The reintroduction of beavers back into the wild in Scotland came a step closer yesterday (Thurs 28th May) with the release of the first beavers as part of the controlled trial at Knapdale in Argyll. Beavers have been extinct in Scotland for the last 400 years.

Marking the first formal reintroduction of a native mammal species into the wild in the UK, three beaver families have now been released at carefully selected sites in Knapdale Forest, Mid-Argyll. The beavers, originally from Norway, have been chosen because they are considered to be the closest type to those once found in the UK and have all completed a six-month statutory quarantine period.

Minister for the Environment, Roseanna Cunningham, arrived at the trial site this morning to show her support for the landmark project, and assisted with the release of one of the family groups.

Roseanna Cunningham said: “Welcoming beavers back to Scotland marks a historic day for conservation, and it is particularly apt they are returning in this, the year of Homecoming.

“These charismatic creatures are not only likely to create interest in Scotland from further afield but crucially can play a key role in providing good habitat for a wide range of wetland species.

“And while a great deal of research has already gone into the reintroduction this work is far from over. Observations and data collection over the next five years will play a crucial role in assessing the long term future for beavers in the Scottish landscape.”

The release is for a time-limited trial period and comes after years of lobbying by ecologists and conservation experts who believe that the beaver has been a missing part of our wetland eco-systems since being hunted to extinction in the 16th Century. The trial is mostly funded thanks to private donations and grants, including up to £1 million from Biffaward and support from People’s Postcode Lottery and People’s Trust for Endangered Species.

Allan Bantick, Chairman of SWT and Chair of the Scottish Beaver Trial partnership, said: “The release of the beavers today means that we are one step closer to rebuilding the natural biodiversity of Scotland. Beavers are a native species made extinct by man and we are hoping that our trial reintroduction is a step towards seeing this corrected. Beavers are a species worth having in any ecosystem as their presence is known to bring a vast number of benefits to other native Scottish wildlife as well as wetland and waterside habitats. Our reintroduction follows in the footsteps of 24 other European countries, who have already reintroduced beavers to over 150 different sites.

“Our critics’ worry that beavers might pose a risk to migratory fish numbers, including salmon. This has not been found to be the case anywhere else in Europe. However, the notion cannot be tested with this trial because there is no Atlantic salmon present in the trial site. Our beavers will be released within a designated trial area, which should be large enough to sustain the natural expansion of their population over the next five years.

“It is vital that our project is recognised as a time-limited trial with the purpose of assessing the effect beavers have on the local environment and how well they settle into their new habitat here in Scotland.“

Scottish Beaver Trial Project Manager, Simon Jones, said: “The release of the beaver families went extremely well. They were placed into purpose-built artificial lodges at carefully selected points around the trial site. They will now gradually gnaw their way out of the lodge at a pace that is comfortable for them before exploring their new surroundings.

“Now that our beavers have been released into the wild, the real work of our trial can begin. First and foremost, this is a scientific study of how the beavers cope naturally in the Scottish environment and what effect they have upon it. We will be closely tracking the beavers’ activities and collecting data over the next five years to help inform the independent scientific monitoring, co-ordinated by Scottish Natural Heritage. This will help the Scottish Government in making any final decisions on the future of beavers in Knapdale Forest or elsewhere in Scotland.

“We will also be continuing to engage with the local community as well as trying to inspire Scots to support this exciting conservation project. We hope to see many people visiting the trial site over time, but the beavers do need time to settle in before meeting the neighbours.

“Visitors will stand a better chance of seeing beaver signs, and maybe even some beavers, by waiting a few months to make their trip to the trial site. By timing your visit in the early morning or early evening, you will have the best chance of spotting these intriguing animals in the wild.” Walkhighlands has walks in the area including some which run along lochs within the trial site (Barnluasgan Oakwood and Loch Choille-Bharr) and others in the Knapdale area.

[FCS is the host partner of the Scottish Beaver Trial and believes that Knapdale Forest is an ideal location to carry out the project as it covers a range of important habitats and biodiversity. The trial area is also in the heart of a forest which produces timber and provides recreational facilities for people, making it a suitable place to explore how beavers co-exist with forestry operations and the environment.

Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) is the independent body tasked by the Scottish Government to co-ordinate the scientific monitoring of the trial. SNH will report to the Scottish Government at the end of the trial period and a decision can then be made on the future of the beavers in Knapdale Forest and elsewhere in Scotland.

The Scottish Government approved a licence for the release of the beaver families in Knapdale Forest in May 2008, following a two-month long public consultation which showed that 73% of respondents were in favour of the trial. The Scottish Beaver Trial is part of the Species Action Framework.

Blyth Wright, co-ordinator of the Scottish Avalanche Information Service, and enthusiastic mountaineer, has passed away, UK Climbing reports today.

An expert on avalanches, Blyth Wright co-authored the book, Chance in a Million? with Bob Barton, as well as working at Glenmore Lodge and Loch Eil Outward Bound Centre. A keen mountaineer in Scotland, in the mid 60’s he supported Philip Tranter’s epic round of 19 Munros near Ben Nevis which became known as the Tranter Round and set the standard for faster and longer alternatives. His later work forecasting avalanches and providing a reliable information service for walkers and climbers has proved invaluable for route planning and added considerably to safety in the hills. Blyth Wright passed away on Sunday 24 May after a long illness.

The Ski Club of Great Britain is looking for people to help pick litter and other rubbish this weekend. The Big Spring Clean returns for its second year at Cairngorm Mountain and Nevis Range on Sunday 31st May 2009 and is this year offering tea and cakes to all volunteers.

The event which attracted over 100 participants in 2008 is a chance for mountain users to do their bit by picking up litter left by a season’s worth of visitors. The event raises awareness about responsible tourism and the seriousness of dropping litter.

Caroline Stuart Taylor, Chief Executive of the Ski Club has welcomed the return of the event: “After such a successful Big Spring Clean event last year, we are delighted that we can again run another clean up day in two of the key Scottish ski areas. Last year we collected over 40 bags of litter at Nevis Range and Cairngorm, but maybe just as importantly we sent out a message to skiers, snowboarders and anyone who loves the mountains that they are the ones who can make a difference and can take responsibility for trying to preserve our mountains. We hope that even more people will put on their gloves for this year’s Big Spring Clean.”

Volunteers are asked to meet at 10am at the bottom of the gondola at Nevis Range or the Ranger Base at Coire Cas on Cairngorm Mountain. Gloves and bags are provided for all litter pickers and for everyone who brings back a bag of litter, tea and cakes will be provided.

The Big Spring Clean is another step forward in the Ski Club of Great Britain’s Respect the Mountain campaign. The Respect the Mountain campaign aims to raise money, raise awareness and educate skiers and snowboarders about helping to safeguard the natural environment and the long-term future of snowsports. The Big Spring Clean has this year become part of a wider clean up campaign. In 2009 the event is also being promoted by French eco-organisation Mountain Riders as part of their ‘Ski Slopes Clean-up Sessions’. Over 50 French resorts are also hosting clean up days in May and June this year. Last year 17 tonnes of rubbish was collected across the resorts.

More information and discussion of Sunday’s event can be found on the Walk Talk forum.

Irvine Butterfield, known to most walkers for his fine book ‘The High Mountains of Britain and Ireland’, died on 12 May.

As well as being the author of a book that drew so many to hill-walking, Irvine was a man who always tried to give something back to the mountains. He was the second secretary of the Mountain Bothies Association, was member number five and a director of the John Muir Trust, helped set up the Munro Society, and was a volunteer for the Mounteering Council of Scotland and campaigner for the Perthshire Alliance for the Real Cairngorms. In 2008 he became the fourth recipient of the John Muir Trust Lifetime Acheivement Award.

Obituaries have been written by:
Ed Douglas, Guardian
Kevin Howett, MC of S
Nigel Hawkins, John Muir Trust
Chris Townsend
Dave Hewitt (Angry Corrie editor)
Cameron McNeish

Congratulations to Fraser McKie, who finished his round of the Munros on Saturday (23rd May). Well done, you might agree, is there anything remarkable about that? Well, on the very same day, Fraser also climbed his last Corbett… and his last Graham… and his last Donald. It is a rare feat indeed to complete all four lists, and unique to have contrived to have finished them all on the same day.

“We started just after midnight from Loch Chiarian bothy on Saturday morning and climbed Beinn na Cloiche (my Last Graham) in fantastic conditions,” said Fraser. “The sky stayed bright in the north and was pretty much windless. After dawn we crossed Leum Uilleim (Last Corbett) in time to meet friends at Corrour station for the final Munro, Beinn na Lap. Conditions on the summit were pretty poor but everyone enjoyed a good drink and my 7 month old son even was carried up to make a brief visit before being whisked away to Corrour cafe. After the train journey out we picked up the motorhome at Bridge of Orchy and headed to the Ochils for the final Donald and hill of the day Blairdenon Hill. It was 9.30pm before we reached there plus the added bonus of having the wrong map made things critical to locate the hill before dark. We ended up in the wrong area at 11pm and after a panic driven search of my memory of this hill headed for the dark outline of the one I gambled on. It proved to be the correct hill and the insane rush across the moor was not really needed as we had about 30 minutes left before midnight.”

Phew.

NB. Munros are Scottish mountains over 3000 feet. The Corbetts are Scottish mountains over 2500 feet, with 500 feet on descent on all sides. The Grahams are defined as for the Corbetts, but between 2000 and 2500 feet. The Donalds are 2000 summits in the Scottish Lowlands with a definition based on both surrounding descent and distance from a higher summit.

As reported on Walkhighlands in March, a new bridge is now in place on the main path to Sgurr nan Gillean from Sligachan on Skye. The new bridge has just had its official handover and provides a vital replacement for the old bridge which crumbled and was washed away in 2008.

Skye Mountain Rescue Team and others had expressed concern that walkers and climbers would be put in danger as wading the burn can be very hazardous in certain conditions. A long period of negotiation then ensued as the landowners, MacLeod Estates were worried about their ongoing liability if they replaced the bridge, they also did not have a use for the bridge themselves and were relunctant therefore to put up the necessary money.

After much hard work by Donald Kennedy, Highland Council’s Access Officer, and others, the Territorial Army agreed to build the new bridge. Funds were provided by Scottish Natural Heritage, MacLeod Estates, Sconser Community Council, and individual local mountain guides who dipped generously into their own pockets to help out. The bridge is in the same location as the old one and should provide safe access for many years.