As the transition from fossil fuel to renewable energy gathers pace, the location of infrastructure to support the change has become increasingly contentious.
From a trickle of wind farm applications in areas like the Borders and the Highlands a decade ago, many rural communities are now facing a flood of development proposals for increasingly higher turbines, battery energy compounds, vast solar parks and new electricity sub stations.
Highlands councillor Helen Crawford began a push back last year which led to a unified statement on behalf of 50 community councils in her area being sent to Holyrood.
As well as asking the government to oppose the “industrialisation” of the countryside and protect communities, the appeal called for a planning inquiry, and all major applications to be paused.
Councillor Crawford, who was a guest speaker at the Jedburgh convention on Saturday, said: “We need an urgent review of what is happening to our countryside – people from Shetland to here in the Borders are deeply concerned.
“We are starting to come together and that unified voice is powerful.
“It is becoming increasingly difficult for the Scottish government to ignore what rural communities are saying.”