The public is being asked to report any hen harrier sightings this year by the ‘Heads Up for Harriers’ project group. Run by the Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime (PAW Scotland), this is one part of the effort to help rare hen harriers. Hen harriers frequent many Scottish moors, where their acrobatic aerial courtship displays are a tell-tale sign of breeding activity. But their distribution and numbers are still restricted in some areas. A number of causes, including illegal persecution, land use changes and predation, have resulted in a reduction in hen harrier numbers, to the point that the…

The female osprey nesting at the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Loch of the Lowes Wildlife Reserve near Dunkeld has laid her first egg of the season. The egg was laid at 12:52am this morning (12 April 2016). Charlotte Fleming, Perthshire ranger for the Scottish Wildlife Trust, said: “LF15 has given us an anxious wait this year, however we’re delighted that she has laid her first egg. With any luck numbers two and three won’t be far behind. “There were a number of changes in her behaviour including high pitched calling and constant fidgeting that made us sure she was about to…

After four months of backbreaking work in treacherous conditions, local path workers on the Isle of Skye, employed by Arran Footpaths have completed the first phase of a major restoration of the footpath that leads from Sligachan to Loch Coruisk. During these 12 weeks, each member of the team several hundred miles to and from the site on Druim Hain ridge. Frequently battling gale force winds and driving rain, their work included: Refurbishing 340 metres of path Transplanting and landscaping an area of vegetation 750 metres2 Shifting 140 tonnes of stone by hand Constructing six cross drains and twelve water…

Scotland’s only entry in a leading global conservation competition has won funding of more than £20,000 to address biodiversity loss and deforestation in the Highlands, including through the planting of 50,000 native trees and the creation of habitats that will offer a lifeline to endangered and rare wildlife. Trees for Life’s Rewilding the Highlands initiative has won the Alpine category of the 2016 European Outdoor Conservation Association (EOCA) Conservation Vote, securing more than 7,000 votes and widespread social media support in a tightly contested international online vote that was held between 8-22 March. The success will allow the charity to…

Scotland’s only entry in a leading international conservation competition could this week secure funding to address biodiversity loss and deforestation in the Highlands. Trees for Life’s Rewilding the Highlands initiative will receive more than £20,000 from the European Outdoor Conservation Association (EOCA) if it wins an online public vote, which is open to anyone until Tuesday 22 March. The project – competing against three other shortlisted finalists in the bi-annual competition’s ‘Alpine’ category – will involve ambitious habitat creation to support endangered and rare wildlife, the planting of 50,000 native trees, and the growing of 10,000 rare montane tree species…

An ambitious Highlands project aiming to establish one of the UK’s most inspiring examples of rewilding – with habitat creation for rare and endangered wildlife such as golden eagles and Scottish wildcats, the planting of 50,000 trees and a substantial boost for wildlife tourism – is to be launched if conservation charity Trees for Life wins an online vote to secure a major European funding award. The charity’s Rewilding the Highlands project has been shortlisted to receive more than £20,000 in the European Outdoor Conservation Association’s (EOCA’s) funding scheme, with the outcome to be determined by online voting that will…