The Nature of Scotland

SNH Area News
Northern Isles & Northern Highland
Correspondents: Juan Brown, Ian Mitchell, Kate Thompson
Weather impacts
A predominance of north-easterly winds
has frustrated visitors trying to make
the short crossing to the spectacular
seabird island of Noss. Shetland
escaped the deluge that dampened
spring and early summer further
south, with a protracted period of
exceptionally dry weather. But with the
wind generally east of north, conditions
on the Bressay shore of Noss Sound
were just too choppy to safely land the
small inflatable ferry.
Conditions did not let up for the
ever-popular Noss Open Day, which
had to be cancelled for only the third
time in its 25-year history (all in the
past four years). Noss Open Day is
an annual event which sees hundreds
of folk flocking to the National Nature
Reserve to take part in especially laidon
events such as guided walks and
children’s activities. Let’s hope recent
patterns are merely a blip and the long
run of good open day weather resumes
in 2013!
The weather has at least been good
for delivering a plentiful supply of power
and water to the Noss wardens! With
the island isolated from mains supplies,
all this wind and sun has kept a new
solar-powered water pump and recently
overhauled 12-volt electricity supply
running at full efficiency.
Hearts pumping
Nearly 50 former cardiac patients joined
forces with SNH, the NHS, Forestry
Commission, RSPB and Highland
Council’s Countryside Rangers on two
guided walks this summer to Loch Fleet
National Nature Reserve (just south
of Golspie, Sutherland). The walks,
initiated by SNH, took participants to
the bird hide overlooking Balblair Bay.
This gave everyone an opportunity to
enjoy a good walk in the fresh air and to
learn something about the wildlife and
history of the Nature Reserve.
Patients who suffer from a range
of heart problems and are recovering
after medical or surgical treatment, can
participate in a Cardiac Rehabilitation
Programme run by the NHS where
physiotherapy staff build patient
confidence and encourage them to take
regular exercise, improving their general
health and hopefully reducing the risks
of future heart problems.
When the programme is completed,
patients are encouraged to continue
their exercises and especially to go for
regular walks in the fresh air. However,
many people who have suffered from
cardiac conditions often feel uneasy
about attempting a new unknown
walk. The guided ‘Cardiac Walks’ were
specifically designed to show former
NHS patients and their families the
easily accessible facilities that are on
many of our National Nature Reserves.
Supporting renewables
SNH staff in Orkney recently organised
workshops to support the sustainable
development of terrestrial and marine
renewables in the county.
The first workshop focused on ports
and harbours developments to support
wave and tidal projects. Attendees
included representatives from Orkney
Islands Council’s engineering, marine
and development planning departments
with guest speakers from Marine
Scotland Licensing. Presentations
on Marine Licensing, Marine Natural
Heritage and Marine Noise were
followed by informal discussions.
A second event focused on
terrestrial wind turbines, and in
particular on the recent rapid increase
in numbers of applications for small
and medium-sized-turbines in Orkney.
Specialist advisers and local staff from
SNH met with local agents and council
planners to explore a range of issues,
including cumulative landscape and
visual impacts, and to introduce the
new SNH guidance.
Both events proved successful in
raising awareness of SNH’s role with
respect to these types of development
in Orkney and in promoting constructive
working relationships on the ground.
Crucially, they have helped to identify
and promote positive approaches to
renewables developments in Orkney
that will help to avoid or mitigate
adverse impacts on the natural heritage.
42 The Nature of Scotland