Posts Tagged ‘conservation’
London Road clock returns to Edinburgh
THE London Road clock has returned to Edinburgh after being restored. The historic timepiece began life on Waverley Bridge in 1857, before being moved to the West End in 1896, and finally reaching the roundabout on London Road in 1955. It was removed in 2007 as part of the original tram works, which had aimed…
Read MoreLook out for shelduck feathers at the beach
SCIENTISTS are asking visitors to beaches to look out for shelduck feathers this summer. Shelduck replace their feathers by moutling over the summer. They can’t fly for between two and four weeks, and so need to find safe places to moult. British shelduck either moult on mudflats in the UK or fly across the North…
Read MoreRare Coralroot Orchid found in Wester Ross
A RARE Coralroot Orchid has been found in Wester Ross for the first time in 250 years. The orchid was spotted earlier this month on on the National Trust for Scotland’s Balmacara Estate during a visit by conservation land managers from the Alliance for Scotland’s Rainforest. Gus Routledge, an ecologist representing Reforesting Scotland and Scotland…
Read MorePennan wants to hear from its ‘local heroes’
RESIDENTS and visitors are being asked for their views on the future of Pennan, the Aberdeenshire village made famous by the film Local Hero. Aberdeenshire Council wants to know the public’s opinion on its draft conservation area appraisal and management plan. The documents will guide property owners and developers on how their planning applications will…
Read MoreCairngorms 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 MoreHave you seen a spotted flycatcher?
THE spotted flycatcher is one of six species of migratory birds returning home to Scotland right now – and scientists need your help if you spot one. Researchers at the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) are fitting spotted flycatchers with tags so that they can track their flights between Scotland and Africa. Monitoring the birds…
Read MoreLangholm Moor extension for community buyout
THE Langholm Moor community buyout has been given an extra two months to raise the money it needs to purchase 5,300 acres in Dumfriesshire. The Langholm Initiative needs to raise £2.2 million to buy the land from Buccleuch Estates. A deadline of 31 May had been set to complete the deal, but the landowner has…
Read MoreBuglife 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 MoreWater vole watchers needed in Scotland this spring
Forget the Easter Bunny, this Easter is all about water voles! Wildlife charity People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) is calling for volunteers across Scotland, England and Wales to take part in their national water vole survey, which starts on Good Friday. Immortalised by Ratty in The Wind in the Willows, these native riverbank residents…
Read MoreAddressing 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…
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