Scotland's First World War heroes will be commemorated with new native woodland in the Pentland Hills south of Edinburgh. The Woodland Trust Scotland is working in partnership with the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) to create Scotland's First World War Centenary Wood, one of four to be planted by the charity across the UK which will create a living memorial of the conflict. Over the next four years more than 50,000 trees including oak, birch and rowan will be planted on land that has been used by army personnel for training for more than a century on the MOD training estate…

The John Muir Trust has welcomed the analyses and recommendations made on deer management in Scotland by the Land Reform Review Group, published last week. Section 32 of the report, Wild Deer, recognises that “Scotland's population of native red and roe deer are important national assets that should be sustainably managed in the public interest”. The report also notes that for 50 years, despite repeated warnings by the responsible authorities (Red Deer Commission; Deer Commission Scotland; Scottish Natural Heritage), wild deer numbers have continued to rise. Consequently, there are a range of negative social, economic, animal welfare and environment impacts.…

One of Scotland's rarest birds will be the subject of a national survey to see how the population is faring after years of decline. In Scotland, choughs are only found in a small area of the south-west, with a remarkable 90% of the birds making their home on the island of Islay. A member of the crow, or corvid, family, choughs primarily feed on insects and larvae and in particular those that are found in the dung of cattle. A team of surveyors has now begun work to chart the fortunes of the charismatic birds, known for their striking red…

Plans to build a wind farm above the renowned Highland landscape of Glen Affric will have severe effects on some of Scotland's most cherished views and will damage the local economy, according to the body that represents hillwalkers and climbers. The Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS) has objected to a proposal to build seven 119.5m (392 feet) wind turbines on the slopes of Beinn Mhor above Tomich, just south of the famous glen. In its objection to the planning application by wind farm development company WPD, the MCofS has told Highland Council: “The proposal would severely impact on the important…