Red squirrels are beginning to return to areas of Scotland where they have not been seen for several years. This news comes as leading partners in Scotland’s first nationally co-ordinated attempt to save the red squirrel gather near Perth to review progress of the Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels (SSRS) project. Up to 45 of the project’s key participants with a passion for red squirrel conservation, including landowners and volunteers from across Scotland, heard news of the project’s first signs of success – the return of red squirrels to areas including Cults and Countesswells and Bieldside in Aberdeen City. Meeting in…

Hillwalkers across Scotland are being warned they are likely to come across dead or dying deer due to this year’s harsh winter. The Deer Commission for Scotland says that thousands of deer may be at risk of starvation because the animals have been unable to graze due to the prolonged and deep snow cover and frozen ground. Walkers are being urged to avoid disturbing herds of deer. The animals’ energy supplies are now so severely depleted that the act of running away from humans could leave them exhausted and vulnerable. The deaths are likely to have a knock on effect…

Biodiversity surveys carried out on Trees for Life’s Dundreggan Estate in Glen Moriston, Inverness-shire have so far identified 56 priority species for conservation – including some feared extinct in Scotland, the conservation charity announced as it became a partner in the United Nations’ International Year of Biodiversity. Species identified at the 10,000 acre site to the west of Loch Ness include black grouse, water vole, pine marten, lesser butterfly orchid, six species of tooth fungi, the lichen running crab spider and the small pearl-bordered fritillary butterfly. All are included in the UK’s Biodiversity Action Plan as priority species for conservation.…

This weekend Scottish Natural Heritage will be running workshops at the Fort William Mountain Festival to demonstrate wild camping techniques. The Leave No Trace workshops, presented by experienced outdoor leader Myles Farnbank, will show how wild campers can enjoy adventures without leaving negative impacts on the natural landscape such as human waste, litter and scars from open fires. A specialist in developing and teaching the Leave No Trace responsible campingethos of Scotland’s Outdoor Access Code, Myles says, “Individuals and parties who set out to travel and camp on wild land, rivers and coast will be interacting closely with the natural…