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…

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Broad support for discussions on lynx in Scotland

There is sufficient appetite from a diverse cross-sector of rural stakeholders to examine whether potential barriers to a trial reintroduction of Eurasian lynx to Scotland can be overcome. That’s according to the first detailed study into the social feasibility of the species’ return. The research, commissioned by the Lynx to Scotland project, spent a year…

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An on the ball guide to Scots sporting buildings

This is celebration of Scotland’s stunning sporting architecture, from Celtic Park to Ayr Ice Rink. Some of the nation’s earliest sporting buildings are associated with grand properties and estates. A strong link existed between the nobility and the development of recreational pursuits – going all the way back to Scotland’s oldest remaining sporting structure, the…

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Awards to recognise enterprising former students

A new entrepreneur network for former students of Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) is being launched at an awards event next month. The SRUC Alumni Entrepreneur Network will allow enterprising former and current students, and staff, to network and share their experiences for the benefit of the whole community. A central focus of the network will…

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Help prevent dog attacks on livestock this Easter

Dog-walkers, land managers and farmers can work together to reduce the risk of attacks on livestock during Easter and beyond. Scottish Land & Estates, which represents rural businesses, said it was crucial to minimise the risk of dog attacks when the lambing season was underway and the countryside was welcoming visitors and walkers across Scotland.…

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Distillery to be showcased in new artworks

Glen Scotia has announced a new partnership with Scottish artist Alice Angus, who will create a series of artworks showcasing the distillery. She will highlight its remarkable place in the community, at this year’s Campbeltown Malts Festival, from 24-26 May. Since January, Alice, who was born in Ayrshire, has spent days drawing in the distillery…

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New season springs into life at National Museum of Rural Life

New-born lambs and a series of special family events and activities at the National Museum of Rural Life in East Kilbride this spring. The museum’s Spring Explorers event runs from 11-14 April and features fun-filled story-telling sessions from Monday to Wednesday and sustainable craft activities for families. A Bird Bingo trail will run throughout April…

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A bygone Scotland captured in photography

This is a concise paperback edition of the bestselling Scottish photographic book. In the early 1960s, in the course of recording a Dunfermline mill building that was scheduled for demolition, RCAHMS surveyors discovered an incredible collection of over 800 glass plate negatives. Taken between 1880 and 1919, the photographs are a remarkable record of a…

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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…

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Scots estates offer homes and jobs for fleeing Ukrainians

Rural estates in Scotland have said they are ready and able to welcome Ukrainian refugees and to offer accommodation and employment. Scottish Land & Estates (SLE), which represents rural businesses, said more than 40 estates had volunteered to help those fleeing war and arriving in Scotland. SLE said it had written to the Scottish Government…

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