Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has teamed up with the Big Lottery Fund (BIG) to double the money available to Scottish groups to improve and protect the natural environment through BIG’s Community Wildlife funding scheme. Launched in June this year BIG’s Community Wildlife programme had a budget of £250,000 to distribute in Scotland making grants of £300 to £10,000 to allow community groups to discover, enjoy or protect the local wildlife in their area. Now SNH has invested a further £250,000 to enable communities across Scotland an even greater chance to celebrate local biodiversity. From bird, bat or badger watching, to…

An injured Osprey was rescued close to the River Dunbeath in Caithness on Monday 13 September. The rescue was undertaken by the local SSPCA Inspector who took the bird to be treated by a local vet. However the Osprey died as a result of its’ injury, which the Police say the result of a deliberate act. Northern Constabulary are working in partnership with the SSPCA and the RSPB in order to conduct enquiries into this incident. Caithness Wildlife Crime Officer, PC Cailean Macleod commented ” any persons with any information regarding who is responsible for committing this crime, or where…

A new report by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) reveals that Scotland’s seabird numbers appear to be levelling off, after a steady period of decline since 2000. Between 1986 and 2009, the number of seabirds in Scotland has fluctuated, but declined overall by 28 percent. Now, a recent study confirms that overall numbers may have stabilised since 2007. The decrease was likely due to food shortages, weather conditions and predation by non-native species such as brown rats and mink. A likely major cause was a drop in the number of small fish, such as sandeels, which are an important food source…

Police in Badenoch are appealing for any information from members of the public as they investigate the suspected poisoning of birds of prey in the area following the discovery of two dead buzzards at the weekend. A member of the public, who was shooting at an estate in the Badenoch area, found a dead buzzard and alerted the police. A search of the area resulted in the later discovery of a second dead bird. Tests will be carried out on both birds to establish the exact cause of death and whether or not they were poisoned. Police are urging anyone…

A Stirling-based bumblebee conservation project has been voted the UK’s best environment project by the National Lottery Awards. The Bumblebee Conservation Trust, beat hundreds of projects to win. The project works to raise awareness of the importance of bumblebee conservation to the countryside and crops. The Trust is supported by Kate Humble and is based at Stirling University. It works with land managers, farmers and members of the public across the UK to try and halt the decline in bumblebee numbers. Charity director Dr Ben Darvill told the BBC, “The awards have given us a great opportunity to highlight this…

Volunteer archaeologists are invited to set aside time on Saturday 11 September to join a team of experts as they investigate a recent archaeological find. Uncovered by the Forestry Commission Scotland’s North Highland team when they were preparing ground for tree planting, the site at Craggie, in Glen Oykel, in Sutherland, was identified as an ironworking site by members of the North of Scotland Archaeology Society (NOSAS). Commission archaeologist, Matt Ritchie, said, “It was a few lumps of unusual metal slag that tipped off the Society members and they quite properly notified us about their find. “It’s really quite an…

Scotland’s first butterfly reserve is reporting a significant increase in butterfly numbers this summer, and it could all be down to the interventions of Highland cattle. Set up by Forestry Commission Scotland in partnership with Butterfly Conservation and Forest Research in 2003, the Allt Mhuic nature reserve, on the north Shore of Loch Arkaig, aims to support several species of butterfly, particularly the nationally important Chequered Skipper, that only occurs in the UK within a 25 mile radius of Fort William. As part of this project the Commission pioneered large scale habitat and species management through the use of a…

Entries are now open for the 2010 Earth Vision nature writing contest. Entries can be short fiction, creative non-fiction, poetic prose, or poetry. The nature writing contest is held to support the cause of writing on the subject of nature and deep ecology and although based in America it is open to anyone writing in English. Last year’s winner was Ann Palmer, a UK based author and teacher of creative writing. Entries should be on a theme of nature, deep ecology, spiritual ecology, or any work that has some element of nature woven into it. Submissions can be published or…