Another six golden eagles moved to the south

SIX golden eagles were moved from the Highlands to a secret location in the Borders over the summer during the latest phase of a reintroduction scheme. The South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project now estimates that there are around 40 birds in the area – the most for 300 years. The project is now preparing…

Read More

‘Hummingbird’ flocks to Scotland

THE number of hummingbird hawkmoths spotted in Scotland has soared, according to new figures. The moths were reported in 1.2% of Scottish gardens last month, more than three times the season’s average. The British Trust for Ornithology’s (BTO’s) Garden BirdWatch survey found the figure hit 5.2% across the UK as a whole, compared to 1.3%…

Read More

Langholm Moor buyout hits £2.2m target

THE South of Scotland’s largest community buyout will double in size after campaigners raised £2.2 million to buy Langholm Moor. The Langholm Initiative will buy the 5,300 acres of land and three properties from Buccleuch Estates. The Dumfriesshire town hit its fundraising target in time for last Sunday’s deadline. Nearly 3,000 people donated to the…

Read More

Cairngorms wants to bring back ‘lost’ beavers

THE Cairngorms National Park Authority is to lead an application to reintroduce beavers to the area. The park’s board voted to take the lead in the process, while working with other public bodies, charities, landowners, and residents. Sarah Henshall, head of conservation at the authority, said: “We will be doing work around supporting land managers…

Read More

Chelsea Flower Show prizes for Highland Boundary partners

BOTH of the gardens supported by Perthshire drinks maker Highland Boundary have won prizes at this week’s Chelsea Flower Show. “A Rewilding Britain Landscape”, designed by Adam Hunt and Lulu Urquhart, won the “Best in Show” prize and a gold medal. “The Still Garden”, created by Scottish-born Jane Porter and inspired by the tradition of…

Read More

Buglife survey shows 28% drop in Scotland’s flying insects

CONSERVATION charity Buglife today reports a 28% plunge in the number of flying insects spotted in Scotland over the past 18 years. The group’s 2021 Bugs Matter survey involved members of the public recording how many insects they found squashed on their car’s number plates. Scotland saw the smallest decline, compared with England’s 65% fall…

Read More

Gold Green Tourism Award for bothies business

Cairngorm Bothies, near Aboyne in Royal Deeside, has secured a Gold Green Tourism Award which recognises the business’ commitment to becoming more sustainable. Acknowledged worldwide as an indicator of best practice in sustainability, the awards provides a practical way for a tourism business to progress on a ‘œgreen journey’. They also act as a hallmark…

Read More

Addressing the worries people have about rewilding

Rewilding has recently generated more media interest than ever before, with the heightened focus on nature recovery following COP26. And there is widespread recognition that Scotland has become one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world. According to a recent poll carried out by YouGov, 77% of Scots support rewilding – the large-scale recovery…

Read More

The great outdoors is boosting learning for children

The Learning in Local Greenspace project has supported 115 schools across 12 local authorities to use nearby green spaces, such as parks and woodlands, for outdoor learning. Led by NatureScot, this collaborative project worked with more than 20 partner organisations with the aim of embedding outdoor learning in schools, with more than 500 teachers taking…

Read More

Cairngorms visitors share their highlights

More than a thousand visitors in the Cairngorms National Park have played their part in a major project. They have contributed to ground-breaking research to unearth new insights into the motivations and values of millions of people that visit the area each year. The innovative research, led by the Cairngorms Capercaillie Project funded by the…

Read More