Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
Summer 2010
Gentle giants
Discover where
basking sharks like to
spend their summers
Paddle up
Canoe through the
Great Glen in 2012
Contents
Features
8
19
38
41
26 Public speaking
What the public think
about estates
53
Regulars
23
Where we are
SNH contact details
Welcome
Wild calendar
Where to go and what to see
this summer
16 News
20 Common heritage
Linking language and environment
36 Reserve focus
Discover Insh Marshes NNR
56 Green prescriptions
Get outdoors if you want
to feel better
60 Sound judgement
Testing the water for marine
renewables and wildlife
42 Area news
Reports from around the country
46 Events diary
Guide to whats on
49 Inspired by nature
Show and tell
whats inspired you?
58 Kids only!
Activities for younger readers
64 Mailing list
Join our mailing list
www.snh.gov.uk
Credits
The Nature of Scotland
The Magazine of Scottish Natural Heritage
Issue Number 8 Summer 2010
Published quarterly
SNH 2010
ISSN 1350 309X
Where we are
Area offices
Cover photo: Red, green and brown seaweeds in shallow water off the
coast of Coll. Photographer: Sue Scott
Inside cover: Sugar kelp Saccharina latissima in sheltered conditions off
the west coast. Photographer: Paul Kay
Welcome page: Highland darter dragonfly. Photographer: Lorne Gill/SNH
Corporate
headquarters
When you have finished with this magazine, please recycle it. Pass it to
another reader or dispose of it at your local waste-collection point.
Welcome
Simon Pepper
Board Member
Scottish Natural Heritage
Welcome to this summer issue of The Nature of Scotland. After one of the
hardest winters on record, theres the hope of a glorious summer ahead
enough to gladden the heart of anyone heading for the great outdoors. And
what a country we have to attract us outdoors! Few places in Europe can match
Scotland for the variety and wild quality of our landscapes our mountains
and coasts, woodlands and forests, islands, lochs and rivers. Scotlands towns
and cities also have plenty of natural areas nearby which are open to the public
and where wildlife is abundant. In this issue youll find articles celebrating the
wonderful opportunities that Scotland offers to get out and enjoy these places.
If youve ever been inspired by an experience of nature, you wont be surprised
to read about research that shows these experiences are good for our mental, as
well as physical, health and well-being. And it will come as little surprise either to
find that exploring our relationship with the Earth as promoted by the John Muir
Trust is good for our growth as individuals.
The natural environment is, of course, the foundation for much of our economy,
especially in rural areas. Providing for visits to the countryside and coast for all
kinds of nature-based activities is a valuable part of the rural economy. Those who
own the land have an important role here and theyre keen to play their part in
raising awareness and understanding among the general public.
Climate change is an ever-present issue these days, influencing all kinds of
thinking about the future management of our natural environment. It underlines the
importance of the pioneering work to harvest Scotlands outstanding resources
of clean renewable energy at sea. Wave, tide and wind energy could well allow
us to replace the climate-damaging combustion of coal, oil and gas, the so-called
fossil fuels. You can read about the research thats under way to ensure that we
benefit from these new energy resources without harming our marine wildlife.
This year SNH takes over responsibility for Scotlands wild deer. These iconic
animals are a valuable and much-loved part of our natural heritage. However,
they can damage crops and wildlife habitats when their numbers get out of hand.
Getting the balance right is a matter of careful judgement.
Youll find all of these topics discussed in this issue of The Nature of Scotland.
I hope you enjoy reading the articles and that at least one of them inspires you to
get out and enjoy Scotlands wonderful natural environment.
Summer
Wild
calendar
Kenny Taylor gives
some seasonal
tips for savouring
Scottish wildlife and
landscapes
Take a long summer day. Add a pinch of wildlife.
It could be the call of a lone falcon over a moor
where nothing else moves. It might be 10,000
daisies, studded like stars on the turf of a field.
Stir in some water, whether thats the river, sea,
cascade or a sunny shower. Now blend in a
Scottish backdrop to your taste. Drink deep of
this glorious season.
1
Purple milk vetch was
so-named from a belief
that it could boost milk
production in cattle
that ate it.
2
The six-spot burnet is a
day-flying moth that
often lives near the
coast. Its colours warn
predators that its
poisonous.
1
The big B at St C
Sea, sand, flowers, brightly coloured butterflies and other
insects make a potent summer combination. At St Cyrus
National Nature Reserve, near Montrose, you can see all
these things by the beach-, cliff- and grassland-load.
Part of its wildlife power comes from the sheer number of
plants here (about 350 higher plant species, and counting).
Some of these have names to quicken the pulse of those
with a liking for fine flowers. Meadow saxifrage, purple milk
vetch and bloody cranesbill are part of this exciting bunch.
Part comes from the variety of insects here, including all
five Scottish-dwelling species of grasshopper and cricket,
more than a dozen different butterflies and more than 200
species of moth. Perhaps the most striking of these moths is
the day-flying six-spot burnet, resplendent in shiny black and
scarlet.
So, in this International Year of Biodiversity, St Cyrus is a
great Scottish example of variety of life in a much-cherished
place. Give it a visit to discover what the B word really
means.
Web tips:
www.nnr-scotland.org and click Find an NNR
www.snh.gov.uk/pdfs/education/burnetmoth.pdf
www.snh.gov.uk
3
Originally native to
Spain and Portugal,
then kept in guarded
warrens, rabbits have
only become common
across Scotland in the
last two centuries.
4
The pied flycatcher is
scarce in Scotland, so
hearing one in a
summer oakwood is
always an enjoyable
surprise.
5
Every part of the Isle of
Eiggs coast is
interesting. But the
Singing Sands, where
dry grains can squeak
underfoot, is both
beautiful and
remarkable.
Web tip:
www.swt.org.uk/visit/reserves and click Visit then
Reserves
www.snh.gov.uk
1
The waters of
world-famous Loch
Ness will be a big draw
for paddlers.
2
Project officer for the
Great Glen Canoe Trail
is Donald Macpherson.
Celebrating
100,000 awards
There have been repeated warnings recently about
people becoming detached from nature. But a
successful awards scheme run by the John Muir
Trust points to hope for the future
1
Some of the scenes
and people from the
special event held
to mark 100,000
John Muir Awards.
www.snh.gov.uk
11
Journey of discovery
The John Muir Trust set up the award in 1997 to get more
people active in the conservation movement. It operates
largely through a varied range of organisations, including
schools and outdoor centres, as well as youth and
community groups over 700 made use of it last year. But
many individuals, families and small independent groups also
take part.
Theyre invited to follow in the footsteps of John Muir
(18381914), with his life-long journey of discovery and
exploration to help conserve the special qualities of wild
places. Muir was born in Dunbar, East Lothian, and went on
to become the founder of the US national parks. He is widely
regarded as the father of modern conservation. Throughout
his life, Muir shared his experiences, feelings and vision for
wild places with a wider audience, so the award participants
are encouraged to do likewise.
John Hutchison is chairman of the John Muir Trust and
believes the award is great at character forming for young
people. The experience it provides is very important for the
self-discovery that leads to self-confidence.
100,000 awards is a huge milestone to celebrate in
such a short time. The John Muir Award is firmly part of the
core work of the trusts new vision for wild land. I believe
that, through the award, were finding and nurturing the next
generation of environmental community activists.
2
Recipient of the
100,000th award was
Jake Atkinson (far left).
12
Bridges Project
HM Prison Craiginches
Aberdeen
Autumn 2009
www.snh.gov.uk
13
14
1
Poster advertising the
new campaign.
Simple and
easy campaign
A new campaign launches
in July aimed at encouraging
all of us to make better use
of the outdoors and nature
close to home.
15
NEWS
Positive and negative
Beaver activity can have both positive and negative effects on freshwater fish.
Thats the conclusion of the most thorough review ever undertaken of the effects
of beavers on freshwater fish.
The review was carried out for SNH by the University of Southampton. Its
based on studying the scientific literature and surveying 45 fishery managers and
scientists, along with beaver ecology experts, mainly in North America where most
of the research has been carried out. The report discusses the implications of this
work for the European beaver in Scotland.
Among the negative effects are beaver dams, which can sometimes stop
fish moving up or down in narrower rivers and streams. There were also reports
of some spawning areas being lost immediately upstream of dams due to more
silt being present. These effects can change over time and the influence on fish
populations remains unclear.
Beavers can also have positive effects on fish. These include an increase in the
variety of habitats in streams and a greater area for the rearing and overwintering
of fish. There are also reports of an increase in invertebrates, such as insects, on
which fish feed. Beaver activity may also help to provide refuge during periods of
high or low water flows.
Overall, the positive effects were mentioned more frequently (157 times)
than the negative effects (102 times). In the survey of independent experts, the
responses to more than half (58%) of the questions suggested that the impact of
beavers on fish was positive, with 21% negative and the remainder neutral.
The report concludes that the negative impact of beavers on the movement
of fish and the availability of suitable spawning habitat can be at least offset by
the benefits. These include an increase in the variety of habitats and the resulting
increase in the abundance and productivity of fish, including salmon.
16
Prominent Scottish landowners have united to condemn any person who illegally
poisons birds of prey or other protected species.
Over 200 signed a letter to environment minister Roseanna Cunningham,
calling for the full weight of the law to be brought to bear on those who illegally
kill raptors.
The move comes after the remains of three golden eagles, a buzzard and a
sparrowhawk were found during the first week of May on or near the grounds of
Skibo Castle, near Dornoch, Sutherland. Police are investigating if poisoning was
involved.
The letter states: It is widely recognised that wildlife management is a
complex business that continually throws up new challenges, but nothing can
justify illegal activity. It is, for us, a straightforward decision to underline our view
of illegal poisoning. Frankly, we condemn it out of hand and it has to stop.
Those of us who live and work in the Scottish countryside are appalled by
such behaviour. The only thing that is achieved by such acts is the undermining
of the excellent work that is done day in, day out on Scottish estates by owners,
land managers and gamekeepers in terms of animal welfare and conservation of
Scotlands natural heritage.
The message must go out to the people who indulge in such criminal
behaviour that what they do is totally unacceptable to the overwhelming majority
who have the true interests of the countryside at heart.
We will continue to do everything we can to ensure that message is
conveyed across the land management sector. We do not presume guilt nor refer
to any particular incident, but the apparent deliberate poisoning of protected
species in recent years has left us utterly dismayed.
We also support the full weight of the law being brought to bear on those
who are involved in illegal poisoning and endorse the efforts of the Partnership for
Action against Wildlife Crime, in which our representative organisations are active
and enthusiastic participants.
www.snh.gov.uk
NEWS
United front
17
NEWS
18
White-tailed sea eagles have a minimal impact on the deaths of lambs according
to the results of a scientific study.
The study, undertaken by the Food and Environment Research Agency for
SNH, recorded the fortunes of lambs on the Gairloch peninsula in Wester Ross,
from April to mid-August last year.
The research found that sea birds, such as fulmar, were the main source of
food for the sea eagles. There was little evidence of deaths among the lambs that
could be linked to the raptors.
This is a very timely and valuable piece of research, commented environment
minister Roseanna Cunningham. The sea eagles are a wonderful part of our
natural heritage and their reintroduction has been an outstanding success.
But we also recognise that farmers and crofters are rightly concerned about
their livestock and its important we develop our knowledge and understanding of
this issue.
Where there are problems with sea eagles predating on livestock we will look
at maintaining and improving schemes to find ways to help farmers manage their
stock to co-exist with these magnificent birds.
NEWS
www.snh.gov.uk
19
Dualchas coitcheann
Common heritage
The marsh marigold is a vivid reminder
of the close links between Gaelic culture
and the Scottish seasons, as Ruairidh
MacIlleathain explains
www.snh.gov.uk
Buidhe aig a
Bhealltainn. Bha, agus
tha, lus buidhe
Bealltainn a
comharrachadh
toiseach an
t-samhraidh ann an
inntinn nan Gidheal.
The yellow Beltane
plant. To Scotlands
Gaels, the marsh
marigold in bloom
is a traditional symbol
of the start of summer.
21
Fun in
the sun
1
Exploring the
rockpools of
Coldingham Bay in
Berwickshire at a
seashore safari event.
22
www.snh.gov.uk
23
2
Artist Fraser
MacDonald and his
assistant Neil planting
herbs in a recycled
planter at his
Garbology site at
Perth and Kinross
recycling centre.
3
Professor Keith
Nicholson helps a
couple of pupils from
St Leonards Nursery
in Edinburgh explore
the wildlife in their
pond.
4
Dennis McCullough
shows how to handle a
great tit thats been
caught at a bird ringing
workshop at Westmuir
Community Woodland,
near Kirriemuir in
Angus.
5
Perth Youth Theatre
Collective performing
the environmental play
The Tree at Larghan
Park, Coupar Angus.
24
www.snh.gov.uk
25
1
Farmland, birch
woodland and conifer
plantations in Upper
Deeside, Grampian.
Public
speaking
Welcome to
Scotlands nature
1
1
The group visited
Cleghorn Glen
woodland, where the
steep slopes have
protected the rich mix
of trees from felling
and development.
2
Martin Twiss (right)
talked about the
woodland plants that
carpet the ground
during spring and early
summer.
28
Fantastic day
because I relax
and forget about
everything... my
worries... thinking
about many things.
Quiet, peaceful...
had time to listen
to everyone and
have an opinion.
Akhmed
29
oakwoods, there was a lot of chat about childhood experiences in the outdoors,
and many questions about other places to visit and how to get there. The group
left with a commitment to plan and run another visit with the Bridges programme
staff.
Community Introductions is a partnership between SNH, Backbone and
the Forum for Environmental Volunteering Activity. Backbone is a training and
personal development organisation that promotes celebrating diversity through
adventure, primarily for women and black and minority ethnic communities.
By bringing together Backbones contacts in black and minority ethnic
communities around Scotland with our knowledge of Scotlands outdoors, the
Community Introductions project has organised a series of 12 visits to some
of Scotlands special places for nature between March and July this year. The
response from both the natural heritage sector and community groups has been
fantastic. No site manager has turned down the opportunity to take part and
offer a welcome to visiting groups, and more community groups want to visit the
outdoors than weve been able to accommodate.
The programme of visits has taken in national nature reserves at Tentsmuir,
Loch Leven and the Isle of May, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs and Cairngorms
National Parks, as well as Clyde Muirshiel and Pentland Hills Regional Parks.
For each visit, Backbone and the host organisation work together to plan
activities tailored to the visiting group, aimed at giving participants a taste of what
Scotlands outdoors has to offer whether its fun, amazing wildlife, or just a
chance to relax in beautiful surroundings. SNH are now working with Backbone
to secure further funding to extend the programme.
After each visit we ask both participating groups and the host organisation to
tell us what the visit meant to them. And the feedback shows just how important
an organised introduction can be for groups with limited access to knowledge
that many Scots take for granted.
3
The group all had a go
at exploring the woods
while blindfolded,
including Scott
Ferguson from SNH.
4
Ecofusion was a lively
and colourful day out.
30
31
5
The climbing wall was
a big hit with the
children.
6
There were
opportunities to get up
close to wildlife.
www.snh.gov.uk
33
34
www.snh.gov.uk
The organisations have been working towards the merger since the Scottish
Government announced in 2008 that they planned to bring together a number of
public bodies in Scotland.
The union of SNH and the DCS will create a stronger organisation. It will
combine the skills and experience of staff in order to provide a better service
for customers, particularly those with an interest in deer and deer management.
It means also that deer management in Scotland can be taken forward in the
context of broader nature and landscape issues, rather than as a separate activity.
In addition, the new merged organisation will be more cost-efficient through
having only one business to run rather than two separate bodies. And SNH and
DCS already share the same headquarters building in Inverness, so the upheaval
for staff has been kept to a minimum.
The merging of SNH and DCS creates an organisation that will be more
effective and efficient at looking after all of nature for all of Scotland, commented
Ian Jardine, chief executive of SNH.
Well be taking forward the full range of actions previously dealt with by the
DCS, which means that SNH will now have a bigger role in wildlife management.
We want to ensure that Scotlands wildlife is managed in a sustainable way so
that our rich natural resources remain for future generations to enjoy.
The term wildlife management is an important one. As a result of the merger,
SNH have set up a new wildlife management team, which will focus on the broad
range of issues involved in the management of certain wild species found across
Scotland from our more remote, rural areas through to the heart of our towns
and cities.
Wildlife management can be a sensitive area of work as it often involves
catching, relocating or culling animals. This necessity has to be balanced
with SNHs commitment to look after and promote our rich, varied nature and
landscapes, and also with the need for the highest standards of animal welfare.
There are a number of wild animals and plants in Scotland that are actively
managed for food, sport, conservation and profit. Some species are managed to
reduce the impact they have through damaging crops or other wildlife, such as
mink.
Other species are managed to help their population and conservation, as we
have seen with the reintroduction of birds such as sea eagles and red kites. Some
wild animals are also managed for commercial and recreational purposes and
for profit, such as the management of grouse and deer populations for country
sports.
Our wildlife, including deer, is a major asset that we need to manage and look
after for conservation as well as economic purposes. Indeed, country sports in
Scotland are the second largest primary land use (some 20%) after farming.
After August, SNH will have a broader role in terms of wildlife management,
and this will contribute significantly to the organisations overall responsibility for
helping people to understand, appreciate, value and enjoy all aspects of nature in
Scotland.
35
Reserve focus
Wetland wonder
1
The national nature
reserve includes a
large section of the
River Spey floodplain.
Reserve boundary
Parking
Viewpoint
Information board
Hide
A9(T
)
To Aviemore and
Inverness
B9152
B road
Minor road
Track
Kingussie
iv
pey
er S
Railway / Station
Reserve paths
Ri
ve
To
Newtonmore
A road
To
Aviemore
r
rT
A86
om
ie
70
B9
Ruthven
Barracks
Gordonhall
Hide
Invertromie
Tromie
Mills
Torcroy
)
T
9(
To
Insh
Invertromie
Hide
Ruthven
B970
Tromie
Bridge
To
Perth
0
0
kilometre
mile
1
1
Look out over the vast watery expanse of the Insh Marshes and
its easy to forget that youre many miles from the sea. However,
the brooding backdrop of the Monadhliath mountains and the
Cairngorms is a constant reminder of the inland location.
The marshes occupy some 10 sq km between Kingussie and
Kincraig, where the River Spey spills out onto the floodplain several
times a year. Both snow and heavy rain result in flood waters filling
up the marshland.
To reach the reserve, follow the B970 south from Kingussie,
towards and then beyond Ruthven Barracks. The reserve entrance
is just over a kilometre east of the barracks.
This walk begins at the car park and takes in both the Invertromie
(1.5 km) and Tromie Meadow (4.5 km) trails. The Invertromie Trail
takes you to hides, from where you have superb views over the
marshes. The Tromie Meadow Trail leads you to the meadows, with
their remarkable show of plants and butterflies in summer. Both
trails are unsurfaced and have steep slopes. Use the numbered map
and directions in the text to guide you around.
www.snh.gov.uk
37
3
This area overlooks Invertromie Farm, and you can see along
the length of the floodplain. Cattle, ponies and sheep graze
the marsh from spring to autumn to keep the area free from
trees and to prevent the marsh from becoming overgrown.
The marshes also provide a little grass for hay and other
forage cutting in drier areas. The floods return in late summer
and force cattle and sheep to higher ground. During the
summer months, you might see osprey hunting for fish along
the river and over open areas of water.
2
Goldeneye have been
attracted to nest at
Insh Marshes in
specially designed
boxes put up on trees
close to water.
3
Redshank like wet
grassland. Drainage on
farmland has reduced
their numbers
nationally.
4
Aspen wood was once
a popular choice for
making oars and
paddles because its
light and buoyant.
38
www.snh.gov.uk
39
5
Redstarts are summer
visitors to Britain,
arriving in April and
leaving in early
September.
6
The heath-spotted
orchid flourishes
particularly in the west
and northwest of
Britain. It likes
moorland, acidic soil or
damp pasture, and
flowers in late May to
early August.
7
Visitors enjoying the
view over Insh Marshes
from the new
information viewpoint,
part-funded by SNH.
Essential information
The reserve covers some 8 kilometres of floodplain between
Kingussie and Loch Insh. The nearest bus stop and train
station are in Kingussie, a 1.5 kilometre walk from the
reserve. Insh Marshes are connected to the Badenoch Way
cycle and walking route.
make sure you pick up after your dog and dispose of waste
carefully.
Further information
Trail length
OS maps
Terrain
The paths are unevenly surfaced and wide, with some steep
slopes, steps and rough sections.
Dogs
If you have a dog with you, please make sure you keep it on
a short lead or under close control at all times. Please also
www.snh.gov.uk
41
Moving on
Helping hands
42
Knockan face-lift
www.snh.gov.uk
43
Festival time
Heavenly rain
44
Caring developers
Gigantic scorpion
www.snh.gov.uk
45
A Bloomin Great
Day Out
Tentsmuir NNR
Fife
Sunday 25 International
Travellers
Loch Leven NNR
Tayside
46
August
Monday 2
Tuesday 3
Saturday 7
Thursday 12
Tuesday 17
Friday 20
Monday 30
Guided Walks
Knockan Crag NNR
Sutherland
Osprey Walk
Loch Leven NNR
Tayside
Tuesday 3
September
Thursday 2
Thursday 9
Guided Walks
Knockan Crag NNR
Sutherland
www.snh.gov.uk
47
48
Inspired by nature
49
Scotlands
sea monster
50
1
Basking sharks are
seasonal visitors to
Scottish coastal
waters. Theyre mainly
seen on the west coast
in summer, and
sightings peak around
August.
www.snh.gov.uk
51
7
52
www.snh.gov.uk
53
Survey work
Fifty years later, and with the shark by now a highly protected
species in Scotlands waters, the countrys wildlife trusts set
up a basking shark project to survey the same waters that
the hunters had found so productive. Would the sharks be
found in significant numbers, and would there still be key
sites focused on the areas where the hunters pursued the
big shoals? Statistics for the northeast Atlantic recorded that
81,639 sharks had been taken throughout the area between
1952 and 2004 a severe onslaught on a scarce creature.
Five years of surveys along set routes, totalling some 956
hours of actual survey time, yielded a variety of results. In the
historically important area of the Clyde Sea, we saw very few
sharks at the surface. It was disappointing to find that only
one small area, around Ardlamont Point, produced anything
more than random sightings. But the Sea of the Hebrides
was a different matter entirely. We saw sharks throughout
the area, and at two sites we recorded remarkably high
numbers of sharks on a regular basis.
Interestingly, the first of these sites was around Canna,
where the hunting story began. Between Canna and the
Hyskeir lighthouse to the south, we recorded nearly three
sharks per hour of survey, which was a remarkably high
54
Visitor favourite
Happily, hunters of a different kind now
seek out the sharks. Theyve become
a key element in Scotlands vibrant
ecotourism industry, highly popular with
visitors and film crews from around
the world. Therefore, commercial
ecotourism operators are now
encouraged to attend WiSe training
courses (www.wisescheme.org),
which recommend safe and sustainable
methods of shark watching.
The courses promote use of the
Scottish Marine Wildlife Watching
Code (see www.marinecode.org/
scottish-marine-code-g.asp), with
specific advice on being aware of
shark activity around the hotspot
sites. SNH have developed leaflets
and water-resistant maps aimed at
pleasure craft that might visit these
highly important sites. They have simple
recommendations on keeping a careful
look-out and safe speed, for the safety
of not only the shark but also the boats
and people on board.
So, history has now turned
full circle. We can still enjoy the
remarkable sight of a huge shoal of
these leviathans off the west coast of
Scotland, and close to the site where
they were first exploited. And thanks
to the conservation measures that are
in place, we can have some assurance
that this will always be the case, with
future generations still being able
to enjoy the basking shark where it
rightfully belongs.
Canna
Coll
4
If you see a basking
shark, you can report
your sighting at www.
mcsuk.org/sightings/
baskingshark.php
www.snh.gov.uk
Rough guide to
basking sharks
The basking shark is the second largest fish in
the world, after the whale shark. It can reach up
to 12m in length and 7 tonnes in weight, so its
as big as a bus!
Its found in all the worlds temperate oceans.
This is the biggest wild animal to visit Britain
regularly, but its slow moving and harmless to
humans.
Recent satellite tracking research has shown
that the shark generally moves in to deeper
water during winter, although tagged basking
sharks have also made long-distance migrations
into unexpected areas.
In one case, a shark tagged near the Isle of
Man crossed the North Atlantic, surfacing off
Newfoundland. And in another study, a shark
tagged off Florida in the United States moved to
the south, crossing the equator off Brazil.
Basking sharks feed mainly on millions of tiny
shrimp called plankton. As the shark swims
along, seawater passes through its huge mouth
and leaves through five gill arches, where the
energy-rich prey is filtered out. Theyre thought
to be capable of filtering over 1,800 tonnes
enough to fill a swimming pool of water per
hour!
They can travel on their own, but theyre social
animals and form groups, usually in small
numbers (three or four) but sometimes having
up to 50 or even 100 individuals.
Basking sharks are slow to reproduce, with
males maturing at around 15 years of age
(5.57 metres) and females at around 18 to 20
years (89 metres). After a gestation period of
up to 18 months, five or six live pups of around
1.41.6 metres are born. They may live for up to
50 years.
55
1
The path to good
health will for some
patients involve
outdoors exercise.
2
Green exercise can
take many forms.
Green
prescriptions
1
56
57
Kids only!
can find!
58
worms
SPLASH!!
This game is best played outdoors on a warm sunny day,
when clothes dont really matter! Itll work well if everyone
who takes part is a good sport. With suspicion and shock,
its great fun...
You will need: number cards (e.g. six people playing the
game = six cards numbered 1 to 6), a plastic tumbler and a
large bucket of warm water.
How to play: Choose one player to be the splasher. He picks
a number without letting anyone else see it. He then fills up
the small container with water, and stands in the centre of
the other players, who form a circle around him. The splasher
faces each person in turn, and the outside players take turns
to shout out a number between one and six. When an outside
player shouts the splashers chosen number, the splasher
throws the cup of water at them!! SPLASH!!!
www.snh.gov.uk
Sound judgement
A series of research projects is under way to
ensure the new marine renewables industry
can exist in harmony with wildlife. Kat Jones of
SNHs government relations team reports
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60
Loch Creran
1
Marine mammals, such
as seals, have an
incredibly keen sense
of hearing.
2
Caroline Carter braves
the west coast weather
to position drifting
hydrophones that can
measure underwater
sound.
www.snh.gov.uk
61
New discoveries
Scotlands coastline is one of the longest in Europe if it
was stretched out in a straight line it would reach all the
way from Scotland to Hawaii. The vast scale of Scotlands
coastal and marine resource, along with the obvious
difficulties of observing and measuring whats happening
under the surface of the sea, means that were still
discovering new species and the way that marine animals
live.
For instance, only four years ago, SNH scientists
discovered one of the worlds rarest coral-like structures in a
loch in Morven. These colonies of reef-building worms were
previously thought to exist only in Loch Creran and in three
other places in the world. Its clear that we have a challenge
ahead of us to get hold of the information we need to
ensure that we choose the best sites for marine renewable
technologies and to minimise their impacts on marine wildlife
and habitats.
Its vital that we increase our knowledge of the marine
environment if were to get marine renewable development
right, comments George Lees, policy and advice manager
for SNH. Were therefore focusing on some of the key
questions that will help ensure marine devices can contribute
to a low-carbon Scotland while not harming our spectacular
marine wildlife. We have a number of research projects
Naturally gifted
Scotland is fortunate in being blessed with a wealth of
energy from nature. We have 25% of the offshore wind, 10%
of the wave and 25% of the tidal resources of Europe. But
the rate at which we install renewables will need to increase
if were to achieve the cuts in greenhouse gases that are
needed to avoid dangerous climate change.
62
Productive seas
Scotlands seas are highly
productive and diverse, supporting
over 8,000 different species and
30% of Europes breeding seabirds.
They also create huge wind, tidal
and wave energy resources. The
connection between our renewable
energy resources and the fertility of
our seas lies in Scotlands unique
geography.
The vast ice sheets that covered
Scotland during the last ice age
carved a highly indented coastline
leaving deep lochs and over 800
islands. This gives Scotland a
coastline some 11,800 km long, as
well as some of the strongest and
most complex tides in the world.
Water flowing between the islands
and around the headlands restricts
the flow of water. This creates fierce
tidal currents and concentrates
fish into distinct areas, producing
important feeding grounds for
seabirds and marine mammals.
Scotland lies on the edge of the
European continental shelf, bearing
the brunt of the Atlantic swell and
winds that blow over thousands of
miles of ocean. Winds and waves
can be harnessed to produce
renewable energy, but Scotland
also sees the benefits in the
nutrients that are brought up from
the deep ocean and in the mixing of
the waters by waves.
Sound signatures
Once Caroline Carter has gathered information on the
soundscape in tidal areas, shes hoping to work with the
marine renewables companies to find sound signatures for
their devices. She plans to use these, and her own data, to
check whether marine mammals will be able to hear tidal
stream generators. The developers will also be doing a lot
of their own monitoring and research around the devices,
which could offer important insights if the results are shared,
she says.
Marine developers will need to carry out rigorous
monitoring when they put devices in place and will have to
provide the results to Marine Scotland and SNH. Were
looking for ways to encourage companies to share their
data without affecting their need to keep some things
confidential, George Lees commented.
Back on Loch Creran, Caroline is talking me through
the huge variety of marine devices that are currently being
planned, developed and tested. No-one knows which will
be successful in commercial terms and each could have a
different effect on the marine environment, she says. Some
marine devices could even have unexpected positive effects
for marine wildlife by providing an artificial reef for creatures
that would otherwise have nothing suitable to live on, says
Caroline. There are so many unknowns. But thats what
makes it exciting.
3
Serpulid reef in Loch
Creran. These are the
best developed reefs
of their kind in the
world. Theyre a haven
for other marine
wildlife.
www.snh.gov.uk
63
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