Scottish Wildlife_Issue 108_Nov 2022

Number 108 | November 2022

RIVER WOODLANDS Realising the potential of Scotland’s green arteries

FEATURE: Ensuring a bright future for our native red squirrels

BY APPOINTMENT TO HER MAJESTY QUEEN ELIZABETH II SWAROVSKI OPTIK SUPPLIER OF BINOCULARS

ADVENTURE AWAITS SEE THE UNSEEN

Welcome from our Chair

FIRST WORD S

quirrels, beavers and ospreys. Three much-loved Scottish species that all feature in this issue – with stories on each highlighting the sheer breadth of our work.

Now in a new transition phase, the long-running Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels project has proved hugely successful in its core aim of safeguarding red squirrel populations. As you can read on page 24, this has been achieved thanks to an army of committed volunteers and staff who have helped us monitor, track and manage red squirrel populations in many parts of the country.

Elsewhere, Allan Bantick OBE, a previous Chair of the Trust and one of this year’s recipients of our Lifetime Achievement Award, has shared his memories of the Scottish Beaver Trial, which proved to be a first major step towards the reintroduction of beavers in Scotland (see page 34).

Fast forward a dozen or so years and beavers are now making a significant contribution to Scotland’s biodiversity.

It is hoped that a recently published national strategy for Scotland’s beavers will enable populations of these important ecosystem engineers to expand into new parts of the country.

It is also in no small part down to the efforts of the Scottish Beaver Trial that the way was paved for the announcement in October that beavers had become a legally protected species in England.

We also have a delightful story that details how reserve staff were involved in the dramatic rescue of an osprey chick at Balgavies Loch in Angus during the summer (see page 10). It’s yet another

© Raymond Leinster

From our chair, Linda Rosborough

Our work to protect red squirrels has entered a new phase

example of the work carried out to protect wildlife on our reserves around Scotland.

In other exciting news, I am delighted to report that Riverwoods is now gaining momentum. Turn to page 18 for much more on this ambitious initiative that involves us working in close partnership with other wildlife organisations, landowners, local communities and more to create a network of thriving riverbank woodlands and healthy river systems across Scotland.

I am very grateful to all those Members who attended this year’s AGM in September. All heard how the organisation is in good heart, despite the challenges of recent years.

We also had a stimulating discussion on the theme of Peace with Nature, which challenged us all to be more

assertive in our championing of nature.

While online AGMs have proved remarkably successful, I do miss human interactions. It is our intention that future AGMs will be hybrid events, keeping our carbon footprint low and allowing those less able to still attend, while resuming the human connections that have been lacking over the past few years.

Finally, on a personal note, I am now in my final year as Chair of the Trust. It has been an incredibly rewarding five years and I am proud of what has been achieved in this time – and the resilience we have demonstrated as an organisation.

The process of looking for a new Chair will soon begin. If you know someone with the enthusiasm and ability to lead the Trust over the next few years, encourage them to apply.

It is our intention that future AGMs will be hybrid events, keeping our carbon footprint low and allowing those less able to still attend, while resuming human connections.

NOVEMBER 2022 SCOTTISH WILDLIFE 3

Contents

Inside this issue

WIN A STA AT Y HOUS BUSTA E HO TEL, SHET L SEE P AND A GE 33

06

18

06 MARSHLAND

Exploring a key component of Scotland’s lowland wetland habitat.

08 NEWS

News round-up from the Trust and the world of conservation.

RIVER WOODLANDS

16

How healthy river woodlands bring multiple benefits to wildlife – and us.

18 RIBBONS OF LIFE

As Scotland’s watercourses feel the strain of a changing climate, Ida Maspero explores the importance of natural river woodland.

22 Q&A

With Peter Cairns, Executive Director, SCOTLAND: The Big Picture.

24 PASSING THE BATON

Rich Rowe looks at the past, present and future of the Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels project.

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28

28

SEA CHANGE

Professor Nicholas Owens on why ocean monitoring should receive much greater attention.

31 BIG PICTURE

Paul (and Joan) Adams on

a chance encounter with a rare white cormorant.

32 WATCH OUT FOR 34 VIEWPOINT

Things to enjoy in the coming months.

Former Trust Chair Allan Bantick OBE reflects on a defining moment from his career in conservation.

Riparian woodlands in Glen Roy © Rory Sandison Scottish Wildlife magazine is published by the Scottish Wildlife Trust. © Scottish Wildlife Trust. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the express permission of the publisher. All photography © Scottish Wildlife Trust unless otherwise stated. The Scottish Wildlife Trust accepts no liability for omissions or incorrect data in advertisements and letters. Views expressed in Scottish Wildlife are not necessarily those of the Scottish Wildlife Trust.

ISSN: 0143 1234.

Registered office: Harbourside House, 110 Commercial Street, Edinburgh EH6 6NF. Tel: 0131 312 7765. Fax: 0131 312 8705.

Email: enquiries@scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk. Website: scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk The Scottish Wildlife Trust is a company limited by guarantee, registered in Scotland (no. SC040247). It is also a Scottish registered charity (no. SC005792).

Scottish Wildlife is published three times a year: March, July and November.

The Scottish Wildlife Trust is affiliated to The Wildlife Trusts, a UK-wide network of 46 Trusts with more than 2,000 wildlife reserves.

4 SCOTTISH WILDLIFE NOVEMBER 2022

Deadlines for news: 1 January, 1 May, 1 September. No unsolicited articles please.

Scottish Wildlife is free to members. Membership rates from 1 April (excluding discounts for paying by Direct Debit): Individual (concession) £40 (£18); Joint (concession) £47 (£24); Family £57; Watch £18; Life (joint) £900 (£1,300); World/Overseas £45.

Patron: HM King Charles III. Chair: Linda Rosborough.

Vice-Chairs: Tim Duffy, Ian Jardine, Bill Lambert.

Chief Executive: Jo Pike.

Managing Editor: Pete Haskell editor@scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk Contributing Editor: Rich Rowe.

Design: Connect – connectcommunications.co.uk Advertising: Elliot Whitehead 0131 561 0021, Clare Stebbing 0131 561 0024.

Printing: InkMark – inkmarkltd.com

Social Spotlight: media Common link/Web snipe link

COMMON SNIPE Gallinago gallinago

Widespread as a breeding species, this skulking wading bird nests from April to July in shallow scrapes on the ground in marshes, wet grassland and moorland.

A snipe’s long bill has a flexible tip that is packed full of nerve endings. This allows the bird to feel for prey hidden underground and then open the end of its bill to grab them.

On early spring mornings, male snipe make a ‘drumming’ sound as their tail feathers vibrate in the wind during rapid descents as part of aerial courtship displays.

With this unusual sound compared to the bleating of a sheep or goat, the bird is known by other names in several languages – including ‘taivaanvuohi’ in Finnish, meaning ‘sky goat’.

The word ‘sniper’ originates from soldiers in British India in the 1770s, in reference to the challenge of shooting snipe due to its alertness, camouflage and erratic flight.

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© Andy Rouse/2020VISION

SPECIES SPOTLIGHT:

News Spotlight: Marshland

GO WITH THE FLOW COMMON SNIPE

Together with fens, swamps, reedbeds, flushes and raised bogs, marshlands are a key component of lowland wetland habitat.

A soupy land of half-ground and half-water, it is an in-between transition zone – an evocative “space of light, where grass grows in water, and water flows into the sky”, as Delia Owens writes in her lyrical novel, Where the Crawdads Sing.

Distinct from swamps, which occur when there is standing water year-round, marshland is often found near the mouth of rivers or on floodplains where the water table is near or just

OTTER

Snipe are wonderfully camouflaged, with an intricate pattern of black, brown and gold stripes and bars. In winter, when resident birds are joined by large numbers from around northern Europe, they congregate in well-vegetated areas of wetland.

Scotland is a European stronghold for otters – a species at home on land, in rivers and at sea. While coastal otters are active in the day, otters in freshwater habitats are largely nocturnal and occupy vast home ranges – 32km2 for males and 20km2 for females.

MARSH-MARIGOLD

GOLDEN RINGED DRAGONFLY

This member of the buttercup family has large, bright yellow flowers and dark, shiny leaves that are waxy to the touch. It’s best not to though: like all buttercups, the marsh-marigold is poisonous and touching its leaves can irritate the skin.

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Found around bog pool habitat in upland areas, this striking black insect has yellow rings along the length of its abdomen. The female’s extended ovipositor (a tube-like organ used for laying eggs) makes it the UK’s longest dragonfly (8.4cm).

Social Spotlight: media link/Web Marshland link

arrivals from northern Europe. There are plant communities here, too, all equipped to thrive in such a drowned, changeable landscape: grasses and rushes, tough sedges, mosses and flowering beauties such as early marsh-orchid.

Such areas also provide much to people. As well as storing carbon and purifying water, marshland serves as a natural buffer during extreme weather, storing heavy rainfall to reduce flooding and delay the onset of drought conditions.

RESERVES Marshes are often as alive in winter as they are in summer – particularly at dusk or dawn when wild residents are at their most active. Here are five reserves to enjoy over the coming months.

COMMON FROG

Perhaps our most familiar amphibian, the common frog breeds in wet ground such as marshland, spending much of the rest of the year feeding in gardens, woodlands, hedgerows and grassland. In winter, they hibernate in pond mud or under log piles.

A

BEMERSYDE MOSS

Near Melrose in the Borders, this long, narrow strip of marsh, willow scrub and open water is a lively place in winter with large numbers of wildfowl.

A wheelchair accessible boardwalk leads to a hide where otters can sometimes be spotted.

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GARNOCK FLOODS

One of nine Irvine Greenspaces in Ayrshire, Garnock Floods is a low-lying floodplain pasture full of shallow pools and marshy areas that attract large numbers of wintering waders and wildfowl. A small hide offers excellent views over a large pond.

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POSSIL MARSH

On the edge of Glasgow, Possil Marsh has a shallow freshwater loch surrounded by marsh, swamp and fen, plus areas of willow scrub and grassland.

It is an important staging post for wildfowl and warblers during autumn and spring migrations.

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GLEN MOSS

This site near Kilmacolm has a mix of marshland, woodland and wet heath, with areas of open water and sheltered pools. They provide a natural haven for an array of insects – dragonflies and damselflies a speciality – amphibians, wildfowl and songbirds.

WIGEON

A stocky duck with a rounded head, the species is best recognised by its blacktipped, grey bill. Highly sociable in winter, wigeon gather in large numbers on floodplain meadows, wet grassland and much of the Scottish mainland coast.

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RED MOSS OF NETHERLEY

One of the finest examples of a raised bog in the north east, this reserve near Stonehaven provides a mosaic of fen, marsh and woodland habitats.

Heather flourishes here, as do many other bog plants such as colourful sphagnum mosses, bog asphodel and sundews.

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Drone image of Garnock Floods © John Cochrane, Common snipe © Fergus Gill/2020VISION, Otter © Andy Rouse/2020VISION, Common Frog © Guy Edwardes/2020VISION, Marsh-marigold © Lizzie Wilberforce, Golden ringed dragonfly © Vaughn Matthews, Wigeon © Danny Green/2020VISION

above the surface. Visible as areas of tall grasses and rushes, it can vary from small, damp hollows to wide floodplains.

Traditionally, such areas of land have been used for livestock grazing when water levels are low – an intervention that helps prevent the encroachment of willow scrub and rank grassland.

Such areas are a magnet for waders and wildfowl, both for breeding in the summer and overwintering, when resident populations are boosted by

Scottish Wildlife Trust news

Latest news

News from the Trust, our projects and the wider world of conservation

AS aspects of work on our reserves necessarily begin to wind down for the year, the policy team is gearing up for its busiest period – with the weeks from autumn to Christmas a particularly hectic time around Parliament and in the Civil Service.

At the time of writing, there are several key strategies and Bills at various stages of the parliamentary process. Of particular importance is the draft Scottish Biodiversity Strategy, the aim of which is to “deliver the transformational change needed to protect and restore terrestrial, freshwater and marine biodiversity”.

One chapter detailing the evidence of continued biodiversity loss makes for a particularly sobering read, not least as it outlines how Scotland has “one of the lowest biodiversity intactness indexes in the world”. As depressing as this is, it is positive that we can agree on the scale of the challenge.

When it comes to tackling that challenge – something I am looking forward to as the Trust’s new Head of Policy & Advocacy – we welcome the fact that this is the most ambitious biodiversity strategy yet from the Scottish Government.

However, we are disappointed that the delivery mechanisms, pathways, timescales and resources to achieve flagship policies to combat the nature crisis are absent from the strategy.

The good news is that this remains a draft and we are working hard to influence the final version.

With the Trust and other environmental charities recently giving evidence to the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee, I’m pleased to report that the committee picked up on almost all our concerns in a letter to Lorna Slater, Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity.

We are hopeful that this will result in positive changes to the strategy.

Bruce Wilson, Head of Policy & Advocacy

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All the latest Trust news is available on our website scottishwildlife trust.org.uk

Awards for volunteering champions © Scottish Wildlife Trust

A focus on biodiversity

KEEP UP TO DATE

Tom and Mary Harwood receiving their Lifetime Achievement Award from Vice Chair, Dr Tim Duffy, at the Miley

THE work of several of our outstanding volunteers has been recognised in this year’s Trustees’ Awards for Volunteering – accolades that reflect individuals’ contribution and dedication to caring for their local environment and championing wildlife.

Our Young Volunteer Award went to Charlie Drapala from Edinburgh, who joined the Trust’s Young Leaders programme in 2018 and has since advocated for wildlife with politicians during the Scottish elections (see Charlie’s Thought Leadership article in Issue 105).

The Castlemilk Explorers Wildlife Watch Group in Glasgow received our Group Award for delivering monthly fun activities. Their regular mini beast hunts, team games and natural crafts with local children have helped them to develop a curiosity for the wildlife and plants found across Castlemilk Park.

Charles Darling from Edinburgh is the worthy winner of our Species Champion Award. Since 2006, he has been responsible for digitising and uploading more than 121,000 species records – in excess of 50 per cent of the

records on our monitoring database.

He has also collected nearly 7,000 records on our Edinburgh area reserves.

All these sightings are uploaded to the NBN Atlas, contributing to the broader picture of Scotland’s biodiversity.

In Dundee, Tom and Mary Harwood have helped manage the Miley ever since it became a Trust reserve in 1992.

A tireless husband and wife team, Tom and Mary received our Lifetime Achievement Award for their work organising weekly litter picks, various fundraising activities and welcoming school and nursery groups over the past 30 years.

Finally, a special Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Allan Bantick OBE at his home in Boat of Garten in recognition of his work with the Trust as our former Chair.

During his career in conservation, Allan has worked to protect many species such as badgers and Scottish wildcats and played a central role in supporting the reintroduction of beavers to the wild in Scotland.

Read about one of Allan’s most memorable moments on page 34.

Scottish Wildlife Trust news

© Philip Price

Beavers have a huge role to play in boosting biodiversity

Action in Ayrshire A SUCCESSFUL year-long project in Ayrshire designed to involve local communities in nature conservation came to an end in September. Over 12 months, volunteers from the local community carried out a wide range of activities, from installing bat boxes and planting trees to removing invasive plant species and establishing new woodland paths. Funded by the ScottishPower Foundation, the Action for Nature in Ayrshire project also saw the delivery of more than 20 guided wildlife walks and talks in the area.

A NATIONAL strategy for Scotland’s beavers, published by NatureScot in September, has outlined a positive and pragmatic vision for the animals that will help steer efforts to expand populations into new areas.

The Trust contributed to the development of the strategy, which represents one of the most forwardthinking approaches to managing and conserving a species ever carried out in Britain.

In addition to highlighting the need for ongoing research and monitoring, the strategy sets out plans to support

communities to maximise the environmental benefits of beavers, while minimising any negative impacts through effective management and mitigation.

“Biodiversity is declining at a faster rate now than at any time in human history,” said Sarah Robinson, the Trust’s Director of Conservation.

“The national strategy sets out how to help beavers become established throughout Scotland’s lochs, burns and rivers, and the many ways that people and wildlife will benefit from their presence.”

Habitat restoration at Dullatur Marsh of 400 trees per hectare – a type of low-density planting that facilitates natural regeneration and promotes the establishment of a robust native woodland with high nature value.

The project will also involve the creation of a series of small (roughly 8x8m) crescent-shaped ponds to provide habitat for invertebrates, with a 10m buffer maintained around flushes on the site to further enhance biodiversity.

“The project is a direct response to the biodiversity crisis and climate emergency and will ensure that Dullatur Marsh provides improved habitats for wildlife for many years to come,” added Billy.

Moth first A SPECIES of moth has been recorded for the first time in Scotland, at the Trust’s Cathkin Marsh Wildlife Reserve near Glasgow.

The sallow-shoot piercer moth (pictured) was spotted perched on a nettle by regular visitor Bill Higgins.

One of thousands of species in the family of tortrix moths, the sallow-shoot piercer relies on willow trees as its food plant.

Eggs are laid on buds and the larvae burrow into twigs for the winter before emerging in spring as adults.

The species, which is likely to be underreported, had not previously been recorded north of Birmingham.

“I’m thrilled about my find, even though luck determined that I was there when the moth alighted on a nettle,” said Bill. “Another few minutes either way and it may not have been there at all.”

© Patrick Clement

WORK has begun on a major habitat enhancement project that will restore upland oak woodland to the Trust’s Dullatur Marsh Wildlife Reserve near Cumbernauld.

Funded by NatureScot’s Nature Restoration Fund and One Tree Planted, the work is due for completion at the end of March 2023.

“This project will enhance biodiversity by restoring native woodland to an area that is currently low biodiversity value grassland,” said Billy Gray, the Trust’s Reserves Manager for West Central Scotland.

Native trees will be planted in single species groups at an average density

© Martin Shields/Scottish Wildlife Trust

National beaver strategy for Scotland

NOVEMBER 2022 SCOTTISH WILDLIFE 9

Scottish Wildlife Trust news

A total of £20,000 has been donated by colleagues in memory of James Rust, a former partner of Scottish law firm Morton Fraser and a past rural advisor to the Trust who died in 2020. Alan Anderson, the Trust’s Head of Reserves, who worked closely with James for 20 years, reflected that “he was a great supporter of the Trust and our reserves in particular”, adding: “This generous donation will go towards protecting the wildlife that James was so enthusiastic about”.

Osprey rescue at Balgavies © Darren Dawson

IN BRIEF A lasting memory

Creative nest building at Balgavies Loch

Lacing up Forest Wood, one of four wildlife reserves managed by the Trust in Cumbernauld, has joined more than 2,000 other locations across six continents being used for weekly parkrun events. These 5km routes can be walked or run as part of a free, organised event that takes place each Saturday morning. Get more information at parkrun.org.uk © Stephen Pomfret

The artistic touch Since 2015, Rahoy Hills Wildlife Reserve has provided inspiration to artists through an annual residency programme in partnership with the Ardtornish Estate. Established artist Debbie Loane (pictured) took up residency in August this year and an exhibition of her artwork will be displayed at Resipole Studios, Acharacle, in August 2023. See more of Debbie’s collection at debbieloane.co.uk

Wildlife Watch groups This autumn saw the start of two new Wildlife Watch groups in Scotland. The Flourishing Faifley Wildlife Watch Group will hold regular meetings at a local community garden in Clydebank, while the Perth Wildlife Watch Group will meet at locations across Perthshire. To find out more about their activities and programme, visit scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/ wildlife-watch 10 SCOTTISH WILDLIFE NOVEMBER 2022

THE Trust’s Balgavies Loch Wildlife Reserve in Angus was the scene of a thrilling rescue in July when reserve regulars Mary and Jim Rogers found a juvenile osprey on the ground while walking along the site’s lochside path during one of this summer’s hot spells.

Immediately, the couple got in touch with the voluntary reserve warden, Jim Hughes, and swift action was taken to remove the osprey from danger and secure it in a cool, shady location.

The osprey chick, around eight weeks old, was close to fledging and is thought to have part-glided, part-flapped to safety after a significant

portion of the tree that held the nest collapsed, possibly due to heat stress.

Several raptor specialists were engaged and a temporary nest structure made from a shopping basket lined with moss and sticks was erected in a nearby tree. Following a health check and as night fell, the osprey was ringed and positioned in the makeshift nest.

“You can imagine our delight the next day when we received news from the warden that the youngster had successfully fledged and was sitting high up in a tree on the island, being fed by its parents,” explained Perthshire Ranger Raz Rasmussen.

Celebrating a Miley milestone TRUST staff and volunteers are this year celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Miley as a Trust wildlife reserve – and the transformation that has taken place during that time.

So-called because it is around a mile long, the Miley was once part of the Dundee-Newtyle railway line.

But when trains stopped running along the route in 1967, it fell into disrepair, becoming an impassable rubbish tip.

Today, the site looks very different.

Thanks to a vast amount of work by volunteers, trainees, schoolchildren

and Trust staff, the site has been reborn as a wildlife haven. As well as being home to many birds, mammals and insects, it is also enjoyed on a daily basis by runners, cyclists and walkers due to its proximity to Dundee city centre.

“Over the years the Miley has grown from an old, neglected railway path to a much-loved haven of peace in an ever-stressful world,” reflected Mary Harwood, a long-serving volunteer with the Dundee Miley Group (see news story on page 8).

Plan a visit at scottishwildlifetrust. org.uk/reserve/the-miley

Scottish Wildlife Trust news

Riverwoods funding boost © Mark Hamblin/2020VISION

THE Trust-led Riverwoods partnership initiative has received initial funding of £385,100 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund towards a five-year programme to create a network of thriving riverbank woodlands and healthy river systems.

Areas of woodlands that grow in, next to and near rivers offer a variety of benefits, from mitigating climate change, soil erosion and flooding to improving people’s health and providing important wildlife corridors across the landscape.

“River woodlands support a huge range of iconic wildlife and play a critical role in ensuring rivers stay cool, particularly in the heat of summer,” explained Sarah Robinson, the Trust’s Director of Conservation.

Collectively, Scotland’s rivers and streams stretch for a distance ten times that of its coastline. However, it is estimated that more than half of Scotland’s riverbanks are in poor condition, with little or no vegetation growing, so there is a huge opportunity for positive change.

The grant awarded by the Heritage Fund will allow for the further development of ambitious plans that will see a wide range of activity take place. This includes supporting land managers to create and restore river woodlands at key locations across the country and providing communities with tools to help them protect this critically important habitat long into the future.

Partners will apply for a further Heritage Fund grant of £1.6 million to facilitate this work. It is estimated that £2.9 million will be required over the next five years to deliver the plans.

For more, see pages 16-21 and visit riverwoods.org.uk

Healthy areas of river woodland can bring huge benefits

© Iain Hamlin

Fresh look at farming support UNTIL 21 November, the Scottish Government is consulting on a new Agriculture Bill – a significant piece of legislation that will underpin how farmers and crofters are supported by the public purse in the future.

As the predominant land use in Scotland, it is not surprising that agriculture has a major impact on nature, and the current system of subsidy and support for farmers has a history of exacerbating that impact.

The new Bill provides an opportunity to shift the focus of agricultural subsidies to one that supports practices that benefit nature and help tackle the climate emergency.

An encouraging vision from the Government states that it will “transform how we support farming and food production in Scotland to become a global leader in sustainable and regenerative agriculture”.

Through a new Scottish Environment LINK campaign, Farm for Scotland’s Future, the Trust has joined forces with other environmental bodies to advocate for a system that will support nature’s recovery. To join the campaign, visit farmforscotlandsfuture.scot

The Ardeer peninsula

Protecting the Garnock Estuary A UNIQUE mosaic of habitats in Ayrshire is a step closer to being formally protected following a report sent to NatureScot by a coalition of local community groups and conservation organisations, including the Trust.

Consisting of dunes, grassland, woodlands, scrub and wetland, the Garnock Estuary is home to more than 1,000 species of invertebrate, dozens of rare flowering plants and many breeding birds. The site’s importance

for wildlife was evidenced in a detailed scientific report published in July by the Ardeer Action Group and highlighted in a letter to NatureScot with an urgent request to consider designating the estuary as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

NatureScot has since started the process of investigating the site for designation. Updates will be added to the campaign timeline at scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/ardeer NOVEMBER 2022 SCOTTISH WILDLIFE 11

Scottish Wildlife Trust news

The nursery has proved hugely productive since its opening a decade ago

ESTABLISHED as part of the Coigach & Assynt Living Landscape, the Trust’s Little Assynt Tree Nursery in Sutherland celebrated its 10th anniversary this year.

Built in the corner of a field that previously had no mains water or electricity, the two-acre site now houses a series of polytunnels, sheds and outdoor growing areas.

Over its decade of operation, around 300,000 native trees have been grown at the nursery, including oak, birch, rowan, hazel, Scots pine, juniper, dwarf birch, holly and wych elm.

“The trees have been supplied to many crofters and landowners locally as well as further afield, including the Western Isles,” explained Nick Clooney, who has managed the nursery since it began.

“We’ve also grown trees from seed collected at other Trust reserves for planting elsewhere, including the Ballachuan Hazelwood on the Isle of Seil.”

The nursery is supported by a team of dedicated volunteers who help to collect and sow seeds and tend to the thousands of saplings that can be on-site at any one time.

New faces on Council

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THE Trust has completed peatland restoration work on a 7.5ha area of raised bog at Bankhead Moss Wildlife Reserve in Fife, with the aim of reinstating a high water table that in turn will stimulate active growth of sphagnum mosses – the building blocks of peatland.

An uncommon habitat in this part of the country, Bankhead Moss has peat that is almost eight metres deep in places.

Unfortunately, over time, the surface of the bog has dried out, allowing birch scrub to get a toe-hold – tree growth that accelerates the drying out of peat.

Trust volunteers have made a valiant effort to clear this scrub, while the Trust’s Flying Flock of sheep has been used to great effect to browse the young birch leaves each spring.

Despite this, more work was needed to ensure the peat was wet and healthy, and therefore sequester carbon, rather than

continuing to dry out and potentially release its accumulation of stored carbon back into the atmosphere.

Funded through NatureScot’s Peatland Action Fund, the project involved a combination of removing existing birch and Scots pine regeneration, reprofiling degraded areas, blocking ditches with peat dams and, crucially, digging a deep trench bund and numerous cell bunds – essentially natural retaining walls that hold in water.

“By making the site wetter we will discourage the invading scrub and encourage sphagnum and other raised bog specialists,” explained Rory Sandison, the Trust’s Reserve Manager for East of Scotland. “The bunding and peat dams will plug any cracks and holes in the peat that have enabled water to escape.

“While the project has only just finished, we are already seeing water collecting in the cell bunds. Although there is more work still to do, with the valued help of volunteers Bankhead now has every chance of improving its condition.” © Rory Sandison

THIS year’s Annual General Meeting included the election of two new members to our Council of Trustees.

Jen Baxter is a programme manager in the banking sector with more than 20 years’ experience of managing projects and leading governance and assurance work.

She also teaches meditation and strives to encourage people to build a deeper connection with nature.

Hayley White is a marketing professional, having previously worked for VisitScotland, and in her current role at Accenture focuses on embedding sustainability into the company.

She also leads on an educational platform that uses augmented reality to demonstrate the benefits of rewilding.

Having served for three years, Carey Coombs has stepped down from Council, while Bill Lambert has been co-opted for a further three years as Vice-Chair for Finance.

The Trust would like to thank all current and outgoing members of Council for their continued support and dedication to the governance of the organisation.

Wet is best

© Pete Haskell

Ten years of trees

An excavator carrying out reprofiling work at Bankhead Moss, Fife

Wildlife Breaks in the Scottish Highlands

Photo by: Laurrie Campbell

Photo by: John Betts

Photo by: Andrew Naylor

Photo by: Nigel Sprowell

The Grant Arms Hotel Grantown-on-Spey

The Wildlife Hotel

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BWWC UPCOMING EVENTS

The refurbished GRANT ARMS HOTEL offers wonderful food, friendly staff and 50 high quality ensuite bedrooms. All bedrooms come with hairdryer, colour TV, toiletries and coffee making facilities.

A TASTE OF BURNS BREAK - Fri 20th to Tues 24th Jan 23

A popular break with two independent operators joining us at the same time. For this short break to celebrate Rabbie Burns and our winter wildlife, we will put on extra walks and trips with our local wildlife guides plus you can enjoy a Taste of Burns supper on Saturday 21st with a traditional piper and the address to the haggis followed by some ceilidh dancing with an in-house band and evening talks from wildlife photographers Craig Jones and Ashley Grove.

4 nights DB&B from £419pp

A RAPTOR THEMED WEEK - Sun 12th to Sun 19th March 23

Photo by: Richard Pegler

This is a good time of year for Raptors as they begin their courtship displays and look for mates. During this week our local professional wildlife guides will be leading daily walks and field trips to some of our best birding sites including a few bird of prey hot spots where we hope so see some of our many raptor species.

4 nights DB&B from £419pp / 7 nights DB&B from £725pp

What’s included: Breakfast Menu ranging from full Scottish to Kippers or Continental Early Birder Breakfast if required Afternoon Tea & Coffee Fine Scottish Dining Special Diets accommodated After Dinner Coffee & Tea Programme of Talks, Walks & Wildlife Briefings, Films & Quizzes Free WiFi Complimentary Daily Newspaper Hairdryer and Toiletries Free Parking Free use of BWWC’s private Hide Boot Wash, Laundry & Drying Room.

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Four Poster Room

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Superior Room

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Standard Room

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A SPRING THEMED WEEK - Sun 9th to Sun 19th April 23

Join us to celebrate the arrival of Spring. During this week will be running daily walks and field trips visiting some of our best Spring birding sites with our local professional wildlife guides to look for the early Photo by: Peter Welch arrivals including a few sites where we hope to see one or more of our Grouse species (Black and or Red Grouse).

4 nights DB&B from £550pp / 7 nights DB&B from £963pp

CELEBRITY GUIDED HOLIDAYS FOR SPRING 2023 Mike Dilger

Nick Baker

Stephen Moss

Early Spring with MIKE DILGER - Fri 3rd to Thur 9th March Spring with NICK BAKER - Sun 19th to Sat 25th March Spring with STEPHEN MOSS - Mon 17th to Sun 23rd April 100+ species are expected on these 5 full day guided special weeks. Holidays include transfers from Aviemore Train Station or Inverness Airport, all entry fees and wine with your dinner.

For just £1,495 per person (Max 12 people)

For full programme details on these and other events visit www.birdwatchingandwildlifeclub.co.uk/wildlife-breaks-packages

TO BOOK CALL 01479 872526 email reception@grantarmshotel.com or visit www.birdwatchingandwildlifeclub.co.uk

GRANT ARMS HOTEL, 25 THE SQUARE, GRANTOWN-ON-SPEY, PH26 3HF All programmes, talks, walks and rooms subject to availability and liable to change without notice.

Photo by:

Laurrie Campbell

Photo by:

Andrina Laidler

Photo by:

Richard Poskitt

Photo by:

Ray Purser

HOW TO GET THERE

By Road: Grantown is situated just off the A9 EdinburghInverness road.

By Train: The nearest station is Aviemore (15 miles) on the Edinburgh-Inverness line.

By Plane: Inverness Airport (30 miles) - Flights from most major UK airports: LOGANAIR from Birmingham, Manchester, Belfast City and Aberdeen; KLM from Amsterdam; EASYJET from Bristol, Gatwick, Luton and Belfast International; BA from Heathrow. Other destinations available from Aberdeen Airport (75 miles).

To get the most out of the area you need a car.

TARIFF 2022/23 DB&B Nov - Dec 22 Jan - Mar 23 Apr - Oct 23 4 NIGHTS Standard £419 £419 £550 Superior £503 £503 £637 Four Poster £587 £587 £734 7 NIGHTS Standard £725 £725 £963 Superior £872 £872 £1,114 Four Poster £1,019 £1,019 £1,284 Price per person. Excludes Christmas, New Year and other Special Breaks.

Other lengths of stay are also available. Dogs welcome £20 per room per stay. Single, Twin, Double, Family & Wheelchair Accessible Rooms available. Special Rates for Clubs, Tours & Conferences. Terms & Conditions apply.

DOG FRIENDLY

Wider news

Regenerating scrub at Northwoods Rewilding Network partner, Tireregan

Scottish rewilding network expands

14 SCOTTISH WILDLIFE NOVEMBER 2022

Skylark

the health of our natural environment – we ignore their messages at our peril.

“While the Covid pandemic and global cost of living crisis have undoubtedly diverted attention from the environmental agenda, society must remain focused on the biodiversity crisis.”

Read the full report at birdlife.org/ state-of-the-worlds-birds

Loch Morlich, Cairngorms National Park

National Park consultation The next stage of the Scottish Government’s commitment to establish at least one new National Park in the lifetime of the current parliament – by spring 2026 – is now under way.

Led by NatureScot, and open until 30 November, the New National Park stakeholder consultation invites contributions that will help define how a new National Park will protect and restore nature, tackle climate change and promote sustainable land use.

It follows on from the Future for National Parks in Scotland online discussion launched earlier in 2022 by the Scottish Government.

NatureScot has already established a national stakeholder advisory group but further key interest groups from across Scotland’s local authorities, visitor destination groups, conservation, planning and education bodies are now being invited to contribute to the new consultation.

It is nearly 20 years since the first two National Parks were created in Scotland: Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park in 2002 and the Cairngorms National Park in 2003.

© Adobe Stock

A NETWORK of Scottish landholdings committed to rewilding has grown to 50 partners in its first 18 months – far exceeding expectations and revealing a strong appetite for nature restoration across the country.

The Northwoods Rewilding Network was launched in April 2021

by SCOTLAND: The Big Picture, with an initial goal of signing up 20 landholdings in the first two years.

But the network expanded rapidly and has recently welcomed its 50th partner: Glassie Farm in Perthshire.

Landholdings in the network range from farms and crofts to community woodlands and private estates, and the network’s partners are the owners, managers or trustees of the sites.

When partners join the network, some are taking their first steps in rewilding, while others are building on longstanding commitments to nature restoration.

The size of partner sites ranges from 50 to 1,000 acres and, with the network’s 50th partner signed up, Northwoods now covers more than 13,000 acres.

“The thread that runs through the Northwoods Rewilding Network is a determination to be part of the solution to climate breakdown and biodiversity loss,” said James Nairne, Northwoods Project Lead at SCOTLAND: The Big Picture.

For more, visit scotlandbigpicture. com/northwoods

THE alarming statistic that nearly half of the bird species on Earth are in decline – and that one in eight species is threatened with extinction – has been brought to light in the latest State of the World’s Birds report.

Published every four years by BirdLife International, the study provides a comprehensive assessment of the trends in global bird populations.

The latest report, published in September, states that only 6% of bird species are increasing and that the most significant threat to birds comes from agricultural expansion and intensification.

Unsustainable forest management and climate change were also highlighted as significant threats.

The report urges that the most important solution to addressing this global decline is to protect and restore critical sites for birds and other wildlife.

Patricia Zurita, CEO of BirdLife International, said: “Birds tell us about

© David Tipling/2020VISION

© James Shooter/scotlandbigpicture.com

Shocking decline in world’s bird species

A lifelong passion for ecology lives on Donald McVean was a pioneering Scottish ecologist and author who supported the Scottish Wildlife Trust for four decades.

Donald’s career began in the 1950s at the newly formed Nature Conservancy.

A field botanist, his ecological work often took him overseas, including projects in Iceland, Australia and New Guinea.

Donald went on to become an environmental consultant, specialising in land use advice in the Middle East, India, Malaysia, Chile and Africa.

However, Scotland remained home for Donald and in 1979, when his work overseas had slowed down, he settled on the Ardentallen Peninsula. He first joined the Scottish Wildlife Trust in 1980 and he helped set up the Lorne members’ group.

Donald’s passion for ecology continued into his retirement. He moved to Eredine, on the south-east side of Loch Awe, in the mid-1990s and spent much of his time there improving the biodiversity of the small patch of woodland he created.

Donald will be remembered for his tireless energy and commitment to nature conservation in Scotland and around the globe. His work lives on through his two books, Plant Communities of the Scottish Highlands, which he co-authored with Derek Ratcliffe, and Ecology and Land Use in Upland Scotland, with James Lockie.

Derek Ratcliffe in his book In Search of Nature described Donald as an “ecologist of great perception and an enthusiast with real devotion to land use conservation”.

A generous gift in Donald’s Will is now proving invaluable in helping us develop our ambitious plans for Riverwoods across Scotland.

Image: Woodland restoration scheme with Beinn Eighe in the background. Donald created one of the first native tree nurseries in Scotland at Beinn Eighe. © Mark Hamblin 2020VISION

Every gift in every Will, no matter how large or small, really does make a difference to the future of Scotland’s wildlife.

To learn more, call us on 0131 312 4700 or visit scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/legacy

River woodlands

RIVER WOODLANDS I

f you were to take every river and stream in Scotland and put them end to end, the resulting watercourse would stretch for more than 125,000km – the equivalent of a river wrapping around the Earth more than three times.

The potential benefits this enormous river system could provide to both people and wildlife are vast, but a healthy river system requires more than just freshwater. The trees and woods in, next to and near rivers, burns and lochs are an essential part of the habitat. From improving water quality

FLOODPLAIN WOODLAND

Woodland that lies within a river’s floodplain that is subject to regular or natural flooding. Once the dominant vegetation cover of most floodplains, this woodland has been mostly lost as land has been drained for agriculture and urban development. But when in place, such cover can store water in the catchment and slow the flow of water, reducing the risk of flooding further downstream.

and providing shelter and food to wildlife, to reducing soil erosion and alleviating flood risk, river woodlands perform a raft of vital functions that help to keep the landscape alive.

It’s often said that rivers and streams are the lifeblood of the landscape. If that’s the case, then river woodlands could be seen as the green arteries of our ecosystems.

Here, we outline the different types of river woodland, give examples of some of the benefits they provide and focus on four species that rely on them in different ways for their survival.

LARGE WOODY DEBRIS

The branches, limbs and even entire trees that fall into streams and rivers. A natural part of a freshwater ecosystem, submerged branches can create pools of deeper, slower water which provide nursery areas and shelter for aquatic life.

Together with leaves, woody debris can also form natural dams that reconnect rivers with their floodplains, slow the flow of water and alleviate flooding downstream.

Species that benefit from healthy river woodlands Atlantic salmon

Found in only the cleanest rivers, Atlantic salmon hatch in freshwater breeding grounds, developing for years before migrating to sea, where they spend most of their lives. They return to spawn in the same stretch of river or stream in which they hatched.

16 SCOTTISH WILDLIFE NOVEMBER 2022

Daubenton’s bat

Waterside trees and vegetation are favoured summer roost spots for Daubenton’s bats – a species that relies on stretches of freshwater for food. The bats hunt by swooping down over the water where they catch insect prey in their mouths.

River woodlands

RIPARIAN WOODLAND

Woodland found along the banks of burns, rivers and freshwater lochs is beneficial in many ways, from acting as a filter that reduces the amount of pollution entering watercourses to providing shade that helps regulate water temperature and keeps the growth of algae in balance. Tree roots stabilise riverbanks and reduce erosion, while the trees themselves are a key source of food, with the insects that fall into the water from overhanging branches supporting many species of fish.

WOODLAND BUFFERS

Ranging in length from just a few metres to several kilometres, this managed woodland close to or alongside freshwater acts as a ‘buffer’ to agricultural land. While not all buffers perform the same functions, they typically help boost biodiversity in intensively farmed landscapes, provide livestock with shelter, improve air and water quality, plus provide habitat connectivity across a landscape.

Such buffers can also encourage pollinator abundance and diversity, leading to increased crop yields.

CARBON STORAGE

Natural river systems and river woodlands can store a substantial amount of carbon, not only on the banks as standing trees but also through dead wood material in the water and beneath the surface as leaf litter, humus and soil.

Dipper

Often seen bobbing up and down while perched on rocks within burns and rivers, dippers have an amazing ability to hunt underwater – stretching their wings to balance their weight then walking along the riverbed in search of aquatic insects and fish.

Beaver

Living mainly in freshwater lochs and slow-flowing rivers and burns, where they feed on aquatic plants and waterside vegetation, beavers are ecosystem engineers, with their dam-building helping to create areas of wetland that benefit many other species.

NOVEMBER 2022 SCOTTISH WILDLIFE 17

Atlantic Salmon © Linda Pitkin/2020VISION, Daubenton’s Bat © Dale Sutton/2020VISION, Dipper © Andy Rouse/2020VISION, Beaver © Shutterstock

GORGE WOODLAND

Areas of native woodland that grow in deep, sheltered gorges where the influence of the riparian zone extends beyond the floodplain due to high humidity levels. Dank, atmospheric and wonderfully biodiverse, these strips of woodland offer a secluded home to birds, bats, invertebrates, ferns, fungi, lichens and a host of bryophytes (mosses, liverworts and hornworts).

Riverwoods

RIBBONS OF

LIFE

As Scotland’s watercourses – and the rich diversity of life they support – feel the strain of a changing climate, the importance of natural river woodland has come into sharp focus, writes Ida Maspero

© Mark Hamblin/2020VISION

Natural networks: river woodlands provide a vital link between land and water 18 SCOTTISH WILDLIFE NOVEMBER 2022

Riverwoods

TREES THE KEY

For Scotland’s streams, rivers and lochs, that strain is particularly acute, as centuries of intensive land use along the banks have left watercourses altered, degraded and eroded.

River temperature monitoring by Marine Scotland has shown that rivers in the north of Scotland, in particular, are at risk from increased water temperatures.

While geology plays a part, this is mostly due to a lack of native tree cover along their banks. River woodlands – on floodplains, beside lochs, in gorges, around headwater streams or even in narrow buffer strips between farmland and river – help to regulate water temperature through shading.

But waterside trees serve many other purposes, too.

Tree roots help to stabilise riverbanks and prevent the erosion that results in wider, shallower rivers which are more prone to warming. Woodland also acts as a natural filter against agricultural run-off and sediment pollution and regulates the flow of water – retaining moisture like a sponge in times of drought and holding back water following heavy rain.

Similarly, the wildlife found in and around the water depends on the complex food web supported by trees. Fallen leaves and woody debris are home to invertebrates that feed © Mark Hamblin/2020VISION

Autumnal woodland, Glen Affric

© Andy Rouse/2020VISION

W

e can all sense it – the climate is changing perceptibly.

Extreme weather events seem to have increased over the past couple of years. As I write, Pakistan is racked by devastating floods, Britain is still reeling from a severe summer drought and, here in Edinburgh, our early autumn days have been punctuated by unusual monsoonal thunderstorms and downpours.

Science agrees that in Scotland and around the globe, we’re witnessing the effects of a changing climate – with much more to come if we continue on the same trajectory.

Nature is feeling the pressure, too. From deep ocean to high mountain, change is happening faster than plants, animals and ecosystems can adapt – threatening to deepen the already severe biodiversity crisis.

Nowhere is the balance more finely tipped than in aquatic habitats. “Even a degree or two rise in water temperature can have devastating impacts on a wide range of aquatic species,” says Sarah Robinson, the Trust’s Director of Conservation.

“It’s enough to disrupt natural processes in ecosystems already feeling the strain from other factors, such as nutrient and sediment pollution.”

Dippers thrive in healthy rivers and streams

River temperature monitoring by Marine Scotland has shown that rivers in the north of Scotland, in particular, are at risk from increased water temperatures. dippers and other birds as well as fish such as trout, grayling and salmon. The fish, in turn, nourish otters and ospreys.

“As our river systems enter a future of rapid climate change in an unhealthy state – depleted, eroded and polluted with nutrients – they’re more prone to the impacts of a changing climate,” explains Sarah. “Conversely, healthier river systems are more resilient to that change.”

A survey of more than 44,000km of riverside habitat by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency found that around 56 per cent of all areas were of poor quality, with little or no tree cover.

“So we’re not in a good place – there’s huge room for improvement,” says Sarah. “But we’re certainly not without hope.”

READYMADE CONNECTIONS

The Trust aims to turn that hope into urgent action through its lead role in Riverwoods – a major initiative to create a network of thriving riverbank woodlands and healthy river systems throughout Scotland.

The project unites almost 20 partners, including government agencies, conservation organisations, research institutes, industry bodies and River and Fisheries Trusts.

At its core is an understanding that the multiple benefits of having healthy river woodlands reach well beyond river systems themselves.

“Our river catchments form natural networks in the landscape, reaching every corner of the country – they serve as ready-made wildlife corridors that connect mosaics of other habitats too,” explains Sarah.

By working together to create a network of river woodlands, the aim is for the partners to not only improve the health of freshwater habitats but also reconnect fragments of other habitats to help combat wider biodiversity loss in Scotland.

“This network can only be achieved in a partnership that transcends Scotland’s complicated issues of land use and ownership,” notes Sarah. “Thankfully, there is now a general recognition of the twin crises of biodiversity and climate, and that we’ve all got to step up to the plate.”

NOVEMBER 2022 SCOTTISH WILDLIFE 19

Riverwoods

KING OF FISH

Nothing illustrates the need for urgent collective action more starkly than the decline of wild Atlantic salmon.

“As one of Scotland’s flagship species, the salmon strikes a chord with so many people,” believes Sarah. “It’s also a ‘canary in the coal mine’ for the health of a range of ecosystems because of its migration through our riverscapes, to sea and back again.”

Notwithstanding the complex challenges salmon face at sea, the degradation of freshwater habitat through rising water temperatures, nutrification and erosion has had an undeniable impact on Scotland’s wild salmon.

The interconnectedness of fish and forest is explored in rewilding charity SCOTLAND: The Big Picture’s powerful documentary, Riverwoods. Using breathtaking cinematography, the film brings the importance of river woodlands into clear focus, revealing their role in supporting the food web upon which juvenile fish depend, and providing shelter among roots and fallen tree branches.

It also highlights the salmon’s own contribution to the health of the woods by bringing marine nutrients into river systems.

“The plight of the salmon is a key hook for fostering greater awareness of river woodlands among land managers, communities and the general public,” says Russ Jobson, Project Manager at Tweed Forum, one of the partners working on the Riverwoods initiative.

“The salmon has a story that opens the

door to conversations around water temperature and quality and has the power to galvanise political will.”

Of course, the salmon is only one of many species that depend on healthy, wooded river systems.

But with its future being high stakes, it has spurred action from Rivers and Fisheries Trusts and District Salmon Fishery Boards across Scotland.

“In some parts of the country, these organisations have been restoring river woodlands for a while, with great results,” explains Sarah. “Other early

TWEED FOCUS

© Jakub Rutkiewicz/Adobe Stock

Atlantic salmon is one of many species that relies on wooded river systems

adopters include projects concerned with natural flood alleviation. There have been pockets of restoration in various catchments and now, with the Riverwoods initiative, we aim to link them as pieces of a puzzle and share their success to inspire action elsewhere.”

Tweed Forum is among those early adopters. For more than 25 years, it has worked with landowners in the wider Tweed catchment to restore habitats, enhance biodiversity, reduce flooding and to improve water quality by re-engaging and restoring natural processes. To date, it has planted around 1.4 million riparian trees.

Its showcase Eddleston Water Project, initially conceived as a research project to evaluate natural flood management and reduce flooding in the town of Peebles, has been in place for around a decade. Groundworks to restore meanders to the previously canalised watercourse is probably its most visible aspect. However, the project is rooted in

The salmon has a story that opens the door to conversations around water temperature and quality.

20 SCOTTISH WILDLIFE NOVEMBER 2022

Riverwoods

Ida Maspero is an Edinburgh-based writer and editor focussing on nature and heritage.

Beavers are the ultimate ecosystem engineers

WHAT ABOUT BEAVERS? Any discussion about Scotland’s freshwater habitat inevitably turns to beavers – a keystone species that the Trust has played an integral role in reintroducing to Scotland.

While the wider debate about their presence and impact in certain places continues, having a strong network of thriving river woodlands is a fundamental consideration when it comes to beaver habitat. “A healthy, functioning riparian zone can accommodate beavers better, with less of an impact on the wider landscape,” explains Sarah Robinson, the Trust’s Director Conservation.

“If the riverbank habitat is good, beaver families will tend to stay within a relatively small area. The pressure of their presence is often only felt if there’s small, fragmented or non-existent river woodland.

“As ecosystem engineers whose activities help to hold back water, beavers are another piece in the ecological puzzle of climate change resilience.” © Mark Hamblin/2020VISION

an integrated, catchment-wide approach, which includes extensive planting of suitable native trees in the headwaters.

“Working at a catchment scale is big enough to make a meaningful difference, but small enough for local people to engage with,” explains Russ. “We take a holistic view of the landscapes in our catchment – we consider not just the environment or specific species, but people and livelihoods too.

“Not only does this mean planting the right trees in the right places, but also making the case to landowners and land managers, showing them how having riparian woodland would benefit their business.”

Such commercial benefits can include shelter for livestock, reduced flooding of agricultural land and more precious water available in times of drought – of particular importance following the summer just passed.

“Then there is the reduction in agricultural run-off and improvements to water quality, which keep farmers on the right side of regulations.

“By default, that improvement in aquatic habitat benefits wildlife too and, of course, the salmon fishery that is so important to the local economy.

“Restoring riparian woodlands really does deliver on many levels.”

Sarah agrees: “With land ownership and land use in Scotland being such a complex issue, we have to recognise that financial considerations are a major driver in getting landowners onboard – whether they are a small farm or a large estate.”

For more on the Trust’s Riverwoods initiative, visit riverwoods.org.uk

© Russell Savory

© Colin McLean

Meanders and woodland cover on a restored section of the Eddleston Water, near Peebles

THRIVING NETWORKS

Under the Riverwoods umbrella, Tweed Forum’s experience feeds into the exchange of knowledge from a range of projects across Scotland.

“The importance of taking a diverse group of local people on the journey with you is probably the most significant piece of learning we can share from our work at Tweed Forum,” says Russ.

“Restoring the balance to our systems is a long-term game – a gradual transformation. The Riverwoods initiative provides a real kick-start.”

For Sarah, the initiative reflects the sense of urgency and the collective effort required to achieve the necessary transformative change.

“With it, we’re creating thriving networks, not just within the landscape but among partners,” she outlines.

“Our hope is that it can also be replicated in different areas, for different habitats and in different ways.”

A bare section of the River Dee seen from Ben Macdui

NOVEMBER 2022 SCOTTISH WILDLIFE 21

Q&A

Q&A

Peter Cairns Executive Director, SCOTLAND: The Big Picture

© Peter Cairns/Northshots

PETER CAIRNS is the co-founder of rewilding charity SCOTLAND: The Big Picture, which created the film Riverwoods: The Untold Story as part of the wider Riverwoods initiative.

What did you set out to achieve with the Riverwoods film – and who did you want it to speak to?

The health of Scotland’s rivers, and all the life within them, is directly dependent on the health of the landscapes through which they flow.

That’s the message we wanted to communicate. It sounds obvious but I don’t think we instinctively understand that connection. So the Riverwoods film is ostensibly about salmon – a species that everyone, including land managers, wants to see prosper – but really it’s a story about natural processes, relationships and inter-dependencies that we need to better understand if we’re to address the dual crises of climate breakdown and global nature loss.

How difficult is it when making such a film to strike a balance between loss and hope?

Talk of loss has been the stock in trade of conservation communication for decades – it’s easy and it can be evidenced, which makes conservationists comfortable.

Hope is more nebulous but, equally, much more powerful. You have to tell the story of loss to provide a platform but if you want to enable change, hope is the key.

How can the film be best used to mobilise action on the ground and contribute to the delivery of the wider Riverwoods initiative?

It’s rarely one piece of media that changes people’s minds – the Riverwoods film is just one tool in the box. However, we can use this film to open people’s eyes and, in turn, their minds. Films such as this can catalyse fresh thinking and new, more progressive conversations. I’m seeing that happening already – people coming together from different backgrounds to effect change on the ground. The film itself is not a silver bullet, however, so we need to maintain 22 SCOTTISH WILDLIFE NOVEMBER 2022

a steady drumbeat around the messaging of the wider initiative.

How encouraged are you that Scotland can turn a corner in its relationship with the natural world?

There’s no question we can; the only question is whether we will.

Increasingly, the political and financial support is in place but there remain significant social and cultural barriers.

Overcoming these requires skill sets that are rare in conservation, but unless we better recognise and understand the drivers that oppose change, we will struggle to effect change. The ‘rewilding’ battleground, if there is one, is for hearts and minds.

Personally, what did you feel was the most compelling message or moment from the film?

The interviewees featured in Riverwoods were all real people, speaking with great knowledge, conviction and authenticity – this went a long way in communicating what is a complex ecological message.

Towards the end of the film, Duncan Pepper, a fishing guide on the Tay, reflects on the potential disappearance of salmon from Scotland’s rivers. The tremor in his voice is a killer moment!

Riverwoods is scheduled for broadcast on Channel 5 in November. For confirmation on screening date, keep an eye on scotlandbigpicture.com/riverwoods

Commercial feature

Matthew Barclay, inset, says proposals seek to ensure farming delivers on efforts to be net zero

A vision for agriculture Join the conversation on land reforms to ensure we get the best outcomes for Scotland, writes Matthew Barclay LIKE you, we at Morton Fraser have supported the Scottish Wildlife Trust for many years and have been witness to the sweeping land reform over recent times, to include the enshrinement of a general public rights of access, abolition of the feudal system, creation of the core path network and the various community empowerment tools which now exist.

Scotland’s rural sector is also experiencing a great deal of change in patterns of land use with momentum building behind tree planting, rewilding and a focus on natural capital opportunities.

As part of the Scottish Government’s ongoing drive for reform in the rural sector, on 30 August 2022 they released a further Consultation Paper, Delivering our Vision for Scottish Agriculture, which closes on 21 November 2022.

The consultation proposes wide ranging reforms for Scottish agriculture including reform of the systems of support for Scottish farmers and crofters. It signals a clear shift to support for outcomes.

Broadly speaking, the proposals set out in the Consultation Paper are set against the context of the Scottish Government’s Vision for Agriculture.

The Scottish Government’s commitment (set out on page 3 of the Consultation Paper) is to “transform how we support farming and food production in Scotland to become a global leader in sustainable and regenerative agriculture.

“This commitment will sit at the heart of a robust and coherent framework to underpin Scotland’s future agriculture support regime from 2025 onwards.

“Scotland will have a support framework that delivers high-quality food production, climate mitigation and adaptation, and nature restoration.”

Put briefly, the proposals are seeking to deliver high quality food production in a manner which is sustainable and in step with nature.

There is an emphasis on delivering outcomes that contribute to that. There are six key headings: • Future payment framework • Delivery of key outcomes • Skills, knowledge transfer and innovation • Administration, control and transparency of payment framework data • Modernising agricultural tenancies • Scottish agricultural wages (fair work).

In respect of item 2, the Government’s key outcomes for support are: • Climate change adaption and mitigation • Nature protection and restoration • High quality food production • Wider rural development • Animal health and welfare • Plant genetic resources and plant health.

The Consultation Paper proposes a number of significant changes across the agricultural sector, from reform of the system for direct financial support to farmers (although the Government is still proposing to retain direct payments), to fair pay for agricultural workers.

Its principal theme is support for outcomes (not simply for land ownership or indeed farming). The proposals seek to ensure that farming delivers on the nation’s commitment to address climate change and restoration of nature.

They also recognise the importance of the farming, food and drink industries to Scotland and its need for support in high quality food production.

The responses will need to be fully digested following the closing of the consultation, but it forms part of the conversation that we all need to be a part of in order to get the best for Scotland, its people and its wildlife as we take the road to a low carbon future.

Matthew Barclay is a Partner in Morton Fraser’s Agricultural and Rural team. For expert advice, speak to the team at morton-fraser.com/rural

Red squirrels

Passing the baton As the Trust’s Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels project enters a crucial new phase, Rich Rowe explores its achievements to date – and what is now needed to secure the long-term future of the species 24 SCOTTISH WILDLIFE NOVEMBER 2022

Red squirrels

© Bob Coyle

P

Introduced grey squirrels outcompete Scotland’s native red squirrels and carry squirrelpox that is fatal to reds

People had the idea that red squirrels were timid and fragile little creatures [but] they are actually quite a feisty species...

GREY CONTROL

Doing something about greys meant one thing: trapping and killing the animals – not a decision that conservationists take lightly. “It took courage to start that,” believes Mel. “We also knew that once we started, we probably wouldn’t be able to stop.”

A degree of public backlash was anticipated but never really came.

“Many of the areas where we carried out control work are places where people remember seeing reds, so had a sense of what was lost,” Mel adds. “They had seen the reds ousted and wanted them back.”

SSRS, however, was not the first to focus on controlling greys. That had started earlier with groups in northern England working on priority areas of woodland, before the approach was also adopted by the Red Squirrels in South Scotland group.

But then came a real gamechanger: in 2005, squirrelpox – a disease carried by grey squirrels and lethal to reds – was detected in greys in the south of Scotland.

The group switched from protecting priority woodland to what was then a pioneering landscape-scale approach to controlling greys to prevent the spread of the disease.

When SSRS began a few years later, it took a similar landscape-scale approach, albeit one focused on control to manage the spread of greys rather than to prevent the spread of the disease.

For Mel, SSRS’s subsequent success was built on something relatively simple: impeccably clean data.

“We had an exemplary data driven project that was the envy of many people working on species recovery,” she recalls. “It seems such an obvious thing as a scientist but it was probably the basis of why we have succeeded and allowed us to keep persuading people that what we do works so well.”

AREA FOCUS

From its earliest days, the approach was to start with areas that were best for reds and simply keep removing greys until they were no longer present in the landscape. It has been painstaking and arduous work.

“Seeing the amount of woodland in somewhere like Aberdeen, it’s hard not to feel daunted,” says Mel. “But I can’t sing the praises of our control officers enough – not least for refusing to be intimidated by the scale of the job.”

It was in Aberdeen that something important was discovered. With research showing that the population of greys in and around Aberdeen was not physically linked to the rest of Scotland’s greys, it was in effect an island community.

This meant that while greys could disperse from Aberdeen a long way and for a long time, the area was not going to be continually reinvaded.

Today, established populations of greys that once ranged as far as Banchory and along the River Don have been pushed back to Aberdeen city centre.

NOVEMBER 2022 SCOTTISH WILDLIFE 25

© Peter Cairns/2020VISION

INCH points. Controlling ground.

Selective strikes. Speaking with those involved in red squirrel conservation is a bit like listening to an army general or a chess player as they describe how to first halt the advance of an enemy or opponent and then steadily push them back.

That is exactly how it must feel for the Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels (SSRS) team in its work to prevent the spread of invasive, non-native grey squirrels and bolster the defence of vulnerable populations of native red squirrels around the country.

But for Dr Mel Tonkin, one of those ‘generals’, the time has come to step back following decades of frontline service. Having led SSRS since it began in 2009, Mel stepped aside in the summer of 2022 at the end of what was a five-year Developing Community Action phase of the project – a period which focused on boosting engagement with local communities and reinforcing a network of skilled volunteers.

As one of the UK’s foremost experts on the species, Mel’s involvement with red squirrels stretches back much further. Before SSRS, a background in research on wild red squirrels included running what was then Scottish Natural Heritage’s Scottish Red Squirrel Survey, which looked to identify the spread of grey squirrels and where reds were holding out, plus later work revising a government strategy document for red squirrel conservation that proved to be the basis of what SSRS would go on to do.

“Back then, we came up with the idea of controlling grey squirrels at pinch points in the landscape and taking a Scotland-wide approach to prevent their further spread,” explains Mel. Crucially, this early work established that the expansion of grey squirrels and their replacement of reds was a very real thing.

“People had the idea that red squirrels were timid and fragile little creatures,” says Mel. “They are actually quite a feisty species and will do well as long as they are not outcompeted.”

But that one weakness has proved to be the red’s Achilles’ heel. As recently as 30 years ago, they were present anywhere there was suitable woodland habitat. However, despite efforts such as woodland management to favour reds and artificial feeding stations, in a period from the 1990s to the early 2000s, they were lost entirely from the Central Belt.

“That demonstrated just how rapid the change could be. It also highlighted that all other efforts were ultimately doomed to fail unless something was done about the spread of greys.”

Red squirrels

Learning about red squirrels

eradication; across the Central Lowlands, it will be about continuing to defend the Highland Line by reducing densities of greys to a level that minimises the spread of the animals – and crucially squirrelpox – into core red populations further north.

“One pox positive squirrel can devastate a red community,” explains Nicole. For now, there are no incidences of the disease north of the Highland Line, with the intention to keep it that way.

“As that population represents the bulk of red squirrels left in the UK today, it’s critical that we target our control to keep that population safe and healthy.”

In the south, work will focus on a coordinating overview of grey squirrel control efforts by land managers and volunteers within priority areas. Given the continued incursions of pox-positive greys from the south, it is work that will need long-term support.

NEXT STEPS

Having completed its Developing Community Action phase, the project has now entered a two-year transition period led by new Programme Manager, Nicole Still. Originally from the Great Lakes region in the US, Nicole has spent the past decade studying and working in temperate forests, gaining invaluable experience of forest habitat and combating invasive species. As Nicole outlines, work on the ground over the next two years will be nuanced depending on the area. In and around Aberdeen, it will focus on low-density monitoring and control to push closer to complete

SUSTAINABILITY

© Jaclyn Sparks

A red squirrel visiting one of the hundreds of feeding stations deployed during SSRS 26 SCOTTISH WILDLIFE NOVEMBER 2022

A fundamental aim of the transition phase is to move the project from its reliance on short-term funding cycles, with all the associated staffing instability, to a point where it is part of a permanent programme of grey control and long-term monitoring of red populations.

“The past 10 years and more has been about proof of concept for us – it’s now known and accepted that greys need direct intervention,” says Nicole. “We have demonstrated what is needed to ensure red squirrel conservation in the long term.”

With invasive non-native species identified as one of the top threats to biodiversity worldwide, and grey squirrels known to be one of the worst offenders, this work could form part of a wider remit around invasive non-native species management needs.

“We now need to ensure that the

We have demonstrated what is needed to ensure red squirrel conservation in the long term. work is embedded in a permanent stream,” notes Nicole. “Whether that is through a public agency or a local partner it’s too early to say, but the main thing is that it is permanent and fully resourced.”

For Hazel Forrest, the Trust’s Species Advocacy Officer, key to the success of this transition phase is the legacy plan that emerges from it.

“Built into that plan is the process for handing the project over to whichever agencies take it on in the future,” she explains. “But to get to that point, we need to identify very clearly what is required in each of the priority areas as the conditions in each can be quite different.”

In the end, it all circles back to the community support that has been built not just during the past five years but through the entirety of the SSRS project.

“Its importance cannot be overestimated,” confirms Nicole. “We could scream from the mountain tops about the need for statutory agencies to take this work on, but if we don’t have that public support then we are not going to get anywhere.”

Rich Rowe is contributing editor of Scottish Wildlife.

Find out more about SSRS at scottishsquirrels.org.uk

© Raymond Leinster

In the suburbs it is now reds rather than greys that are often seen. While such a goal was once considered to be far-fetched, there is now a real possibility of the complete eradication of greys in Aberdeen. “It has been a demonstration project of how you go about squeezing a population in a particular area,” notes Mel. A further source of pride has been how the project has successfully established a complete landscape of grey control across the Highland Line. This has been achieved through working closely with landowners and the efforts of a vast team of volunteers.

The volunteer response has also been particularly noticeable in the south of Scotland, with groups helping to bring red squirrels back to parts of Dumfries and Galloway and the Borders, where they have not been seen for decades.

It seems there is something special about the species that helps with this kind of mass mobilisation of support.

“Even people who might not be that interested in nature conservation somehow just get it with reds,” agrees Mel. “I’m no different. Even though I have worked on red squirrels for decades, I’m always thrilled to see them.”

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Sea change

SEA CHANGE Compared with the abundance of meteorological stations that help forecast terrestrial weather with remarkable accuracy, ocean monitoring remains a poor relation. That needs to change, says Professor Nicholas Owens from the Scottish Association for Marine Science

O

ut in the deep north-east Atlantic Ocean, a small torpedo-shaped robot slowly and silently patrols the seas, diving to 1,000m before resurfacing to report its findings to marine scientists hundreds of miles away on Scotland’s west coast.

Known as a ‘glider’, this autonomous underwater vehicle is measuring key ocean properties such as temperature, salinity, oxygen and chlorophyll levels on missions that can last up to seven months.

With no propulsion, the glider uses an energy-efficient combination of buoyancy adjustment and weight distribution to dive and resurface, with fixed wings helping it maintain a V-shape movement through the water.

At any given time of year, oceanographers from the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) in Oban can have a glider in the water, giving a year-round picture of how the ocean moves and, crucially, how it is changing.

Just under two metres in length, the glider is dwarfed by the vast ocean it monitors, but its data collection will have a huge impact on our understanding of ocean dynamics and, in turn, how we predict climate change.

Like police officers who regularly patrol their own beat, the repeated glider deployments to the north-east Atlantic are quite deliberate.

Beyond the continental shelf edge to the west of Scotland is the North 28 SCOTTISH WILDLIFE NOVEMBER 2022

Atlantic Current, part of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), a gigantic series of currents that carry roughly 1.25 petawatts (1015 watts) of heat (more than 60 times the present rate of world energy consumption) across the Atlantic, from the Tropics to the Arctic.

On reaching the Arctic Ocean, the waters cool and sink, before returning to source like a global scale conveyor belt. This heat transfer is of such importance that the AMOC is considered a major influence on global climate and is sometimes referred to as ‘Europe’s central heating system’.

Yet this crucial component of our ocean remains largely a mystery.

SAMS scientists have used gliders for more than a decade and their durability has allowed monitoring to take place in deep winter when shipbased observations are near impossible.

However, gliders alone are not sufficient to adequately measure the vast expanse of our ocean and the data produced cannot completely replace permanent moorings that host scientific instruments, which are few and far between.

When we compare our ocean monitoring with the meteorological equivalent, the difference is stark.

This summer there were record temperatures of more than 40˚C in England and nearly 35˚C in Scotland, but just as remarkable was how accurately these temperatures were

predicted. Some forecasts predicted the heatwave three weeks ahead and a few days in advance we knew specifically when and where these events would occur. The timeliness and accuracy of these forecasts helped to minimise disruptions and ensure the safety of people and property.

How was this foresight achieved?

Very simply, because of the now impressive accuracy of weather forecasting. A vital element to this accuracy is the abundance of data to ‘feed’ the computer models that formulate forecasts.

It is therefore a data deficit that limits our ability to predict what our seas will be like in the years and decades to come.

The UK has around 200 weather

Only by measuring and understanding these changes can we predict the future implications for ourselves and for the vast ocean ecosystem.

Sea change

© SAMS

On patrol: the gliders measure a variety of key ocean properties

stations and hundreds of other unofficial sites feeding data into the Met Office.

By comparison, we have 10 equivalent stations for the ocean.

But why do we need these data?

In short, because the sea has a constant and profound effect on our lives.

It influences our weather and its plethora of marine plant life produce

the oxygen in every second breath we take. Its power and ferocity have led to coastal erosion and made us all familiar with the terms ‘sea-level rise’ and ‘flood defences’.

The pace of climate change has accelerated dramatically in recent times, making extreme weather events more likely and more frequent. Only Researchers haul in a glider

by measuring and understanding these changes can we predict the future implications for ourselves and for the vast ocean ecosystem.

This, in turn, will greatly improve our ability to plan for the future and develop our coastline and public infrastructure accordingly.

The economic value of the sea amounts to trillions of pounds and yet we pay relatively scant regard to measuring and understanding it.

We know what measurements we should be making but there is the absence of a plan and its funding is low priority – out of sight, out of mind. With a ‘squadron’ of gliders, a ‘necklace’ of observation buoys and the commitment to sustain them, we could turn the tide in our favour.

Scotland has a sea area around six times larger than its land area.

If we wish to have any insight into the future to prepare for short-term needs or changes ahead because of climate change, we must urgently rebalance our priorities.

Professor Nicholas Owens is Director of the Scottish Association for Marine Science in Oban.

Visit sams.ac.uk NOVEMBER 2022 SCOTTISH WILDLIFE 29

The big picture

THE BIG PICTURE Paul and Joan Adams PAUL Adams has been interested in photography for more than 30 years, with a particular focus on capturing landscape, nature and wildlife.

For the past decade he has even produced a calendar of images to send to friends and relatives as a Christmas present.

“Oddly, they all await their calendar with eager anticipation!

The pressure is on me to produce original, eye-catching photos,” says Paul.

With such compelling images in mind, the opportunity to go on a small ship wildlife cruise departing from Oban and exploring the Western Isles earlier this year was a chance not to be missed.

This unusual image was captured during a stop at the Shiant Islands, en route to Stornoway – although not, as it turns out, by Paul. While he

went fishing, his wife Joan, armed with his camera, went on a mini tour in the ship’s dinghy and spotted this white cormorant standing on the rocks among a group of the usual dark-coloured birds.

“As the dingy went past, the bird turned at the right moment and she got this shot despite bobbing around a bit,” explains Paul. “The ship’s crew said they had never seen one before, so she knew it was something special.

“It was ironic that I am the keen photographer but Joan got the best photo of the entire trip – I might even include it in next year’s calendar.

“The only consolation was that the fishing was superb!”

Camera: Panasonic Lumix DMC – F2330; Lens: set at 624mm; Shutter speed: 1/640; Aperture: f/4; ISO: 100. © Joan Adams NOVEMBER 2022 SCOTTISH WILDLIFE 31

Watch out for

Watch out for...

Some things to enjoy over the coming months Festival

Book

© Eastgate Theatre

Puffins – Life on the Atlantic Edge

Kevin Morgans Published by Sandstone Press ISBN 9781913207779 Hardback RRP £29.99

Wild Writers Festival, Peebles, 27-29 January 2023 WE’RE keeping a close eye on programming details for the first Wild Writers Festival held at the Eastgate Theatre, Peebles, in January – a time of year when we all need an injection of energy and promise.

A celebration of the variety of writing that focuses on an appreciation of the living world – covering topics from nature writing to ecology and the environment, memoir and sustainable travel – this three-day festival will showcase a mix of established 32 SCOTTISH WILDLIFE NOVEMBER 2022

and up-and-coming authors as they share their ideas, stories, influences and inspirations.

The format includes a mix of readings, meet-the-author sessions and signings, Q&As, panel discussions and lively solo presentations.

While much of the event will centre on the theatre itself, it will also see author sessions radiate out to additional venues in Peebles.

For more information, visit eastgatearts.com

SOMETIMES a species is so well photographed that we might be forgiven for thinking that we have seen every possible image of it that there is to see. So it is with puffins – perhaps the most recognisable of all our seabirds.

However, this quite exceptional selection of photographs from Kevin Morgans takes us into new territory altogether.

The product of many years hunkered down on remote cliffs around the British Isles, from Unst and Fair Isle to the Farne Islands and Skomer, this exquisite book adds depth and colour to an already colourful species.

As he notes when captioning one set of images, puffins use more than their feet and claws to scratch hard-to-reach spots when preening: “A team of experts recently observed two puffins, a few thousand kilometres apart, each using sticks as a tool to reach those difficult places. This was the first-time wild seabirds had been observed using tools and suggests a higher level of cognitive ability than had been previously thought.”

It’s little wonder his work on puffins has earned Morgans worldwide recognition, including being awarded Best Portfolio 2021 by Bird Photographer of the Year.

But as well as page after page of breathtaking images that tell the story of this remarkable little seabird, the writing also tells us much about the worrying state of our seas.

As Chris Packham notes in his foreword: “Kevin’s text extolls the fascinating behaviour and ecology of the species, draws sharp attention to its sad decline, and asks demanding questions of how we see and should treat the natural world more widely – an equally important mission.”

Watch out for

Book

Podcast

Where the Wildflowers Grow

30 Animals That Made Us Smarter

Leif Bersweden Published by Hodder & Stoughton ISBN: 9781529349535 Hardback RRP £20.00

NOW in its second season, this multi-part BBC World Service series hosted by natural history presenter Patrick Aryee explores the many amazing things that we have learnt from the natural world – with a particular focus on species that have inspired us in one way or another when designing new technologies.

If you ever wanted to discover how the agility of a dragonfly led to the creation of a new spy drone, how slug slime may hold the key to mending wounds without stitches, or how lobsters are helping us see into space, then this is the podcast for you!

WHEN was the last time you stopped and noticed a wild plant? It’s a central question in this consistently delightful exploration of plant life throughout Britain and Ireland.

Fascinated by wild plants since he was young, Leif Bersweden’s days were often spent hunting for and cataloguing plants around his home – a spirit of discovery that has not been lost in adulthood.

Now a botanist on a mission to champion these often-overlooked species, this book is the account of a year-long botanical journey by bike in which he highlights the wide variety of plant life found throughout Britain

and Ireland. On the way, he also meets many of the people who share his fascination.

It is a journey that takes him to some unexpected places, not least the streets of London, where he proves that wild plants can take root in all sorts of places given the chance.

While Bersweden doesn’t hold back on highlighting the threats to our wild plants – from a changing climate to habitat destruction and loss of pollinators – this is above all a gentle, intriguing book full of positivity and joy.

The podcast series can be found on the BBC World Series at bbc.co.uk/programmes/ w13xttw7 (there is also a book of the same name by Patrick Aryee).

Competition

Win an overnight stay on Shetland

W

ITH its rugged coastline, beautiful beaches and rich array of wildlife, Shetland is a must-visit destination for nature lovers. Now we are offering you the chance to experience the stunning scenery, history and warm welcome.

One lucky reader will win an overnight stay, dinner and breakfast at the picturesque Busta House Hotel, which sits on the coastline in Brae, on the Shetland Mainland.

The hotel, built in the 16th Century, is renowned for its hospitality and is the perfect base for exploring – and unwinding after a day of adventure.

As well as the chance to spot a wide range of birds including puffins, red-throated divers and lapwings, you can also look out for seals, otters and, depending on the time of year, porpoises and orcas.

And that’s not forgetting the miles of coastline hikes, stretches of golden sand and visits to heritage sites dating back thousands of years.

For more information, visit bustahouse.com

COMPETITION

For your chance to win, tell us: Busta House Hotel is located in which settlement on Shetland Mainland?

Send your entries to Scottish Wildlife Trust Competition, c/o Connect Publications, Studio 2001, Mile End, Seedhill, Paisley PA1 1JS. Closing date is 13 January 2023.

T&Cs: Prize is offered subject to availability with no cash alternative and must be redeemed within three months of the winner being notified. Prize is non-transferable and some blackout dates may apply. Entry data will be used

by Connect Publications solely for managing this contest.

NOVEMBER 2022 SCOTTISH WILDLIFE 33

Viewpoint

Viewpoint

In our latest personal story exploring nature’s capacity to surprise, inspire and heal, former Trust Chair – and recent recipient of the Trust’s Lifetime Achievement Award – Allan Bantick OBE reflects on a defining moment from his career in nature conservation © Scottish Wildlife Trust

THERE was a tangible sense of hope and expectation in the air. A new Scottish Government was in place at Holyrood, bringing with it much talk of change – including the likely reversal of perceived mistakes made by previous regimes.

The Scottish Wildlife Trust and Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) caught the mood. Acting on hints that an application for a trial reintroduction of beavers might be smiled upon, the partnership produced a smart update of a previous application by what was then Scottish Natural Heritage and presented it to the Minister for Environment for him to read over Christmas.

There followed a few nervous weeks during which time we did not know what to do for the best. Should we start preparing on the assumption that we’d get the go-ahead, or would that be a waste of time and money if we were turned down?

Eventually the green light came and the world went crazy. There was much to do: habitat surveys to complete, staff to recruit, money to raise, a hysterical press to manage and strong opposition to handle. Oh yes, and beavers to capture.

Gradually, piece by piece, it all came together and a date was set for beavers to return to Scotland: Friday, 29 May 2009. As the big day approached, we were all a bag of nerves but the day before the release we had a dummy run to ensure things would go smoothly once the TV cameras started rolling.

My recollections of what actually happened over the two days are blurred but I do remember trying to talk to all the gathered wildlife experts from across the UK, Norway, Austria and possibly beyond – and dashing off to find the right kind of glue for sticking transmitters onto beavers – but otherwise staying out of the way of the experts as they went about their business. I will never forget the

Allan with his Lifetime Achievement Award

magical moment when Roseanna Cunningham MSP, at the time Minister for Environment, and I – assisted by representatives from RZSS and Forestry Commission Scotland – released a beaver into the Argyll countryside, where they had not been seen for 400 years. It was a truly historic occasion.

Speeches were then the order of the day, after which we dispersed to our homes across Scotland and beyond, each pondering what we had just done.

To some extent we are still doing that.

As the big day approached, we were all a bag of nerves but the day before the release we had a dummy run to ensure things would go smoothly once the TV cameras started rolling.

34 SCOTTISH WILDLIFE NOVEMBER 2022

Wherever I go in my own private wildlife world, the Scottish Beaver Trial will almost without fail crop up in the conversation, and when it does it’s always in a positive light.

We had started something. And by making that crucial first step, the trial made life that tiny bit easier for others across the UK who had their own ambitions for returning beavers to the landscape.

I am left with a sense of immense pride in the Scottish Wildlife Trust.

Along with RZSS, the Trust had the vision to spot an opportunity to do something fabulous for Scotland’s wildlife and then the courage of its convictions to see the idea through, despite determined attempts by others to derail the plans.

See page 8 for full details of Allan’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

Cheryl and Conor

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