The Nature of Scotland

SNH Area News
Argyll and Outer Hebrides
Correspondents: Mags Russell, Roddy MacMinn, Stephen Austin
Snapberry goes fourth
From a simple idea to encourage
teenagers to look closer at their
surrounding environment through the
lens of a camera came a multi-layered
educational arts project that has
steadily grown over its four years of
existence.
This year Snapberry, celebrating the
Year of Creative Scotland, attracted the
attention of Michael Russell MSP, who
joined the students of Lochgilphead
Joint Campus in May on their field trip
around Mòine Mhòr National Nature
Reserve. This was a great opportunity
for the students to talk about the
project and their first-hand experience
of the programme. The project cuts
across and merges parts of the school
curriculum engaging students in
creative media education.
This year the stunning images
were exhibited at The Piggery, Taynish
National Nature Reserve, in August, and
a large-scale projection is scheduled
for November as part of the Lantern
Parade/Firework celebrations in
Lochgilphead town centre, an event
attracting in excess of 3,000 people
from all parts of the country every year.
For more information on Snapberry,
contact Caroline Anderson at caroline.
anderson@snh.gov.uk or by calling
01546 603611.
Pearls in Peril
The survival of the freshwater pearl
mussel population in Harris was put
further in doubt recently with several
instances of illegal fishing being
discovered.
Freshwater pearl mussels are listed
as one of the world’s most critically
endangered species and tackling the
illegal fishery has become a wildlife
crime priority. Since 1998 it has been a
criminal offence to either remove pearl
mussels or disturb the river beds in
which they are found.
As part of the ‘Pearls in Peril’
LIFE project, SNH aims to establish
a ‘Riverwatch’ programme in Harris
during 2013. Whilst the police and
other organisations do their best to try
to tackle the illegal fishery, your help
could be crucial in conserving our
remaining populations. Pearl-fishing
often occurs early in the morning during
spring and summer and in order to
conserve our remaining populations the
public’s help could be crucial in helping
to spot and report any suspicious
activity. Signs that pearl fishing has
been carried out include piles of dead
shells on the river bank, in the water, or
at secluded spots nearby.
If you do suspect someone is pearl
fishing, or find any evidence such as
a pile of dead shells, please report
it to the nearest police station or
Crimestoppers as soon as possible.
Black Lynn action
Argyll is thought to be one of the
most biodiverse regions in the UK and
is renowned for its basking sharks,
eagles, oak woods, butterflies and
lichens. However, the majority of its
population live in towns, such as Oban,
and it is easy to forget that looking after
and enhancing the environment where
people live is just as important for their
quality of life.
SNH along with Argyll Fishery Trust,
the Wild Trout Trust and the Scottish
Environment Protection Agency recently
became involved in a community-led
project to clean up the Black Lynn
burn, which runs through the centre of
Oban and flows into Oban Bay. Like
many town centre burns, the Black Lynn
became a repository for plastic bags
and shopping trolleys with colonies of
Japanese knotweed on its banks.
However, in a recent survey, brown
trout, sea trout, flounder and a foot-long
eel were all present along with ducks
and dippers, proving that, in times
when money is tight, the hard work of
volunteers and community activists,
coupled with some well-targeted
advice, can work wonders for our
environment.
44 The Nature of Scotland