The Nature of Scotland â Autumn 2011 â Issue 13
The Nature of Scotland â Autumn 2011 â Issue 13 The Nature of Scotland â Autumn 2011 â Issue 13
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
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SNH Area News<br />
Northern Isles and North Highland<br />
Correspondents: Tom Kellett, Kevin Riley, Donna Yule<br />
Talking turbines<br />
Noss goes silver<br />
Bumblebee boost<br />
Earlier this summer, we hosted two<br />
drop-in events with Community<br />
Energy <strong>Scotland</strong> (CES) for anyone<br />
interested in developing small-scale<br />
wind turbines in Caithness. <strong>The</strong> aim<br />
was to give advice to developers on<br />
the potential impact <strong>of</strong> turbines on the<br />
natural heritage <strong>of</strong> Caithness. CES staff<br />
advised on whether the projects were<br />
feasible.<br />
<strong>The</strong> flat nature <strong>of</strong> the Caithness<br />
landscape makes it very sensitive to<br />
the impact <strong>of</strong> large numbers <strong>of</strong> wind<br />
turbines. <strong>The</strong> Caithness peatlands<br />
and lochs are also home to important<br />
habitats and bird populations. <strong>The</strong><br />
development <strong>of</strong> renewable technologies<br />
makes a significant contribution<br />
towards tackling climate change.<br />
However, developers also need to<br />
consider how their proposals will affect<br />
the environment.<br />
<strong>The</strong> two events attracted about 40<br />
people, who said they felt it was useful<br />
to discuss their ideas and receive<br />
advice at an early stage. This can<br />
avoid unforeseen problems cropping<br />
up later when it can be more difficult<br />
to make changes. Many <strong>of</strong> the issues<br />
involved impacts on birds within the<br />
area, particularly through collision and<br />
disturbance. Caithness has a wealth<br />
<strong>of</strong> sites designated for breeding and<br />
wintering bird populations, and we<br />
have responsibilities to protect these<br />
species, whether the turbines are<br />
located within or outwith these sites.<br />
<strong>The</strong> annual Noss National <strong>Nature</strong><br />
Reserve open day celebrated its silver<br />
jubilee in July this year. <strong>The</strong> first event<br />
took place back in June 1986 and has<br />
grown in popularity, with around 6,500<br />
people having made the ferry crossing<br />
to Noss over the past 25 years.<br />
<strong>The</strong> open day is part <strong>of</strong> the Shetland<br />
<strong>Nature</strong> Festival programme. Activities<br />
included talks and demonstrations,<br />
children’s games and face painting.<br />
For the more energetic, there were also<br />
guided walks led by local experts to see<br />
the seabird colonies and seals. SNH<br />
run a free bus from the Bressay ferry<br />
terminal to the Noss car park and this<br />
year we attracted 250 visitors.<br />
“<strong>The</strong> open day is always a great<br />
chance for anyone who’s never been<br />
to Noss to see why the island attracts<br />
visitors from around the world,”<br />
commented Glen Tyler, SNH’s reserve<br />
manager, “as well as being a fantastic<br />
day <strong>of</strong> free fun for the family.<br />
“We’re really lucky because this year<br />
the sun shone and the seas were calm.<br />
Last year’s open day had to be called<br />
<strong>of</strong>f due to bad weather, but remarkably<br />
it has only been cancelled twice in the<br />
last 25 years.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> range <strong>of</strong> the great yellow<br />
bumblebee is moving farther north in<br />
<strong>Scotland</strong>. So a local Orkney group has<br />
developed a native wildflower seed<br />
bank that can be used to create good<br />
habitat for the species. Organisers are<br />
hoping to supply seed to three large<br />
developments in Orkney.<br />
<strong>The</strong> project started in 2008 with the<br />
planting <strong>of</strong> several wildlflower species<br />
at a site at Orkney College. <strong>The</strong> seed<br />
was collected at the end <strong>of</strong> each<br />
flowering season and Orkney Islands<br />
Council gave permission in 2009 for<br />
the use <strong>of</strong> a field at Happy Valley to<br />
improve the area’s wildlife.<br />
Volunteers – including pupils from<br />
Kirkwall Grammar School, who were<br />
doing their John Muir Award – have<br />
planted the seeds collected by the<br />
group. This year, a range <strong>of</strong> plants have<br />
flowered including ragged robin, bird’s<br />
foot trefoil, red clover, water avens, cat’s<br />
ear, meadow vetchling, knapweed, selfheal<br />
and kidney vetch.<br />
Projects <strong>of</strong> this kind can make a<br />
big difference to local wildlife and they<br />
rely largely on local volunteer effort.<br />
<strong>The</strong> group is hoping to encourage more<br />
volunteers and community groups in the<br />
future to help collect seed in some <strong>of</strong><br />
the isles and for Happy Valley.<br />
42 <strong>The</strong> <strong>Nature</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Scotland</strong>
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