The Nature of Scotland – Autumn 2011 – Issue 13

Scottish Natural Heritage Autumn 2011
The Nature of Scotland
Kite flying
Return of the reds
Common cause
Wildlife management
and country sports
Hooray for play
Championing natural
play in schools

Contents
Features
8 The power of natural play
New approaches to encourage
natural play in schools
7
37
14 Learning through doing
The barriers to enjoying nature for
some groups
10
54
26 Lending a hand
Volunteering to improve the
environment
32 Supporting sporting interests
Country sports and conservation
26
61
Regulars
45 New look for old favourite
Makeover for online protected area
information
2 Where we are
SNH contact details
48 Visual treat
Cream of the crop from photo fair
31
3 Welcome
4 Wild calendar
Where to go and what to see
this autumn
18 News
56 Glasgow’s natural treasures
Update on ‘Simple pleasures’
campaign
58 Red kite on the rise
Celebrating a successful return
24 Inspired by nature
Show and tell – what’s inspired
you?
30 Dualchas coitcheann
/Common heritage
Linking language and environment
36 Reserve focus
Discover Clyde Valley Woodlands
NNR
42 Area news
Reports from around the country
46 Events diary
Guide to what’s on
64 Mailing list
Make sure you always receive
a copy

Credits
The Nature of Scotland
The Magazine of Scottish Natural Heritage
Issue Number 13 — Autumn 2011
Published quarterly
© SNH 2011
ISSN 1350 309X
Editor: John Walters
Tel. 01463 725 222
Cover photo: Kinnoull Hill Woodland Park, near Perth.
Photographer: Lorne Gill/SNH
Inside cover photo: Decaying oak leaf.
Photographer: Lorne Gill/SNH
Welcome page: Autumn rain.
Photographer: Lorne Gill/SNH
Photography – all images by Lorne Gill/SNH other than: Niall Benvie/
imagesfromtheedge.com 4, 6; Laurie Campbell 7l, 18, 39t, 40; Malcolm
Cochrane Photography 9, 13b; Richard Revels 19; Alex Mustard/naturepl.
com 20; David Whitaker 21, 37m; Peter Cairns 22; Nick Garbatt/naturepl.
com 23; Patricia and Angus Macdonald 31; Glyn Satterley 32, 34, 35; Glyn
Tyler 42m; Becky Duncan 43r; Catriona Scriven 44r; Dougie Barnett/SNH
56; Allan Williams/naturepl.com 58; Mark Hamblin 60, 61t, 61b, 62, 63
Map, 36 – Visual Imprint Ltd.
Based on Ordnance Survey mapping. © Crown copyright
and database right 2011. All rights reserved.
Ordnance Survey Licence number SNH 100017908.
To share your views about The Nature of Scotland or suggest articles for
future issues please contact the editor:
SNH Magazine
Great Glen House, Leachkin Road,
Inverness IV3 8NW
Email: editor@snh.gov.uk
The views expressed in this magazine do not
necessarily reflect those of SNH.
Where we are…
You can contact SNH by
letter, telephone or email.
The following details
should enable you to find
your nearest main office,
but bear in mind that we
also have a number of
offices smaller than those
listed.
A full list of our offices
appears on the SNH
website: www.snh.gov.uk
Corporate
headquarters
Great Glen House,
Leachkin Road,
Inverness IV3 8NW
Tel. 01463 725 000
Email: enquiries@snh.gov.uk
Other main offices
Battleby, Redgorton,
Perth PH1 3EW
Tel. 01738 444 177
Silvan House,
3rd Floor East,
231 Corstorphine Road,
Edinburgh EH12 7AT
Tel. 0131 316 2600
Caspian House,
Mariner Court,
Clydebank Business Park,
Clydebank G81 2NR
Tel. 0141 951 4488
Area offices
Argyll & Outer Hebrides
32 Francis Street,
Stornoway,
Isle of Lewis HS1 2ND
Tel. 01851 705 258
Forth
The Beta Centre,
Innovation Park,
University of Stirling,
Stirling FK9 4NF
Tel. 01786 450 362
Silvan House,
3rd Floor East,
231 Corstorphine Road,
Edinburgh EH12 7AT
Tel. 0131 316 2600
Northern Isles
& North Highland
Ground Floor,
Stewart Building,
Alexandra Wharf,
Lerwick,
Shetland ZE1 0LL
Tel. 01595 693 345
The Links,
Golspie Business Park,
Golspie,
Sutherland KW10 6UB
Tel. 01408 634 063
Southern Scotland
Carmont House,
The Crichton,
Bankend Road,
Dumfries DG1 4ZF
Tel. 01387 247 010
Printed by: J Thomson Colour Printers, Glasgow
JTCP31k0911
When you’ve finished with this magazine, please recycle it. Pass it to
another reader or dispose of it at your local waste-collection point.
South Highland
Fodderty Way,
Dingwall Business Park,
Dingwall IV15 9XB
Tel. 01349 865 333
The Governor’s House,
The Parade, Fort William,
Inverness-shire PH33 6BA
Tel. 01397 704 716
Strathclyde & Ayrshire
Caspian House,
Mariner Court,
Clydebank Business Park,
Clydebank G81 2NR
Tel. 0141 951 4488
Tayside & Grampian
Battleby, Redgorton,
Perth PH1 3EW
Tel. 01738 444 177
Inverdee House,
Baxter Street,
Torry,
Aberdeen AB11 9QA
Tel. 01224 266 500
2 The Nature of Scotland

Welcome
Kristin Scott
Communications Unit Manager
Scottish Natural Heritage
The next time you see the graceful glide of a red kite as it searches the ground for
prey, spare a thought for the immense efforts that went into returning this bird to
the Scottish countryside. Once regarded as vermin, this magnificent raptor was
extinct in Scotland by 1870. However, just over a century later efforts got under
way to reintroduce them, and now their unmistakable forked tail and reddishbrown
body are once again a familiar sight across much of the country. In this
issue of The Nature of Scotland, we take a look back at the project to reintroduce
them and reflect on the crucial support that landowners, farmers, foresters and
gamekeepers provided.
Elsewhere in this edition, we visit the Clyde Valley and take a wander through
one of the dramatic gorge woodlands that make up the impressive national
nature reserve there. These are surviving remnants of the ancient woodlands that
once covered most of central lowland Scotland. With over two million people
living within 40 km (25 miles) of the reserve, it provides much of the Central Belt
population with easy access to an outstanding nature experience. Autumn is a
great time to visit, as this is when the leaves of the ash, oak and elm trees turn to
red and gold.
Using what nature has provided is also at the core of the ‘natural play’
approach that Grounds for Learning are pioneering in schools. The idea is that
children get more ‘into’ nature when they’re simply playing and exploring in natural
spaces and not being ‘taught about nature’. It’s an approach that’s popular in
other parts of Europe, and our article explores how urban primary schools in
Glasgow and North Lanarkshire have introduced a range of natural features for
adventurous play.
We take a look too at country sports in Scotland, which are thought to be
worth some £400 million a year to the economy. Large numbers of residents and
visitors alike are enthusiastic followers of Scotland’s country sports, and there
are a wide range of conservation benefits gained from active land management
directly related to shooting, stalking and angling. Indeed, it's worth bearing in
mind that conservation and sporting interests share many of the same goals –
both seek well managed habitats where wildlife can flourish. Our article provides
some fresh insight into this special relationship.
www.snh.gov.uk
3

Autumn
4 The Nature of Scotland

1
Wild
calendar
1
Autumn colours come
from the breakdown of
starches to sugars and
other compounds in
leaves. Isn't organic
chemistry beautiful?
Kenny Taylor gives some
seasonal tips for savouring
Scottish wildlife and
landscapes
Perhaps you can't name a precise date when
autumn begins, when the swallows have gone
and the evenings darken. But you'll sense it in
the air, as flocks of birds swirl in from across the
seas; as birches, aspens and rowans spark a
thousand shades of fire in native woods; as the
hills ring with the roaring of red deer stags. Days
are shorter now, but the pleasures of the Scottish
scene can be all the sweeter.
Small wonders
Mention autumn colours, and most people will think of
broadleaved trees. But focus only on trees and you could
miss a forest of other possibilities at a much smaller scale.
Look down, below knee height, and choose contrasting
locations to savour the breadth of autumn colours. In a
native pinewood, such as the ones that skirt the Cairngorm
Mountains in both Deeside and Strathspey, look for dwarf
shrubs. Blaeberry plants here drop their leaves for winter.
They turn many tints of scarlet before they fall.
On saltmarshes, such as those that flank many parts of
Scotland's firths, look for the blobby, semi-transparent stems
of glasswort. These too can flush with autumn tints.
Out on the hills, stems of deer grass can look superb
in October and November, each tussock a freeze-framed
explosion of firework gold. And if you're really lucky, you
might find some dwarf willows on a mountainside, leaves
turning tawny on stems that barely rise to your ankle.
Broadleaves, Jim, but not as you've known them...
Web tip: www.mountainwoodlands.org
www.snh.gov.uk 5

2
The art of love
In autumn, it's natural to reflect on times past – both recent and distant. This year,
one place in particular has tickled my mood for contemplation in this way.
It's at Glen Finglas – the huge Woodland Trust Scotland estate in the heart of
the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. Near Brig o' Turk, a newly built
viewpoint on the 'Ruskin Trail' overlooks part of the gorge of the Finglas Water.
This is at the precise location (recently rediscovered) where a famous portrait of
the major 19th century critic, artist and social commentator, John Ruskin, was
painted in the 1850s.
The picture, by pre-Raphaelite artist John Everett Millais, pushed boundaries in
its realistic portrayal of flowing water. But it also has a subtext. Over the months
when it was created, Millais and Ruskin's wife, Effie, were falling in love. She
divorced Ruskin not long after the group had left Glen Finglas. It was a Victorian
scandal. And you can reflect on it at the wild Trossachs water where it all began.
Web tip: http://glen-finglas.info
2
Until recently, it was
thought the site of the
Ruskin portrait at Glen
Finglas had been
covered by this
hydro-dammed
reservoir.
3
Some Scottish places
are home to many
types of waxcaps. The
Isle of Canna
(internationally
important) has 18
species.
4
Flocks of pale-bellied
brent geese are among
the superb wildfowl
that attract
birdwatchers to Islay
every autumn and
winter.
6 The Nature of Scotland

Breaking cover
3
Fungi are undercover experts. For much of the year, most live as networks of tiny
threads, underground or on surfaces such as tree trunks. Come late summer and
autumn, many break cover.
The fruiting bodies we know as mushrooms and toadstools reveal themselves.
It's a bit like a seasonal metro network, where the 'hyphae' are the hidden train
tracks and the visible fungi are some stations with overground access (autumn
only).
So finding a fungus, whether a singleton or a clump, is often a surprise. Look
closely to appreciate the richness of colours and the patterns underneath the
caps. In woods, the poisonous fly agaric, with its white-freckled top of pillarbox
red, is well known, and fun to photograph or paint. But there are many others that
reward close inspection, such as the 'Penny Bun', with its sticky brown cap and
yellow underside.
On old grasslands, watch for the reds and oranges of different kinds of
waxcaps. And wherever you look, unless you're an expert on these undercover
operators, enjoy, but don't pick or eat them.
Web tip: http://sites.google.com/site/scottishfungi
Skeins do it
Highland author Neil Gunn had a knack of creating short book titles that make
you think of a natural scene, such as Morning Tide. My favourite is Wild Geese
Overhead.
That phrase never fails to excite my imagination. It brings to mind the
pleasure of hearing goose calls soaring over traffic noise in a city at night; of
looking up to see arrowed skeins in motion above glens, lochs or fields; of smiling
at how flying geese can bring nature so close that you feel it, like a shiver.
Huge numbers of migrant geese visit Scotland from autumn until spring.
Thanks to the number and variety of geese it hosts, one of my favourite autumn
goose grounds is the Isle of Islay.
Huge numbers of arctic-breeding barnacle geese go there (more than
28,000 last autumn). Add Greenland white-fronted geese and pale-bellied brent
geese - both much scarcer - and the Islay mix becomes a choice one for wildfowl
enthusiasts.
Wild Geese Overhead – say it, then live it!
Web tip: www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/l/lochgruinart/index.aspx
Some other things
to look for in autumn:
The glorious colours of
bramble leaves after night
frosts; Orion, constellation
of The Hunter, traversing the
southern sky; lines of crows
and gulls flying at evening to
roosts; spider webs by the
thousands on bushes wet with
morning dew.
4
www.snh.gov.uk 7

1
The power of
natural play
8 The Nature of Scotland

Adventurous natural play is something
that every Scottish school needs to
think about, according to Alastair
Seaman from Grounds for Learning
If you love nature, it’s likely that you spent a lot of time playing
outdoors as a child. That’s the conclusion of researchers who have
been exploring the childhood factors that shape adult attitudes
to nature.
This should provide us all with serious cause for concern, because we know that
today’s children spend only half the time playing outdoors that their parents did,
and fewer than 10% of children now play outdoors regularly in natural spaces.
The implications for Scotland’s nature are obvious and concerning, which is why
SNH partner, Grounds for Learning (GfL), are trialling innovative approaches to
providing natural play in schools.
Eight urban primary schools in Glasgow and North Lanarkshire have
introduced a range of natural features for play, with the support of GfL and
funding from Inspiring Scotland. Some of these are large-scale and structural
– they involve digging up tarmac, reprofiling flat areas to create hillocks and
dips, creating naturally playful surfaces with sand, bark and pebbles, or planting
shrubby areas to hide in and trees that one day can be climbed.
Other approaches involve introducing large-scale natural elements – such as
boulders and tree trunks for clambering and balancing on – and in one school
a huge dead tree has been sunk into the ground to create a fantastic natural
climbing frame. Simpler still, other schools have been discovering the rich play
2
1
A survey has revealed
that 20% of British
children have never
climbed a tree.
2
Using a natural hillock
to take a running jump.
www.snh.gov.uk 9

value of smaller scale, loose, natural materials such as ash
poles, tree trunk discs, logs, hazel sticks and straw bales.
And even simpler yet, they’ve been experimenting with
different kinds of mowing styles to create playful paths and
‘child nests’ in areas of longer grass.
Changes in school policy, culture and practice have been
just as important as changes in the playgrounds. Parent
evenings have been held to provide information and increase
parental understanding of the value of natural outdoor play.
Teachers and playground supervisors have invested time in
play training to be able to manage and guide play effectively,
and GfL have worked with teachers and pupils to develop
appropriate ways of assessing the risks and creating play
policies. Crucially, the changes have required the support
and co-operation of council school estate managers.
The benefits have been significant. Children’s experience
and enjoyment of nature is greatly improved through playful
discovery of bugs under the log bark, ladybirds in the willow
den, strange patterns in the boulders and bumble bees
foraging in the long grass. The schools are also reporting
wider benefits. There’s increased co-operation between
children, greater interaction across year groups, increased
levels of physical activity, better playtime behaviour and
children settle more quickly in class.
3
4
10 The Nature of Scotland

5
6
3
A willow tunnel to run
through.
4
A fallen tree to leap off.
5
A natural climbing
frame.
6
Den building in the
school playground with
natural materials.
www.snh.gov.uk 11

7
8
If you go down to the woods
Nature play in schools doesn’t always need big changes
to the playground. Several hundred Scottish schools
have areas of woodland either in or directly next to the
playground. Schools are increasingly using woodland for
curriculum-based learning in class time, but in most cases
the woods are out of bounds to children for play in break
times.
With funding from Forestry Commission Scotland and
Inspiring Scotland, GfL are helping six of these schools to
open up their woodland for break time play. It’s a remarkably
low cost route to providing incredible play experiences.
In most cases, there’s been no need for any big
woodland operations. All that’s usually required is a bit of
tree safety work, some time to create suitable access points
and a chance to clear litter. Some simple features have been
introduced, such as tarpaulins for den building or ropes
for swinging, but mostly it’s about using what nature has
provided.
Watching the children at play is fascinating. Fairy gardens
are created, a log becomes a seesaw, someone’s found a
froglet and a group of boys is figuring out how to move that
log. In some cases, teachers have been so impressed by the
creativity and co-operation that they’ve allocated class time
to play in the wood. They’re also using the experiences in the
wood as the basis for some of their classroom work, such as
how could we measure the height of that tree or the volume
of that log? What’s that bug we found? Write a story about
the fairies who created the garden…
Providing these enriching experiences for children has
challenged existing school culture, policy and practice.
Playground supervisors are used to being able to see
most of the children from one or two vantage points, and
the prospect of children disappearing out of sight has
raised all sorts of questions and anxieties. Schools have
needed a lot of support with training and the development
of play guidelines, management systems and risk benefit
assessments. It’s not always been comfortable or easy.
But 10 minutes in the wood at break time will convince
anyone that it’s worth it.
If you’re interested in finding out more about this
approach, then look out for two short online films about GfL’s
nature play and woodland play projects due out later in the
autumn. If you’d like to be notified about the films, or to find
out more about these projects, contact gfl@ltl.org.uk or visit
www.gflscotland.org. You can also keep in touch with GfL
on Twitter @gflscotland 7
How many games can
you invent using
cones?
8 and 9
Getting close to nature
through play.
10
Once out of bounds,
but now an extension
to the school
playground.
12 The Nature of Scotland

9
10
www.snh.gov.uk 13

People of all backgrounds and circumstances should be able to enjoy
Scotland’s nature, but that isn’t always the case. As SNH outreach
project officer Elaine Macintosh explains, if you want to find out what
would help people enjoy nature more often, then just ask them
Learning through doing
1
14 The Nature of Scotland

1
Nurturing nature and
people at Blarbuie
Woodland.
2
GalGael participants
connect with nature at
Falls of Clyde.
“It’s good to get
connected with
the land, to value
yourself among all
of nature.”
GalGael participant
For the last 18 months, we’ve been working with five community
and voluntary sector organisations to get a better understanding of
the barriers faced by groups that are typically under-represented in
enjoying the outdoors.
Along with the Scottish Community Development Centre (SCDC), SNH
supported the local groups to plan and carry out ‘action research’. This involved
them in looking at what they do and finding out what could make it better in terms
of helping people enjoy, learn about and care for nature.
The GalGael Trust in Govan (Glasgow) provides support to long-term
unemployed adults, some of whom have addiction, homelessness and mental
health issues. They use woodworking skills, traditional boat-building and outdoor
trips to help people reconnect with work and a sense of identity.
“Cultural heritage is often intertwined with natural heritage like a strand of
DNA,” remarked Tam McGarvey of the trust. “Offering people a chance to get
out in the landscape can go a long way to helping them retrieve a sense of
connection and meaning.”
GalGael used campfire focus groups and a local survey to explore why people
from deprived urban areas can find it hard to get out and enjoy nature. Lack of
transport, no-one to go with and money were the main issues, as well as a lack
of information on places to go by public transport and safety concerns in some
inner city parks. A key recommendation from GalGael’s research is the need
for more healthy urban green spaces, such as community gardens, that provide
opportunities for local, shared experiences.
2
www.snh.gov.uk 15

Personal stories
On the edge of Dundee, the Broughty
Ferry Environmental Project is a
community-based initiative that
supports local people to develop
and deliver environmental activities,
ranging from outdoor drama to species
surveying and creating habitats.
Over 70% of volunteers are from
disadvantaged groups, including
deprived communities in east Dundee
and people with physical and mental
health problems. The group used
storytelling sessions to share personal
experiences and explore how their
approach was important in attracting
and retaining volunteers.
“We found that our wide
interpretation of environmental activity
helps attract people of differing
interests,” explained Ann Lolley from
the project. “Many of the folk who come
along then go on to interact with the
environment in lots of ways.”
For some, the group’s activities offer
the satisfaction of making a practical
difference to the natural environment;
for others, nature is an inspiration for
creative activities; and for many, simply
being outdoors and in good company
has a positive impact on health and
well-being.
A key feature of action research
is that it allows people to be directly
involved in exploring issues that affect
them and in coming up with what
needs to change. As Kate McHendry
of SCDC explains, “Action research
is a really powerful way of getting to
the heart of the matter. The groups
have gathered evidence that’s directly
relevant to their work and which they
can use to demonstrate the value of
their activities.”
Clackmannanshire Disability
Awareness Group will be using
their findings to lobby for increased
wheelchair-friendly transport and better
information on outdoor places for
people with disabilities. Their research
has already meant that the group has
been invited on to the steering group
for developing access at Gartmorn
Dam Country Park.
Their research explored the barriers
that local people with disabilities face
in accessing and enjoying nature. They
found that, for people without cars,
access to nature is largely confined to
trips run by the council day services,
for example with the Whins Centre
rambling group.
However, as Enid Trevett from the
group explains, this brings its own
constraints. “You’re always up against
the schedule of the bus that has to
get back in time to take the other
service users home,” she pointed out.
Many people with disabilities don’t
venture into the outdoors because they
don’t know what obstacles might be
encountered, so the group has been
helping to create Phototrails (www.
phototrails.org) of accessible routes in
Clackmannanshire.
3
“Overcoming the
obstacles that you
face out in nature
builds confidence
and encourages us
to keep going.”
Clackmannanshire
Disability Awareness
Group
16 The Nature of Scotland

3
Exploring disabled
access at Gartmorn
Dam Country Park.
4
For many people,
having someone to go
with can be vital to
their enjoying the
outdoors.
4
Woodland working
In the grounds of Argyll and Bute Hospital in Lochgilphead,
Blarbuie Woodland supports the health and recovery of
patients with mental health issues through walking and
working in the woodland. Previous research had shown
benefits, so Blarbuie used their new research to explore
what stopped more people in the wider community who
experience ill health or disability from visiting the woodland
and being involved in activities there.
A survey distributed through local support services
revealed that the key factors were difficulty in finding
information, transport issues, confidence and the need for
carer support. “Our research has shown the importance
of company in getting people to the wood – not just for
support and transport, but also in building confidence,”
highlighted Hugh Fife. “We’ve seen that many people value
health walks at set times. The research has brought us into
contact with new groups and has prompted us to work with
the hospital service bus to promote this vital connection to
the woodland.”
Finally, Neilston Development Trust (NDT) in East
Renfrewshire have been championing community-led
regeneration since 2006. As the first in Scotland's
Renaissance Town Initiative, the community published a
town charter that identified the Cowden Hall former mill
estate on the edge of the village as an undeveloped asset
in terms of heritage and natural environment. NDT used
their research to find out how the Cowden Hall estate was
currently used and valued by the community and how it
might be used in the future.
The research featured community-wide surveys as
well as a storytelling project across the generations.
This demonstrated the importance of the site’s history in
engaging older and younger members of the community.
“The research uncovered a deep vein of interest about
Cowden Hall that spans the generations,” commented the
trust’s Laura Carswell. “We got lots of feedback on what
improvements would make people more likely to visit and
this will help us in our aim to make Cowden Hall a valued
resource again for enjoying the outdoors.”
Across the five groups, common themes emerged on
the importance of people and of place in engaging people
with nature. A wealth of comments were captured too on the
health and well-being benefits that people get from nature.
This ‘first hand’ evidence will support the groups as they
develop their own work and will help SNH encourage wider
participation in enjoying the outdoors.
You'll be able to view the ‘People and nature: learning
through doing’ action research reports when they're
published on the SNH website in October.
www.snh.gov.uk 17

NEWS
Dolly scientist working
on cloning wildcats
A scientist who was involved in cloning
‘Dolly the sheep’ 15 years ago has
started work on a new technique to
clone rare Scottish wildcats.
Embryologist Dr Bill Ritchie believes
the project could help protect the
species, which is now thought to
number only about 400 cats in the wild.
Dolly the sheep was the first cloned
mammal ever to be made from an adult
cell and was the result of work at the
Roslin Institute near Edinburgh. The
wildcat research has received some
funding from Genecom, the commercial
arm of the Moredun Research Institute
and the Institute for Animal Health.
“Several cat species have been
cloned using the domestic cat, as well
as the wolf using dog eggs,” explained
Dr Ritchie. “It’s very difficult to find pure
wildcats due to their crossing with
domestic animals, but modern scientific
techniques are able to select animals
that are pure bred.
“Cells can be collected from these
animals by taking a small piece of skin,”
he added, “and can then be cultured to
supply cells for the cloning process.”
Dr Ritchie said eggs from domestic
cats – which would be available from
tissue recovered during spaying of the
animal – could be used as the starting
material for the cloning process.
In August last year, bosses at the
Highland Wildlife Park confirmed that a
plan to clone wildcats was in the early
stages of being discussed. Talks had
been held with the Medical Research
Council’s Human Reproductive
Sciences Unit in Edinburgh. The park
said a house cat/wildcat hybrid could
be used to give birth to ‘pure wildcat
kittens’.
It’s been estimated that some 150
breeding pairs of wildcats survive in
parts of the Highlands. Disease, loss of
habitat and interbreeding with domestic
cats have been blamed for devastating
wild populations.
18 The Nature of Scotland

NEWS
Purple haze in Paisley
A colony of rare butterflies was discovered this summer at a
new site on the outskirts of Glasgow.
The purple hairstreaks were found in Shaw Wood
in Thornly Park, Paisley. The discovery highlights the
recent success of the butterfly in Scotland. The species
is widespread in parts of England but far less common in
Scotland.
The purple hairstreak is one of our most beautiful and
overlooked butterflies. The male boasts striking, deep-purple
upper wings and tiny black tail streamers.
Purple hairstreaks often go unnoticed as they’re typically
found in tree tops. They live in self-contained colonies,
always on oak trees, and rarely take flight except on sunny
days.
“The purple hairstreak has been doing quite well
recently in Scotland,” commented Tom Prescott, species
conservation officer for Butterfly Conservation.
“In fact it may be under-recorded as it’s quite tricky to
spot. It normally involves lying on your back and looking for a
small silhouette fluttering around the top of a tree! Certainly,
the butterfly has shown evidence of moving north in recent
years, with a colony even being found in the Highlands.”
www.snh.gov.uk 19

NEWS
Greater protection for shark, skate and ray
New rules are being drafted to increase the protection of vulnerable species of
shark, skate and ray in Scotland.
A protection order for the species will go to the Scottish Parliament for
approval, which will provide further safeguards for 26 vulnerable and endangered
sharks, skates and rays, including tope, spurdog and common skate.
The proposals will extend the current provisions, which prevent the landing to
market of some of these species by commercial fishermen. This will be extended
to cover fishing by recreational sea anglers as well.
The new order will mean that only catch and release by rod and line will be
permitted, which will allow recreational sea anglers to continue to tag these
species. Tagging increases our scientific knowledge of shark, skate and ray in
Scottish waters, while ensuring that they are returned to the sea alive.
Fisheries secretary Richard Lochhead said that protecting vulnerable
marine species is crucially important. “Some shark, skate and ray populations
are critically endangered,” he commented, “and are already protected from
commercial fishing. However, these species need additional protection and so
Scotland intends to introduce a new protection order to help stock recovery.”
Ian Burrett, of the Scottish Sea Angling Conservation Network, praised the
efforts of volunteers in the Scottish Shark Tagging Programme. “We've shown
that anglers can fish for these endangered species in an environmentally friendly
way and make a positive contribution to the Scottish economy,” he remarked.
Shark, skate and ray species generally have slow reproductive rates, making
them highly vulnerable to overexploitation. A number of vulnerable, endangered
and critically endangered species therefore either have a zero total allowable
catch or are banned species for commercial fishermen within the European Union.
Scotland plans to introduce the protection order to include recreational sea
anglers in current conservation provisions. This will prohibit all catching, inboarding
and landing except for catch and release by rod and line of specific
shark, skate and ray species.
20 The Nature of Scotland

Wildlife poisoning cases increase
Birds of prey, wild mammals, livestock and pets were all victims of accidental or
deliberate poisoning across Scotland last year.
Figures unveiled by the Wildlife Incident Investigation Scheme show an
increase in the number of cases investigated in 2010, with some involving
incorrect storage and use of approved pesticides.
Among the incidents highlighted in a report by the Scottish Government’s
Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture were:
– a piglet that escaped from its enclosure and died after eating rodent baits left
by the previous occupant of the farm;
– 22 abuse incidents involving birds of prey, including 13 buzzards, seven red
kites and four golden eagles;
– illness of a working dog following exposure to sheep dip chemicals; and
– an unlabelled glass jar found on a farm containing potentially lethal cyanide.
The illegal use of carbofuran (an insecticide) accounted for more than half of
all 32 abuse incidents, with nine different pesticides detected in the remaining
incidents. The report also revealed that 69% of all abuse cases involved the
poisoning of birds of prey.
Environment minister Stewart Stevenson said the report highlighted the
devastating impact that actions such as these could have, and the number of
birds of prey being deliberately poisoned remained a concern.
“Scotland’s natural environment is one of our most valuable assets,” he added,
“and it’s essential that we protect it and ensure that pesticide use is regulated
appropriately.”
Luke Borwick, chairman of Scottish Land and Estates, which represents 2,500
landowners, said they were working hard to reduce these kinds of incidents. “This
requires a sustained approach over time and there’s evidence these joint efforts
are beginning to pay off,” he added.
“Early indications for the first half of 2011 show there’s been a significant
decrease in illegal poisoning incidents at a time when some species are
increasing rapidly.”
NEWS
www.snh.gov.uk 21

NEWS
Extra rangers help capercaillie
Two national park rangers have been patrolling the islands in Loch Lomond this
summer in a bid to step up conservation of threatened capercaillie there.
Police have also been on hand to take action if necessary to protect the birds
from disturbance. Capercaillie are vulnerable to disturbance from people and
dogs, with the five Loch Lomond islands forming one area that’s affected at
busy times.
New signs have therefore been strategically placed at key launch locations
and on the islands to educate people about the bird. Leaflets have also been
distributed to boat users and other water pleasure seekers in the hope that this
will avoid further disturbance issues.
The action is required as the Loch Lomond capercaillie population is isolated
from other Scottish populations, with no immediate likelihood of numbers being
strengthened from farther north.
“This is the latest in a range of initiatives designed to help the capercaillie
establish a firmer foothold throughout Scotland,” explained Alan McDonnell,
operations manager with SNH.
“Capercaillie are under great pressure nationally due to a range of factors,
including climate change, low habitat quality, predation and disturbance of
breeding birds and young chicks. This means the species has a far from secure
future.
“We also know that recreational users may unwittingly cause disturbance by
allowing dogs to roam uncontrolled through important capercaillie areas during
the sensitive breeding season. We hope the signs, which are highly visible, will
educate people about the plight of this magnificent bird.”
Guy Keating, ranger service manager with Loch Lomond and the Trossachs
National Park, said additional SNH funding had meant they’d been able to recruit
two dedicated seasonal rangers to patrol the islands and engage with visitors
during the summer.
“We’re already seeing the benefits of this approach,” he added. “The majority
of visitors have been receptive towards the rangers and the popular camping
spots look much better than they did at this time last year.”
22 The Nature of Scotland

Alien salmon species found in Tweed
Fishermen in the Borders have been urged to kill and report any pink salmon
found in the River Tweed or its tributaries.
Two males of the non-native species have been caught in the river recently.
This has prompted the Tweed Foundation to issue a plea to anglers to help stop
the spread of the pink salmon.
The fish – which is also known as the humpback salmon – is the smallest and
most abundant of the Pacific salmon family. There are fears that the alien species
could colonise the river and affect stocks of the Atlantic salmon for which the
River Tweed is world famous.
Nick Yonge, director of the Tweed Foundation, advised anyone landing a pink
salmon to kill it and report the sighting immediately. “They’re not a native species
and we simply don’t know what effect they could have. We don’t think they are
breeding, and indeed we don’t know if they could breed with Tweed fish, but
clearly we wouldn’t want them to.”
Pink salmon are a fish of the north Pacific, but were introduced to some
Russian rivers in the 1960s. They’ve since spread westwards and have now
colonised some northern Norwegian rivers.
There is also an introduced population in Newfoundland from which some
rivers in Nova Scotia and Quebec have been colonised. However, the most likely
source of the fish in the Tweed is northern Norway.
The species does not seem to have any great difficulty in spreading its range,
as shown by the way it has colonised rivers in northern Norway and eastern
Canada from the original, man-made introductions made to those areas.
Any angler who catches a pink salmon in the river is asked to kill it and report
the incident to the River Tweed Commission on 01896 848 294.
NEWS
www.snh.gov.uk 23

Inspired
by nature
1
As usual, we received some
fine photos in response to
our request for images and
stories of wild encounters.
Please keep them coming.
Email your images and stories
to editor@snh.gov.uk
And thanks to those of you
who got in touch to tell us
that our photo of a frog
in the last issue was in fact
a toad! A special mention
also to Jim McLearie, who
was able to identify the
grasshopper as a purple
variety of the common green
grasshopper.
2
24 The Nature of Scotland

3
1 Otter spotter
While holidaying with friends on Gigha recently,
I came across a family of three otters swimming
in a secluded bay. We were sitting near the shore
when we saw them and I managed to climb over
the rocks to a viewpoint overlooking the small bay.
One of the otters was attracted to my camera
shutter clicking and swam over. It then started
climbing the rocks below me – appearing to be
investigating the noise!
Brian Kille, Preston, Lancashire
2 Fishy tale
Dippers are usually seen carrying invertebrates for
their nestlings. However, at two dipper sites I’ve
watched, small fish are not an uncommon prey
item. I watched this bird catch the fish in a small
pool in a river and then carry it back to its young.
Derek McGinn, Inverness
4
3 Watch the birdie
I caught this image of a whitethroat while out
playing golf at Alnmouth. I was playing the sixth
hole when I spotted this little fellow in the reeds
next to the tee. I just managed to get a photo
before he flew away.
Keith Thorburn, Musselburgh
4 Obliging worm
I’ve been trying for ages to get a picture of one
of the slow worms that lives in my garden. I finally
managed to find one that obliged by staying put
while I went and got my camera!
Jan Morse, Rothiemurchus, Aviemore
Give us your best!
If you’d like to send in your images and
stories of wild encounters, please email
them to editor@snh.gov.uk
Remember to include your name, where
you live and some background information
on any pictures submitted. Please restrict
yourself to only three entries per person
per issue. If you’re sending in photos that
have children in them, then we need written
permission from a parent or guardian of
each child in the picture.
In contributing to The Nature of
Scotland you agree to grant us royalty-free,
non-exclusive use of your material in any
way we want and in any media.
However, you’ll still own the copyright
to everything you contribute, and we’ll aim
to include your name alongside anything
published. SNH cannot guarantee that all
pictures will be used and we reserve the
right to edit any material provided.
www.snh.gov.uk 25

In our third article to mark the 2011 European
Year of Volunteering, we look at how you can help
improve the environment
1
Lending a hand
26 The Nature of Scotland

2
Do you enjoy visiting your local woodland, nearest
beach or favourite walk? Well, bear in mind that a
bunch of volunteers have probably been involved
in making them such pleasant places to be… so
why don’t you become part of that effort!
For example, volunteers are involved in:
– managing woodlands through planting native trees and
removing invasive species such as rhododendron. This
helps ensure that more native insects, fungi and plants
live in the wood.
– removing litter from a beach. This stops wildlife being
trapped and killed, as well as making it safer and more
pleasant for people.
– repairing and maintaining paths. The John Muir Trust and
the National Trust for Scotland both work with volunteers
on maintaining upland paths.
– promoting peat-free gardening by visiting garden clubs,
schools, etc. Peat comes from peat bogs, which are
special places for rare plants and animals.
– supporting organisations that encourage people to walk,
cycle or use public transport to reduce carbon emissions
and help address climate change.
Here are some other ways that volunteers have been
working to improve the environment.
1
Gathering wildlife records is important for
conservation. It can also be a fun and social
pastime.
2
Ranger Victor Partridge (right) and volunteers
replace tree tubes on junipers planted two years
ago in the Pentland Hills outside Edinburgh.
Rat race refuge
The Pentland Hills Regional Park set
up a voluntary ranger service in 1997
to patrol the paths at weekends, give
advice to visitors, help with guided
walks and surveys, and carry out
practical work.
The volunteers need to have
a friendly nature and be good
communicators, as well as being
passionate about the area. The service
has been a big success and was
an integral part of the regional park
winning and retaining the Green Flag
Award, which is the national standard
for parks and green spaces in the UK.
One of the volunteer rangers who
has found the experience extremely
rewarding is Robin Wickes, who spent
the whole of his working life based in
Edinburgh. “I had frequent days out in
the Pentlands to escape the rat race of
the city and the pressures of the office,”
explained Robin.
“So when I retired two years ago, it
was a natural step for me to become a
voluntary ranger. By supporting the fulltime
rangers, I can do my bit towards
the upkeep of the Pentlands and help
other escapees wind down and enjoy
themselves as I used to do.”
To find out more visit
www.pentlandhills.org/info/3/
discover/19/pentland_hills_
voluntary_ranger_service
www.snh.gov.uk 27

3
Floating homes
Office workers welcome
Loch Leven is one of Scotland’s most visited national nature
reserves and internationally important for the birdlife found
there. Volunteers help staff with a wide variety of tasks,
ranging from visitor surveys to pond clearance.
A couple of years ago the volunteers helped to build and
place some rafts on which the great crested grebes could
nest. The rafts reduce the risk that nesting birds will be
disturbed by predators, people and dogs.
They followed that up this year with a nest raft for the
reserve’s population of black-headed gulls, a species that’s
declined in recent years. The raft has the added benefit that
it will be visible from a new bird viewing hide, which will be
built later in the year.
For retired train driver Alan Reid, volunteering is an
opportunity to do something new and different. “It was really
enjoyable making the gull raft because I’m very practically
minded anyway, so I was able to use my skills, but on an
unusual project.
“It’s great fun, keeps me fit and helps the environment
at the same time. No two days are the same when you
volunteer with SNH, and the variety of work along with the
friendly folk keep me coming back.”
“You don’t have to be hugging a tree or mending a path
to make a difference to the environment,” says David
Stevenson, who volunteers with the John Muir Trust. “I work
in the organisation’s office and I believe you can make just
as important a contribution in this way. I’ve helped out with
the John Muir Trust for a few years since I retired, and there’s
been a wide variety of things to do.”
David has put together a digital photo library to make
it easier to illustrate material effectively; compiled reports
on the achievements of those doing the John Muir Award;
updated databases of members and supporters to improve
communication with them; researched possible sources of
funding; and even undertaken the old volunteer stand-by of
stuffing envelopes.
“It’s back-office stuff, but as many organisations discover,
if you don’t have a back office working well, then the frontline
staff aren’t going to be very effective,” added David.
“So it’s interesting and worthwhile – and you get coffee and
good company as well!”
For more information about the John Muir Trust see
www.jmt.org
28 The Nature of Scotland

4
3
Volunteers Sean
Parker and Alan Reid
(right) prepare to
remove the new gull
raft from Loch Leven
for storage over winter.
4
Young Bioblitz
volunteer Abby
Morrison getting to
grips with an insect
survey.
Dunes in June
Volunteers in Ayrshire spent a couple of days at a ‘Bioblitz’
event in June, where they surveyed a section of the coastline
to find out about the birds, insects, plants and fungi living
there.
At events such as this, it’s always possible that a new
species might be found. After all, scientists reckon that there
are around 12 million species in the world and only about
two million have been identified so far. It’s also possible to
find species that are moving north, which may well be an
indicator of climate change.
The information gathered will be going into the Ayrshire
local biodiversity action plan and will help guide future
management of the area. “Despite the changeable weather,
we had a fantastic couple of days out surveying in beautiful
locations, with lots of wildlife all around,” commented Scott
Shanks, chairman of the Glasgow and Southwest Scotland
branch of Butterfly Conservation.
“One of the highlights of the weekend was the discovery
of a rare sand dart moth in the dunes south of Turnberry.
This is the first record for this species on the west coast of
Scotland. Indeed, the nearest known records are from the
Isle of Man, over 100 km away!”
If you’re interested in exploring the
possibilities for a volunteer opportunity
near you, the best place to start is your
local volunteer centre. You can find out
more at the Volunteer Scotland website
www.volunteerscotland.org.uk
Alternatively, if you're interested in
a particular aspect of environmental
volunteering, but can’t work out
whom to contact, you could email
volunteer@snh.gov.uk and we’ll
see if we can point you in the right
direction.
www.snh.gov.uk 29

Dualchas coitcheann
Common heritage
Why does the famous Corryvreckan whirlpool off
the west coast boast a name that reminds us of the
bowl-shaped features cut into thousands of Scottish
hills and mountains during the Ice Age? As Ruairidh
MacIlleathain explains, the answer lies in the original
meaning of the Gaelic word coire, which has been
borrowed into English as ‘corrie’ or ‘corry’
Coire-mara a’ phrionnsa
’S e ciall thùsail an fhacail ‘coire’ an soitheach a chuireadh ar sinnsirean air an teine airson biadh a
chòcaireachd no uisge a ghoil. Tha e soilleir mar a chaidh ‘coire’ a chleachdadh airson kettle cuideachd
– bhiodh na seann Ghàidheil ag ràdh “Cuir an coire air” direach mar a tha sinne, ged as ann air an
teine a rachadh e! Bha na ‘bobhlaichean’ mòra sna cnuic is beanntan, a chaidh a shnaigheadh le deigh
ann an Linn na Deighe, car coltach ri coireachan na dachaigh ann an cumadh, agus chaidh ciall ùr a
thoirt don fhacal anns an àrainneachd a-muigh.
Tha na ceudan, mura h-eil mìltean, de choireachan ann an Alba, agus tha a leithid gu mòr a’
sònrachadh cumadh-tìre na Gàidhealtachd. Tha iad a’ nochdadh gu tric nar bàrdachd cuideachd mar
chuspair molaidh aig na bàird. Nuair a nochd a’ Bheurla air a’ Ghàidhealtachd, bha e nàdarrach gu leòr
dhi am facal ‘coire’ a ghabhail os làimh agus atharrachadh gu corrie (oir cha robh a leithid cho cumanta
ann an dùthaich thùsail na Beurla).
Airson tuigsinn mar a chuireadh an dearbh fhacal gu feum aig muir far cladach Sgarba, feumar
coimhead air an àite nuair a tha an sruth-mara aig àirde, oir chithear fear de na cuairt-shruthan as
laidire anns an t-saoghal. Bidh a’ mhuir a’ “goil” mar a bhios uisge a’ goil ann an coire, agus ’s e sin as
adhbhar gun do chuir na seann daoine ‘Coire Bhreacain’ air an àite.
Ach cò no dè a th’ ann am Breacan? A reir beul-aithris (a chaidh a chlàradh cho tràth ri toiseach an
ochdamh linn deug), ’s e prionnsa Lochlannach a bh’ ann a chaidh a bhàthadh anns a’ “choire” a ghabh
ainm. Bha e ann an gaol le nighean aig Tighearna nan Eilean ach bha an ceannard Gàidhealach an
aghaidh a’ phòsaidh. Ge-tà, cha robh e airson fearg a chur air Rìgh Lochlann. Thuirt e ri Breacan, nam
biodh e ag iarraidh a nighean a phòsadh, gu feumadh e a chomas seòlaidh a dhearbhadh le bhith a’
cumail a shoithich aig acair airson trì latha is oidhche anns a’ chuairt-shruth ainmeil far Sgarba.
Fhuair Breacan comhairle bho sheann daoine glice ann an Lochlann trì ròpan a thoirt leis. Bha fear
dhiubh air a dhèanamh de chlòimh bho chaoraich nach robh air an rùsgadh roimhe, fear eile de chainb
a bha a’ fàs ann an cladh agus an treas fear a rinneadh de dh’fhalt a bhuineadh do dh’òighean. Airson
an treas ròp a dhèanamh, chaidh falt a chruinneachadh bhon a h-uile òigh ann an Lochlann.
Às dèidh a’ chiad latha de shruthadh na tìde-mara, bhris a’ chiad ròp. Aig deireadh an dàrna latha,
bhris an dàrna rop. Nam biodh a h-uile h-òigh ann an Lochlann air a bhith fìrinneach, bha an treas ròp
air maireachdainn slàn. Ach bha tè dhiubh breugach, bhris an ròp agus chaidh an soitheach fodha le
call Bhreacain agus a h-uile duine eile air bòrd. ’S e cù Bhreacain, an Cù Glas, a-mhàin a mhair beò
tron tubaist. Lorg esan corp a mhaighstir agus tharraing e gu tìr e. Ach thill an cù gu muir agus chaidh
a bhàthadh gu tuath air Sgarba ann an caolas mara ris an canar fhathast ‘Bealach a’ Choin Ghlais’.
30
The Nature of Scotland

A’ coimhead sìos air
Camas a’ Choire
Bhreacain.
Looking down on the
Gulf of Corryvreckan
Prince’s whirlpool
The Gaelic word coire, from which
the English ‘corrie’ derives, originally
meant a ‘cauldron’. In the domestic
situation it has naturally evolved into the
modern Gaelic word for a kettle. But
it’s also an important element in naming
the Scottish landscape, as the word
was adopted for the cauldron-shaped
features cut by ice in our hills and
mountains.
Its use in naming the famous tidal
race of Coire Bhreacain (anglicised as
‘Corryvreckan’), between the islands
of Sgarba and Jura, is based on the
turbulence of the water there. The
whirlpool is reminiscent of the contents
of a cauldron bubbling above a fire.
According to oral tradition, the
‘cauldron of Breacan’ refers to a
Scandinavian prince. He’s said to have
drowned after an unsuccessful attempt
to anchor his ship there for three days
and nights, in an attempt to win the
hand of a daughter of the Lord of the
Isles.
www.snh.gov.uk 31

Supporting
sporting
interests
32 The Nature of Scotland

Country sports have a large following in Scotland
but are sometimes seen to be at odds with
conservation. Pete Moore of SNH suggests
that closer working should help to resolve these
countryside conflicts
By late September, the peak time for
summer tourists has passed, the school
holidays are over and an autumnal calm
has begun to settle on the land.
However, a major wildlife event is
about to appear over the horizon, as
the skies fill with wild geese on their
way back to Scotland from their arctic
breeding grounds – pinkfoot, greylag
and barnacle geese all have major
wintering populations here. Tens of
thousands gather on farmland and
estuaries, as they’ve done for centuries,
creating a thrilling spectacle to see
and hear.
Large numbers of folk gather to
watch the birds as they fly out to feed
or return to roost at the end of the day.
But many others come to Scotland to
test their endurance and skills by lying
in wait on mudflats and in ditches to
shoot them. It’s not to everyone’s taste,
but a large number of people are real
enthusiasts for these country sports.
Recent studies indicate that
around 480,000 take part in shooting
across the UK and it’s thought that
an even higher number enjoy fishing
as a pastime. Many of these people
visit Scotland to enjoy their sport in
spectacular settings. These sportsmen
and women relish the ‘connection’
with nature that country sports offer,
in much the same way that mountain
bikers, hillwalkers and canoeists
describe the thrill of their own particular
‘connections’ with the outdoors.
And for many tourist accommodation
providers the country sports tourists
provide an important boost for the
industry during the lean period of the
autumn and winter months. The stalking
season for red deer, although it opens
at the beginning of July, peaks during
the first three weeks of October. And
the grouse season runs from August
to December, with other bird shooting
seasons opening in September, and –
depending on the quarry – continuing
until some time in February. By which
time salmon angling has started again
on most rivers.
1
Deer management
supports about 2,500
jobs and is worth about
£100 million to the
Scottish economy.
www.snh.gov.uk 33

2
Bad press
Promoting country sports can sometimes be a difficult
business as the industry quite often attracts bad press.
The control of predators can be emotive, and when it
involves shooting, trapping or poisoning of protected
species, it’s illegal and indefensible. Unfortunately, it darkens
the image of an industry about which a general audience
often hears little more.
To many people, intensive management for game
shooting is often associated with these sorts of wildlife
crimes. But many country sports – including wildfowling,
stalking, fishing and the less formal ‘rough shooting’ (where
individuals or small groups work with dogs along hedgerows
and small woodlands to flush birds from cover) – take place
without such intensive management.
The Scottish Country Sports Tourism Group formed
some years ago to help improve public perceptions and
to promote Scotland as a country sports destination. It’s
a partnership of groups representing salmon fishers, deer
managers and shooting interests, as well as public bodies
including SNH, Scottish Enterprise and Visit Scotland.
The involvement of these Scottish Government bodies
emphasises just how important country sports are to the
Scottish economy, with an estimated value thought to be in
the region of £400 million per year.
In the past, SNH have more often been associated with
the care and conservation of habitats and species, but
these traditional areas of our work are increasingly being
strengthened with greater focus on the sustainable use of
our natural resources. This work delivers a wide range of
benefits – from increasing the value and interest in healthy,
local food production to broadening tourism markets and
connecting people with the countryside.
“Some may find it surprising, but conservation, hunting
and fishing interests have many of the same goals,”
remarked Ian Jardine, chief executive of SNH. “After all,
when wildlife flourishes in Scotland, it helps nurture our
country’s environment and supports our rural communities
and the economy.”
34 The Nature of Scotland

Healthy wildlife
At the heart of a strong country sports industry lies a healthy
wildlife resource. The right management of this resource
is crucial to ensure that it delivers the full range of local
benefits (environmental as well as socio-economic), which
contribute to wider benefits for people across Scotland, from
the high street to the high hills.
SNH are now working in partnership with private land
managers and country sports enthusiasts to help ensure
the widest possible benefits from these activities. We’re
supporting initiatives in a number of areas, including
promoting best practice in the country sports industry,
helping to raise skill levels through practical demonstration
workshops, and supporting parts of the sector to ensure that
all practitioners operate humanely and in a way from which
both the species and their habitats can benefit.
There are important traditional and cultural links to our
country sports, but that’s not to say that the old ways are
always the best. Novel techniques for managing species
conflicts, innovative developments that make the industry
more efficient, and new regulations to support food
traceability are all areas on which we’re actively working.
Country sports are one way of achieving sustainable land
management, one way of ‘using’ the wildlife resource – one
way among many. Whether it’s watching, filming, eating or
simply being with wildlife, our aim is to help as many people
as possible to enjoy Scotland’s varied wildlife resource.
2
Rough shooting on the
Western Isles.
Challenging sport in
spectacular settings
also brings much
needed income, out of
season, to these
remote locations.
3
Fishing is a popular
leisure activity in
Scotland and a major
contributor to the rural
economy of some
areas.
“At the heart of a
strong country sports
industry lies a healthy
wildlife resource.”
3
www.snh.gov.uk 35

Reserve focus
Visit the Clyde Valley and discover a hidden world of ancient woodlands
in rugged steep sided gorges. These woods are outstanding examples
of the ancient deciduous woodlands that once covered most of central
lowland Scotland
Trailing the mighty Mouse
The Clyde Valley Woodlands National Nature Reserve is a real gem located
on the very edge of Scotland's Central Belt. It's made up of six separate
woodlands stretching for some 12 km (7.5 miles) along the meandering
Clyde Valley from Hamilton to New Lanark.
Two of these woodlands, Cleghorn Glen and Cartland Craigs, occupy a twisting
ravine that 'defends' Lanark from the north. They form 4.5 km (3 miles) of almost
unbroken ancient woodlands, which cling to craggy precipices and provide a refuge
for a wealth of wildlife.
The sandstone gorge has been carved by the Mouse Water (locally
pronounced 'Moose'), a short but powerful tributary of the nearby River
Clyde. Paths have long been etched into the sides of these steep valleys,
but recent access improvements have made it possible to walk the
length of these spectacular gorges. In places, the steepness
of the slopes gives the very real sense of actually being up
amongst the oak canopy with the wildlife only
branches away!
Use the numbered map and directions in the
text for this walk through the reserve, which
begins at Cartland Bridge in the west and
follows the course of the Mouse Water
upstream for 4.5 km to Cleghorn Bridge.
3
Fulwood
Bridge
4
Castle Qua
2
1
CARTLAN D CRAIGS
Mouse Bridge
Woodend
Lanark Road
to Lanark
Cartland Bridge
36 The Nature of Scotland

1 2 3
Leitchford Bridge
5
CLEG HOR N G LE N
Mouse Water
6
Cleghorn
to
Lanark
Hydro-electric
station
Key
Entrance to site
Limited parking
Evidence of 12th
century fort
Viewpoint
Trail
1
The gorge woodland
puts on a brilliant show
of colour in autumn,
ranging from bright
yellows to vibrant reds.
2
Look out for the grey
wagtail feeding at the
water's edge, from
where it darts into the
air after a passing
insect.
3
Much of the Central
Belt population lives
within easy reach of
the Clyde Valley
Woodlands.
www.snh.gov.uk 37

24
2
1
Cartland Bridge
Start from the car park at Thomas Telford's spectacular Cartland Bridge and
climb up the initially steep path that leads from there. You rapidly gain height until
you reach a log seat after 200 metres. Look back through the oak canopy for truly
dramatic views of the pillared bridge and the plunging gorge below. The beautiful
three-span bridge was built by Telford in 1822 and soars 39 metres (128 feet)
above the chasm.
2
Castle Qua
The path soon begins to drop towards the Mouse Bridge at Woodend and you
pass the remnants of Castle Qua, a fort perched on the gorge edge. It dates
back to 1100, but only a low earth mound remains today, so it's easily missed (it's
more apparent in winter). Little is known of the castle, except that it once had an
underground living space.
4
Cartland Bridge
viewed from high on
the reserve.
5
Otters use the reserve.
Keep a close eye on
still water in the early
morning or evening
and look for signs of
their presence, such as
droppings or webbed
footprints in the mud.
6
The Mouse Water rises
in peat bogs to the
northeast of Lanark
and flows into the River
Clyde.
3
Mousebank to Fulwood
After leaving Cartland Craigs, the path crosses the narrow Mousebank Road and
follows the river through marshy fields for 500 metres before entering the ancient
woodlands of Cleghorn Glen. You soon reach the recently built Fulwood Bridge,
which allows access across a burn that's liable to spate and has in the past cut
short many a walk. If you're quiet (and lucky!) you may spot dippers, kingfishers
and even otters in this area.
38 The Nature of Scotland

5
4
6
Mouse Falls
Three hundred metres upstream
from Fulwood Bridge there's a fine
viewpoint where log seats provide
an idyllic rest site. It overlooks a
series of small waterfalls where
the Mouse Water surges through
the rocks. The more acid soils
hereabouts lead to a localised
woodland of oak and birch, with
blaeberry and heather beneath.
Elsewhere, the woodland is more
typically made up of ash, oak, dog's
mercury, wild garlic and woodrush.
www.snh.gov.uk 39

7
7
There are good
numbers of badgers on
the reserve. Look for
clues that they're
present, such as tufts
of coarse grey or black
hair on fence wires and
posts or beside well
worn animal tracks.
8
The Clyde Valley
Woods are rare
remnants of ancient
forests that once
covered much of
southern and central
Scotland.
5
5
Leitchford Bridge
Leitchford Bridge is one of the few locations where it's possible to cross the
Mouse Water and make a return to Lanark along Bellefield Road. However,
our walk continues towards Cleghorn Bridge, following the north bank of the
river. Listen out here for the whisper of aspen trees and the hammering of great
spotted woodpeckers. Also, when the water is low, you might spot one of the
ancient stones in the river that mark the boundary of the Royal Burgh of Lanark.
These 'march' stones are part of the Lanimer tradition dating back to 1140. This
tradition is celebrated each June when the townsfolk 'process' around the burgh
boundary.
6
Cleghorn Gorge
The path now winds its way through gorge woodland for another 1.5 km (1 mile)
before the final viewpoint of the day. On your way, look out for treecreepers, roe
deer and the abundant signs of the many badgers that live here. In May, this area
is awash with bluebells, which benefit from the selective felling of beech and
sycamore. However, in the autumn the woodland is an enchanting ever-changing
patchwork of richly drawn colours, touched by frost and torn by gales.
Please take care near the eastern end of the reserve as the path is at the very
edge of the precipitous gorge, and you should keep children and dogs under
close control.
Near the end of the walk, there's an informal seating area that looks straight
into the dramatic rock chasm of Cleghorn Gorge. The walk concludes at Cleghorn
Bridge on the A706, from where you can retrace your steps or catch a bus back
to Lanark.
Clyde Valley
Woodlands is one
of over 50 national
nature reserves in
Scotland. Find out
more at www.nnrscotland.org.uk.
40 The Nature of Scotland

Essential information
8
The woodlands are just to the north of Lanark. There's room for a few cars at a
small parking area on the northwest side of Cartland Bridge, about 1.5 km
(1 mile) northwest of the town centre on the A73. Take care entering and leaving
the car park.
Lanark is less than an hour's drive from Glasgow (40 km / 25 miles) or
Edinburgh (56 km / 35 miles) and is well sign posted from the M74. It has a
regular train link with Glasgow Central and Motherwell. If you want detailed
timings for public transport, contact Traveline Scotland on 0871 200 2233 or
visit www.travelinescotland.com
OS maps
Explorer 335 (Lanark & Tinto Hills)
Landranger 72 (Upper Clyde Valley)
Trail length
Cleghorn Glen and Cartland Craigs
form two separate areas of woodland.
A path links the two, creating a linear
walk of about 4.5 km (3 miles).
Terrain
Conditions underfoot are generally
good, but the path can get muddy in
places after wet weather. There are
steep slopes and unfenced, unstable
cliffs throughout the reserve. Exercise
caution and keep away from the gorge
edges, especially with children.
Dogs
Please follow the Scottish Outdoor
Access Code and local guidance at
the reserve. Please keep your dog(s)
under close control or on a short
lead and comply with any notices you
see. A short lead is taken to be two
metres, and 'under close control' means
the dog is able to respond to your
commands and is kept close at heel.
Further information
You can download a leaflet about
the reserve at www.snh.gov.uk/
publications-data-and-research/
publications/search-the-catalogue/
publication-detail/?id=1371
Nearby natural attractions
Visit the Falls of Clyde to enjoy another
of the woodlands that make up the
Clyde Valley Woodlands National
Nature Reserve. The Falls of Clyde
reserve (owned and managed by the
Scottish Wildlife Trust) lies about 1.5
km (1 mile) south of the town of Lanark,
and is reached through the historic
village of New Lanark. The reserve has
a network of paths and stretches along
both sides of the Clyde gorge, from
New Lanark to Bonnington Weir. To see
the falls at their most spectacular, visit
the reserve within one day of heavy rain,
especially if the ground is already wet.
The reserve visitor centre also provides
live footage of nesting peregrine falcons
during the breeding season.
Another part of the Clyde Valley
Woodlands National Nature Reserve
is the Avon Gorge at Chatelherault
(owned and managed by South
Lanarkshire Council). The restored
building at Chatelherault now houses
a visitor centre and is the gateway to
a country park. There are some 16 km
(10 miles) of stunning gorge walks
along the River Avon and through
ancient woodland, some of which is the
oldest in the country.
6
www.snh.gov.uk 41

SNH Area News
Northern Isles and North Highland
Correspondents: Tom Kellett, Kevin Riley, Donna Yule
Talking turbines
Noss goes silver
Bumblebee boost
Earlier this summer, we hosted two
drop-in events with Community
Energy Scotland (CES) for anyone
interested in developing small-scale
wind turbines in Caithness. The aim
was to give advice to developers on
the potential impact of turbines on the
natural heritage of Caithness. CES staff
advised on whether the projects were
feasible.
The flat nature of the Caithness
landscape makes it very sensitive to
the impact of large numbers of wind
turbines. The Caithness peatlands
and lochs are also home to important
habitats and bird populations. The
development of renewable technologies
makes a significant contribution
towards tackling climate change.
However, developers also need to
consider how their proposals will affect
the environment.
The two events attracted about 40
people, who said they felt it was useful
to discuss their ideas and receive
advice at an early stage. This can
avoid unforeseen problems cropping
up later when it can be more difficult
to make changes. Many of the issues
involved impacts on birds within the
area, particularly through collision and
disturbance. Caithness has a wealth
of sites designated for breeding and
wintering bird populations, and we
have responsibilities to protect these
species, whether the turbines are
located within or outwith these sites.
The annual Noss National Nature
Reserve open day celebrated its silver
jubilee in July this year. The first event
took place back in June 1986 and has
grown in popularity, with around 6,500
people having made the ferry crossing
to Noss over the past 25 years.
The open day is part of the Shetland
Nature Festival programme. Activities
included talks and demonstrations,
children’s games and face painting.
For the more energetic, there were also
guided walks led by local experts to see
the seabird colonies and seals. SNH
run a free bus from the Bressay ferry
terminal to the Noss car park and this
year we attracted 250 visitors.
“The open day is always a great
chance for anyone who’s never been
to Noss to see why the island attracts
visitors from around the world,”
commented Glen Tyler, SNH’s reserve
manager, “as well as being a fantastic
day of free fun for the family.
“We’re really lucky because this year
the sun shone and the seas were calm.
Last year’s open day had to be called
off due to bad weather, but remarkably
it has only been cancelled twice in the
last 25 years.”
The range of the great yellow
bumblebee is moving farther north in
Scotland. So a local Orkney group has
developed a native wildflower seed
bank that can be used to create good
habitat for the species. Organisers are
hoping to supply seed to three large
developments in Orkney.
The project started in 2008 with the
planting of several wildlflower species
at a site at Orkney College. The seed
was collected at the end of each
flowering season and Orkney Islands
Council gave permission in 2009 for
the use of a field at Happy Valley to
improve the area’s wildlife.
Volunteers – including pupils from
Kirkwall Grammar School, who were
doing their John Muir Award – have
planted the seeds collected by the
group. This year, a range of plants have
flowered including ragged robin, bird’s
foot trefoil, red clover, water avens, cat’s
ear, meadow vetchling, knapweed, selfheal
and kidney vetch.
Projects of this kind can make a
big difference to local wildlife and they
rely largely on local volunteer effort.
The group is hoping to encourage more
volunteers and community groups in the
future to help collect seed in some of
the isles and for Happy Valley.
42 The Nature of Scotland

SNH Area News
Forth
Correspondents: Katherine Leys, Tim Jacobs, Karen Morrison
Celebrating rise in crime!
Anti-alien alliance
Blooming at Craigie
Rising crime figures are not usually
a cause for satisfaction. But in Fife,
the local Partnership against Wildlife
Crime (Fife PAW) is celebrating a rise
in reported incidents of 700%! This
unusual situation is a result of the work
done by the Fife PAW since it started
up in 2010.
The rising figures don’t necessarily
mean that wildlife related crime in
Fife has increased. Instead, it’s likely
that crime which previously went
undetected is now being reported.
This reflects greater awareness of, and
confidence in, those tackling wildlife
offences in the area.
An effective partnership has
developed including Fife Police,
National Farmers Union, RSPB
Scotland and SNH. Fife Police have
appointed a dedicated wildlife crime
officer, Ian Laing. His role has been
crucial in getting the organisations
working together, at both a strategic
and an operational level, and in
achieving the higher rate of reported
incidents.
Police investigations have revealed
that those involved in wildlife crime
often have links to serious and
organised crime. Having a single initial
point of contact will help to identify
links between different wildlife related
incidents across Fife and target future
action by the group.
A leisurely walk along your local river
bank during the summer may well
have brought you close to some alien
invaders. Non-native plants such as
Himalayan balsam, giant hogweed
and Japanese knotweed pose a real
threat to biodiversity. If left unchecked,
they can overwhelm and choke out the
native plants that naturally belong on
our riverbanks. This is a widespread
problem, but it’s particularly important
that we tackle it on the land we
manage.
At Loch Lomond National Nature
Reserve we’ve fought these problem
plants with the help of volunteers
and members of the local community.
Despite the challenging ground on the
reserve, and our wish to keep the use
of herbicides to an absolute minimum,
they’ve had a lot of success. Their hard
work has helped boost the natural
biodiversity of the reserve’s important
wetlands.
We can’t rest on our laurels though.
We will never be truly free from
problem plants on the reserve until their
growth upstream in the catchment is
tackled as well, because seeds travel
down the river to the reserve. So our
next challenge is to bring other land
managers in the catchment on board
and persuade them that they can make
a difference too.
Despite the worst winter in 40 years,
a group of women carrying out
community sentences successfully
created a wildlife garden on the
outskirts of Edinburgh. The women –
with advice from a gardening consultant
– designed, built and planted the
garden themselves. SNH funded the
project, West Craigie Local Food
Project (see www.craigies.co.uk) ran
it and Craigie’s Fruit Farm donated the
land and a polytunnel.
The garden includes raised beds
for growing fruit and vegetables, which
are then sold in the farm shop and café.
Biodiversity features include an insect
‘hotel’, with a large range of nesting
opportunities, as well as bird feeding
areas and a hedgehog home.
The project not only helped wildlife
but was also an opportunity for the
women offenders to see themselves
as gardeners and creative people.
It took them away from their usual
environment, to learn new skills and
experiences and to work together.
The feedback from the women included
comments such as, “It’s just great
to be outside. I love it here.” and
“My husband says he notices the
change in me the days that I come.
I’m much calmer.”
The women’s experience was
captured on a DVD that can be viewed
on the SNH website at www.snh.gov.
uk/about-snh/snh-in-your-area/
forth/news-in-the-forth-area/
www.snh.gov.uk 43

SNH Area News
Strathclyde and Ayrshire
Correspondents: Sarah Watts, Nancy Fraser, Catriona Scriven
Sweet dreams
What have making honey and a new
long distance path got in common?
Well, they’re just two of the 31 projects
that have received a grant from the
Central Scotland Green Network
Development Fund. Over £1 million
has been awarded to projects in central
Scotland this year. SNH and Forestry
Commission Scotland manage the fund
and support projects that will improve
the local environment.
Planning has already started on the
John Muir Trail, a new long distance
path that will run from Dunbar to
Balloch. It will mean you can walk or
cycle from one side of central Scotland
to the other.
Meanwhile, the Kelvin Valley Honey
Project will help local groups to set up
bee hives. This new venture will not only
sell honey but also help farmers and
gardeners by increasing bee numbers.
And a new project in Glasgow
is going to make the most of vacant
spaces. Some will have new paths
put in so people can enjoy them, while
others will be used for food growing.
These are just temporary solutions, but
will mean that even for a short while
people will have the chance to make
the most of these places.
Lunchtime walkabouts
A big push to encourage more working
folk in and around Glasgow to get
outside at lunchtime was launched in
the summer.
SNH staff handed out leaflets in the
city centre, urging people to make use
of the green places close to where they
work. The leaflets give people ideas on
where to go and what to do for a bit of
time out with nature during their lunch
break.
53,000 copies of the ‘Simple
pleasures, easily found in Glasgow’
leaflet were also delivered to city
households. It highlights four trails
across the city that are easy to get to:
Glasgow Green, the Forth & Clyde
Canal Walkway, the White Cart Water
and the River Kelvin Walkway.
For those who want to go a bit
farther afield, ‘Get out and about in
Glasgow’ gives details of over 60
places to enjoy nature in and around
the city, from Greenock in the west to
Lanark and Cumbernauld in the east.
And a new leaflet detailing places to
visit in the East End of Glasgow will
shortly be available.
If you’d like a copy of any of the
leaflets, contact SNH publications
on 01738 458 530 or at pubs@snh.
gov.uk. You can also download them at
www.snh.gov.uk/simplepleasures
Ypeople garden
For a number years, we’ve supported
a community garden programme
on the BBC’s Beechgrove Garden
programme. Each year, keen
communities identify an area that could
benefit from a makeover to improve the
site for local people and wildlife.
The site has to be peat free, organic,
sustainable and wildlife-friendly, and
there’s always a high number of entries.
This year we selected a site in Glasgow
for Ypeople. This is a supported
accommodation residence for young
people made up of asylum seekers
and individuals who have been made
homeless.
Most of the residents of Branston
Court in Maryhill are from backgrounds
where it’s been difficult for them to
be engaged with gardening or the
environment. So this project presented
an opportunity for them to be ‘hands on’
in setting up and maintaining the site.
The design aimed to create an area
that would allow residents to meet and
sit out, a barbecue area for socialising,
flower beds, raised beds for growing
vegetables and a sensory garden.
The aim is to improve the site so
the residents can use the vegetables
in cooking, as a way of developing
healthier eating. The project will be
maintained by the residents with
supervision from the staff.
44 The Nature of Scotland

The prime online source for information on protected nature areas in
Scotland has had a makeover
New look for
old favourite
‘SiteLink’ provides a range of information on sites designated for their natural heritage importance
across Scotland. As part of the ongoing redevelopment of the SNH website, we’ve given the
application a makeover. As well as a fresh new look, the application has an improved layout and faster
response for data return.
For anyone who’s not yet familiar with SiteLink, it’s one of the much-used interactive applications
in our ‘SNHi – Information Service’. Since its launch in 2005, SiteLink has become widely used by
planners, farmers, consultants, students and other members of the public.
SiteLink is very easy to use, providing the option to search for areas using a text or map search.
The interactive map can be used to zoom in or pan around to view chosen areas. Alternatively, a search
can be made using a place name, postcode or grid reference. Land managers or farmers can also
search for information using their unique farm code or field identification numbers.
SiteLink provides access to a wide range of data, including site features, management agreements
and site condition monitoring details. You can view boundary maps and download site related
documents, including site management statements, operations requiring consent and conservation
objectives.
So, if you haven’t already visited SiteLink, why not have a look today. You can find this and other
useful applications at www.snh.gov.uk/snhi or look for the 'SNHi – Information Service' in the
‘Quicklinks’ on our home page.
Sitelink allows you
to view data and
information on
designated sites.
www.snh.gov.uk 45

Events diary 2011
October
Friday 7
Saturday 8
Rutting and Roaring
Beinn Eighe NNR
Wester Ross
Pink Sunset
Loch Leven NNR
Tayside
Come and explore some of the upland areas of
Britain's first national nature reserve, with the
chance of seeing red deer stags rutting and roaring.
Booking essential.
Meet at Burleigh Sands from 5pm to 7pm for an
evening stroll to see the loch’s many species of
wildfowl and watch the spectacle of pink-footed
geese as they return to the loch to roost under the
setting sun. Booking essential.
Tel: 01854 760 254
Tel: 01577 864 439
Sunday 9
Kids Kite Making
Cairnsmore of
Fleet NNR
Galloway
Come along to one of southern Scotland's wildest
places from 11am to 3pm to try your hand at
making – and hopefully flying! – your own kite. All
materials are provided. Let's just hope for some
wind! Booking preferred.
Tel: 01557 814 435
Sunday 9
Rutting and Roaring
Creag Meagaidh NNR
Central Highlands
Enjoy a trip onto the high ground of Creag
Meagaidh in search of red deer and archaeology.
Booking essential.
Tel: 01479 810 477
Wednesday 12
Birch Broomsticks
Flanders Moss NNR
Stirling
Drop in between 10.30am and 4pm to help us
clear invading birch trees that dry out the bog. Use
some of the birch to make your very own witch’s
broomstick for Halloween!
Tel: 01786 450 362
STIRLINGNNRS@
snh.gov.uk
Saturday 15 Dark Skies –
The Dragon’s Storm
Corrie Fee NNR
Angus
A storm of shooting stars is predicted for this night,
so come along between 7.30pm and 9.30pm to
watch from a really dark location. Meet at Glen Doll
ranger base. Booking essential.
Tel: 01575 550 233
GlenDollRanger@
angus.gov.uk
Sunday 16
Clash of the Titans
Corrie Fee NNR
Angus
Join us for a walk from 11am to 3pm to listen for
the roaring of rutting red deer stags. Meet at the
Glen Doll ranger base. A telescope will be available
for use, but bring binoculars if you have them.
Booking essential.
Tel: 01575 550 233
GlenDollRanger@
angus.gov.uk
Sunday 16
Fungi Foray
Loch Leven NNR
Tayside
SNH will be teaming up with local fungi expert Tony
Wilson at Findatie car park from 2pm to 5pm to
explore and record the variety of fungi around the
loch. Booking essential.
Tel: 01577 864 439
Sunday 23
Pink Sunset
Loch Leven NNR
Tayside
Meet at Burleigh Sands from 4.30pm to 6.30pm for
an evening stroll to see the loch’s many species of
wildfowl. Booking essential.
Tel: 01577 864 439
Sunday 23
Rutting and Roaring
Creag Meagaidh NNR
Central Highlands
Enjoy a trip onto the high ground of Creag
Meagaidh in search of red deer and archaeology.
Booking essential.
Tel: 01479 810 477
Thursday 27
Area Evening
Reception
Pitlochry
An opportunity for local people to meet with board
members and senior Area staff. All welcome
(please check SNH website or local Area office to
confirm venues and timings).
www.snh.gov.uk
46 The Nature of Scotland

Saturday 29
Autumn Colours Walk
Cleghorn Glen
Clyde Valley
Woodlands NNR
Lanark
Join reserve staff for a wander through this ancient
gorge woodland and admire the stately trees
in their autumn coats of many colours. Booking
essential.
Tel: 01555 665 928
December November
Tuesday 8
Sunday 13
Sunday 20
Thursday 24
Wednesday 30
Sunday 4
Area Evening
Reception
Bettyhill, Sutherland
Slash, Burn and
Potatoes
Flanders Moss NNR
Stirling
Red Alert
Corrie Fee NNR
Angus
Area Evening
Reception
Islay
Area Evening
Reception
Annan
Parrot of the Woods
Corrie Fee NNR
Angus
An opportunity for local people to meet with board
members and senior Area staff. All welcome
(please check SNH website of local Area office to
confirm venues and timings).
Spend the day from 10.30am to 4pm cutting and
burning scrub on a traditionally managed wet
meadow. Bake potatoes in the fire we build to burn
the scrub. Booking essential.
Come along from 11am to 3pm to watch the red
squirrels at our feeders and discover various ways
to estimate their numbers. Meet at the Glen Doll
ranger base. Bring binoculars if you have them.
Booking essential.
An opportunity for local people to meet with board
members and senior Area staff. All welcome
(please check SNH website or local Area office to
confirm venues and timings).
An opportunity for local people to meet with board
members and senior Area staff. All welcome
(please check SNH website or local Area office to
confirm venues and timings).
Join the search for crossbills in the forest from
11am to 2pm. This special bird is often difficult
to find but may be located through its distinctive
flight call. Meet at the Glen Doll ranger base. A
telescope will be available, but bring binoculars if
you have them. Booking essential.
www.snh.gov.uk
Tel: 01786 450 362
STIRLINGNNRS@
snh.gov.uk
Tel: 01575 550 233
GlenDollRanger@
angus.gov.uk
www.snh.gov.uk
www.snh.gov.uk
Tel: 01575 550 233
GlenDollRanger@
angus.gov.uk
Wednesday 7
Area Evening
Reception
Clyde Area
An opportunity for local people to meet with board
members and senior Area staff. All welcome
(please check SNH website or local Area office to
confirm venues and timings).
Tel: 01557 814 435
Sunday 18
Christmas Tree
Scavenge
Flanders Moss NNR
Stirling
Spend the day from 10.30am to 4pm helping us
clear small pine trees from the bog. Take home your
very own, personally selected Scots pine Christmas
tree from Flanders Moss.
Tel: 01786 450 362
STIRLINGNNRS@
snh.gov.uk
Friday 30
Winter Bird Walk
Loch Leven NNR
Tayside
Blow away those winter blues with this bird walk
from Findatie car park between 10am and 12noon
to see the residents of the loch during the colder
months. Booking essential.
Tel: 01577 864 439
www.snh.gov.uk 47

Hare’s-tail cotton
grass, Uath Lochan,
Glenfeshie.
48 The Nature of Scotland

Visual treat
Dazzling presentations from award-winning photographers
brought the customary crowds along to the 21st Scottish
Nature Photography Fair in early September.
SNH’s conference centre at Battleby, outside Perth, was the
venue for the talks, which also offered visitors an assortment
of guided walks, photo-imaging workshops, a raptor display,
audio visual show and trade stands, as well as exhibitions of
winners from the British Wildlife Photography Awards and the
Scottish Nature Photography Awards.
Here’s a selection of the imagery that inspired the audience.
www.snh.gov.uk 49

Bruce Percy
1
Coming from an arts background,
Bruce Perry moved into photography
in his early 20s. He doesn’t see
photography as a medium to record an
exact statement of what was there, but
as a medium with which to convey his
own response to the landscape. He’s
travelled extensively through the past
decade, encountering such wonderful
landscapes as the Bolivian Altiplano,
the Patagonian Pampas, the glaciers
and lava fields of Iceland, and of
course, the beauty of his home land of
Scotland.
www.brucepercy.co.uk
1
Loch Lurgainn,
Inverpolly, Sutherland.
2
Selfoss waterfall,
Jökulsárgljúfur National
Park, Iceland.
3
Pirate Bay, Isle of Arran.
2 3
50 The Nature of Scotland

1
Andy Parkinson
Andy works exclusively with animals
and birds that are wild and free, and
immerses himself in the life of his
subjects in order to produce images
of behaviours that have never been
captured before. His recent work with
gannets, on assignment for National
Geographic, is an example of this.
He spent three months living on the
northernmost tip of the Shetland Islands
and had three of his tents destroyed by
ferocious gales there!
www.andrewparkinson.com
1
A single sunlit cloud
passes over part of a
gannet colony,
Shetland.
2
Cliff-top view as
gannets hang in Force
8 gales above raging
seas, Shetland.
2
www.snh.gov.uk 51

Lorne Gill
Lorne is the full-time photographer at SNH and has been involved with organising
the Scottish Nature Photography Fair since it first came to Battleby in 1996. His
work can be seen across much of SNH’s printed and digital media and will be
particularly familiar to readers of this magazine. In order to keep his approach to
photography fresh, Lorne is continually exploring new ways to capture familiar
subjects, including using techniques now offered by the new generation of digital
cameras.
www.scottishnaturephotography.com
1
Tree sparrow, Wolfhill,
Perthshire.
2
Oak woodland in
springtime, North
Wood, Kinclaven,
Perthshire.
3
Folded rocks, Falls
of Bruar, Perthshire.
1
2 3
52 The Nature of Scotland

Peter Cairns
Based in the heart of the Cairngorms, Peter Cairns is an award winning nature
photographer with a deep fascination for our relationship with the natural world.
When the digital revolution kicked in and a tsunami of top class wildlife imagery
came from seemingly nowhere, Peter knew he had to rethink his photographic
career. The result was a long transition into project based photography. In his
presentation, Peter talked about his involvement with the ‘Wild Wonders of
Europe’ project and how that led into his work with ‘2020VISION’.
www.northshots.com
1
Red-throated diver in
breeding plumage,
Bergslagen, Sweden.
2
Mute swan pair in
winter dawn mist, Loch
Insh, Scotland.
3
View along Rapadalen
from Nammajs, Sarek
National Park, Laponia
World Heritage Site,
Sweden.
1
2
3
www.snh.gov.uk 53

Sandra Bartocha
Sandra is a German photographer specialising in natural landscapes and plants, with the specific
aim of creating images that evoke an emotional response. Her images often emerge spontaneously,
influenced by the location’s mood and atmosphere. She strives for her very personal interpretation of
nature, using only photographic means of interpretation such as multi-exposures, under- and overexposures
as well as selective focus. The resulting images are small abstract details of reality.
www.bartocha-photography.com
1
1
Round-leaved sundew,
Dueodde, Denmark.
2
Heather,
Reicherskreuzer
Heide, Germany.
3
Spooky forest,
Nienhagen, Germany.
2
54 The Nature of Scotland

More people in Scotland
are taking part in regular
outdoor visits than ever before
as it’s a great way to relax
and enjoy being active. Our
‘Simple pleasures, easily
found’ campaign is targeted
at people in towns and cities,
where fewer folk feel able to
get out to enjoy nature at least
once a week
Glasgow’s
natural
treasures
1
Natural curiosity can
make for memorable
experiences.
Despite mixed weather in the last couple of summer months,
our ‘Simple pleasures’ campaign has proven that you can
most certainly enjoy the outdoors in all weather conditions.
All of our campaign projects are aimed at inspiring people
to enjoy the outdoors right on their doorstep with simple,
easy-to-do and fun activities. We’ve also been hosting
workshops and visits specifically for ethnic minority groups
from the wider Scottish community, mainly based in Glasgow.
The past few months have been eventful, with each of
the groups taking part in a range of different experiences.
They’ve enjoyed everything from climbing trees to clearing
Himalayan balsam, creating herb gardens, having picnics,
building bonfires, making nettle tea, wood carving, skimming
stones across lochs, map reading and lots more.
“The sessions are a great opportunity to discover some
of the local green places in the city and get away from the
hustle and bustle of the busy roads and streets,” commented
Suzanne Downey, who helps run the campaign for SNH.
“Some of those taking part have been particularly
56 The Nature of Scotland

1
interested to learn about some of the plants and animals in
the local parks, while others have worked a bit harder by
clearing rhododendron from an area of woods.”
The groups have included a mix of refugees and asylum
seekers from a varied range of backgrounds and faiths.
The groups are also hoping to use their experiences in the
project to complete the John Muir Award. They’ve been
busy filling out their record books with notes on the different
discoveries they’ve made.
Each group has celebrated their experiences with nature
through capturing it with photos, video and other recorded
interviews. These will be displayed along with the group’s
own leaflet featuring their suggestions and top tips for
enjoying simple pleasures and their favourite places.
Meanwhile, in Glasgow city centre we’ve
been encouraging people to get outside at lunchtime to
relax and refresh their minds. We distributed free leaflets
with ideas on where to go and what to do, and food outlets
also joined the campaign by promoting 225,000 branded
sandwich bags and coffee cup holders printed with
suggestions for lunchtime activities.
And a free mini-book, designed to dangle from a bag,
bike or buggy is also now available. Packed with 58 light
hearted and inspiring activities to appeal to both adults and
children alike, the aim is that users will do and redo each
activity and it will inspire everyone to get out more frequently.
Ideas include a scavenger hunt, making a nature orchestra,
learning about clouds, etc. The ‘dangle’ book is waterproof
too, so you can even use it in the rain.
So far in 2011, we’ve published ‘Simple pleasures’
leaflets for Glasgow, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Dumfries,
Stirling, Inverness, Paisley, Dundee and the East End of
Glasgow. Others are planned for Scotland’s other large
towns including Cumbernauld, Livingston and Kirkcaldy.
For more information about the campaign, go to
www.snh.gov.uk/enjoying-the-outdoors/simplepleasures
or find us on Facebook and search for ‘Nature
on your doorstep’.
www.snh.gov.uk 57

Red kite on the rise
The project to reintroduce the red kite to Scotland has
been hailed a great success, with the support of land
managers a crucial factor

1
Red kites are good for
business. Visitors to
the Galloway Kite Trail
have spent over £21
million since the
project began in 2004.
59

2
The red kite was perhaps the most common bird of prey in Scotland
in the 1500s and yet, 300 years later the species was extinct
here. Today, thanks to human help, the species is making a strong
comeback and undoing the wrongs of the past.
In 2010 there were some 166 pairs breeding in the Scottish countryside.
Red kites draw large numbers of wildlife enthusiasts and tourists each year,
and have even become an internet sensation this summer with a huge online
following. This success is encouraging, but it’s worth reflecting back just a few
decades to when it was a very different story.
“The red kite’s history is almost as colourful as its unmistakeable plumage,”
explained Duncan Orr-Ewing, head of species and land management at RSPB
Scotland.
“Human killing, egg and skin collecting had devastated the Scottish
population and the species had disappeared from Scotland by about 1870.
The project to reintroduce them, which has gained the support of many land
managers and international partners, is now hailed as one of Europe’s biggest
conservation success stories.”
RSPB Scotland and SNH decided in the 1980s that urgent conservation
action was required and began taking steps to reintroduce the species in Scotland.
Between 1989 and 1994, the first of four phases aimed at returning kites to
Scotland’s skies began with the release of 93 red kites of Swedish origin on the
Black Isle. Further reintroductions followed in west Perthshire from 1996, Dumfries
and Galloway from 2001 and most recently in Aberdeenshire from 2009.
However, attempts by RSPB Scotland and SNH to restore red kite
populations able to survive on their own might have come to nothing if wasn’t for
the support of many landowners, farmers, foresters and gamekeepers.
60
2
Acute eyesight enables
red kites to detect their
food.
3
Reddish-brown
feathers make the red
kite easily
recognisable.
4
An RSPB Scotland
field worker fits a radio
transmitter to a chick
on the Black Isle.
The Nature of Scotland

“The project to reintroduce red
kites… is now hailed as one of
Europe’s biggest conservation
success stories.”
3
3
Estates help
Several private estates hosted red kite release aviaries,
where young imported red kite chicks were held until they
were old enough to fledge and be released. Staff on these
estates also helped provide food supplies for the red
kites during their brief captivity and until the young birds
dispersed and were able to forage for themselves.
Moray Estates became involved in the red kite release
programme in the mid-1990s when SNH and RSPB
Scotland were looking for a central Scotland estate of a
reasonable size, where they could release birds easily with
little chance of people disturbing them. Lord and Lady Moray
were happy to take part and have kept an active interest
in the success of the programme ever since. The estate is
delighted to be part of the project and thrilled that it’s been
such a success. Indeed, it’s now an unusual day if you don’t
see a number of kites circling above the Braes of Doune.
Moray Estates are extremely proud of the many birds of
prey that they have across their estates and fully support
Scottish Land & Estates’ (the body representing land based
businesses in rural Scotland) efforts to stamp out the illegal
persecution of these birds.
Nowadays, thanks to these efforts and the continued
watchful eye of conservationists – allied with the landowners
who host breeding pairs of red kites on their land – the
species is making a slow comeback. However, Duncan Orr-
Ewing warns that the bird’s recovery is being held back by
the reckless acts of a minority.
“Unfortunately, all the hard work to return these birds
to where they rightfully belong is being put at risk by
individuals who continue to use poison baits illegally and
indiscriminately to kill wildlife in the countryside.
“The red kite is mainly a scavenger, so it’s particularly
vulnerable to this activity, even though the bird poses no
risk to any land use interests. We know from our research
and monitoring work that illegal poisoning is stopping the
spread of the red kite population in some parts of Scotland.
However, we’re encouraged that the majority of responsible
landowners are now working with us to help solve this
problem, which affects not only red kites but other vulnerable
wildlife as well.”
4
www.snh.gov.uk 61
4

5
Public viewing
There is clear public interest in red kites, as shown by the growing popularity of
viewing facilities in red kite strongholds. Among the most popular is the Galloway
Kite Trail, a self-guided tour around Loch Ken, near Castle Douglas in Dumfries
and Galloway. It promotes a carefully laid out set of locations for visitors, including
red kite viewing sites, activities and local businesses.
Farther north lies Argaty Red Kites, a private farming business near Doune that
showcases the central Scotland population. Here, you can watch kites in comfort
without the risk of disturbing the birds. CCTV cameras also provide visitors with a
closer look at kite life in the nest.
Residents in northern Scotland can visit a similar facility on Brahan Estate near
Dingwall. For the last few years, Tollie Farm has been placing a small amount of
carrion on a table to tempt red kites in and demonstrate the feeding frenzy that
can happen when these highly acrobatic and sociable birds compete for food.
And the most recent addition to the public viewing opportunities can be
viewed by people all over the world. For the first time in Scottish history, live
images of a red kite nest in Aberdeenshire were streamed directly onto the
internet, providing virtual visitors with a privileged insight into the behaviour of
these raptors as they raise their young.
So what does the future hold for these birds? As Scotland’s only native bird
of prey species whose population is entirely confined to the European continent,
and with only 22,000 breeding pairs in Europe, the red kite is sadly in decline
across much of its range. However, it’s hoped that red kites will gradually take
up residence through most of lowland Scotland where they formerly occurred,
so that this stunning bird of prey will once more become a common sight across
Scotland’s countryside.
62
5
The figure of 166
breeding red kite pairs
in Scotland is probably
higher than it has been
for at least two
centuries.
6
The kite finds food by
flying low over open
country. It uses its
forked tail to steer,
twisting it like a rudder.
The Nature of Scotland

67
8

Scottish Natural Heritage Autumn 2011
The Nature of Scotland
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The Nature of Scotland
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Kite flying
Return of the reds
Common cause
Wildlife management
and country sports
Hooray for play
Championing natural
play in schools
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64 The Nature of Scotland

www.snh.gov.uk