Nature

Access campaigner sends open letter on camping ban to minister

Posted on February 4, 2016 by Helen Webster

A leading access campaigner has sent an open letter strongly critical for the Loch Lomond camping ban to the Scottish Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Dr Aileen McLeod. Nick Kempe is a former board member of Scottish Natural Heritage as well as former president of the Mountaineering Council of Scotland. In the letter he slams the case made for the ban, noting that although press releases by the Minister and the National Park claim that the restrictions only cover 3.7% of the Park, this 3.7% actually covers most of the locations in which people would wish to…

Posted in Access issues, Nature

Largest ever survey of Scottish wildcats commences

Posted on January 27, 2016 by Helen Webster

The largest-ever survey of Scottish wildcats is now underway with more than 300 trail cameras live as from today. The survey focuses on five of the wildcat priority areas of Scotland, including Strathpeffer, Strathbogie, Strathavon, North Strathspey and the Angus Glens. Work will be continuing in Morvern later in the year. As part of Scottish Wildcat Action, these motion-sensitive cameras will monitor cats living in parts of the Highlands over a 60-day period. Survey methods are informed by published scientific studies and a practical hands-on approach. More than 130 volunteers will check the cameras. Data gathered will help inform wildcat…

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Scottish Government approves Lomond camping ban

Posted on January 26, 2016 by Helen Webster

The Minister for the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform, Dr Aileen McLeod, has approved the controversial extended wild camping ban proposed by the Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park. Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority Convener Linda McKay, warmly welcomed the announcement: “This is tremendously positive news for all those who, like us, want to protect and enhance some of Scotland’s most precious natural places. “These carefully considered proposals reflect the views of a wide body of interests and demonstrate the delicate balance that needs to be struck when caring for our National Parks. We firmly…

Posted in Access issues, Nature

Trust launches £50k Suilven path appeal

Posted on January 22, 2016 by Paul Webster

Following its success last year in a Euro-wide online poll worth £18,000 towards the restoration of the Suilven footpath, the John Muir Trust has now officially launched a wider public appeal to raise the balance of funding. Situated in the spectacular landscape of West Sutherland, Suilven lies on community-owned land managed by the Assynt Foundation. With its distinctive geography and spectacular location, the mountain attracts visitors from all over the UK and beyond. Due to increasing popularity, fragile soils and a harsh climate, the most popular approach to Suilven, beginning at Glencanisp, is rapidly deteriorating. The Suilven path restoration project will set…

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Charity urges more protection for Scottish mountain plants

Posted on January 16, 2016 by Helen Webster

A leading wildlife charity is calling for more protection for the unique community of plants found on the Scottish mountains. Plantlife Scotland says that many of these rare species are in decline due to factors including climate change and unsuitable land management, and is asking walkers to contribute to their survival by taking part in annual plant surveys. Plantlife says that from the upland mires and springs where plants like starry saxifrage grow to the alpine plateaux of the Cairngorms where mosses and liverworts carpet the ground, these arctic-alpine communities have adapted to survive the harshest of living conditions. These…

Posted in Nature, News

Thousands of hectares of ancient woodland to be restored in Highlands

Posted on December 21, 2015 by Helen Webster

An large area of forest three times the size of Inverness has been surveyed as part of a project to restore ancient woodland in the north of Scotland. The Woodland Trust Scotland’s Ancient Woodland Restoration project is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Scottish Forestry Trust and the MacRobert Trust. Since 2013 two specialist project officers have surveyed 11,000 hectares (27,000 acres) of plantations on ancient woodland (PAWS) sites in the north of Scotland, and nearly 1,000 hectares (2,500 acres) are now in a process of restoration. Peter Lowe from the Woodland Trust Scotland said: “Ancient woodland restoration is one…

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Clearing up some of the confusion around rewilding

Posted on December 16, 2015 by Mike Daniels

By Mike Daniels, Head of Land Management, John Muir Trust and Trustee at Rewilding Britain. Cameron McNeish’s piece for Walkhighlands, ‘Confused about rewilding – so am I?’, has raised some interesting questions and sparked off a well-informed debate about the issues. It is understandable that when a new movement arises, people might be concerned and will seek to clarify what exactly is being proposed. And rewilding is an emerging and a growing grass-roots movement based on a realisation by many people that the way we have managed much of our land has been damaging, and that it doesn’t have to…

Posted in Features, Magazine, Nature

John Muir Trust hails Stronelairg a victory for wild land

Posted on December 4, 2015 by Helen Webster

The John Muir Trust today expressed its delight after winning a crucial judicial review against the Scottish Ministers and Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) regarding Ministers’ consent for an industrial-scale wind farm at Stronelairg in the Monadhliath mountains. The 67-turbine development, which would have extended over an area the size of Inverness, was given the go-ahead by Energy Minister in June 2014. Seventy per cent of the Stronelairg site consists of wet peatland, Scotland’s miniature version of the rainforest, would have faced severe disruption as a result of the excavationof 22 million cubic feet of stone from the area. Lord…

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Walkers asked to report Hen Harrier sightings

Posted on November 26, 2015 by Helen Webster

After a successful public appeal for sightings of hen harriers over the spring and summer, with over 100 reports recorded, the Heads Up for Harriers group is asking walkers to help once again this winter. The hen harrier is one of Britain’s rarest birds of prey, with most harriers found in Scotland. To help safeguard the species, a number of organisations are working together on conservation projects to promote summer breeding success, under the Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime Scotland (PAW Scotland). But there is little known about where the birds go in the winter months and of the…

Posted in Nature, News

Confused about re-wilding? So am I!

Posted on November 23, 2015 by Cameron McNeish

I guess website columnists are paid to inspire and inform, provide solutions to problems or to offer a sensible analysis of events and trends. I therefore apologise unreservedly, because what I am about to write offers no positive or constructive discourse at all. In effect it exposes me as a confused and disordered soul still seeking answers to some very important questions. You see when it comes to the issue of ‘re-wilding’ I am as undecided as anyone. So please be patient with me as I attempt to separate ambition from dreams, optimism from reality and pragmatism from desire. Several…

Posted in Features, Magazine, Nature