Scottish National Heritage - The Nature of Scotland Spring 2011 Issue_11

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The Nature of ScotlandScottish Natural Heritage Spring 2011

Lend a handIts the year of

the volunteer

PlantconnectionsUsing plants to

bridge cultures

Fatal attractioThe lure of litterfor wildlife


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Contents

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61

Features

8 Helping the detectives

Top tips for reporting wildl

10 Making a difference

Three cheers for volunteer

26 The wild side of tourism

Nature-based tourism conto grow

28 Lasting impressions

Plants project works acrosand cultures

34 What a load of rubbish

Litter and wildlife, a badcombination

50 Scotlands finest

The qualities that make a

landscape special

52 Black watch

Boosting black grouse numin the Borders

54 Well connected

Communities project drawa close

60 Gravel let it be

Gravel bed rivers are best

left alone

62 A trip in the hills

Meet one of our most unusbirds

Regulars

2 Where we are

SNH contact details

3 Welcome

4 Wild calendar

Where to go and what to see this spring

16 Dualchas coitcheann/

Common heritage

Linking language and environment

18 News

24 Inspired by nature Show and tell whats inspiredyou?

36 Reserve focus

Discover Ariundle NNR

42 Area news

Reports from round the country

46 Events diary

Guide to what's on

49 Print out

Our latest publications

58 Kids only!

Activities for younger readers

64 Mailing list

Make sure you always receivea copy


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Credits

The Nature of ScotlandThe Magazine of Scottish Natural HeritageIssue Number 11 Spring 2011

Published quarterly SNH 2011ISSN 1350 309X

Editor: John WaltersTel. 01463 725 222

Cover photo: This male hare was part of a group of males that had beenfollowing a female around. He kept licking his upper lip as he'd beenkicked in the mouth by the female. Sometimes these rebuffs by femalescan result in the males losing the sight of an eye or they can even provefatal.Photographer: Danny GreenInside cover photo: Boxing hares. Cour tship involves boxing, and thiswell-known mad March harebehaviour actually involves unreceptivefemales fending off passionate males.Photographer: Mark HamblinWelcome page: Rainbow over the coast at Kintradwell, north of Brora inSutherland.Photographer: Lorne Gill/SNH

Photography all images by Lorne Gill/SNH other than: David Whitaker 7b,38t, 39t, 40b; Terry Andrewartha/Nature Picture Library 9; Laurie Campbell7a, 7c, 17, 18, 20; Graham Burns/BTCV 12, 14; JM Roberts 19; apply pictures/

Alamy 21; Dougie Barnett/SNH 22, 45a; Mike Lane/Alamy 23; Kishor Dangol28, 30, 31, 32, 33; Andy Rouse/ naturepl.com 34; SSPCA 35; Steve Moore/SNH 42a; Nathan McLaughlan 42b; Donald Rice 42c; Ewen Cameron 43a;43c; Max Wilson44a; Jonathan Swale 44b; Dougie Barnet t/SNH 45a; TessDarwin 45b; Liz Douglas 45c; Mark Hamblin 52, 63; Sulwath ConnectionsProject 54, 56, 57; Trevor McDonald/NHPA 61.

Map, 37 Ashworth Maps and Interpretation Ltd 2011.Based on Ordnance Survey mapping. Crown copyrightand database right 2011. All rights reserved.Ordnance Survey Licence number SNH 100017908.

To share your views about The Nature of Scotlandor suggest articles forfuture issues please contact the editor:

SNH MagazineGreat Glen House, Leachkin Road,Inverness IV3 8NWEmail: [email protected]

The views expressed in this magazine do notnecessarily reflect those of SNH.

Printed by: J Thomson Colour Printers, Glasgow

JTCP32k0311

When you've finished with this magazine, please recycle it. Pass it toanother reader or dispose of it at your local waste-collection point.

Where we are

You can contact SNH byletter, telephone or email.The following detailsshould enable you to findyour nearest main office,but bear in mind that wealso have a number ofsmaller offices than thoselisted.

A full list of our officesappears on the SNHwebsite: www.snh.gov.uk

Corporate

headquarters

Great Glen House,Leachkin Road,Inverness IV3 8NWTel. 01463 725 000Email: [email protected]

Other main offices

Battleby, Redgorton,Perth PH1 3EWTel. 01738 444 177

Silvan House,3rd Floor East,231 Corstorphine Road,Edinburgh EH12 7ATTel. 0131 316 2600

Caspian House,Mariner Court,Clydebank Business Park,Clydebank G81 2NRTel. 0141 951 4488

Area offices

Argyll and StirlingThe Beta Centre,Innovation Park,University of Stirling,Stirling FK9 4NFTel. 01786 450 362

Dumfries and GallowayCarmont House,The Crichton,Bankend Road,Dumfries DG1 4ZFTel. 01387 247 010

Northern IslesGround Floor,Stewart Building,Alexandra Wharf,Lerwick,Shetland ZE1 0LLTel. 01595 693 345

East HighlandFodderty Way,Dingwall Business ParDingwall IV15 9XBTel. 01349 865 333

North HighlandThe Links,

Golspie Business ParkGolspie,Sutherland KW10 6UBTel. 01408 634 063

West HighlandThe Governors HouseThe Parade, Fort WilliaInverness-shire PH33 Tel. 01397 704 716

Strathclyde and AyrshiCaspian House,Mariner Court,Clydebank Business PClydebank G81 2NRTel. 0141 951 4488

Tayside andClackmannanshireBattleby, Redgorton,Perth PH1 3EWTel. 01738 444 177

Western Isles32 Francis Street,Stornoway,Isle of Lewis HS1 2NDTel. 01851 705 258

Forth and BordersSilvan House,3rd Floor East,231 Corstorphine RoaEdinburgh EH12 7ATTel. 0131 316 2600

GrampianInverdee House,Baxter Street,Torry,Aberdeen AB11 9QATel. 01224 266 500

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Welcome

Sid PattenDeputy ChairmanScottish Natural Heritage

At the end of last year I was delighted, and perhaps just a little surprised,learn that I was to be appointed deputy chairman of Scottish Natural Herresponded to the ministers invitation by saying that I was not only delightalso felt privileged to take on the role.

Certainly, I have always been acutely aware of the fragility of our naturheritage and the absolute need to protect it. But I was surprised at the inbecause I have also, for many years, acted on behalf of business and induchallenging what many of my members and customers perceived as a badevelopment.

So you see, it came as a bit of a shock to me that, at least in terms of

perception, this nuisance from the other side should be asked to come oWas this a sign that things were changing? I asked myself. And, of couranswer was that things are always changing.

You only have to look at the major programmes of work with which SNinvolved to see that managing change is becoming one of our top prioritiedealing with whats happening to our climate, and how that impacts on ouworld, to having an influence on how we safely and responsibly generate cleaner energy our potential remit is huge and vitally important.

Change can be both exhilarating and frightening. It can provide us witmomentum to progress and it can paralyse us to the point where we feel In a recent issue of The Observer, there was an article that set out 20 widranging predictions on how the world could change in the next 25 years. included a more varied energy system thats still reliant on fossil fuels, theimportance of nanotechnology, and a redefined concept of nature and clointeractions with people.

Now, Ive no idea how accurate these predictions might be, and therechance that Ill not be around to find out. But if were willing to accept thais a big part of our personal and professional lives, perhaps we can be evinfluential in how that change happens.


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Spring


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Wildcalendar

Kenny Taylor givessome seasonaltips for savouringScottish wildlife andlandscapes

This is the time of unfolding, as flowers emebirds sing, the ground grows green and dayextends. Wherever you are, you could noticsign of change each day. It could be a scensound. It could be the way the lengthening give a sense of new possibilities. So throw curtains wide, as the song goes. Days like teach year will see you right.

A head for seabird heights

Along parts of the Scottish coast that host seabird cspring works startling changes. Silent cliffs becomethronged with nesters and the air comes alive with cwings. A reek of guano gives tang to the updraughtsthe precipices, small flowers stud the turf.

Summer may lure more visitors to these places, tthe cuteness of most seabird chicks and the appeal predictable weather. But spring is when colonies gethe challenges of the breeding season ahead. Pairs neighbours fight, nests are renewed.

At Marwick Head RSPB reserve, on Orkney Mainyou can watch guillemots jostle for space on sandstledges, while fulmars glide past, stiff winged. Look d

see flocks of puffins and other auks riding the swell. include spring squill, its leaves a tracery of green cuthrift with blousy pink blooms and sea campion, whitocean spray. Combine a trip here with a visit to the Nvillage of Skara Brae, 6.5 km away, for an enjoyable Orkney present and past.

Web tip:

www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/m/marwickhea

index.aspx

1White streaks alongthe high-risesandstone ledges ofOrkneys MarwickHead show whereguillemots and otherseabirds nest,beneath clifftopscoloured by seapinks and seacampion.


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2Wood ants regularlymake the largest nestsof any British insect.Each colony can behome to perhaps100,000 or more ofthese hard-workingcreatures.

Mini-beasts to the max

Down in the pinewoods, something stirs. Small creatures bthe million are warming to the season. As you walk a forestrack among broadly spaced conifers, look and listen forthe signs: a mound of old pine needles, rising to perhapsa metre from the ground; a faint rustle if you listen, veryclosely; an aroma like vinegar if you sniff at a mound.

Wood ants. Scotland is a great place for them,especially in the old Caledonian pinewoods that are nowthriving again across large parts of the Highlands andAberdeenshire. There are three kinds of mound-building ayou might encounter. The narrow-headed ant scarcestof these makes quite small nests and is largely confinedto Strathspey. Scottish wood ants and hairy wood antsconstruct larger nests.

Telling these species apart can be tricky. But you dontneed to be an expert to appreciate their building skills, or tmarvel at how piles of dull, dead needles are transformed the movement of a mass of tiny bodies.

Web tip:

www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/fcin090.pdf/$FILE/fcin090.pd

Parallel lines

Some people reckoned they were the work of giants.Charles Darwin thought they showed where ancient shoreshad been left, high and dry, when the ocean retreated (andhe was almostcorrect). It took a Swiss naturalist, LouisAgassiz, and a Scottish geologist, Thomas Jamieson, to workout the answer.

The beauty of it is that you can walk the tracks of thestories and the theories, and see the evidence writ largealong the slopes of one of Scotlands more unusual nationalnature reserves. Glen Roy, not far from Roybridge, is wherethree parallel straight lines stretch far along the hillsides.

Its hard not to see them as the work of people. But

these parallel roads are quite natural. Together, they holdthe best evidence in Britain of how a series of ice-dammedlakes formed and then suddenly drained here at the end ofthe last Ice Age. After each glacier burst, the mark of the oldlake shoreline remained to show the former waters edge. Itsenough to give these roads international importance. Enjoythe tidemarks.

Web tip:www.nnr-scotland.org.uk/reserve.asp?NNRId=23

3Glen Roy NNR is agreat place for learningto read evidence oflandscape changessince the Ice Age,revealed in featuressuch as shorelines,terraces and channels.

4Its not all sweetness inthe light of a springwoodland floor.Ramsons (with whiteflowers) give a healthy,garlic-rich reek to clearthe nostrils as youwalk.

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Songbirdsin full dawn chorus; ospreysarriving back from Africa;tadpolesin ponds; hawthornblooming in hedges and along railway

lines; and small tortoiseshell butterflieson the wing.

Some other things to look for in spring:

Borders bouquets

Mention spring flowers and manypeople will picture a haze of bluebells.Bonny, without doubt, but you dontalways need to get the blues to beimpressed by the new seasons colours.

Both broadleaved and mixed woodscan have impressive displays of earlyblooming flowers, before overheadgreenery shades the woodland floor.Woods from the North Isles to theSolway can hold floral surprises at thistime of the year, including the primrosesthat quite literally have popped upbeside a path where you didnt expectto see them.

In the Borders, many woods whereash and elm are distinctive treeshave been boosted by recent workto conserve and expand them. Thismeans that each spring can bring

fresh floral bonuses. Whitlaw Wood, aScottish Wildlife Trust reserve besideHawick, is one of these ash-elm woods.Harts-tongue fern, with shiny greenleaves, gives gloss to Whitlaws floor,in contrast to the soft tones of itswood anemones or windflowers. HerbRobert, with small, beautifully simpleflowers, is another of Whitlaws plantsto savour.

Web tip:

www.swt.org.uk/visit/reserves/

WHW/Whitlaw%20Wood/



1Scotland is one of thebest places in Europeto watch whales,dolphins andporpoises, but boatusers need to bear in

mind that it's anoffence to recklesslydisturb or harass them.

2Hares don't digburrows underground,unlike their cousin therabbit. Instead, theycreate a nest or 'form'in long grass. The lackof a safe bolt holemakes them a targetfor illegal harecoursing.

Helping the detectives

104,317. No, those arent thelatest winning lottery numbers,but they do represent theenormous total land area ofScotland in square km.

That number can present a bit of aproblem for wildlife crime officers.

Divided equally among the 90 or sowildlife crime officers in Scotland, eachofficer would have a beat of around1,159 square km! Thats an awful lotof ground to cover and can obviouslymake it difficult in terms of detectionand law enforcement.

Wildlife crime continues to blightScotlands outstanding natural heritage.It can affect rare and iconic species,often involves cruelty to animals, candestroy specially protected habitats,

and interferes with lawful countrysidemanagement and recreation.

Like other crime, its committed by avery small minority of people who eitherknowingly flaunt the law or commit anoffence through lack of awareness. Itcan often be linked to other rural crime,and for that reason suspects shouldnever be approached by the public.

While the police keep records ofeach reported wildlife crime, its hard

to establish the true extent of it inScotland. This is due mainly to the vastareas of countryside where crime maygo undetected or unreported.

Heres another big number:5,168,500. That number could bepart of the answer for wildlife crimeofficers because its the current size ofScotlands population (2008 figure).

The population is generallybecoming more mobile, and access tothe countryside is more readily available

now for activities such as mountainbiking and hill walking. This wider

Last September, Grampian police became the first force inthe UK to appoint a wildlife crime education officer. Their newrecruit, Andy Turner, explains how the public can best help inthe fight against wildlife crime

access presents a great opportunity fthe public to help detect incidents inremote areas, making that 1,159 squkm beat a bit more manageable!

In the Grampian police area alonethe wildlife crime unit can receiveover 50 calls per month, ranging fromhare coursing near Elgin, to dolphindisturbance at Aberdeen harbour or

salmon poaching on Deeside. Amongthe genuine reports, there are othersthat can end up being about wildlifekilled on the roads, natural deaths oreven miniature penguins at Aberdeenbeach which turned out to be younguillemots!

However, we dont want todiscourage the public from picking upthe phone to call the police in fact,quite the opposite. But it helps to havall the information at hand to help the

police deal with the call in the bestpossible way.


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Report any suspicious activity as soon as possible to your local policestation and ask to speak to a wildlife crime officer.

Take a note of the date, time and weather conditions. If possible, identify a map reference or ideally a GPS (global positionin

system) reading of both the incident scene and the location from wherwitnessed the incident.

Note a description of person(s) involved, including gender, age, heightclothing, etc. Write down any vehicle registration numbers, make, model and colour

may be involved. Identify other witnesses and get their name and contact details. If possible, video or photograph the scene, or make a rough sketch. Cover up any suspected poisoned baits or victims to prevent any anim

person coming into contact with them. Report the incident, even if youre not sure. The evidence of wildlife cri

is not always obvious.

Dont disturb the scene by moving items or walking about unnecessar Dont touch dead animals or birds, especially if you suspect that poiso

have been used. Dont interfere with legal countryside practices, such as the legal use o

traps and snares, hides, high seats and shooting butts.

Never approach suspects or intervene if you suspect someone is comma wildlife crime. You may put yourself in danger.

Do

Dont

Never

By following a simple checklist when reporting a wildlife crime, it might be possible to establispicture of wildlife crime and help to stamp it out throughout Scotland. The purpose of better reis to reduce the time spent by officers searching the countryside after receiving a poor lead orinaccurate information. So, if you suspect a wildlife crime is taking place or has occurred, you


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Making a difference


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2011 is the European Yeof Volunteering, so why njoin the 100 million otherEuropeans who regularly part in voluntary activities

1Action Earthvolunteers on aclean at a wildlgarden in NiddEdinburgh.



Path builders

Community path volunteers across Scotland are workinghard to create places close to home for people to have fun,get healthy, travel more sustainably and be closer to nature.With big funding cuts ahead, the need for path groups totake local action has never been greater.

The Paths for All organisation received a flood ofenquiries recently for their Local People: Local Paths Small Grants for Groups programme. Supported by SNH,

this small pilot grants scheme offered up to 1,000 to helpestablish a local path group, expand what existing groupsare doing or carry out a small project.

Over 70 groups applied for funding to purchaseinsurance or basic tools, get trained up, buy materials toimprove paths, produce local path leaflets or carry outrepairs. Sadly, demand massively outstripped supply and itwasnt possible to support every group.

Some great ideas came forward. For example, BogheadCommunity Group in South Lanarkshire want to developand maintain paths around their community and linkBoghead, Blackwood, Kirkmuirhill and Lesmahagow. The

group recently bought the local red phone box and will betransforming it into an information point for the local pathnetworks.

The grant will pay for some remedial work on thephone box and help to open up unusable paths chokedwith vegetation, explained Fiona McInally of Paths for All.However, thats just the start. The group have big plans tomake local paths more accessible and usable all year round,which will mean a better quality of life for people who livethere!

If youre keen to make a difference to your local paths,but cant find out whats happening locally, contact [email protected] for help. Paths for All is the national charitysupporting and promoting path networks and walking forhealth. You can find out more at www.pathsforall.org.uk

European Year of Volunteering isa celebration of the commitmentfrom millions of people acrossEurope who work during theirfree time without being paid.

They come from all walks of life andoffer their time in a whole host of ways,including working in schools, hospitals

and sports clubs, protecting theenvironment, providing social servicesand helping people in other countries.

These efforts, and those of themany thousands of volunteeringorganisations, make a huge differenceto all our lives in countless ways.Scotland would certainly be much thepoorer without volunteers and sowould our nature and landscapes!

And volunteering provides morethan just public benefits. It can alsobenefit the individual in various ways

whether thats through learning newskills or by keeping active physicallyand mentally. It can be fun and sociabletoo, as well as helping to build strongercommunities.

Its estimated that there are currentlyat least 35,000 people who regularlyvolunteer in Scotland across a widerange of environmental projects andactivities. As part of the Europeancelebration, well be exploring differentaspects of volunteering in Scotland,

starting here with how environmentalvolunteering can benefit yourcommunity. Here are some examplesacross a range of community focusedvolunteering, which we hope mightinspire you to get involved.


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2Getting to grips witha patch of invasiveHimalayan balsam atCorstorphine Hill inEdinburgh.

3Urban Roots volunteersworking at Malls Mire,a community woodlandin the Toryglen area ofGlasgow.

Wood made good

Malls Mire Woodland is a large site near Toryglen in Glasgow, owned by City Council and planted with native trees some 15 years ago. The site thbecame a focus for local gangs and was seen by local people as dangero

Local people decided to take action to improve safety, attract more wincrease access and provide a place for environmental education. They gsupport from Glasgow City Council and the British Trust for ConservationVolunteers (BTCV), and the project now has a regular group of 30 volunte

Local environmental organisation Urban Roots, based in the Toryglen manage the project and provide support in the form of insurance, training

tools. The wider community are also involved in the wood through organiscommunity days and working with primary schools in the area. The voluntare trained in woodland management, drystane dyking, interpretation, plaidentification and other environmental skills.

The project has been a real success, commented Abi Mordin of UrbRoots. The woodland is now regarded as a safe area and lots of adults children regularly use the wood. Indeed, locals have asked the volunteerslead walks in the wood. Theyve made a massive improvement to this sitebenefit of the local community.

You can find out more at www.urbanroots.org.uk


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Spring into action

This campaign has been running since 2004 and its now a key event inScotlands environmental calendar, with the number of projects and voluntaking part increasing year on year.

The aim of Action Earth is to encourage more people to take action totheir local environment. The campaign supports projects that involve volupractical action. Two grants are offered: a 50 Action Earth award, and aBiodiversity award for projects that protect and improve Scotlands variewildlife.

Last year, 7,200 volunteers helped on 300 projects around Scotland,including clean-ups, woodland planting and garden creation. Many differegroups take part, and its clear from their feedback that the campaign is asource of support and funding.

The grant was a great addition to our garden budget, which is tight,remarked Lisa Archibold of New Horizons in the Borders. It was a goodopportunity to draw in new volunteers and recognise and celebrate their e

The 2011 campaign kicks off in March. As well as 100 SNH biodiversawards, the campaign now includes at least 15 awards of up to 500 forthat involve volunteers at local nature reserves. Check it out atwww.actionearth.org.uk/joomla

Bike and hike

Aileen Armstrong is a volunteer with Kirkhill and Bunchrew Community TrInverness, which aims to take forward projects that bring social, economienvironmental benefits to the local community.

The trust received funds to commission a design for two sections of aoff-road path for cyclists and walkers. It will run between Beauly and Inveallowing local people to leave their cars at home and to travel safely by bifoot.

Theres a wide range of skills, knowledge and goodwill available withsmall community, commented Aileen. That made it possible for us to soapply for funds, write a project brief, appoint consultants and then manag

project and budget.We all learned from each other. But we also sought professional advirequired, particularly from the local council team. Its been challenging at but a rewarding experience for everyone involved.

To find out more, go to www.kirkhillandbunchrew.org.uk

If youre interested in exploring the possibilities for a volunteer opportunityyou, the best place to start is your local volunteer centre. You can find outthe Volunteer Scotland website www.volunteerscotland.org.uk/aboutU

And dont worry you wont need to commit yourself if you dont wanMany organisations offer volunteers a taster session so that you can decwhether its for you. Why not give it a try?

4BTCV volunteersclearing vegetationfrom an overgrownsection of the moat atLochmaben Castle inDumfries & Galloway.

It's been challengingat times, but arewarding experience

for everyone involved.


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Dualchas coitcheannCommon heritage

St Brigid, or Bride, is remembered inmany Scottish place names, as well as inthree of our wildlife species. Its all to dowith the date of her feast day, explainsRuairidh MacIlleathain, unless you believethe stories

Lus is ein Brde

Tha ainm Brde (no Brghde) a nochdadh ann am mran suidheachaidhean co-cheangailte ri ndaris aghaidh na tre ann an Alba. S e pears-eaglais ainmeil dhen 5mh 6mhlinn a bh ann am Brde, abhuineadh do Chill Dara ann an irinn, ged a bha ban-dia phganach be roimhpe air an robh Brdecuideachd (agus grunnan phears-eaglaisean s a didh a ghabh a h-ainm a bharrachd). Chan iad naGidheil a-mhin a bha dleas dhi; bha i naomh do shligh eile ann am Breatainn, Cruithnich na h-Albanam measg. Agus bha i na naomh-taice do mhnathan-gline, boireannaich throma agus banaraich, ammeasg eile.

Ro linn an Ath-leasachaidh bha Naomh Brde air leth cudromach do Ghidheil na h-Alba, agus thai air a cli a ghleidheadh thar nan linntean anns na coimhearsnachdan a mhair dleas don chreideamhChaitligeach, leithid ann an Uibhist is Barraigh. Agus tha i air a cuimhneachadh ann an grunn aiteachanann an Alba air a bheil Cille Brde mar eisimpleir ann an Saoil, Latharna, le, Tiriodh, Bd, Arainn,Uibhist agus san Eilean Sgitheanach, gun luaidh air a bhaile mhr ann am meadhan na dthcha Cille Brde an Ear. Tha Lann Brde ann am Moireibh ga cuimhneachadh cuideachd, mar a tha grunnainmean eaglaisean ann an caochladh sgrean, deas agus tuath.

Ann an silean nan Gidheal, tha dleab Brde be fhathast co-cheangailte ri tr gnitheanndarrach lus agus d eun. Tha e coltach gun d fhuair am bernan-brde ainm an naoimh leisgum bi e a nochdadh fo bhlth trth as t-Earrach, oir tha Fill Brde anns a Ghearran. Tha cuid dhenbheachd, ge-t, gur e as coireach ris a cheangal gun robh dath an fhlir a comharrachadh an teine abha a losgadh fad na h-ine ann am manachainn Brde. Thathar a danamh an aon sersa ceangaileadar teine Brde agus am bigein-Brde, eun beag air a bheil broilleach dearg.

Ach, gu frinneach, s dcha gur e gum bi am bigein-Brde a ceilearadh mu m Fill Brde, s didhdha a bhith smhach sa gheamhradh, as coireach ri a cheangal ris an naomh, agus tha coltas ann

gu bheil an dearbh rud for mun Bhrdean (Brde-eun) no gille-Brde, ged a tha mneachadh eileaig stiridh laghach beul-aithris. Bha Naomh Brde a teicheadh bho ghrisg aig an robh droch-rndhi. Ruith i gu ruige trigh, ach cha robh ite ann airson a dhol am falach agus cha robh dol-s aice.Ligh i air a ghainmhich, agus i gun dchas a bhith be fada, ach chunnaic na brdein i. Chmhdaichna h-ein le feamainn i, cha robh sgeul oirre nuair a rinig a ghrisg an cladach, agus mhair i be.Bheannaich i an t-eun agus bhon latha sin a-mach s e eun Brde a bh ann ann an sealladh nanGidheal, an d chuid ann an Alba agus Eilean Mhanainn (far a bheilear a gabhail bridjeenair).

istibh gu dlth ris a bhrdean agus cluinnidh sibh e a cantainn bi glic gu tric. Tha Acadamaidhnam Poileas ann an Tulach Alain air d bhrdean a thaghadh airson an t-suaicheantais oifigeil aca, leisa chomhairle sin bi glic, bi glic sgrobhte fodha.


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Thathar a danamh ant-samhlaidh choelach s a tha amBridean san trigh. Is eseo an rainneachdanns an do shbhail ant-eun seo beathaBrde, a rir beul-aithris.

A Gaelic simile says aswell acquainted as theoystercatcher is withthe shore. This is theenvironment in which,

according to oraltradition, St Brigidslife was saved by theoystercatcher. Fromthat point on, it hasbeen Brigids bird inGaelic Scotland.

Saintly species

Many places in Scotland called Kilbride (Cille Brde, the cell or church oor Bride) are named after the famous saint who lived in the 5thto 6thcentwas associated with Kildare in Ireland. Shes also remembered in Lhanbr(Lann Brde, the enclosure of Brigid) in Moray and in the dedications of aof churches around Scotland. In pre-Reformation times, Brigid (who sharname with an earlier pre-Christian goddess) was a very significant religionationally. In the communities that kept their original Catholicism, notably Western Isles, she has held on to her significance.

Three species are linked to the saint in Scotland, owing to their being or becoming active at the time of her feast day in February, the earliest of calendar. The dandelion the English name of which came from the Frende-lion(lions tooth) is known as bernan-Brdein Gaelic or the gappeBrigid (referring to its leaf shape). Its yellow flowers are said to be suggethe fire that burned constantly in her monastery. Two birds carry the saint the bigein-Brde(Brigids little bird) or linnet, and the Brdean(Brigidor gille-Brde(Brigids servant), which is the oystercatcher. The formers breast is supposed to represent Brigids fire, while a group of the latter ishave saved the saints life by covering her with seaweed to hide her from of men who planned to kill her. She blessed the oystercatcher on that daythe last millennium and a half, it has been Brigids bird to Scotlands Gae



N

EWS Project tackles harrier decline

An innovative project in Renfrewshire is combating the decline in numbers of henharriers.

Over the last three years, SNH have been working with land managers inthe Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park to support management of their moorlandfor wildlife. In all, 10 land managers have signed up to a management schemecovering 8,380 hectares of moorland.

Known as Renfrewshire Heights, the moorland is internationally important forbreeding hen harriers and its designated as a site of special scientific interest(SSSI) and special protection area.

Over a number of years, muirburn and high levels of grazing have caused aloss of heather cover on the moor. This has affected not only the habitat but alsothe wildlife that lives there, including the hen harrier.

The scheme, which runs until 2014, will restore the moorland by reducinggrazing and carefully targeting muirburn. It will benefit not only harriers, but alsoother moorland wildlife, with measures that will include regenerating scrub andmarking fences to stop black grouse flying into them.

These moorlands are one of the best breeding sites for hen harriers inScotland, explained local SNH area officer Andy MacGregor. The schemehas helped farmers and estates continue their good stewardship of the land byimproving the habitat. We hope this will help the wildlife here thrive for years to

come.Hunterston Estate is one of the landholdings that has signed up to the

scheme. With a five-year agreement that covers 1,368 hectares of land, theestate plan to reduce the number of grazing sheep by 900. At their own expense,theyve also removed a further 1,000 sheep and put a new, summer-only grazingregime in place for 390 sheep and 30 cattle. The estate has also stoppedmuirburn throughout the term of the agreement. The changes will maintain a goodvariety of habitats and help the heather to recover.

Weve fully embraced the SSSI at Renfrewshire Heights, commented NigelCochran-Patrick of Hunterston Estate. This is a great opportunity to reversethe desert-like appearance caused by years of overgrazing and the unfortunatedrainage schemes of the past.

My only worry is that the five years for which the scheme runs will only just beenough time to halt the decline. Hopefully, the scheme will run for a further fiveyears to really make a difference. People forget how long things in nature take togrow.


21/68www.snh.gov.uk

Islands red deer rutting earlier

Wild red deer on Rum are rutting earlier in the year because of climate change,scientists have suggested.

Research has indicated that the annual rutting season on the NNR could bechanging because of warming spring and summer temperatures. The rut takesplace in the autumn and involves the males competing for a mate.

Scientists from Edinburgh and Cambridge universities showed that thedeer rutting and calving seasons are now up to two weeks earlier on averagecompared with 30 years ago. The research was based on a 38-year study of therelationship between red deer and the environment on Rum and used annualrecords of breeding success in more than 3,000 deer.

The scientists say this provides rare evidence that warming temperaturesare affecting the behaviour of British mammals. Although many kinds of plantsand animals are known to be reproducing earlier, evidence of early reproductionin large mammals is very unusual. More work is needed to understand whethersimilar changes are taking place in deer populations elsewhere, and what theimplications will be.

Click on corals

Scottish scientists have set up a new website to raise awareness of cold-watercorals (such as the ones shown above) and their conservation.

World renowned naturalist Sir David Attenborough has given his support tothe site www.lophelia.organd recorded a short film for it.

Scientists from Heriot-Watt University are behind the website, which setsout to publicise the importance of cold-water coral conservation in Scotland andaround the world.

The university team discovered the only known inshore coral reef in Scottishwaters the Mingulay reef complex in 2003. The reef was discovered in theSea of the Hebrides when the area was mapped using modern sonar techniques.

Were now discovering that cold-water corals are probably more abundantand widespread across the oceans of the world than tropical corals, commentedSir David.

Theyre certainly very remarkable. For instance, one cold-water coral is 4,000years old, probably making it the oldest living organism on this planet. The morethats being discovered the more we realise how precious, diverse, important andendangered these cold-water corals are.


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Fight against wildlife crime continues

The fight against wildlife crime has been strengthened by a dedicated grantscheme that has been supporting a range of projects.

Funding under the Partnership for Action against Wildlife Crime (PAW)Scotland has been used for new and innovative schemes. Examples under the170,000 committed so far include:

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland received 20,000 towards awildlife DNA forensic testing laboratory. Work included the testing of

samples for Scottish wildlife crime investigations in its first year.

The University of Strathclyde used 5,000 for its work in linking the recoveryof human DNA from animal parts to provide evidence of contact. This includesthe linking of poison baits with vehicles, guns, containers and suspects.

The Morvern deer poaching initiative received 8,000 to trial and develop amodel to appoint and support a seasonal deer watcher to tackle locallyintense deer poaching issues.

Wildlife crime takes many forms, commented minister for the environment andclimate change Roseanna Cunningham, from badger persecution and illegalpoisoning of wild birds, to illegal fishing of freshwater pearl mussels and batpersecution.

This funding signals the Scottish Governments clear and continuing intentionto tackle the root causes of wildlife crime and address the often harrowingsuffering caused by wildlife crime to Scotlands native wild animals.

New seal laws welcomed

Laws banning the killing of seals in Scotland without a licence have come intoforce.

In addition to outlawing unregulated shooting of seals, the measures underthe Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 establish a new licensing system to manage

shooting and introduce a number of seal conservation areas around Scotland.Marine Scotland will be responsible for implementing and monitoring the newmeasures.

Given the serious and worrying decline in the numbers of common orharbour seals, these new measures are particularly important, remarked JohnBaxter, SNHs principal adviser on seals.

Theyre a considerable improvement on provisions contained in previouslegislation. They provide a clear approach to seal conservation, while takingaccount of the needs of fisheries and fish farming interests to protect and managetheir stocks.



N

EWS

Woodland favourites

The arrival of spring has seen the Woodland Trust launch a VisitWoods websiteto help people find their nearest accessible woodland.

VisitWoods aims to encourage more people to get out and enjoy all that ourwoodlands have to offer. At the heart of the project is www.VisitWoods.org.uk, anew interactive website showcasing all the woods you can visit in Scotland andacross the UK.

The project is part of a unique partnership between all the major woodlandowning organisations in Scotland. It will give people living in Scotland the chanceto discover the woods on their doorstep and enjoy the outdoors more often.

The website is packed with everything you need to plan a great day out,including searchable maps, inspiring ideas and free activities, plus theres spacefor visitors to share their photos and tips.

The project needs enthusiastic people to share their stories, comments,photographs, ideas and even rate their favourite woods on the website, explainedCarol Evans, Woodland Trust Scotland director.

Sharing personal experiences of the woods we love to visit and what theyhave to offer will make a real difference to people who have never been before.Personal content will hopefully encourage more people to get outside and enjoythe wonders of Scotlands woodland through the seasons.

New start at Craigie

Offenders on community service orders are helping to create a new habitat forbirds, bees and butterflies at West Craigie Farm, west of Edinburgh, this year.

West Craigie Local Food Project is a social enterprise established to supplyhigh-quality vegetables to local outlets. SNH have given them a grant to workwith the City of Edinburgh Council Criminal Justice Service in their supervision ofthe offenders on community service orders.

The project helps offenders develop the key skills and work experience theyneed to get into employment. This group, who are all women, will design and

build the wildlife garden, which will benefit wildlife and visitors to the farm.Well use the SNH funding to pay for consultancy time to help with the

planning, explained Yvonne Dalziel, manager at West Craigie Local Food Project,and to pay for materials like bee houses, bird-feeding stations, interpretiveboards and plants.

Karen Morrison, communities officer at SNH, said they were keen to helppeople from all walks of life experience the outdoors. We hope the peopleinvolved in this project will enjoy seeing the wildlife garden develop and willgo back with other members of the public to enjoy the fruits of their work, sheadded.


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Little deer, big menace

MSPs have backed an order to license the keeping of muntjac deer in Scotland.Muntjac (pictured below) are originally from Asia but have become an

invasive species in England and Wales. They cause widespread damageto farming and the natural heritage, as well as being a major source of roadaccidents. Theyve even been branded asbo bambis by some critics.

Theres no known wild population in Scotland, but there are two collectionskept securely in deer parks in Fife. Under the new legislation, muntjac can only bekept with a licence that sets out the minimum standards for enclosures.

The legislation also means that owners of captive muntjac will have to reportany escapes within 24 hours. SNH will have powers to enter onto land to controlthese animals if the owners cannot recapture or control them.

Goose managementChanges to Scotlands goose management schemes are being considered with aview to making them more responsive to conservation needs.

It follows a fundamental review suggesting that the current schemes havebeen very successful in protecting and sustaining many important goosepopulations. However, the review also suggests that the help available isinconsistent.

As a result, the Scottish Government are working with SNH and the NationalGoose Management Review Group to target funds accordingly. The aim is toconcentrate on protecting those species of higher conservation status, such asthe Greenland white-fronted goose.

The proposals would continue to allow farmers and crofters to organise thecontrol of geese locally, but will re-balance the focus of payments made underlocal goose management schemes.

"It's encouraging that some populations of these birds are thriving thanksto the goose management schemes, some of which were put in place over 10years ago, commented minister for environment and climate change RoseannaCunningham.

This is the result of the collaborative effort to protect them. We have to buildon this success by concentrating our efforts on species that aren't doing so well.This will allow us to target the money available where it's needed most.



Thanks for another greatresponse to our request forimages and stories of wildencounters. There were

some fine submissionsagain, and here are someof the entries that weveselected. Please keep themcoming. Email your imagesand stories [email protected]

Inspired by nature

2


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1 Cove Bay

The location lies to

the east of Hopeman,

which is a little village

on the Moray coast,

near to Lossiemouth.

I never moved anything

and just composed

around what was

there. Its a beautiful

and unspoiled area of

coastline, composed

mostly of sandstone,and is an area that

never fails to impress

me. Jim Robertson,

Lossiemouth

2 Out of theordinary

This beautiful bird

appeared in my garden

this winter. Its either a

partial albino blackbird,

or a leucistic thrush or

fieldfare. It visited every

day while there were

holly berries on the

tree. It used to chase

the other blackbirds

that it fed alongsideaway from the titbits

that I put out for them.

It has now disappeared

completely. Shirley

Milne, Archiestown,

Aberlour

3 Fruit feast

I grabbed this photo

of a wasp while it was

feeding on a ripening

blackberry in my

garden. I have a few

blackberry bushes and

the wasps were coming

and going. I focused

on the one berry and

when the wasp landed I

had about four seconds

before it took off again.Stan Wilson, Langholm

4 Not so sleek

I took this picture

through my kitchen

window as I was

surprised to see how

'furry' swallows are! We

normally think of them

as sleek, fast speed

merchants, but close-

up we can see another

character. John White,

Kilmuir, Isle of Skye

5 Early frosts

The photo was taken

looking up to the

Northern Corries of

the Cairngorms. I

took it beside the ski

road at Glenmore,

late in the morning

during November.Bob

Kinnaird, Glenmore

6 Colour r

We spotted

peacock but

the northeas

Lunan Bay. T

stunning eye

the wings

to frighten aw

divert predat

actually help

make quick a

eye contact

stunning inseit fluttered aw

gentle breez

Elder, Chelte

Give us your best!

If youd like to send in your imagesstories of wild encounters, please them to [email protected]

Remember to include your namyou live and some background infoon any pictures submitted. Please

yourself to only three entries per peper issue. If youre sending in phothave children in them, then we nee

permission from a parent or guardi

each child in the picture.In contributing to The Nature o

Scotlandyou agree to grant us roynon-exclusive use of your material way we want and in any media.

However, youll still own the co

to everything you contribute, and wto publish your name alongside anypublished. SNH cannot guarantee

pictures will be used and we reser

right to edit any material provided.

4

6


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extensive programme of events, festivals, activities and marketing to showScotland as a must-visit activity and adventure destination.

And for those interested in developing their own wildlife or nature-basproducts and activities, the organisation Wild Scotland is offering help thwildlife tourism advisory service. Wild Scotland are the Scottish wildlife toassociation and, using their experienced members, they will provide practadvice on a range of issues relating to this growing sector of the tourism For further information go to www.wild-scotland.co.uk



1Picking hawthornberries.


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Scotlands native plants and theuse in medicine and cosmeticshave been the focus of a projecwith Edinburghs Nepalese

community

Lastingimpressions

Its been a good experience for me because for the first timein my life I have visited and checked the wonder of the trees aplants. I learned the mystery of the plant world.

So wrote Keshab Timsina, of Edinburghs Nepalese community, after one

his visits as part of the Healing in the Fields and Forests project. The yearproject gave members of the community the chance to discover the traditmedicinal and cosmetic uses of Scotlands native plant life.

The project was developed through Forestry Commission Scotland anfunding, and designed by Joanna Boyce of Creative Art Works working wGurkha Association Scotland and herbalist Monica Wilde. It brought toggroup of Nepalese Scots, botanists from the Royal Botanic Garden in Ed(RBGE), medical herbalists and community educators. Together, they expforests and rural areas to experience Scotlands variety of plants and their

Being outside and connecting to the countryside is very much part ofNepalese culture, explained Joanna Boyce, so it was important to theircommunity in Edinburgh to find a relevant way to discover their local Scotwoodlands. They also wanted to inspire in their children a life-long interes

nature and love of the great outdoors.The project set out to acheive this using nature and plants as a comm

theme. The aim was to exchange knowledge and understanding about themedicinal and cosmetic uses of plants, both in the UK and in Nepal, and encourage the use of woodlands and green space by the Nepalese comm

The folk who took part went on guided walks to learn about the plantstheir uses, with links made to related plants in Nepal and how theyre usethere. The walks were followed up with workshops that used a selection ofor practical sessions preparing medicinal tonics, creams, ointments, soaperfumes, tinctures and syrups.



Making and drinking the juices was great.I learnt a lot about plants, something I havelittle knowledge about, and it was fascinatingto hear the medical implications they have.Ashkan Ziaie


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3Two Bangladeshiwomen joined theNepalese communityfor the day and made aspring detox tonic fromcleavers.

4Working together toclean and sorthawthorn berries foruse in a tincture to helplower blood pressureand strengthen theheart.

All ages

The project ran across four seasons and involved a total of eight day-longto the woodlands and forests. The enthusiasm and interest was so great first winter workshop was over-subscribed, with 55 people appearing on day. Numbers had to be more carefully managed down to about 30 a dayspring, summer and autumn sessions.

Those taking part included all ages, and involved the usually difficult-tteenager group. While the adults and older children experienced the workyounger children explored the woods, enjoyed woodland activities and crnature-inspired artworks.

The format of the day worked well, Joanna continued. To begin withgroup went for a walk of about two hours where we identified, collected atalked about the plants we saw. The areas we explored included a commwalled garden with surrounding woodland, a council-run country park witcentre facilities, and the fields and hedgerows near a community-run villa

Afterwards, we ran workshops making simple medicinal or cosmetic i

using the materials we gathered. This helped those taking part to relate thto the end products that are often similar to those they see around them ishops in the city. They found this really interesting and we think it helped remember the plants better. Storyteller Alasdair Taylor also joined us on sthe walks and his memorable stories from Gaelic and Celtic folklore addeforest magic to our walks.

Monica Wilde from Napiers, the herbalists in Edinburgh, ran the practworkshops. Her main reason for getting involved was to help preserve anon the knowledge of British herbal medicine and the practical applicationthat are easily accessible to everyone.



Making links

Many modern drugs are still discovered from plant andfungi sources that have been known locally for centuries,and its important to make that collective knowledge widelyavailable. There was also a genuine pleasure in seeingpeople discover or rediscover the open spaces and forestsaround our cities, knowing that they will pass on thispleasure to their families and communities.

Two other important partners in the project were BhaskarAdhikari and Mark Watson of RBGE, who were able to makethe links between plants in Scotland and Nepal.

Nepal is one of our major research areas, explainedMark, and RBGE have a long-term commitment to workingwith our colleagues over there to document their plantbiodiversity. Engaging with the UK Nepalese communityis part of that work, and we were very pleased to use ourknowledge of British and Nepalese plants to help peoplelearn more about the nature around them and make linksback to familiar plants in Nepal.

Scientific outreach is an important part of the work of

RBGE, he continued, and we have an active programmeof educational events and exhibitions. The Nepalesecommunity based in Edinburgh, like many ethnic minorityurban communities, dont often venture out of the city toexplore the countryside. Were keen to engage more withlocal communities, especially groups that are traditionallyhard to reach, and this project was a wonderful opportunityto do that.

The Healing in the Fields and Forests project has nowbeen selected as a case study for the Science for All

Going Beyond the Usual Suspects initiative. This is beingpromoted through the UK Government Department ofBusiness, Innovation and Skills, and also involves theAssociation for Science and Discovery Centres and theBritish Science Association. A range of case studies willappear on various websites to inspire others to undertakesimilar schemes.

Certainly, the strong response and enthusiasm fromthe Nepalese community has encouraged Joanna Boyceto look at working with other cultural groups, such as theEdinburgh Bengali community, who might be interested indeveloping a similar venture.

The Gurkha Association Scotland and the NepalScotland Association wanted to design a project thatwould encourage members of their community, fromthe oldest to the youngest, to venture out of the city toexplore the countryside. They wanted to instill a love of theScottish outdoors in their children and young people at thesame time as making real connections to their Nepalese

heritage.Traditionally, the experience of foraging and sharing

food and celebrating within the landscape is part ofNepalese culture. So it was of prime importance to theNepalese community in Scotland to find a way to continuetheir native outdoor lifestyle in a local Scottish context. Thiis especially important for those who have recently arrivedin Scotland and may still need to orientate themselvesand adapt to the Scottish way of life. This project offers amodel for how to bridge cultures.


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5Using a dock leaf as atraditional remedy fornettle stings.

6The children madetheir own masks afterhearing the story of theGreen Man, themythical figure oftenshown as a mask madeentirely of leaves.


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1This hedgehog waslucky a vet was abto remove the plastirings without seriouinjury. But others haended up beingstrangled in similarincidents.

The Nature of Scotl

Litter remains anunsightly problemin Scotland,costing millions ofpounds every year

to clear. It canalso prove to bea fatal attractionfor wildlife

We all enjoy the spectacular scenery and stunning landscapes for which Scotland isrightly famous. So that makes it all the more unpleasant to see the mass of discardedlitter and dumped waste that blights our towns, cities and countryside.

Keep Scotland Beautiful (KSB) estimate that the cost of clearing litter across Scottish local authoritiesstands at over 100 million per year. That cost forms part of the council tax charges that we all have topay.

Keep Scotland Beautiful run the National Spring Clean campaign every year, which encouragespeople to get together and help pick up litter from their neighbourhood. Last year, more than 83,000people across Scotland gave their time to support the campaign. Each person collected on averageone and a half black bags of discarded rubbish thats enough to fill 42,000 standard householdwheelie bins!

But its not just people who have a problem with litter. Wildlife suffers too, with animals and birdsbeing cut by sharp objects such as cans or broken glass, strangled by plastic ring packaging, andchoked or poisoned on plastic waste or cigarette butts. Animals can sometimes be freed back to thewild, but in many cases treatment and care is required by wildlife rescue specialists or the refuse mayeven cause death.

Scotlands animal welfare charity, the Scottish SPCA, regularly rescue wild animals trapped or hurt

by discarded litter. It's horrifying to see the suffering and impact that litter can have on the welfare ofwild animals, commented Scottish SPCA Wildlife Rescue Centre Manager Colin Seddon.

Litter presents a lot of risks to wildlife, including swans, seals, otters, owls, badgers, foxes andseabirds. Some of the worst cases are never discovered until it's too late.

Keep Scotland Beautiful are urging everyone to have more pride. Litter and dumped waste canaffect us all at some time, commented KSBs Suzanne Roberts, whether its close to our homes or inthe countryside that we visit, and its up to everyone to do what they can to stop it.

If youd like to help out with this years National Spring Clean campaign from 14 March to 16 May,then go to http://springclean.keepscotlandtidy.org

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Top tips for disposing of litter and preventing harm to wildlife:

Plastic holders for drinks cans can choke animals, so cut open the loops of the pholders.

Tin cans often trap animals and a half-open lid may cut them badly. Take the lid put it inside and crush or pinch the opening shut.

Plastic bags can suffocate. Re-use your bags instead of throwing them away, orknot in them when you dispose of them properly.

Broken bottles can cut. Take all glass to a bottle bank. Fishing line can strangle. Take it home and cut it up. Balloons can kill if eaten. Avoid balloon releases and cut up used balloons.

Deadly nylon

The sort of danger that litter can present

wildlife was made plain last July when thSSPCA were involved in a cliff-top rescuoperation to recover a young peregrine fin Dumfries & Galloway. When they got tonest, they discovered that the bird's feet been amputated after becoming tanglednylon string (pictured left).

This incident only occurred as a result ofrubbish being discarded and washed upshoreline. Both of its feet had been tragicut off after its legs had become snared plastic wire and netting, which the parenused to build the nest. Due to the extentinjuries, the only humane option was to pfalcon to sleep.

Its a sad fact that discarded rubbish is a feature of our coastlines and countrysiexplained local SSPCA inspector JanetProudlock, and birds are commonly buil

their nests from materials that they woulnaturally find in the wild. The birds dontknow the difference between nylon stringrasses, and this is the reason why tragelike this occur. If people just cleaned up themselves, we wouldnt have to deal wisort of issue. To lose a magnificent bird sas a peregrine falcon in this way is very sindeed.



Reservefocus

Shieling of the white meadow

Ariundle oakwood is one of the finest examples inScotland of the ancient oakwoods that once spread alongEuropes Atlantic edge. Its renowned for its old oak treeswith luxurious growth of mosses, lichens, liverworts andferns. And its also one of the best sites in Scotland tocatch a glimpse of the rare chequered skipper butterfly


39/68www.snh.gov.uk

Abhai

nn

Sr

n an

t-St

hein

Waterfall

AlltCoirenanCapall

All

t

na

M

i

n

n

e

Allta

n

Fhsaidh

Stro

nti

an

Riv e

r

A' ChoilleDhubh

An Torra Bn

A Mhinn

irigh Fhionndail

th na h-ilde

Gu Srn an t-Sthein

Ceann aChreagain

A ChroitThe Croft Hut Circle

Scotstown

Ariundle

Anaheilt

To Strontian

Reserve boundary

Trail

Car park

Tea room and craft shop

Surfaced road

Track

0 1

0 1

kilometre

mile

1

2

34

5

6

1Ariundle oakwood isclothed in a greencarpet of mosses,lichens and liverworts.

www.snh.gov.uk

Ariundle lies at the eastern edge of the celebrated Sunart

oakwoods, which cloak much of the north shore of Loch Sunthe Ardnamurchan peninsula. The reserve occupies the southfacing slopes of Strontian Glen on the northern side of the StRiver.

The Gaelic name of this place is irigh Fhionndail, meaning the shieling white meadow, perhaps because the summer pastures amongst the treea carpet of white-petalled wood anemones. The oakwoods have been celocal history and culture in Sunart, surviving because local people have vacarefully managed and nurtured the woods. Today, the Sunart OakwoodsInitiative aims to restore and expand these native woodlands to improve tbiodiversity and support rural development.

SNH and Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) care for this importanwoodland reserve, which lies 3 km northeast of the village of Strontian,approximately 38 km from Fort William via the Corran ferry. To reach AriunStrontian, cross the bridge over the River Strontian and take an immediathand turn. Follow the FCS signs for Airigh Fhionndail car park.

This walk takes in the wooded slopes of Ariundle oakwood and then fthe east bank of the Strontian River as it meanders downstream through glen. The loop trail is approximately 5 km. Visit in spring and summer whewoodland is alive with birdsong, butterflies and dragonflies, while spring cunfold on the woodland floor.


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4

Higher up the hill, a spur from the path leads you to mound, thought to be the site of an Iron Age round hContinue down the hill to rejoin the main track, then short way along this track away from the car park uncome to a branch on the right. Turn right onto the traleads down to the Strontian River.

Most of Ariundles trees are sessile oaks, so-calledtheir acorns sit close to the fresh shoots. Below theare the early flowers on Ariundles woodland floor, inlesser celandine, wood sorrel, wood anemone and pThe glorious unfolding of spring colours is matched richness of the birdsong in the forest canopy. Summvisiting redstarts, wood warblers and tree pipits join resident tits, chaffinches, robins and wrens in a gran

chorus. As you continue along the path, youll pass tan area of open ground past a ruined croft, abandonearly 20th century.

3

4

5



Ariundle is one ofover 50 nationalnature reserves inScotland. Find outmore at www.nnr-scotland.org.uk.

6This stone dyke oncstopped grazing catfrom entering thewoods, as the treeswere highly valued asource of charcoal fthe iron smeltingindustry.

7Scotland is the last

stronghold of the pimarten in the UK. Pimartens favourwell-wooded areaswhere they can nesthollow trees and oldanimal homes.

8The Ariundle trail leyou through theoakwood and then oonto more openground alongside thStrontian River.

The Nature of Scotl

Look carefully as you continue alongthe riverside and you may catch sighta dipper bobbing on midstream rocksBut mind your feet pine martensoften leave twisted black droppingson the path! Stop a moment to take inthe views back up the glen before re-crossing the river and making your waback to the car park.

6

As you leave the woodlands, look outfor a stone dyke. This was built tocontrol grazing animals when thesewoodlands were valued and protecteto supply charcoal to the Bonawe irofurnace. You may have noticed themultiple stems of trees where peoplecoppiced them to make charcoal for

smelting until the late 19th century.Evidence of charcoal burning platformcan still be found in Ariundle oakwooContinue across the river to enjoya walk through more open groundfollowing the river downstream.

5


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Essential information

To reach Ariundle, follow the signs for FCS Airigh Fhionndailcar park 3 km north of Strontian. You reach the reserve andthe loop trail via a track, which also forms part of the FCSStrontian River Trail.

OS maps

Landranger 40 (Mallaig & Glenfinnan)Explorer 391 (Ardgour & Strontian)

Trail length

5 km (3 miles)

Terrain

The start and end of the walk are on a level, wide forestrytrack. The paths are narrower and steep in places. They'reoften wet, with loose stones, tree roots and sections ofnarrow boardwalk.

Dogs

Please follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code and localguidance at the reserve. Take extra care to avoid disturbingbirds, especially between 1 April and 30 June, when manybirds nest on the ground. Please keep your dog(s) underclose control or on a short lead in forests and grassland.A short lead is taken to be two metres, and under close

control means that the dog is able to respond to yocommands and is kept close at heel.

Further information

You can download a leaflet about the reserve atwww.nnr-scotland.org.uk/publications.asp?reser

You can contact SNH on 01397 704 716 or FCS o702 184.

Nearby natural attractions

At Ardery, 13 km west of Strontian, the Sunart OakwInitiative have set up the Garbh Eilean wildlife hideoverlooking two islands in Loch Sunart. From here, ycan spy on seals, nesting seabirds and herons, with occasional chance of spotting an otter.

Visit RSPBs Glenborrodale reserve on the shoreSunart, where wood warblers nest in the spring, alonredstarts, spotted flycatchers and common woodlan

You may well see an otter along the shore, and sealscommon. During the summer, staff organise a guideprogramme.

The Ardnamurchan Natural History Centre providintroduction to the natural environment of Ardnamurcmost westerly part of the British mainland. The focalan interactive exhibition housed in the living buildingyou can discover the secrets of the varied plants andfound in the area.



For peats sake

In the last few months, a number of landmanagers in Sutherland and Caithness

have been awarded funding to manageprotected areas sustainably for theirpeatland habitats and species.

The funding came from the ScotlandRural Development Programme(SRDP), and in particular the RuralPriorities element. This provides a widerange of funding for projects acrossScotland, including the management ofnationally important nature sites.

Among the successful applicantswere a common grazings committeein north Sutherland, who have beenawarded almost 94,000 to manageWest Borgie Site of Special ScientificInterest. The management will protectthe peatland and bird interests on thesite, which is part of the internationallyimportant peatlands of Caithness andSutherland.

Their plans include low levels ofgrazing on upland and peatland areasand the removal of gorse and brackenfrom the site. This will contribute to thegovernments target of bringing 95%

of the features on Scotland's nationallyimportant nature sites into a conditionthat is favourable.

Hide and seek

A new wildlife-watching hideoverlooking Balblair Bay near Golspie

is now open at Loch Fleet NNR.Balblair Wood is already a popular areafor walkers and wildlife enthusiasts,and the new hide will allow morepeople to enjoy the wildlife from asheltered dry environment.

The new hide demonstrates whatcan be done using locally grown Scotspine, sourced from Sutherland. Itwas developed through a partnershipinvolving Highland Birchwoods,SNH, Sutherland Estates, ScottishWildlife Trust and ForestryCommission Scotland.

The hide lies on the north shore ofLoch Fleet, about 1km from the BalblairWood entrance on the Golspie toLittleferry road. The best time to seebirds is on an incoming tide. Notablesightings have already included otterand brent goose, which is an unusualspecies for this part of Scotland.

The hide was officially opened bythe primary 5/6 class from GolspiePrimary School, whose teacher, Miss

Macleod, has strong connections withLoch Fleet. Her mother grew up in acottage a few hundred metres from thenew hide. So it was gratifying that shecould attend the opening and describegrowing up in what is now an NNR andhow the area has changed over thepast 60 years.

West coast surprises

Dundonnell Biodiversity Weekendwas held in August last year to help

celebrate the International Yearof Biodiversity.Dundonnell Estate lies by the

coast in a beautiful part of WesterRoss and has a rich variety of habitatand species. Activities included mothtrapping, electro-fishing, night-time bsurveys and a lot of species recordinin different habitats. The results arestill being gathered into a report on thareas wildlife, which will be available the SNH website later in the year.

Initial results, however, show anumber of interesting finds. A total of58 macro-moth species were recordwith three of them nationally scarceacross the UK: the Scotch annulet,plain clay and angle-striped sallow.

Plant surveys found many newrecords for the area, such as soft ladymantle and hart's tongue fern, onlypreviously recorded from five other siin the whole of Wester Ross. Anothehighlight was finding wild cranberry,only recorded once before in Wester

Ross in 1881! And there were alsosightings of at least 20 red squirrels,following their recent re-introduction the estate.

The events got an eager responseespecially with the younger onesreturning enthusiastically early the neday for more fun, after a late-nightbat survey.

SNH Area NewsNorth HighlandCorrespondents: Ian Mitchell, Nathan McLaughlan, Tamara Lawton



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New route to nature

Some time ago, we talked with MentalHealth Aberdeen about the therapeutic

value of the outdoors for those sufferingfrom mental illness. However, we wereaware that many charitable groups facepractical problems in getting started.

Other demands put this idea onthe back burner, but we now have apractical way to move forward. A localcharity, called the Buchan CountrysideGroup (BCG), have often helped usturn an idea into reality.

On our behalf, BCG operate agrant pictured being handed overabove that provides half the cost ofbus hire. This helps community andvoluntary groups get their clients toplaces such as nature reserves, wheresomebody can provide an introductionto the outdoors. With the confidencethat comes from a taster like this,many groups and individuals go on toexplore and enjoy the outdoors on theirown doorstep.

All of Scotlands people should beable to enjoy our natural heritage. Thisgrant will help those who have never

really explored the outdoors, or whoface more barriers than the rest of us,to make a start. Application details andother useful information can be found atwww.outdoors4all.org.ukorwww.buchancountrysidegroup.org.uk

Centre of attraction

Weve now finished renovating andextending our base at the Burn o Vat

on Muir of Dinnet NNR on Deeside.The new combined reserve centreand office brings us closer to ourvisitors. We also share it with the localAberdeenshire Councils countrysideranger, so both organisations savesome money and are able to help oneanother more easily. The wooden-clad extension has attracted positivecomments from visitors and has beenchecked out recently by a woodpecker!

As we also share the building witha colony of bats, we had to make surethat the new building suited them too.And with Dinnet growing steadily inpopularity, weve also extended our carpark a little to provide space for another17 cars. Finally, we plan to update thedisplays in the centre in the next coupleof years so that they give a better ideaof the management for nature wecarry out.

Nowadays, Dinnet rarely producesthe winter spectacle of 40,000 geeseflying in to roost on the lochs (they

overwinter in Orkney now), but thereare lots of other wonders to behold.Wed be happy to show you, so whynot call in for a visit?

SNH Area NewsGrampianCorrespondent: Ewen Cameron

Wildlife records

Many people assume that we kabout wildlife in every nook and

of Scotland, but thats not so. Wknow about sites of special sciinterest (SSSIs), but thats onlyScotland and 6% of Aberdeen

In Grampian, were lucky to NESBReC, the North East ScoBiological Records Centre. Theinformation they hold is certaininterest to wildlife watchers, bualso allows planners and develoto pick up natural heritage impaat the earliest stage, making it eto incorporate improvements anavoid delays. NESBReC carry up to 1,500 searches a year foAberdeenshire planners for som1,000 planning applications.

Lots of other people need toknow the whereabouts of wildliand NESBReC have accumulaover 680,000 records, which apublicly available on their websThis information is gathered frosources, and NESBReC run tracourses for ordinary people wh

to improve their wildlife identificskills. Casual records such asdead pine marten shown aboveside of an Aberdeenshire road valuable in understanding the swildlife. Check out their websitwww.nesbrec.org.ukto see hocould help. But if youre watchiside of the road, please do so c

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Seal surveys

For the past few years, staff in theLerwick office have been actively

involved in monitoring the grey sealpopulations of Shetland. There are fivemain sites across the islands and theseare visited several times throughoutOctober and November. During eachvisit, staff count the number of pups,moulted pups and adults, so that theycan work out population size and howmany pups the adults are producing.

Many of the sites are in remoteplaces and some can be accessedonly from the sea, so we work withlocal fishermen and boat owners to findbreaks in the autumn weather. It givesa welcome opportunity for office-basedstaff to test their sea legs, as well asoffering a new perspective on familiarplaces. The island of Mousa is one suchplace. The seals on Mousa find theirway surprisingly far inland, with pupshiding in burns, sheltering in the ruinsof old buildings and basking on thegrassy hillsides.

The surveys show that the Shetlandpopulation remains stable at around

3,000, and has done so for about30 years now. We believe that thereason for this is the limited number ofsuitable pupping sites available.

Some like it cold

The winter of 2009/10 was thecoldest for many years in Shetland, but

for some of Shetlands rarest plants itseems to have been a blessing.Norwegian sandwort (above) and

Edmondstons chickweed are arctic-alpine species that grow in a fewplaces on Unst, including the Keen ofHamar NNR. Both are national rarities(in fact, Edmondstons chickweedgrows nowhere else on Earth), so wekeep a close eye on their numbers.The populations of both plants canchange dramatically from year to year,but a steady decline seemed to set infrom the late 1990s.

A look at the data gathered on theKeen of Hamar NNR between 1978and 2006 suggested a link betweenthe changing populations and wintertemperatures. The theory is that seedslying dormant in the soil need a coldsnap to make them start germinating.

Warmer winters meant fewerseedlings in the spring and theirnumbers fell as the older plants died until 2010. The populations counted

last year all showed an increase, whichseems to bear out the theory andis a relief, at least in the short term.Unfortunately, it calls into question thelong-term future for these little gems ina world of changing climate.

SNH Area NewsNorthern IslesCorrespondents: Kevin Riley, Jonathan Swale, Gail Churchill

Viking revival

Last October saw the completion ofthe Viking Heaths Project in Orkney.

This was a five-year scheme, whichhelped many farmers to manage andconserve maritime grassland andheaths across Orkney.

Farmers were encouraged toadopt conservation grazing, wherebyflowering plants are allowed to set sebefore grazing animals get access tothe ground to reduce the annual plangrowth. Along with only limited grazinin the winter and spring, this has led an increase in the quantity and varietyof plants.

Another part of the project hascreated and installed several coastalfootpaths, such as the one on the eascoast of South Ronaldsay. These willhelp people to gain better access tothese wonderful coastal areas. Theproject also produced a variety ofinformation and advice on the speciaqualities of Orkneys maritime grasslaand heaths. And some pioneering wowas carried out to test out variousways of restoring heaths that have

been damaged.The 1.26 million project was

funded by the Heritage Lottery Fundwith additional support from OrkneyIslands Council, SNH, RSPB, ScottisWildlife Trust and Orkney Enterprise.



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Plateau of beans

Children from Slamannan PrimarySchool in Falkirk staged an art

exhibition during the winter tocelebrate the return of a very specialflock of birds to their area.

The Slamannan plateau hasScotlands only population of beangeese and theyre one of only twoflocks to visit the UK in winter. Theprimary school has been working withthe local Bean Goose Action Groupto help the children understand moreabout these rare birds.

Following a visit to see the

geese, the children worked withenvironmental artist AndrewMackenzie to create a range of artworks. They launched the exhibition atthe school, and over 100 people fromthe local community attended.

The children produced somefantastic pieces of work and learnedall about the migration of the beangeese and their likely breedinggrounds in other countries. Everyonehad a wonderful time, commentedJulie Bell, a teacher at the school, and

we hope that weve gone some way toincrease interest.

The children really did show theycare about the geese and, realisingthat theyre the only flock in Scotland,began to feel a sense of responsibilityfor them. And were all looking forwardto building on this interest throughother projects being planned forthe future.

21st century woodlands

Were supporting a novel programmeof events and courses linked closely to

the idea of getting people interestedin looking after woodlands for the21st century. The Falkland Centre forStewardship in Fife has developedthe programme.

Using local woodlands in andaround Falkland, the programme offersa range of opportunities for people ofall ages to learn something new. Theevents and courses cover a range oftopics including biodiversity, wildlifesurveying, managing woodland,woodland crafts and woodland-basedcommunity businesses.

The programme encouragesvolunteers to get actively involvedin different aspects of looking afterwoodlands. In addition, pupils from BellBaxter High School (pictured above)in nearby Cupar have taken part in aweek-long course on woodland andforestry. Theyve been able to makeuse of a new woodland education baserecently built from local timber.

There are also opportunities for the

public to explore the woodlands onFalkland Estate, using the network ofpaths and interpretation. The estatecovers some 1,900 hectares, just underone-fifth of which is wooded, with therest divided between arable farmlandon the low ground and rough grazingon the hills.

SNH Area NewsForth and BordersCorrespondents: Neville Makan, Caroline Crawford, Sarah Eno

Algae inspired art

Whitlaw Mosses NNR is madefour mosses in the heart of the

Theyre the best examples in Sof a moss habitat known as basfen. These mosses are particulawidespread in the Borders andmainly of peat-filled basins devfrom former open waters. They retain pools and capsules of waunder the peat and floating vegThey also have a great variety oplants and insects, and are placexperience the beauty of damsebogbean, marsh marigolds, richcoloured bog mosses and the ewater rail.

A Borders artist, Liz Douglabeen working on diatoms (a foralgae) collected from the reservUsing their beautiful body strucinspiration, she has composed of banners, including the one pabove. These are being used inexhibitions and were also selecdisplay in the Scottish Society 2011 event.

Besides her own art work, L

worked with local schoolchildrestaff on art and science themesproject had the spin-off benefitdiscovering one diatom on the thats very rarely been identifiedof our wetland sites.

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Saturday 14

Sunday 15

Drystone Dyking

WeekendTaynish NNR

Argyll

Join Gordon and Doug for one day or

two who will teach you the traditional craft ofdrystone dyking. Meet in Tayvallich village hall carpark at 10am on both days (ends 4pm).Booking essential.

Tel: 01546 6

Wednesday 18 Area Evening

Reception

Invergordon

All welcome (please check SNH website or localArea office to confirm venue and timing).

Wednesday 18 Burleigh Botany

Loch Leven NNR

Tayside

Gather at Burleigh for a guided walk from 6pm to8pm in search of plants of interest as they appearduring spring and summer. Booking essential.

Tel: 01577 8

Wednesday 25 Findatie Botany

Loch Leven NNR

Tayside

Gather at Findatie for a guided walk from 6pm to8pm in search of plants of interest as they appearduring spring and summer. Booking essential.

Tel: 01577 8

May

Sunday 29 Whats That Tree?

Corrie Fee NNR

Angus

2011 is International Year of Forests, so comealong from 2pm to 4pm and discover the varietyof trees that grow within Glen Doll Forest. Learnhow to identify them and what theyre used for.

Meet at the Glen Doll ranger base. Bookingessential.

Tel: 01575 5

Thursday 21 Peek in the Pond

Beinn Eighe NNR

Wester Ross

Ever wondered what lurks beneath the water?How many different beasties can we find? Comealong from 2pm to 4pm and find out! Wellies andmidge repellent required! All children must beaccompanied by an adult. Booking essential.

Tel: 01854 6

Sunday 24 Nature Detectives

Loch Leven NNR

Tayside

Tel: 01577 8As spring rolls in, join SNH at Findatie from 10amto 12 noon for an exploration of the buddingnature in our local woodlands. Prepare for awealth of sights and sounds to feed your senses.Booking essential.

Wednesday 27 Area Evening

Reception

Lanark


Sunday 22 Clean Her Up

St Cyrus NNR

Aberdeenshire

A day cleaning the nature reserves beachesand discussing the effects that rubbish has onmarine life.

Tel: 01674 8


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June Thursday 9 Area EveningReceptionGalashiels


Saturday 11 Marvellous Moths

Moine Mhr NNRArgyll

Come along and be inspired by the beautiful

contents of our live moth traps. Meet at thereserve car park, near the west end of Long Walkat 9am (ends 11am). If youd like to set your ownmoth trap, please come along at 9pm onFriday 10th. Open event no need to book.

Tel: 01546 603 611

Wednesday 15 Wildflowers Myth

and Medicine

Caerlaverock NNR

Dumfries & Galloway

Come along and learn about the wildflowers thatgrow on the merse and in the woodlands. Findout about some of the fascinating mythology thatsurrounds these plants and discover how somewere used to cure everything from headaches towitches curses!

Tel: 01387 770 275

Sunday 26 Raptor Watch

Corrie Fee NNR

Angus

Join the ranger from 11am to 3pm in his searchfor golden eagle and other birds of prey thatlive in upper Glen Clova. Meet at the Glen Dollranger base. A telescope will be available for usebut bring binoculars if you have them. Bookingessential.

Tel: 01575 550 233

Events diary 2011

Sunday 26 Marvellous Moths

St Cyrus NNR

Aberdeenshire

Discover the magic and beauty of moths. Tel: 01674 830 736

Documents

Scottish National Heritage - The Nature of Scotland Spring 2011 Issue_11