"The reason that they gave me for my dismissal was gross misconduct. They said I had brought the RSPB into disrepute by having contact with the media and putting signs in my garden."
Mrs Bower continued: "I knew that I would be the sacrificial lamb. I knew that if anyone was going to suffer, it would be me because I worked for RSPB Scotland.
"I think if I had said to them that I was sorry and would not do it again I would have been given another chance, but I couldn’t do that."
Mrs Bower said the community was fighting on despite failing to block planning consent and funding.
An RSPB Scotland spokesman said he could not comment on legal grounds.
"My understanding is that there is an appeal process available to Mrs Bower. I have no idea if she is going to try and take advantage of that, but if she were to do so, any public comment made now by RSPB could be prejudicial.
"In fairness to Mrs Bower and to ourselves, we are not able to comment," he said.
