Scottish National Heritage - The Nature of Scotland Autumn 2009

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The Nature of Scotland

Scottish Natural Heritage Autumn 2009

Looking up?

Scotlandsseabirds

Animal farm

Edinburghscountry heart

Explore Brr Up and overthe top


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Contents

7

9

11

22

29

41

57

Features

8 BiG time!

Glasgows green places

10 Chicks on TV

Red kites return to northeast

12 Time for action

Planning for climate change

16 Country in the city

Down on the farm in Gorgie

20 Hint of hope?

Seabirds show signs of reco

32 On the campaign trail

Nature sites reserved for you

46 Through the looking glass

Uplands under the microsco

48 Image makers

Photography Fair highlights

54 Spotlight on species

Improving prospects for wild

60 Paths of history

Discover Scotlands ancientpathways

Regulars2 Where we are

SNH contact details

3 Welcome

4 Wild calendar

Where to go and what to seethis autumn

26 News

Natural heritage updates

30 Common heritage

Linking language and environment

34 Events diary

Guide to whats on

36 Reserve focus

Discover Taynish NNR

42 Area news

Reports from round the country

58 Kids only!

Activities for younger readers


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Credits

The Nature of ScotlandThe Magazine of Scottish Natural HeritageIssue Number 5 Autumn 2009

Published quarterly SNH 2009ISSN 1350 309X

Editor: John WaltersTel. 01463 725 222

Cover photo: Guillemots with fish on the cliffs atFowlsheugh, near Stonehaven in Aberdeenshire.Inside cover: Kittiwakes and herring gullsfeeding on sandeels off Fowlsheugh, nearStonehaven in Aberdeenshire.Welcome page: Scurdie Ness lighthouse,Montrose.Photographer: Lorne Gill/SNH

Photography all images by Lorne Gill/SNH otherthan:Laurie Campbell 7b, 28, 56b; David Whitaker 9;Ewan Weston/RSPB 11t; Press and Journal 11b;John MacPherson/SNH 12; RSPB 15; LaurieCampbell/SNH 27b, 47; Iain Sarjeant 30; ChrisClose/The Miss Jones Agency 32, 33; Niall Benvie

41; Alastair Wilson/SNH 42l; Juan Brown/SNH42r; Glyn Satterley/SNH43l; Graham Hamilton43m; Helen Pugh 43r; Clive Grewcock/SNH 44m;John Haddow 45l; Elizabeth Clements/SNH 45m;Daryl Short/SNH 45r; David Donnan/SNH 57b;George Logan www.scottishphotography.co.uk62,63t, 63b.

Illustration Vicki Gausden 58

Maps Ashworth Maps and Interpretation Ltd2009 Based on Ordnance Survey mapping Crown copyright All rights reserved 37

To share your views about The Nature ofScotlandor suggest articles for future issuesplease contact the Editor:

SNH MagazineGreat Glen House, Leachkin Road,Inverness IV3 8NW

Email: [email protected]

The views expressed in this magazine do notnecessarily reflect those of SNH.

Printed by: Woods of Perth, Scotland

WP37K0909

When you have finished with this magazine,please recycle it. Pass it to another reader or

dispose of it at your local waste-collection point.

Where we are

You can contact SNH by

letter, telephone or email.

The following detailsshould enable you to find

your nearest local office,but bear in mind that there

are also smaller offices

than those listed.

A full list of our offices

appears on the SNHwebsite: www.snh.org.uk

Corporate

headquarters

Great Glen House,

Leachkin Road,Inverness IV3 8NW

Tel. 01463 725 000

Email: [email protected]

Other main offices

Battleby, Redgorton,

Perth PH1 3EWTel. 01738 444 177

Silvan House,

3rd

Floor East,231 Corstorphine Road,

Edinburgh EH12 7ATTel. 0131 316 2600

Caspian House,Mariner Court,

Clydebank Business Park,

Clydebank G81 2NRTel. 0141 951 4488

Area offices

Argyll and Stirling

The Beta Centre,

Innovation Park,University of Stirling,

Stirling FK9 4NFTel. 01786 450 362

Dumfries and GallowayCarmont House,

The Crichton,

Bankend Road,Dumfries DG1 4ZF

Tel. 01387 247 010

Northern Isles

Ground Floor,

Stewart Building,Alexandra Wharf,

Lerwick,Shetland ZE1 0LL

Tel. 01595 693 345

East Highland

Fodderty Way,

Dingwall Business Park,Dingwall IV15 9XB

Tel. 01349 865 333

North Highland

The Links,

Golspie Business Park,Golspie,

Sutherland KW10 6UBTel. 01408 634 063

West HighlandThe Governors House,

The Parade, Fort William,

Inverness-shire PH33 6BATel. 01397 704 716

Strathclyde and AyrshireCaspian House,

Mariner Court,Clydebank Business Park,

Clydebank G81 2NR

Tel. 0141 951 4488

Tayside andClackmannanshireBattleby, Redgorton,

Perth PH1 3EW

Tel. 01738 444 177

Western Isles

32 Francis Street,Stornoway,

Isle of Lewis HS1 2NDTel. 01851 705 258

Forth and BordersLaundry House,

Dalkeith Country Park,

Dalkeith,Midlothian EH22 2NA

Tel. 0131 654 2466

Grampian

16/17 Rubislaw Terrace,Aberdeen AB10 1XE

Tel. 01224 642 863

2 The Nature of Scotland


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Welcome

Colin GalbraithDirector of Policy and AdviceScottish Natural Heritage

The worlds environment is changing rapidly. With the increasing pressures population growth, climate change and wildlife habitats being destroyed, itsclear to see the scale of the problems that we face. With all these doom angloom stories, it would be all too easy to think that nothing can be done to this downward spiral of events. However, I dont think this is the case. Somethe work reported in this edition shows what can be done, here at home, to tackle some of these issues and thereby play our part in wider global efforts

Climate change is probably the greatest threat to the natural heritage anwill bring real change to the habitats and species we see in Scotland. Evenhere though, theres much that can be done to help adapt to these changes

example, our carbon-rich, peaty soils are likely to play a key role in helping thcountry meet its overall carbon budget year by year. Look after our soil and look after us, if you see what I mean!

Importantly, weve recently launched our climate change adaptation planshows what we plan to do to help reduce the impact of climate change acrothe country, while at the same time continuing to look after the natural heritaA major aspect of this work relates to the sea, where perhaps some of theearliest signs of the effects brought about by climate change are being seenIts encouraging, however, to note that recent results from the 2009 seabirdmonitoring have shown some populations having a better breeding season previous years. Work in the marine environment is complex and at times diffiUsing seabird populations as a guide to the wider health of the environmenvery useful technique, however, as it helps us to spot priorities for future act

Finally, let me mention the article looking at progress with the Species AFramework. This is an important project for us, especially as were working awith a range of other organisations to take it forward. Weve targeted our efon some of the top priorities for action, with a clear focus on improving the ostate of the natural heritage. This work illustrates that some of the toughest affecting our wildlife and habitats can be tackled and dealt with effectively weveryones pulling in the same direction.

So I hope youll see that the theme of this edition is a positive one. It shothat we can take action in relation to climate change, the sea and conservinspecies, as well as many other areas!


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The Nature of Scotland

Kenny Taylorgives someseasonal tipsfor savouringScottishwildlife andlandscapes

Wild calendar

Chilly nights can spark warm colours in treesnow, or bring the web-jewelling morningmists so typical of the season. Migrant birdsare arriving, including legions of wadersand geese from across the northern world.They add sound and movement to coastsand lochs, while the uplands echo to thebellows of rutting red deer.

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Mudlarking

Estuaries are amazing, with their ever-shifting mixes of landand sea, patterns of light on mud and water and flocks of

wading birds. Sometimes the wader throngs can rise likesmoke on the horizon. At others, huddles of hundreds jostletogether just above the high-tide mark.

Come autumn, the numbers of waders using Scotlandsestuaries and soft-shored inlets can be colossal. So whetheryoure watching a major firth or tiny bay, its worth scanningthe sands and saltings for birds such as redshank, dunlin,knot and oystercatcher. Some of these will be passingthrough on journeys that may include several countries.Others may stay until spring.

Because of the size of some estuaries, binoculars otelescope can be a boon to wading bird identification.

Aberlady Bay Local Nature Reserve in East Lothian, yocan use the telescope at the Scottish Ornithologist CluWaterston House, just west of Aberlady village, to scothe mudflats before venturing out to explore the estuar

Web tips:

www.the-soc.org.uk

www.aberlady.org


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1Hundreds of

thousands of wadingbirds use Scotlandscoasts especially theestuaries as feedingand roosting places inautumn.

2Autumn colours can beas wide as amountainside or assmall as a single leaf,bringing beauty to theseason across thewhole country.

Tints to die for

So wrote Scottish bard Robin Williamson in his classicOctober Song.

Whether in city or moorland, mountain or island, Scotlandis awash with autumn colour. Urban parks, for example, areoften big on broadleaves, such as sycamores. Being one ofthe maple clan, sycamores dont stint on the seasonal tones.Neither do planted cherry trees.

On heathlands, the fading purples of heather flowers andthe tawny tints of deer sedge last well through the season,whether on mainland moors or island fringes. Even coastalmudflats can get an autumnal makeover, as glasswort plantsturn from green to several shades of red.

Picking a venue for celebration of this time of fruitfulnessand colour should be a doddle. But if you need a pointer, trythe Glen Affric National Nature Reserve, where yellowingbirches contrast with bottle-green pines and big lochs reflecbreeze-blown clouds.

Web tips:www.nnr-scotland.org.uk/reserve.asp?NNRId=17

www.forestry.gov.uk(and put autumn colours in searchbox)

The fallen leaves that

jewel the ground, theyknow the art of dying,And leave with joytheir glad gold hearts,in scarlet shadowslying.


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The hills are alive

In Gaelic, red deer are at the very core of autumn. Oct(An Dmhair)is the month when the deer mating seasthe rut Dmhair is at its peak. Stags strike poses, cthemselves in mud as if to emphasise their strength, clantlers with rivals and chivvy hinds to join their harems.most notably of all, to the human ear, they bellow.

On a still day in the thick of the rut, when the first frcould have sparked tones of fire in rowans and birchescan hear the din a mile off or more. The deep, resonacalls (biridh, or roaring, to continue the Gaelic) carryhigh on mountain slopes to deep in glens.

You can enjoy the roaring in many parts of the Scotmainland, and on islands such as Arran and Rum. TheTrossachs has deer in many of its beautiful glens, incluat Glen Finglas, once a royal hunting ground and now Woodland Trust Scotland reserve.

Web tips:www.snh.org.uk/gaelic/dictionary

www.frontpage.woodland-trust.org.uk/glenfinglas

The original webmasters

Surprisingly, many people are afraid of spiders. But at Robert the Bruce, so the story goes, wasnt one of theSuch arachnophobia can be a problem for its suffereralso a wider shame, since spiders do great service to pin reducing the numbers of insects such as midges. Buautumn, even some arachnophobes might get pleasurethe activities of their local eight-legged beasties.

Choose a morning when appropriately seasonal mi

cloak the ground. Chances are, even on a walk that is known to you, the familiar will have been transformed bactions of spiders. When fog condenses on spiders wevery detail of these spectacular structures is thrown irelief against background plants.

For those not bothered by close encounters with thbuilders themselves, careful approach, without touchincould reveal species such as the European garden spiwith its distinctive cross-shaped markings. But if thatsstep too far, then at least try not to miss out on the widweb show.

Web tip:www.arachnology.org (and go to Arachno Web)

3Roaring is used by reddeer stags to

intimidate rival malesand to attract theattention of hinds, whocan partly assess amales quality from hisvoice.

4The silk spun andstretched to producespider webs is verystrong, but has a lookof surprising delicacywhen strung withdrops of dew.

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BiG time!Liz Humphreys of the BritishTrust for Ornithology (BTO)Scotland describes howvolunteers recently revealed awealth of wildlife in Glasgowsgreenspaces


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1Marlies MacLean wasone of the volunteersinvolved with theBiodiversity inGlasgow project. Shesurveyed a site at theRed Road flats in thecity.

2The comma butterfly isexpanding northwardsand beginning toappear in Scotland.

Glasgow may not be the firstplace that comes to mind ifyoure looking to encouragepeople to go out and look forbirds and butterflies but theBiodiversity in Glasgow (BiG)project did just that!

This joint venture between BTO

Scotland and Butterfly ConservationScotland asked volunteers to surveythe birds, butterflies and habitatsof Glasgows greenspaces. Manyvolunteers were new to recording, sowe offered free training in identifyingspecies and how to carry out a survey.This proved to be a big success with108 people being trained for birdsand 88 for butterflies. Volunteers oftenreported that they had a long-standinginterest in natural history, but theyd

previously lacked the skills or theconfidence to get involved with surveywork.

The greenspaces included in theBiG project were mostly Glasgow CityCouncil owned sites and, whereverpossible, the volunteers chose thelocations themselves. Over 20% ofGlasgow is made up of greenspace,including 74 parks and 95 sites ofimportance for nature conservation,so there was no shortage of availablesites.

Initially, some volunteers voiceddoubts about their sites as theydidnt look terribly promising in theearly spring. As the year progressed,however, the sites transformed with thestart of the breeding season birdsbecame more apparent as they sangand displayed, butterflies appearedand the plant life flourished. Volunteersdiscovered a wide range of animals and

plants at their site, and it was obviousthat theyd really enjoyed getting toknow their sites well.

Altogether, the volunteers recorded91 bird species and 17 kinds ofbutterfly in the city of Glasgow during2007 and 2008. Many of them werequite widespread bird species, butthere were also 15 birds (includingskylark, cuckoo, lesser redpoll and

linnet) that are priority species forconservation action and 47 birds ofconservation concern. Exciting recordsfor butterflies included the comma which we think was the first record forthe city and good numbers of ringlets,which indicates the rapid rate at whichthis particular species is appearing inGlasgow.

Weve now looked closely at wherethe birds and butterflies were found,so that we can recommend how

best to manage greenspace if were

going to encourage greater varietlife. The sites with most bird spectended to have water bodies, wetmarsh, uncut grass and/or wild arAnd, as we expected, the size of tgreenspace was important, with lsites having more bird species. Inof butterflies, the sites that had ungrass were the ones where butterwere most likely to be recorded.

The results of the BiG project which was funded by the ScottishGovernment, SNH, Glasgow CityCouncil and the Robertson Trust help guide some of the managemwork carried out by the council. Intheyve already started introducinmore water bodies and cutting thgrass less often. The BiG project therefore raised awareness not onthe value of biodiversity in our towand cities but also of the importan

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The Nature of Scotland10

Red kites are returning to Aberdeenshire and cityfolk have been given the chance to view thesemagnificent birds of prey up close

Chicks on TV

Red kite chicks have hatched in Aberdeenshirefor the first time in almost 150 years, and thepublic was able to follow their progress during thesummer via two CCTV viewing points.

Aberdeen Red Kites (ARK) is a three-year project that aimsto establish a breeding population of the birds in one of thelargest areas left in Britain where there were previously none.

A total of 101 young birds, from different parts of theUK, have been released over the last three years, explainedSNH operational manager Ewen Cameron, and wewere a little surprised, but delighted, when the first eggssuccessfully hatched this spring.

Although persecution played a large part in the declineof red kites here 150 years ago, its great to report that inthese more enlightened times, farmers, landowners and localpeople have been very supportive of their return.

Most of the birds were given names as they werereleased. One northeast school chose the name of theirfavourite football player, while Grampian Police gave the

name of one of their community officers. It seemed only rightthat the first chicks to hatch this year should also be givennames, which is why brother and sister red kites called Deeand Don are now flying around Aberdeenshire.

Although Aberdeen is currently known as the oil capitalof Europe, we have no doubt that in the future it will also beknown as the birthplace of Dee and Don, joked Ewen.

ARK is a combined effort by RSPB Scotland, SNH,Aberdeen Greenspace, Voluntary Service Aberdeen andmany others. The partners installed a CCTV camera next to

the nest and pictures were beamed into Voluntary ServiceAberdeens farm at Easter Anguston, near Peterculter on theoutskirts of Aberdeen.

Why Easter Anguston? We can now reveal that thiswas the secret location for the temporary pens where thebirds were kept until they were used to their surroundings,before being freed to establish a self-sustaining, breedingpopulation. The farm provides vocational training for youngadults with learning disabilities. The staff and trainees at

Easter Anguston were kept busy building and maintainingpens, initially providing food (usually road-killed rabbits) andhelping out at release time.

At the same time as live pictures were beamed into thefarm, recorded highlights were also played on a secondscreen that was located in the Kirk of St Nicholas on UnionStreet in Aberdeen. The ARK partners were keen to do thisto emphasise that Scotlands wildlife is there to be enjoyedby everyone, whether you live in the country or the city.Having the video in the kirk meant that the man and womanin the street could just walk in and see this exotic bird righton their doorstep.

In just three short years, the returning red kites havecertainly made their mark locally. Perhaps one of the leastexpected events was Aberdeens Lady Provost, SandraStephen, featuring one on her official Christmas card.

Ive always been a supporter of wild bird protectionprogrammes, Sandra remarked, and I think this is a greatway to reintroduce these special birds back into the skiesaround Aberdeen City and the wider area. They make ourcountryside a more wild, natural and beautiful place to live inand be proud of.


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1Dee and Don innest.

2Local MSP MauWatt (right) and

Lennon of RSPBon as one of thekites is release

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Climate change is the threat that confrous all. SNHs new five-year action planoutlines how we aim to respond

Time for action

Its now widely recognised that climate changis the biggest issue facing our planet, with farreaching results for all living things.

Were seeing changes all across the world, as well as national and local scales. Its getting hotter around theplanet, sea levels are rising, the oceans are becoming acidic and the polar ice caps and glaciers are melting.

And in Scotland theres evidence of these changesWere witnessing sea-level rises around large parts of coast, river flows are increasing, air and sea temperatuare on the rise, and some species are moving into areawhere they werent seen before.

The scientific evidence is clear and were now at a point in time. The rate of climate change caused by hu

activity has never been seen before and it threatens plaanimals and the environment. They cant adapt quicklyenough to the increasingly early springs, rising sea leveflooding and changing river patterns.

And because people dont live apart from nature, clchange puts not only species and landscapes at risk, balso our lifestyles, economy and culture. The impact onScotlands nature is likely to be huge, and we have to anow, together and with determination.

Life-support systems

The need to act can bring opportunities, though. We cstep up our efforts to care for our nature and landscaphelping the species that are vital in maintaining the lifesupport systems in nature on which we rely. These sysinclude producing and pollinating our food, creating fesoils, as well as collecting and purifying the water we dand use. By supporting networks of strong, healthy habacross Scotland we can help some species to move innew areas as the climate changes. This can also help csafer, healthier, greener places for people to live.

1Increased storminessand rising sea levelswill affect our coastsas the climatechanges.

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2Creating newgreenspace in ourtowns and cities canhelp us to manageincreased flooding. Itwill also create newplaces to enjoy nature.

3The RSPB breachedthe existing seadefences at Nigg Bayon the Cromarty Firthto allow the sea toflood a field, and theybuilt new defencesinland. The workcreated new saltmarshand mudflats forwaders and wildfowl.

The roles played by our land and sea are equallyimportant. The way we use our land, how we drain it (or letit flood), what we grow on it and where and what we buildon it can have a big influence on climate change. We canmanage woodlands and peatlands to store carbon, we canuse the power of wind and waves to reduce the amount ofcarbon we release, and we can work with nature to helpsociety adapt.

Its a massive challenge, but there are rewards if we getit right. SNHs commitment is made clear in our new Action

Plan for Climate Change and the Natural Heritage. It explainshow, by changing the way we manage our nature andlandscapes, we can support our wild species and spaces.This will provide some insurance against the worst extremesof climate change. By doing this, well learn to work betterwith the basic natural services such as breaking downwaste or controlling disease which make our quality of lifeso rich.

One opportunity is to create and manage greenframeworks in and around towns and cities. These combineareas such as gardens, parks, allotments, rivers and pondsto provide vital natural environments and corridors linkingwildlife to the wider countryside. This will not only increasethe opportunities for threatened wildlife to adapt, it will alsopotentially present opportunities for flood management andprovide greenspace for walking and cycling.

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Working with nature

Reducing carbon emissions so that we can limit theeffects of climate change also presents challenges andopportunities for our nature and landscape. Scotlandsorganic soils, notably peat, hold nearly a third as muchcarbon as all the trees in Europe. So protecting this refrom change is a priority if were to try to cut the amoucarbon we release.

At Methven Moss in Perthshire, for instance, the owhave put in dams, blocked ditches, and taken out conifbirch trees in order to raise water levels on the bog. Hi

water levels will help restore the bog, as well as the plaand animals that depend on it. This will make it easier fthem to survive climate change and keep carbon lockein the peat.

We can also secure wider benefits by working withnature to adapt to the pressures of climate change. At Bay on the Cromarty Firth, the RSPB have opened up existing sea defences in places so that the sea can flofield. They have then built new defences inland. Six yealater, the area provides a home for waders and wildfowwell as saltmarsh plants. This helps to compensate forloss of mudflat and saltmarsh, which will be lost elsew

as sea levels rise because of climate change.Climate change needs urgent, joined-up action from

all parts of society, all across Scotland. We have to actnow to get a better understanding of the links betweenclimate change, people and nature. We can then guideothers to plan, manage in new ways and use our natureand landscapes to help Scotlands people and its natuprosper in a changing climate. Only action can producthese precious benefits. If we dont act then it could becostly than we might ever imagine.

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Head for the centre of Edinburgh and youllfind a working farm with sheep, pigs, hens,goats and ducks as well as an owl and apussycat!

Country in the city

For over 20 years, Gorgie City Farm has been a haven ofpeople-friendly greenspace at the heart of central Edinburgh.

The farm and gardens are hemmed in by tenements, arailway line and a cemetery, but they offer visitors an unusual,

inner-city chance to get involved with farmyard animals anddiscover more about gardening and wildlife.The farm has become a much-loved place for people

to visit from Edinburgh and the Lothians, explained TracyCudworth, community gardening project manager. About50,000 folk pass through our doors every year, with somejust popping in to enjoy a bit of peace and quiet away fromthe bustle of the city.

1One of the farm's pigstries to leap the fenceas feeding time

approaches!

2Stock manager IanFerguson gets to gripswith some of the dailychores.

3Education officerMalcolm Bruce takesthe pygmy goats for awalk with twomembers of the YoungCity FarmersClub.


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Were proud that the farm is open to all, with somethingfor everyone, whatever their background or abilities. A lot offolk are also surprised to find so many services and activitiesin such a small place.

It all started in 1977 when a community group beganclearing the derelict site of what is now Edinburghs only cityfarm. There were plans to develop the site for housing orfor a school, but local people insisted greenspace was thepriority and Gorgie City Farm opened to the public in 1982.Ever since its been a working farm, selling lambs, pigs,eggs, vegetables and manure to cover some of its 900 perday running costs.

The farm occupies a 2.5-acre site with small fields andstables, pigsties and poultry and sheep-houses. Theresa range of farm animals and birds to see, as well as a host

of pets, and theres also a play park, caf, produce stall andseveral gardens.

About half of the total area is given over to gardensthat are managed for wildlife, vegetables, herbs, educationor sensory purposes. There are other greenspacesaround the farm, as well as various planters and borders.Fortunately, theres a great demand for outdoor volunteeringopportunities in the Edinburgh area, with people from arange of backgrounds keen to learn about gardening andwildlife.


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The farm is here for the community, Tracy continued,and it depends on support from many people and in manyways. Were supported by Edinburgh City Council, as wellas trusts and foundations, and receive membership of theFarm Association and donations from visitors. SNH currentlyfund our Gardening for Life volunteer programme. And wedepend hugely on our volunteers, who work with animals, inthe gardens, in the office and on the Board.

For instance, we receive over a thousand hours helpfrom volunteers in the gardens. In return, they get training,

the chance to work outside and can take home vegetablesthat theyve helped to grow.

At least half of all garden volunteers are drawn fromdisadvantaged groups and its so popular that therescurrently a waiting list. The project also aims to encouragehealthy diets and lifestyles by selling fresh fruit andvegetables from their own produce stall to the localcommunity and supplying nearby Saughton Prison familycentre.

In addition, the gardens have been developed withwildlife in mind. Theres now a small woodland garden, apond and wetland area, a wildflower meadow and a rockery.Having gardens and greenspaces, in an otherwise urbansetting, has brought huge benefits for the local wildlifepopulations. The team have also extended outwith the farm,by improving wildlife habitats at nearby cemeteries throughbird-feeding stations and installing bat, bird and bee boxes.


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As well as the adult volunteers, there are teenagershelp out with the animals, and in particular the pet lodgThe residents here include rabbits, guinea pigs, gerbilsdoves, a snake, stick insects and a tortoise!

The teenage volunteers help operate a mobile petsservice where staff take the animals out to local residehomes, hospitals and schools. They also board pets wtheir owners go on holiday and provide pet care informfor visitors.

The mobile pet service has been running for aroun

seven years and is very popular, added Tracy. Weve up a strong reputation with users who book us again aagain because handling and stroking pets can help relstress and tension.

The combination of friendly, chatty pet lodge staff atame, cuddly pets provides an enjoyable and stimulatinfor the people who use the service. Being around animcan be relaxing, therapeutic and educational.

Younger children can help out in the school holidaywhen 8- to 12-year-olds can join in the farmer helperssessions, and theres a popular young city farmers clumeets at the weekends.

Schools are also regular visitors to the farm, withguided tours that allow touching and feeding of somelivestock. And theres an interactive workshop called CFarm: Global Farm, which is designed to complement curriculum. Its suitable for 8- to 12-year-old pupils andto develop their understanding of the challenges facedfood producers and rural communities around the worl

Our ambition is to educate everyone who comesthrough the gates, Tracy added, even if its just fromreading a sign or label. The farm is a locally important gspace and many of the community who work here are nthose youd normally expect to find getting involved witenvironment.

We hope that by providing a greater understandinfarming and the environment well help improve the quof peoples lives and the health and environment of thecommunity.

4Community gardeningproject manager TracyCudworth with Red,the farms horse.

5

Malcolm collects freshfarm eggs with somewilling helpers fromthe summer club for8- to 12-year-olds.

6Garden volunteerGeorge Aitkenharvesting freshproduce from thevegetable garden.

7Farm visitors enjoyinga turn on the tractor.

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Hint of hope?

A recent report fromSNH revealed thatScotlands seabirdnumbers fell by 19%between 2000 and

2008. However, this yearbrought signs of a recoveryin some places. Policy andadvice officer Simon Fosterconsiders the factors affectngseabird breeding success


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Theres been a lot of coverage recently about a decline in thenumber of seabirds breeding around Scotlands coasts.

You may remember alarming figures from earlier this year about 55% fewerkittiwakes breeding here than in the mid-1980s and a decline of 26% amongArctic terns over the same period.

So whats the 2009 season looked like? Im glad to say that in the coloniesIve visited on the North Sutor in the Cromarty Firth and on Canna its beena reasonable year, and certainly a marked improvement on 2008. Theres beenno great increase in numbers, but the adults are producing healthy chicks and

bringing in good-sized fish, which is heartening to see.In Shetland theres been a similar picture, although the recovery has been

patchy. So is this the turning of a corner, and can we look forward to someimproved years for seabirds?

Complex reasons

The simple answer is that its too early to draw any long-term conclusions. Mostpeople are putting the recovery down to an increase in available food, but thereasons for the declines are complex and not just linked to food shortages.

Most seabirds rely on the seas for feeding, so changes in food supplycan be reflected in their populations. Species such as gannets and fulmars,

1The kittiwakepopulation hasdeclined dramaticallyin recent years,perhaps because of ashortage of sandeels.

2Some Arctic terncolonies have beenaffected by thenon-native Americanmink, which preys onthe chicks.

3Fulmars lay a singleegg and feed on arange of prey fromsquid to catch thrownoverboard by fishingboats.

4Shags breed on arange of sites on cliffsand amongst bouldersThey feed on a varietyof small to medium-sized fish.


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which feed on a wider range of prey including medium-sized fish andcatch rejected by fishing boats haveshown increases. But kittiwakes andpuffins, which rely on smaller fish,have struggled to find food for a fewseasons.

When traditional food sources arein short supply, seabirds may adapt andchange their diet. In 2003, however,

many seabirds were seen to feed onsnake pipefish. These were a poor foodchoice as theyre very bony and providelittle nutrition for chicks, and manychicks starved as a result. Despitethese difficulties, its clear that seabirdsare hardy and can adapt in time todifferent circumstances. Theyre long-lived birds, with some recorded at over40 years old. Over this time, they mustsee lean years and good years.

However, autumn storms can wreakhavoc on seabirds as they struggle tofind food in choppy and murky waters.Studies on the Isle of May have shownthat prolonged easterly winds duringthe winter result in lower numbers ofshags attempting to breed. And duringthe breeding season, lengthy periodsof strong winds have a similar effect inreducing the adults ability to find food.

3

4

The simple answer isthat its too earlyto draw any long-termconclusions.


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Introduced species such as rats andmink also impact heavily on seabirds.This has prompted a flurry of projectsto remove rats and mink from islands.For instance, the small island of Cannawas recently declared rat free afteran effective project to get rid of them.Handa Island and Ailsa Craig have alsohad successful rat eradication projects.

On islands where rats or mink remain,though, the effects on seabirds andother wildlife can be significant.

Almost all of our seabirds moveaway from their breeding colonies inthe winter months. Manx shearwatersand Arctic terns complete astonishingmigrations to the southern hemisphereand back each year, while others,such as guillemots and razorbills, flyshorter distances. Some go to thesouth coast of Britain or to France and

Spain, while others may stay nearer tobreeding sites. Some razorbills go evenfarther south to Morocco and into theMediterranean, while many guillemotsmove north into Scandinavian waters.This means that events like an oil spilloff the south coast of Britain can impactcolonies throughout the UK and evenfarther afield.

Knowledge gap

The fact is that we still know very littleabout where some seabirds go. Thisis a real hindrance as we can directour efforts effectively only if we knowwhere seabirds travel. The use ofringing where we attach a uniquelynumbered metal ring to a bird helps

improve our understanding of wherebirds journey in the winter months. Andnew technologies, such as satellitetransmitters, are starting to give usa picture of the wanderings of somespecies.

Seabirds are monitored at a numberof Scottish colonies each year, withover 30 years of recording at somelocations. Ive been fortunate to beinvolved as a volunteer monitoringseabirds on Canna and the North

Sutor for over 15 years. Ive seen theyears when large numbers of chicksfledged, and Ive also seen the effectsof rats on colonies and when adultswere struggling to feed their chicks.Its only through this kind of long-termmonitoring that we can find out howour seabirds are faring and directconservation towards the areas whereits needed most.

5Puffin chicks typicallystay in their nestingburrows for 3844days and areindependent from theiparents when theyleave.

6Gannet gatheringnesting material. Thelargest gannet colonyin Scotland is on StKilda. It holds about20% of the worldpopulation.


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2m machair boost

Traditional crofting methods will be encouraged in a new project aimed atprotecting the unique Hebridean machair, which is home to a wealth of rarewildlife.

A 2 million funding package has been put together with contributionsfrom Europe and public bodies. Its hoped that the project will get under way inJanuary.

The Hebridean machair is a strip of coastal land stretching from North Uist toIslay, with small pockets extending up to the north of Lewis. Traditional croftingmethods including mixed grazing and the late harvesting of crops produce acolourful landscape rich in wild flowers, herbs and grasses.

This in turn makes perfect conditions for threatened birds like corncrake,chough and corn bunting. The machair is also home to 16,000 breeding pairsof wading birds such as lapwings and ringed plovers, and insects such as thedeclining great yellow bumblebee.

Scotlands machair is globally important for this wildlife, which hasdisappeared from many other parts of Europe. Without the right support, however,the active crofting systems that maintain it are at risk.

The importance of the machair areas is shown by the fact that its protectedthrough various designations under European wildlife law, which have allowedaccess to the European funding scheme. RSPB Scotland led the bid, inconsultation with farmers and crofters on the islands and in partnership withComhairle nan Eilean Siar, SNH and other agencies.

The project will work with crofters and farmers to support wildlife-friendlytechniques. In particular, the funds will be used to provide machinery, labour andadvice to crofters, to address issues such as grazing by geese and changingploughing methods. It will also promote helpful techniques such as harvestingcrops later, building stooks (piling up hay and straw in conical stacks) and usingseaweed as fertiliser.

This is very welcome news, commented Stewart Angus, SNHs adviser oncoastal habitats. Machair crofters have a history of working their land in a waythat benefits wildlife. The sort of support that comes with this package will helpensure this form of sympathetic land use has a future.

N

EWS


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Ageing stags godownhill quickly

A study of wild red deer on the island of Rum has found theageing process amongst stags can be dramatic and sudden.

The research looked at the ability of the male and femaledeer to reproduce as they aged. It found that females showthe first signs of ageing, but the decline of the stags is muchfaster when old age does catch up with them.

After around 10 years of age, stags quickly become lesslikely to father calves. Hinds show signs of ageing sooner from about nine years old but they can go on calving intotheir late teens.

Researchers from the universities of Edinburgh andCambridge looked at over 40 years of data about more than1,000 deer on the island. They also found that older stagsappear able to keep their antlers well into old age. However,despite this they have little success during the autumn rutand father very few calves.

Similarly, females that are past their prime are likely tocontinue breeding, but their offspring tend to be smaller and

less likely to survive compared with calves born to youngerfemales.

Rum is a National Nature Reserve owned and managedby SNH. Intensive research on the islands red deer hasproduced one of the longest-running studies of a largemammal anywhere in the world. It has had widespreadcommercial use in deer management throughout Scotland.

NEW

S

Stalking updatefor walkers

A seasonal service for walkers isoperating again, providing up-to-dateand accurate information on deer-stalking activity in mountain areas

across Scotland.The Hillphones 2009 initiative

covers 12 popular mountain areas inScotland where deer stalking takesplace.

Backed by a poster and leafletcampaign and the www.hillphones.infowebsite, the dedicated telephoneservice provides local informationthrough regularly updated phonemessages.

These guide walkers to appropriate

routes in the area by advising on whereand when stalking will be taking placeduring the red deer stag stalkingseason from 1 July to 20 October.

Both walking and stalking providean important source of income for thelocal economy and the two can happilyco-exist if walkers plan their routes tominimise disturbance to stalkers.

The Hillphones service was set upin 1996. Its operated by estates takingpart in the scheme and is promotedand co-ordinated by SNH and the

Mountaineering Council of Scotland.Hillphones posters and leaflets with

contact numbers have been widelydistributed in the Hillphones areas. Thewebsite gives additional information,including the expected frequency ofstalking within the Hillphones areas.Callers should ensure that they have amap of the area in front of them beforethey call the local Hillphones number.


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N

EWS

Birds of prey still targeted

New figures on crimes against birds of prey last year show that there were 28confirmed cases of illegal pesticides being used to kill or threaten birds of prey.Four further cases involved people having pesticides suspected to be for an

illegal purpose.The details come from an RSPB Scotland report, which reveals that victims of

the criminal activity included a white-tailed sea eagle, two red kites, 14 buzzardsand three ravens. Forty-two illegally set poisoned baits were also found inScotlands countryside, with the potential to kill many other birds of prey as wellas domestic animals, and pose a lethal risk to humans.

A further five buzzards and a red kite were found shot, and peregrines andhen harriers disappeared in circumstances that strongly suggested humaninterference.

Many of these incidents took place in remote areas, where its easy to concealthe evidence. The RSPB say its likely, therefore, that these confirmed cases willrepresent only a tiny fraction of the crimes committed against some of our most

highly protected and admired birds of prey.Its shameful that some of our most iconic species continue to face illegal

persecution, commented Richard Lochhead, the Governments cabinet secretaryfor rural affairs and the environment.

The Scottish Government takes wildlife crime extremely seriously and wefully recognise just how much effort this specialist field requires. We will continueworking closely with organisations involved in the Partnership for Action AgainstWildlife Crime in Scotland (PAW Scotland) to tackle this threat. The illegalpersecution of Scotlands bird life is unacceptable, tarnishes our reputation andmust be stopped.


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NEW

S

Gaelic focus on natural world

A new Gaelic educational resource based on some fascinating species ofScotland will be launched in October by SNH.

Schools throughout Scotland will receive the series of six new Gaelic MuDheadhinnworksheets featuring full-colour posters. The packs give teachersand students a ready-made set of educational projects and activities combiningnatural history and the Gaelic language.

Mu Dheadhinnis for Gaelic speakers and non-speakers alike. The posters andworksheets tell the story of each species through images, fact boxes, poems, artactivities and drama.

The series aims to inspire childrens imaginations and encourage them toexplore the natural world. The resources will help them understand the life cyclesof various species including water voles, red squirrels and great crested newts.

The worksheets will also highlight how much the traditional Gaelic names andterms add to our understanding through their colourful descriptions of particularspecies.

Great yellow heads south

The great yellow bumblebee, one of Britains rarest bees, has bucked recentgloomy trends and had a bumper summer in Scotland this year.The great yellow was once widespread, but intensive farming sent it into

decline and the far north and west of Scotland became its last refuge.However, after a couple of poor years, there have been very good numbers

recorded this summer in Orkney and in the north Highlands, the last UK mainlandpopulation. In fact, it was found at its most southerly site in 30 years by BobDawson of the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. He discovered the speciesnesting near Lybster, on the east Caithness coast.

This is a modest but significant expansion of the known range southwards,Bob explained. We suspect the great yellow bumblebee may have been presentin this area before, but with more awareness now of the species, were turning upinteresting and important records like this.

Theres even the tantalising possibility that the great yellow could re-colonisethe Moray and Aberdeenshire coasts, he added.


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1Tha cuid de naboglaichean as fherrsan t-saoghal ann anGallaibh is Cataibh,leithid an seo faisg airan Fhorsan rd.Coltach ri sgrean eile,s e fith, seachboglach, as motha achithear mar ainm orraged a bhios fithcuideachd againmeachadh caochana tha a sruthadh tro

bhoglach. S iad FithChaorainn Mhr, FithGainneimh Mhragus

An Fhith Chaoleisimpleirean debhoglaichean Gallach.

Some of the finestblanket bog in theworld is to be found inCaithness andSutherland, such ashere near Forsinard. Incommon with otherareas, the word fith,rather than boglach,appears commonly onour maps, meaning a

bog-channel or-stream, and oftenreferring to thebogland itself.Caithnessianexamples include FithChaorainn Mhr(bigbog/bog-stream of therowan tree), FithGainneimh Mhr(bigsandy bog/bog-stream) andAn FhithChaol(narrow bog/bog-stream).


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Dualchas coitcheannCommon heritage

The Gaelic language has variouswords for soft wet country, writesRuairidh MacIlleathain. But the one

that provided the English languagewith bog is, perhaps surprisingly,not the most common on our maps

Tr bhog

Cha bu chir dha a bhith na iongnadh, leis cho mr is chofarsaing s a tha boglaichean na h-Alba is na h-ireann, gun

do dhirich am facal Beurla bogbho ths Gidhlig. Geda tha bogagus boglachagainn ann an Gidhlig, ge-t, thae inntinneach cho ainneamh s a chithear na faclan sin airmapaichean na h-Alba. Tha eisimpleirean ann an Allt Bog naFiodhaigann am Moireibh agus Boglach nan Tarbhann anle, ach chan eil iad pailt.

Tha na ficheadan, mura h-eil na ceudan, eisimpleireande dhfhacal Gidhlig eile a tha a riochdachadh talamhbog, ge-t, S e sin fith. Tha fith a ciallachadh sinew,vein, muscle agus chaidh a ghluasad bhon bhodhaig (mara thachair le mran fhaclan Gidhlig) a-null do dhaghaidhna tre, a riochdachadh amaran uisge a ruitheas tro thalamh

bog mar a bhios fithean a ruith tro bhodhaig. Tha a chiallmhionaideach sin air an fhacal fhathast.Ach tha fithair a dhol na b fharsainge na sin, agus e a

riochdachadh na boglaich fhin (mar anns an t-seanfhacalAm fear a tha air thoiseach, thid a stobadh anns an fhith).Tha iomadach eisimpleir dheth ann an ainmean-ite air feadhna Gidhealtachd, leithid Bealach Fith na Gamhnafaisgair Gleann Afraig, Allt Fith nam Fernaann an Athall, AnFhith Bhnann am Muile agus Fith Trr a Bhruicann anGallaibh.

Tha grunn fhaclan eile a nochdadh air ar mapaichean, ariochdachadh bhoglaichean. Chithear currachan siud s anseo, leithid Curragh (dreach Beurla) ann an Siorrachd ir a

Deas agus An Currach Mrann an Cinn Tre. Tha d bheinnRothaich air taobh an iar na Gidhealtachd a gilain facaleile nan ainmean a tha a ciallachadh talamh bog lapach.S iad sin Sgrr na Lapaichann an Gleann Afraig agus beinneile dhen aon ainm tuath air sin.

Tha lna gabhail a-steach iteachan cmhnardfliuch cuideachd agus tha iomadh Ln Bnagainn. Thaeisimpleirean eile ann an Ln na Graidheann an ceann atuath Na Hearadh, An Dubh-lnann am meadhan Chataibh,agus An Ln Biolaireachann am Muile. Tha cthara

nochdadh an siud s an seo; s iad Cthar an LeargainBhricann an Dira agus An Cthar Mrann an Glen T(Bideanach) eisimpleirean dheth.

Agus tha na faclan a leanas a seasamh airson diofashersaichean de thalamh bog cuideachd criathrach(me An Criathrach Mrlimh ris a Phloc), lap(Beinnna Lap, Loch Oisein), rumach(An Rumach, le), sil-chruthaich(Cnoc na Sil Chruthaiche, deas air CeannBiorbhaidh), riasg(An Riasg Buidhe, Colbhasa) agus(Lana na Feannaige, le).

Agus ann an Cnoc Poll nam Mucann an Asainte aAm Poll Luachrainann am Morbhairne, chithear facal enochdas gu tric air ar mapaichean a riochdachadh talabog, am measg rudan eile. Uaireannan bidh daoine adanamh feum eacanomaigeach depholl ach feuma

sinn ampoll mnach(agus am facal minefhin) fhgalatha eile!

Bog country

Given the importance and prominence of boglands inScotland and Ireland, its hardly surprising that the Engword bog originates in Gaelic. But, despite that, theGaelic words bog(also an adjective meaning soft) anboglachare not particularly common on our maps. Fioriginally meaning a sinew or vein in the body and ttransferred to the landscape as a bog-channel is mu

more common. Its application has also widened to takeentire bogland.

Currachappears here and there, as do cthar, crialap, lapach, lana, ln, riasg, rumachand sil-chruthaicall representing wet, marshy or swampy ground. Poll, aof several meanings in the landscape, can represent wpeatland and can also stand for a place where peat wais, harvested. But a consideration ofpoll mnach(peatand the word mineitself, which can stand for a bog omossy place, will have to wait for another day.


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A campaign to getmore people outof their homes andinto nature hasbeen launched on

advertising boardsacross the country

On the campaign trailGet out and enjoy nature at its best is the message behind a newcampaign that focuses on Scotlands suite of 54 National NatureReserves (NNRs). The reserves rank among the top wildlife sites inEurope and are located throughout Scotland.

One of the campaign aims is to foster greater pride in the reserves, which readlike a roll call of some of our best known natural assets. They include the ancientpinewoods and mountain scenery of Glen Affric in the Highlands, the spectacularcliffs of St Abbs Head on the Berwickshire coast and the wooded shores andislands of Loch Lomond.

NNRs are special places that look after the best of Scotlands nature onbehalf of everyone who lives in or visits Scotland, explained David Rodger, fromSNHs communications unit.

And we want to encourage many more people from Scotland and beyond toexplore these world-class nature sites and enjoy their natural wonders. So overthe next year well be focusing our communication efforts on this new campaign,which aims to turn up the volume about NNRs. We want to get the Scottishpublic talking about and visiting these inspirational places.

One of the first results of the new communications approach is a nationaladvertising campaign. Earlier this year, SNH commissioned a creative agency todevelop advertisements to raise public awareness of NNRs, what they are andwhy they exist. The aim is to make people more aware of NNRs as some of thebest places to enjoy nature in Scotland.

The advertising campaign features beautiful landscape images, byphotographer Chris Close, of three iconic reserves: Beinn Eighe in Ross-shire,Forvie in Aberdeenshire and Loch Leven by Kinross. The campaign appeared onselected outdoor poster sites across rural and urban areas of Scotland for twoweeks in July to take advantage of the school holiday period.

Each poster image was tagged with the line Weve kept a place for you and a

Reserved sign in the foreground of the landscape. These send the message thatNNRs are very special and unique places, waiting to be discovered and enjoyedby everyone.

From public surveys carried out between June and July, we know thatawareness and understanding of NNRs has increased noticeably because of thisoutdoor advertising, David added.

The next stages of the campaign will see us launch a new pocket visitor guidebooklet and a new-look NNR website, along with some promotion through onlinesocial media sites like Facebook or Flickr.

You can find out more about Scotlands NNRs at www.nnr-scotland.org.uk


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1Forvie NNR inAberdeenshire.

2Beinn Eighe NNR inWester Ross.


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The Nature of Scotlan34

Events diary 2009

October Sunday 4

Wednesday 7

Wednesday 7

Saturday 10

Sunday 11

Sunday 11

Wednesday 14

Saturday 17

Saturday 24

Fungi Foray

Loch Leven NNR

Tayside

Walk around the loch in search of fungi from

2pm to 5pm. Meet at Findatie car park. Booking

essential.

Tel: 01577 864 439

Roaring and Rutting!

Beinn Eighe NNRWester Ross

Look for rutting stags on Beinn Eighe from

9.30am to 4pm and learn about the life of the reddeer. Meet at the reserve visitor centre. Booking

essential.

Tel: 01445 760 254

Sharing Good

Practice (SGP):

Writing positively

about access

Battleby, Perth

This workshop will look at a range of inventive

and innovative approaches that can be used to

provoke and capture the attention of different

audiences.

Tel: 01738 458 556

[email protected]

Gorse Bash

Taynish NNR

Argyll

Help manage the open spaces at Taynish for

butterflies by controlling the spread of gorse from

10am to 3pm. Meet at Tayvallich Village Hall car

park.

Tel: 01546 603 611

Dawn Goose Watch

Loch Leven NNR

Tayside

Watch the spectacular sight of geese leaving

their night-time roosts from 6.30am to 8.30am.

Meet at the Watchtower, Kirkgate Park. Booking

essential.

Tel: 01577 864 439

Rutting Reds

Corrie Fee NNR

Angus

Walk in Glen Doll and maybe into Corrie Fee

NNR to watch and listen to the roaring of the

red deer stags. Meet at Glen Doll ranger base.

Booking essential.

Tel: 01575 550 233

Guided Walk

Braehead Moss NNR

Lanarkshire

Walk will last about three hours. Start time to be

confirmed, but probably 1pm. Booking advised.

Tel: 01555 665 928

Dawn Goose Watch

Loch Leven NNR

Tayside

Watch the spectacular sight of geese leaving

their night-time roosts from 6.30am to 8.30am.

Meet at the Watchtower, Kirkgate Park. Booking

essential.

Tel: 01577 864 439

Autumn Colours Walk

Clyde Valley

Woodlands NNR

(Cartland Craigs and

Cleghorn Glen)

Lanarkshire

Walk will be about four miles, with 10.30am start.

Booking essential.

Tel: 01555 665 928

Wednesday 14 SGP: Outdoor

learning for teacher

educatorsBattleby, Perth

How can we support the needs of new teachers

today? Join with other initial teacher education

professionals for an inspirational day sharinggood examples of outdoor learning.

Tel: 01738 458 556

[email protected]

Wednesday 21 SGP: Finding our

place reconnectingwith nature in a time

of uncertainty

Battleby, Perth

Climate change poses the greatest global

challenge of the modern age. How will natureconservation respond and adapt?

Tel: 01738 458 556

[email protected]


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November

December

Tuesday 27

Sunday 1

Saturday 12

Thursday 5

Tuesday 10

Tuesday 10

Wednesday 11

Sunday 15

Wednesday 25

SGP: Marine non-

native species

responding to the

threat

Battleby, Perth

Non-native species pose an increasing threat toour seas, coasts and estuaries, and to economicactivities in these areas. Learn about and considerpossible responses to this threat.

Tel: 01738 [email protected]

Fungi Foray

Loch Leven NNR

Tayside

Winter Bird Walk

Loch Leven NNR

Tayside

SGP: Marine

renewables and our

natural heritage

Stirling Management

Centre

Volunteers' Meeting

Loch Leven NNR

Tayside

SGP: Outdoor

learning at the

chalkface

Battleby, Perth

Meet the Wardens

Loch Leven NNR

Tayside

Red Alert

Corrie Fee NNRAngus

SGP: Visitor-

monitoring toolkits

and their use

Battleby, Perth

Walk around the loch in search of fungi from 2pmto 5pm. Meet at Burleigh Sands car park.Booking essential.

From 10am to 12 noon see which birds are ondisplay during the colder months of the year. Meetat Findatie car park. Booking essential.

This workshop will consider how best to locateand enable renewables development at sea, whilesafeguarding those species and habitats mostsusceptible to harm.

Guest speaker at Millbridge Hall Kinross, from7.30pm to 9pm will be Roy Dennis from the

Highland Foundation for Wildlife. Bookingessential.

Become an even more inspirational teacher bylearning how to provide exciting, challenging andvaried experiences within and beyond the schoolgrounds!

Drop in to the Boathouse Hide from 12 noon to3pm and chat with the SNH wardens about LochLeven wildlife.

Watch red squirrels at the feeders in Glen Doll

forest (next to Corrie Fee NNR) and discover themethods used to estimate their numbers. Meet atGlen Doll ranger base. Booking essential.

This event will introduce and explore two toolkitsthat have been developed to help organisationsand community groups to monitor visitors to theirsites.

Tel: 01577 864

Tel: 01577 864


Tel: 01577 864


Tel: 01577 864

Tel: 01575 550


www.snh.org.uk


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36 The Nature of ScotlandThe Nature of Scotland

Heart of oakThe Taynish peninsula forms part of the many fingeredcoastline of Argyll and features one of the finest ancientoakwoods in Europe. The moist, clean air here means thatlichens smother the trunks of trees, while mosses seem topour down from the branches. Theres been woodland herefor over 6,000 years and the reserve provides a powerfulreminder of times gone by

1Oakwood hugs thehillside above theLinne Mhuirichcoastline.


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Brr

Mr

Brr Mr Trail

www.snh.org.uk

Brr Mr Trail

To reach Taynish National Nature Reserve, takethe B8025 Bellanoch to Tayvallich road from theCrinan Canal. You can walk to the reserve from thecar park just south of Tayvallich village or turn leftonto a minor road signed for Taynish. Follow thispartly unmetalled road (with care its rough

in the later stages) for a mile down to thesmall car park in the reserve.

This 3 km/2 mile trail takes you upthe Brr Mr (Gaelic for big top),from where youll have superbviews over the surroundingwoodlands, coastline and islands.Youll need to be reasonably fit toreach the viewpoint at the top.The steep path climbs through

superb woodland, with manysteps, before emerging ontothe hill top. It then continuesdown the far side of the hillto eventually rejoin theaccess road. Use thenumbered map anddirections in the textto guide you round.


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1Begin the walk by turning right whenleaving the car park and follow thereserve access track. The first stoppingpoint is outside a whitewashedcottage, the Gate House. This wasbuilt as a lodge for Taynish House, thelandowners house at the end of thepeninsula. Over to the left you can alsosee a bog. This is an important part of

the reserve, as its home to rare plants,butterflies and dragonflies.

The Brr Mr trail leads off to theright, 300 m south of the Gate House.

2Stop at marker numbered B1. This peatbank was used by Taynish House forfuel until coal started to come in via theCrinan Canal. The woodland was sovaluable that local people faced fines ifthey removed the timber.

Oak trees have flourished atTaynish for more than 6,000 years.The woodlands were once a source oftimber and charcoal but now form oneof Britains largest remaining nativeoakwoods.

2


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2Coppicedoaksmothered in mand lichens.

3There are wond

views from the Mr summit sothe end of the Tpeninsula and tislands.

3Stop at marker B2. The estate felledoak here during the 18th and 19thcenturies. Stems re-grew and werecut every 20 years. The many stems of

similar age remind us of this coppicemanagement.

Oak bark is rich in tannin, whichwas used to make leather from animalhides. During the 18th century, warsand a growing population increased thedemand for leather, and oak trees werefelled for their bark.

In the 19th century the estateburned timber on round platformslike the two near here. This producedcharcoal, which created the necessary

heat for iron smelting at Bonawe nearOban.

4Stop at marker B3. Around 2,000years ago, the first settlers kept animalsand sowed crops at Taynish. Theycleared trees from the south end of the

peninsula and Brr Mrs summit. Theyused the trees for shelter, furnishings,firewood and fencing around theirhomes.

There was probably a fort or dnon the Brr Mr and you can see why.On a clear day, you can see to NorthernIreland in the south, the Paps of Jura tothe southwest, Ben More on Mull to thenorthwest, Ben Cruachan to the north,Ben Lui to the northeast and CruachLusach (the highest point in Knapdale)

to the east.


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4Autumn tints on thetrees by LochanTaynish.

5You might be luckyenough to spot one ofthe resident ottersaround the reserve.

5Stop at the bench at the north end ofthe Brr Mr ridge. Here you can makeout the typical Knapdale landscape,made up of knaps (small hills) anddales (glens). Autumn brings a riotof colour to the native woodland, withthe ochres, russets, reds and brownsof oak, birch, willow, hazel and alder.The rich woodland of this area is one

of the reasons that it was chosen tohost the reintroduction of beavers toScotland. The return of the beaverscomes after a 450-year absence of thespecies after being hunted to extinctionin this country. Why not stop off atBarnluasgan on your way back towardsthe Crinan Canal and see if you canspot the new residents.

6Stop by the side of Lochan Taynish andscan along the waters edge. This is theonly large area of fresh water on theTaynish peninsula and it boasts somesuperb plant life. The swampy groundaround the margins comes alive withdragonflies in summer you can seeup to 13 different kinds here. Whooperswans occasionally visit the lochan in

winter and you may even glimpse anotter if youre lucky.


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www.snh.org.uk

Taynish is one of 58 National Nature Reserves in ScotlFind out more at www.nnr-scotland.org.uk

Essential informationTaynish NNR lies 11 km/7 miles southwest of the CrinanCanal and 21 km/13 miles from Lochgilphead in Argyll.Theres a bus service from Lochgilphead to Tayvallich.

OS maps

Landranger 55 (Lochgilphead & Loch Awe), Explorer 358(Lochgilphead & Knapdale North).

Trail length

3 km/2 miles from the reserve car park; 5 km/3 miles fromthe car park in Tayvallich.

Terrain

The start and end of the walk are on the level, wide, partlymetalled access road through the reserve. Other routes canoften be muddy and slippery, so please wear suitablefootwear. The Brr Mr path is steep. Expect a climb fromabout 20 m/65 ft to 126 m/413 ft at the summit viewpoint,with several flights of steps on either side.

Please note that Taynish House, Duntaynish and theirgrounds are privately owned and not open to visitors.

DogsIf you have a dog with you, please make sure its kept on ashort lead or under close control. Please also make sure youpick up after your dog and dispose of waste carefully.

Further information

There are a number of trails that you can follow at Tayn

NNR. To receive a copy of the leaflet that describes thor if youd like further information about the reserve, plecontact: SNH, 1 Kilmory Industrial Estate, Kilmory,Lochgilphead, Argyll PA31 8RR. Tel. 01546 603 611.

Nearby natural attractions

Why not combine your trip to Taynish with a visit to anosite nearby? You could try:

Barnluasgan Caledonian Forest Reserve and visitor cwhere theres an all-ability access wildlife trail beside

loch at Barnluasgan. See www.forestry.gov.uk/webWildWoods.nsf/LUWebDocsByKey/Scotland

ArgyllandButeNoForestKnapdaleForestBarnluasg

VisitorCentre

Crinan Wood rises 100 m/328 ft above the pretty villof Crinan and the famous Crinan canal. From here, ycan enjoy spectacular views west to the Isle of Jura anorth to Mull. See www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/en/owoods/Pages/wood-details.aspx?wood=4904

Follow a bogland trail suitable for less able visitors at

Moine Mhr National Nature Reserve or view the siteabove at the ancient hill fort of Dunadd. See www.nnscotland.org.uk/reserve.asp?NNRId=40


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Northern Isles

Correspondents: Jonathan Swale, Tim Dean, Glen Tyler

Walking on bottles

A new path in the far north of Shetlandhas been attracting favourablecomments from visitors and it isnteven finished yet!

Each year, more than 5,000 peoplevisit Hermaness NNR to see itsseabird colonies. But thousands of feettramping across the reserves peatlandinterior have worn bare paths throughthe fragile bog plant life.

Building wooden boardwalksover the worst areas seemed to bethe answer, but it quickly becamean endless task. Then the rot set in

literally. With the old boardwalksrotting and needing to be replaced,we realised a different approach wasneeded. The answer? Plastic drinksbottles.

A recycling company in Germanyconverts the bottles into plasticplanks that have several advantagesover timber. The planks have a ridgedsurface, which provides excellent grip.The material wont rot, so the new pathcan lie directly on the ground, making it

much less intrusive than raised woodenboardwalks. And theyre supposed tolast 40 years, after which they can befully recycled again.

Construction work was on hold toavoid disturbing the great skuas thatnest alongside the path, but will becompleted in the autumn once the birdshave gone.

Camera-friendly gannet

A film crew for the BBC programme

Simon Kings Shetland Diariesplacedtwo miniature cameras on a gannet neson the island of Noss in March. Ourpicture shows the BBC climbers aboutto descend and set the cameras inplace on the cliffs of Noss NNR.

The cameras were small andinsignificant, so it wasnt much of asurprise that the gannets didnt objectto them when they returned to nest latein the spring. In fact, one took a bit of aliking to its camera and pulled it off thecliff to use in its nest building!

Despite this, the crew have takenmany hours of stunning images of thegannets raising their chicks. Youll beable to see the results of their hardwork next year when the Shetlanddiaries are broadcast.

At the cutting edge

Ten years ago, scarcely a week went bywithout a letter in the local paper aboutOrkneys roadside verges.

Some authors would berate thecouncil for not cutting the vergesenough. Others took the opposite lineand described their helpless anger asthe verge cutter rumbled towards agroup of orchids.

In the years that followed, OrkneyIslands Council designated 36 ofOrkneys finest roadside verges asconservation verges. These werebased on SNH-led survey work and

had the support of local parish councils.This group of elite verges and theirflowers would no longer feel the coldsteel of the cutting blade theseverges were no-cut zones.

It took only a couple of years tosee the changes. Orkneys elite no-cut verges began to look troubled.Once famed for their floral fineness,the conservation verges were startingto show signs of going downhill. Moregalling was that some of the frequently

cut verges were looking better than theconservation ones.The conservation verges obviously

needed to be managed, but how? AnSNH research project came up with thekey to success: Get cutting... but makesure its at the right time! For mostverges the best time is after the flowershave set seed.

SNH Area News


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www.snh.org.uk

Wildcat at Mela

People attending this yearsEdinburgh Mela Festival weredazzled by unique sculptures inspiredby nature and created by northEdinburgh children.

The Scottish wildcat sculpturepictured above was just one of theartworks on show. The childrenattended a summer school puton by the North Edinburgh ArtsCentre, in association with the Melaand supported by SNH and ForthNeighbourhood Partnership.

The project was led by Sushil

Mangaonkar, an artist and teacher,who has had his work displayed inEdinburgh, London, Mumbai andDelhi. Art and nature have a longassociation, he explained. One ofthe things we did was to take thechildren out along the River Almondto get them thinking and experiencingnature. The results show what apowerful inspiration nature can be.

Mela means gathering in Sanskrit,so it's a bit like a massive ceilidh; but

as well as music and dance theres afocus on foods and family activities.SNH worked with the ForestryCommission in the Family andChildrens area, which was turnedinto a journey through a fantasywoodland. The children becamenature detectives, using a quiz tothink about where they could go tofind beasties.

Royals visit May virtually

Work is now complete on an SNH-funded upgrade to the digital camerason the beach and cliff top of the Isleof May NNR in the Firth of Forth. Thecameras beam back live pictures tothe Scottish Seabird Centre in NorthBerwick, where you can view theseabird cities on the islands rockycliffs. Worldwide viewers can also seethe images by visiting www.seabird.org/webcams.asp

The Seabird Centre was one of thefirst visitor attractions to use hand-controlled, remotely positioned cameras

to give people an experience ofseabirds, sea mammals and the coast.A recent revamp of the interpretationat the centre also grant aided bySNH got the royal seal of approvalwhen the Queen visited in July. Boththe Queen and Prince Philip showeda strong interest in the Isle of May andits wildlife, with SNH Director ColinGalbraith on hand to answer questions.

If youve not been before, then theSeabird Centre is well worth a visit. The

Isle of May zone includes informationabout the long history of the island,from Viking invasions to Scotlands firstlighthouse. Visitors also get to see livepictures from the island, which is hometo the UKs largest breeding colony ofboth puffins and grey seals.

Branching out

An inspirational three-year projectin West Lothian has been deliveriexciting opportunities to reconnecpeople with nature.

Woodland Trust Scotland ownmanage 230 hectares of woodlanWest Lothian. They also run the awinning Branching Out West Lothproject, which is funded by HeritaLottery Fund, SNH, the ScottishGovernment, Forward Scotland aWest Lothian Council. The projecaims to improve woods for wildlifeencourage people to get out and

nature and help schools to use thwoodlands as classrooms.

Local primary schoolchildrenrecently had a chance to learn abwoodland management when thewatched trees being felled and thsawn ready for use. Afterwards, thused the sawn timber to create awooden bench for their school.

A touch of Hollywood also camLivingston when students from fivsecondary schools had the chanc

to make short films about their locwoods. The children wrote, directproduced and starred in the filmswhich were launched at a premieThe Vue cinema in Livingston.

SNH Area NewsForth and BordersCorrespondents: John O'Keefe, Karen Morrison, Caroline Crawford


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44 The Nature of Scotland44 The Nature of Scotland

Sail with a tale

Ferry passengers across The Minch gota chance to discover more about ourfantastic marine wildlife thanks to a jointventure in July between SNH and ferryoperators Caledonian MacBrayne.

Wildlife guides from variousconservation bodies (pictured above)teamed up to offer passengers expertinterpretation of the marine wildlifeon the four scheduled ferry sailingsbetween Ullapool and Stornowayon 29 July. The project showed howcommercial ferries can offer greatopportunities as wildlife viewing

platforms.SNH also operated an information

desk on board the ferry throughout theday and handed out 200 childrensmarine educational fun packs. Inaddition, we launched our new Englishand Gaelic booklet Marine Life fromBoat and Coasthalfway across theroute.

Meanwhile, storyteller and musicianBob Pegg was on board to tell storiesabout Highland sea legends for those

passengers not wanting to spend theentire crossing on deck.Following the success of the event

and the feedback received, we hopeto develop the pilot project on otherScottish ferry routes. You can find thenew booklet on watching marine wildlifeat www.snh.org.uk/pubs

Office link-up

A new, environmentally friendly officefor public bodies in Golspie wasformally opened (pictured above) inAugust by Roseanna CunninghamMSP, the Scottish Governmentsminister for the environment.

Called The Links, the office inGolspies Business Park is hometo five public bodies SNH, theScottish Government Rural Paymentsand Inspections Directorate, ForestryCommission Scotland, Highlands andIslands Enterprise and CommunityEnergy Scotland.

The Links delivers a more efficientand effective service by providing thepublic with easy access for informationand advice to the various public bodies.The organisations were previouslylocated in Golspie, Embo and Lairg.

The office has a number ofenvironmentally friendly features. Itsheated by a wood-chip boiler, hasan internet-based telephone system,and includes a lighting and ventilationsystem thats constantly adapting to

suit the outdoor and indoor conditions.In addition, three meeting rooms fittedwith video conferencing facilities allowall the agencies to reduce travel andtheir carbon footprint.

You can come and see the office foryourself at a special open day at TheLinks on 3 October, when everyone iswelcome to come along.

Better than Landmark!

Loch Fleet NNR lies just south ofGolspie in Sutherland and its a grandplace to visit at any time of year. Thissummer it hosted two special events: aday out for schools and a family fun dayThe local countryside ranger, ScottishWildlife Trust, Forestry CommissionScotland and SNH all helped toorganise the events, which attractedover 200 people.

On the schools day the kids playedgames that made them think about allthe creatures that live in Loch Fleet.The pupils then went off to explore

neighbouring Balblair Wood (shownabove), where they hunted for mini-beasts and solved some wildlifepuzzles along the way. Some of thepupils also got dressed up as giantcreepy crawlies, prompting one pupil toremark, This is better than Landmark! a reference to a well-known Highlandvisitor attraction!

The family fun day was held as partof Golspies Gala Week in August. Itincluded guided walks, wildlife and

bushcraft activities for all ages, and awoodland story walk with entertainingmusician and teller of tales Bob Pegg.The fun finished up with a barbecue laidon by Forestry Commission Scotland.

SNH Area NewsNorth HighlandCorrespondents: Tamara Lawton, Ian Mitchell


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www.snh.org.uk

Going batty

Each summer, we get an influx ofphone calls that come thick and fastfor about three weeks. Some callersare upset, most are curious and a feware even amused.

What triggers these calls? Bats!The UK has 17 resident species

of these small, furry, flying mammals thats almost a quarter of all theUKs mammals. In Scotland we havefive resident species, all of whichneed our care and attention. The lastcentury has seen a steep decline inbats because of their homes being

destroyed, the use of insecticides,development and so on.

A vital role for SNH is publicrelations for the much misunderstoodbats. In Grampian we run a batworker, trainee and buddy scheme.Any homeowner who thinks they mayhave bats resident can have a visitfrom one of our contract bat workers.They help with any tricky bat-relatedissues and advise on how humansand bats can live happily together.

The paid bat workers, volunteertrainees and buddies provide a greatservice to people and bats. Wecouldnt get through summer withoutthem!

If you want to know more, then logon to www.nesbats.co.uk

Whats the link?

What connects a fisheries board cullingmink, a cultural arts group celebratingtheir local woods and a communitygroup (pictured above) expanding theirall-abilities footpaths? The answer isLEADER, a programme of Europeanfunding.

Funded by the Scottish Governmentand European Commission,Aberdeenshire LEADER Groupsecured 3.6 million to strengthen thesocial, economic and environmentalfabric of Aberdeenshires ruralcommunities.

Applicants can secure up to 50%of costs from LEADER, raising thebalance from their own resources orfrom organisations like SNH. This isreal partnership working. To hear whatcommunities want and the commitmentthey make to get there is inspiring; andhelping them realise their dreams ishugely satisfying.

The kind of response we get frompeople who receive funding is oftenalong these lines: This construction

project could not have become areality without the assistance of theLEADER programme and its advisorswho have assisted the projectscommittee throughout the planning andpreparation stages. SNH Grampianhave also been supporting similarLEADER groups in Moray and theCairngorm National Park.

Forvie at 50

This year saw our National NatureReserve at Forvie, near Aberdeenits 50th birthday. Its a magical ardunes, estuary and wild coast thaseen human occupation for thousof years. It also has a fantastic mixwildlife, so it offers you many grandays out.

We have a visitor centre to gestarted, paths to get you round antoilets to keep you comfortable. Tno tearoom, but there are plenty oplaces to refuel in nearby towns villages.

Each year, our reserve staff anfriends have a programme of evenbut we marked this major milestonwith some specials. We had anevening looking back at the first hcentury, as well as considering whfuture might hold. A summer treashunt for 50 golden eggs was anohighlight our photo shows reserwarden Annabel Drysdale hiding them. And we have a series of evetalks and guided walks from expe

reveal more of the reserves secreWell also be installing a new hide to replace the rather ramshaone we have at the moment, prova more permanent legacy of Forvi50th. To find out more about Forvclick on www.nnr-scotland.org.ureserve.asp?NNRId=27

SNH Area NewsGrampianCorrespondents: Elizabeth Clements, Ewen Cameron


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Protectingour mountainlandscapes isat the heart of aresearch projectin the Cairngorms,as Malcolm Coullof the Macaulay

Land Use ResearchInstitute reports

1Glen Feshie in theCairngorms.

2Least willow isBritains smallest tree!It has adapted to live inharsh arctic and alpineenvironments.1


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Through the looking glassNext time you find yourself outand about in the hills have agood look around especiallybelow your feet.

You dont have to be an expert tosee that when you look closely, whatseemed to be a uniform hillside from adistance is in fact home to hundreds ofspecies. These range from the obvious

heather and grasses down to tinymosses, lichens and liverworts.

Since the last ice age, speciesthat specialise in making the most oflimited resources have set up home inthe Scottish uplands. The soils can bewet, cold and exposed, which meanstheyre often too poor to support muchplant growth either above or belowground. Theyre also generally acidicand lacking in nutrients (plant foods),so the tiny organisms that live in the soil

have a hard time breaking down deadplant roots and leaves. As a result,this organic material builds up into thepeaty soils that are so typical of largestretches of the north and west of thecountry.

The species that live in our uplandsare often so well adapted to the harshconditions that when the environmentchanges for example, as a result of

climate change or increasing pollution theyre slow to respond to their newsurroundings. They often die out ortheyre replaced by other species thatmuscle in when conditions becomemore favourable to them. Any majorchanges in the environment couldtherefore result in an altered landscape.And with Scotlands iconic scenerybeing a magnet for so many touristseach year, the economic impacts could

also be serious.In a small area of the River Feshie

in the western Cairngorms, a teamof scientists from the Macaulay LandUse Research Institute in Aberdeenare working with SNH to study whatshappening with our environment.Theyre looking at how the distributionof soil and plant communities affectsthe way in which nutrients get movedaround, and ultimately the water qualityof streams in this environment. The

group have chosen five sites along ahillslope to represent the plant life andsoils of this small catchment, as wellas the wider Scottish uplands. Theyregularly monitor soil conditions, thenumber of different plants and waterquality at each site to help understandhow nutrients move through thelandscape. They also examine whateffects the variations in climate or

pollution in rainfall might have.One of the main aims is to loo

at the impacts of nitrogen in theenvironment. Were all familiar witfarmers adding nitrogen to their cto increase yields, but too much oin the wrong place isnt such a gothing. Nitrogen thats used in farmroads and industry can be carriedand end up in even the most remomountain environments. Once its

there it can upset the delicate nutbalance, seeping into soil water astreams, and damaging vulnerablespecies.

Some habitats may be more afrom nitrogen pollution than otherso this project is trying to identify hotspots in mountain environmenThese are the ones that are most risk of damage in the future becauof climate change and pollution. Tevidence so far suggests that soi

up on the mountains are more senthan peatier soils lower down. Buconditions can change over a smaand taking a

Documents

Scottish National Heritage - The Nature of Scotland Autumn 2009