Yesterday saw teams of pall-bearers carrying a coffin over the hills into the Monadhliath to symbolise the loss of Scotland’s wild places to wind farm developments. The protest – led by outdoors blogger Alan Sloman – saw the coffin rowed across Loch Farraline south of Loch Ness whilst a fiddler played a lament. The coffin was then carried over the moors by a group of around 40 before heading down to pass Dunmaglass Lodge on the estate owned by millionaire Jack Hayward, who has already received planning consent for a windfarm on the northern parts of the Monadhliath hill range.…

Red squirrel conservationists have reported a growing confidence in their bid to protect Scotland’s remaining red squirrel populations, it was announced today (16 May 2011). The announcement comes as Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels (SSRS), the largest coordinated project to protect red squirrels in Scotland, marked its second year in operation recently. Mel Tonkin, SSRS Project Manager, said: “This project is the first strategic approach to red squirrel conservation ever to be attempted in Scotland. By channeling resources to priority areas in our aim to protect red squirrels by halting the spread of grey squirrels, we are making encouraging progress. “Most…

A public consultation begins today, 11 May, on a new code for deer management in Scotland. Anyone with an interest in deer management is being encouraged to give feedback on the Code of Practice on Deer Management, developed by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH). The purpose of the code is to help all land managers and land owners, whether in the Central Belt or the Highlands of Scotland, to manage deer sustainably. The code supports the current voluntary approach to deer management. The consultation runs until 1 July. Andrew Thin, SNH chairman, said: “Wild deer are an important part of Scotland’s…

Springwatch, the BBC’s prime time nature TV show, will kick off its series this year with a visit to the Scottish Beaver Trial, in Knapdale Forest, mid-Argyll, it has been revealed. With footage set to air live from the beaver trial site from Monday 30 May 2011, members of the Springwatch team are already stationed in Knapdale, working with Scottish Beaver Trial staff with the aim of bringing the best footage of wild beavers in Scotland ever seen to UK television screens. The Scottish Beaver Trial began almost two years ago on 29 May 2009 when three beaver families were…

A group of landowners is calling on the Scottish government to allow them to kill some birds of prey. In the BBC Scotland documentary aired yesterday (10 May) the Scottish Rural Property and Business Association said they needed to have such powers to protect stocks of grouse and other game birds as grouse moors were becoming uneconomic due to the decline of in the number of grouse as a result of predatory birds. Landowners want to be given licences allowing them to kill more common birds such as buzzard and ravens. In response, Duncan Orr-Ewing from the RSPB Scotland described…