Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
uk
Spring 2010
IYB 2010
How you can help
Great Scott
Epic poem
recalled
Its criminal
Protecting our
wildlife
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Contents
Features
8
Click on nature
Log on to the green scene
32
18 Biodiversity is life
Support your local wildlife
14
38
46 Towering adventure
Moss reaches new heights
49
Regulars
22
Where we are
SNH contact details
Welcome
54 Top priorities
Rural cash boost
Wild calendar
Where to go and what to see
this spring
16 Common heritage
Linking language and environment
24 News
Natural heritage updates
27 Print out
Our latest publications
34 Reserve focus
Discover Noss NNR
40 Area news
Reports from round the country
43 Events diary
Guide to whats on
58 Kids only!
Activities for younger readers
64 Mailing list
Join our mailing list
www.snh.gov.uk
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Credits
The Nature of Scotland
The Magazine of Scottish Natural Heritage
Issue Number 7 Spring 2010
Published quarterly
SNH 2010
ISSN 1350 309X
Where we are
Area ofces
Corporate
headquarters
SNH Magazine
Great Glen House, Leachkin Road,
Inverness IV3 8NW
Email: enquiries@snh.gov.uk
Tayside and
Clackmannanshire
Battleby, Redgorton,
Perth PH1 3EW
Tel. 01738 444 177
Western Isles
32 Francis Street,
Stornoway,
Isle of Lewis HS1 2ND
Tel. 01851 705 258
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Welcome
Richard Davison
Strategy & Communications Manager
Scottish Natural Heritage
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The variety of life on Earth, or biodiversity, is our greatest asset. It supports our
economy, provides us with food and fuel, keeps us healthy and gives us fantastic
opportunities for enjoyment. But biodiversity is under threat, and for this reason
the United Nations have declared 2010 as International Year of Biodiversity (IYB).
People are very much part of biodiversity and we can all help to make sure
that the decline is stopped. Doing one thing to support biodiversity in 2010 is the
theme of the Scottish celebration of IYB. Along with the Scottish Government
and other national bodies, weve come up with six ways that people can help
biodiversity in 2010 and beyond. Find out more in the IYB feature in this issue of
The Nature of Scotland, which also reports on how successful Scotland has been
at maintaining and improving our biodiversity.
Its usually committed people who make a big difference to biodiversity, and
celebrating their success is an important way to encourage others. So weve got
articles on how the police and others are working to reduce wildlife crime; the
land managers who are taking on schemes to help wildlife through Scotlands
Rural Development Programme; and a project thats raising awareness of how
moorland can be managed to benet biodiversity.
One great way that all of us can get more involved is simply to go out and
enjoy Scotlands nature and landscapes. The public certainly did that 200 years
ago after reading Sir Walter Scotts poem Lady of the Lake. Set in the Trossachs,
this remarkable poem created Scotlands rst tourism boom, and in this issue you
can read about plans to celebrate the anniversary of this historic publication. We
also have features on an innovative health walks project and a guide to one of this
countrys great seabird colonies. Farther aeld, we look at the work of our sister
agency in Slovenia and the wonderful wildlife and landscapes of that country.
I hope you enjoy this issue of The Nature of Scotland and that it inspires you
to do one thing for Scotlands biodiversity in 2010.
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Wild calendar
Kenny Taylor
gives some
seasonal tips
for savouring
Scottish wildlife
and landscapes
Some signs of spring are up front, others more
subtle. Pastel hues of primroses and vibrant
feathers of red grouse can be a part of this time
of year, when each day seems to bring changes to
the local scene. Sap is rising in the birches, while
brown hares are chasing in the elds. So go on
out there and catch the tingle.
1
The size of the crimson
wattles above the eyes
of cock red grouse
peaks at the time of
early spring mating.
www.snh.gov.uk
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2
Primroses need plenty
of sunlight to ower
and set seed, whether
in woodland, before
trees are in leaf, or in
coastal grasslands.
3
The 11 fossil trees in
Glasgows Victoria
Park would have stood
about 30 metres (98
feet) tall when they
were alive in an ancient
grove.
4
Brown hares rely on
good eyesight and
keen hearing to stay
alert for predators and
can run at up to 70
km/h (43 mph) to avoid
danger.
Box clever
Lengthening days seem to push
a button in a brown hares brain.
It changes from a shy creature to
something of an extrovert.
Boxing, during which two animals
rise up and pummel paws and forelegs
in an open eld, is the most dramatic
display of a brown hares spring fever.
These contests often result from a
female repelling the advances of a male
(or testing his mettle), rather than from
male-to-male battles.
Such vigorous mating-season antics
are doubtless why hares, for much
longer than the proverbial bunny, have
had an association with Easter. The
Angles, who settled in the Lothians
in the late 7th century, had a fertility
goddess called Eostre, who may have
had hares as attendants.
Whether or not that was true,
elds in places fringing Edinburgh and
beyond including the skirts of the
Pentland Hills are still good places
to look for hares. So too is Fife, which,
together with the Lothians, is thought
to be home to more brown hares than
other parts of Scotland.
Web tip:
download.edinburgh.gov.uk/
biodiversity/025_Brown_Hare.pdf
www.mammal.org.uk/ and search for
brown hare
www.snh.gov.uk
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Click on nature
If youre searching for
information about Scotlands
natural world then look no
further. Chances are youll nd
it on SNHi, says Alan McKirdy,
SNHs head of information
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2
Detailed maps on SNHi
allow you to explore
millions of wildlife
records from across
Scotland.
www.snh.gov.uk
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1
The virtual world
places a vast collection
of information about
the natural world at
your ngertips.
10
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www.snh.gov.uk
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11
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1
River Soca in spring,
Triglav National Park,
Julian Alps.
2
Wildower meadow
with view over
Polhograjski Dolomiti
and the Ljubljana
Basin, Gorenjska.
3
Darij Krajcic (left),
director of the IRSNC,
and SNH chief
executive Ian Jardine
signing an agreement
of cooperation
between the two
countries.
www.snh.gov.uk
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4
The olm is sometimes
called the human sh
because of its skin
colour. It eats, sleeps
and breeds under
water in the
underground
limestone caves.
5
Marmots live in
burrows and hibernate
there through the
winter.
6
A European brown bear
in Coceniski Sneznik
forest. Slovenia has a
population of some
450 bears.
14
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15
Dualchas coitcheann
Common heritage
The English calendar is based on
the Roman model, but the Gaelic
names for the months of the year
are closely linked to Scotlands
environment and our Celtic heritage.
Three of them recall animals, both
wild and domesticated, as Ruairidh
MacIlleathain explains
Ar mosan ainmhidheach
Tha mosachan na Gidhlig gu math eadar-dhealaichte bhon fhear Bheurla. Tha
ainmean nam mosan ann am Beurla stidhichte air mosachan nan Rmanach.
Tha na mosan ann an Gidhlig ainmichte, anns an fharsaingeachd, air rudan
co-cheangailte ri rainneachd na h-Alba no ar dualchas Ceilteach. S e an aon
mhos aig a bheil cumantas eadar an d chnan Am Mrt/March air a bheil ainm
stidhichte air Mars, Dia a Chogaidh aig na Rmanaich.
Tha Am Faoilleach a ciallachadh mos a mhadaidh-allaidh. S e faol seann
fhacal a tha a ciallachadh madadh-allaidh agus bha Faolan cumanta o shean
mar ainm r. Bha Naomh Faolan (Saint Fillan ann am Beurla) gu math ainmeil
uaireigin agus tha an cinneadh MacIllFhaolain (MacLellan) ann am bith fhathast.
Cha robh na Gidheil leotha fhin ann a bhith ag aithneachadh gum b e toiseach
na bliadhna an t-m as miosa airson mhadaidhean-allaidh, leis gun robh na
creutairean sin acrach (ged a bha am Faoilleach o shean a gabhail a-steach
toiseach a Ghearrain cuideachd); ghabh Sasannaich na seann aimsire wolf month
air an dearbh mhos.
Tha drna mos na bliadhna, An Gearran, ainmichte airson each a chaidh a
spothadh (no a ghearradh) agus tha am facal a tha an-diugh a ciallachadh
each beag dthchasach air a dhol a-steach don Bheurla mar garron. Eadar
toiseach na bliadhna agus toiseach an t-samhraidh bha sreath de ghaothan a
bhiodh na seann daoine ag aithneachadh; bha iad air an ainmeachadh airson
diofar ainmhidhean. S e an Gearran an aon t dhiubh a chaidh a ghlidheadh mar
ainm mosa anns a mhosachan nodha.
S e ainm an deicheamh mosa s dcha am fear as motha a tha a sanasachd
nan dlth-cheanglaichean eadar ar cnan is ar n-rainneachd oir s e sin An
Dmhair. Tha sin a tighinn bho damh-dir, an t-m nuair a bhios na dimh
ruadha a direadh leis na h-ildean. Chan eil m nas tarraingiche na sin ann
an Alba, le dathan is solais an fhoghair a cur ri birich iongantach nan damh air
beanntan na Gidhealtachd.
Dhfhaodamaid a rdh cuideachd gu bheil na mosan a leanas a riochdachadh
rainneachd no aimsir na h-Alba gu re: An Giblean (nuair a tha beathaichean
gibeach s didh a gheamhraidh), An Citean (toiseach an t-samhraidh), An
t-gmhios (nuair a tha na lusan is beathaichean g agus a fs), An t-Sultain
(nuair a tha sult air an spridh s didh an t-samhraidh) agus An Dbhlachd
(nuair a tha an saoghal a fs dubh dorch).
16
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1
Gearran Rmach. Tha
ainmhidhean mar seo
air an comharrachadh
anns an ainm a th
againn airson drna
mos na bliadhna, An
Gearran.
Highland ponies, like
this one from Rum, are
often known as
garrons, from the
Gaelic gearran. The
Gaelic for February is
An Gearran, recalling a
time when Gaels
named the winds in
late winter and spring
after animals.
Animal months
The Gaelic calendar is strongly linked to
both the Scottish environment and our
Celtic heritage. Only one month (Am
Mrt/March) has anything in common
with the English names for months, with
both being based on the Roman style
of naming.
Three Gaelic months are named
after animals. January is Am Faoilleach
(sounds like um FOEUIL*-yuch, where
* is similar to the vowel sound in the
French oeuf). This is the wolf month,
when these wild animals were reputedly
at their most dangerous because of
hunger.
The following month is An Gearran
(un GYAR-un). The word gearran
originally meant gelding, but has
become applied to Highland ponies
and entered the English language as
garron. The old Gaels recognised
a series of winds in the late winter
and spring that were important for
calculating when to carry out farming
activities. They named these winds after
animals. The horse wind has survived
into modern times as the Gaelic for
February.
Finally, October is An Dmhair (un
DAAV-ur), the time of the deer rut,
a very apt descriptive name for that
month in the Scottish Highlands.
www.snh.gov.uk
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17
Biodiversity
is life
18
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1
Otters are one of
Scotlands biodiversity
success stories. Their
range has expanded
greatly in the last 30
years and theyre now
found across most of
the country.
2
Environment minister
Roseanna Cunningham
launched the
International Year of
Biodiversity in
Scotland at the Royal
Botanic Garden in
Edinburgh in January.
www.snh.gov.uk
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The bird populations of farmland, woodland, water and upland areas have
mainly increased over recent years.
Theres less pollution of our air, land and water. This has allowed wildlife to
move back into parts of Scotland that had become run down through industrial
use and neglect. Otters are re-established in the central lowlands and the
variety of sh is being restored in the Forth and Clyde rivers and rths.
We no longer see major losses of our more natural habitats, although the
variety of plants dropped between 1998 and 2007. Woodland has taken on a
more natural appearance, which has improved Scotlands scenery and provided
opportunities for wildlife to ourish.
Good progress has been made in stopping the decline of very vulnerable
habitats and species, and in safeguarding protected areas. However, some
species and habitats are causing concern, such as commercial sh stocks at
sea. The number of seabirds around Scotland has also been falling since 1991.
19
Getting better
Thanks to the work of many people and organisations
throughout Scotland, we can see changes for the better in
many areas and for many species, commented Ian Jardine,
chief executive of SNH. For example, otters are now found
in 92% of Scotland, compared with just 57% in 1979.
This report conrms that weve made major progress in
protecting Scotlands wildlife and natural resources but
we have more work to do. Around the world, biodiversity
is being lost at an increasing rate and halting this loss in
Scotland will need constant effort over a longer period.
International Year of Biodiversity provides a great
opportunity for everyone to build on what weve achieved so
far, and to work together to make sure that Scotland remains
at least as diverse and beautiful as it is today.
What is biodiversity?
Put simply, biodiversity is
the variety of life around
us. Its the whole range
of living things on Earth
plants, animals and microorganisms, as well as the
places where they live.
Humans are an integral part
of biodiversity too, and have
the power to protect or
destroy it.
Biodiversity is important
because without it we
wouldnt be able to survive.
It provides:
> Life support systems
such as clean air, clean
water, food
> Raw materials
fossil fuels, wood
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Buy seasonal
Healthy biodiversity is vital for
growing the food we eat.
Growing healthy food requires healthy
soil, fresh air, clean water and insects
(such as bees to fertilise crops).
We can help by doing things
like buying local, seasonal food
(supporting Scottish farmers, reducing
the carbon footprint, better for
biodiversity); growing some of our
own food (allotments, vegetables in
our own gardens); reducing the use
of pesticides, and encouraging and
supporting wildlife.
For further information, click on:
www.whatsonyourplate.co.uk
www.scottishfarmersmarkets.co.uk
Experience nature
on your doorstep
Nature can be found everywhere even on your
doorstep. So why not get outdoors more often
and discover Scotlands nature close to where you
live?
Experiencing nature on your doorstep is local, can be done
by bus, train, foot or cycle, has a low carbon footprint, is
good for your health, and you can see some great wildlife.
There are opportunities for everyone throughout the year to
enjoy the variety of nature in their local area on their own,
with their family, or with organised groups.
Its easy and fun to do, good for your health and well-being,
and can t in well with busy lives.
Go to:
www.snh.org.uk/scottish/2010yearofbiodiversity.asp
www.snh.gov.uk
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21
22
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www.snh.gov.uk
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23
NEWS
Minister and Maisie go to Blackridge
Childrens author Aileen Paterson, creator of the Maisie books, and environment
secretary Richard Lochhead made a visit to Blackridge community centre in West
Lothian recently to meet some young artists.
The community centre is hosting an exhibition featuring paintings and other
artworks produced by children from Blackridge Primary School. The collection has
been inspired by Blawhorn Moss National Nature Reserve, which lies next door
to the school. Staff from SNH and the National Galleries of Scotland have been
working with the children to develop their interest in environmental art.
Environment secretary Richard Lochhead was given a preview of the exhibition
by children from the school. Encouraging children to look at the natural world
and interpret it in creative ways is helping to build our future, commented Mr
Lochhead. If we grow up understanding and appreciating our natural environment
then were more likely to look after it. Blackridge children are very lucky to have this
important reserve on their doorstep.
Pictured above are author Aileen Paterson with two pupils from Blackridge
Primary and a puppet version of Maisie. Aileens popular creation Maisie is a kitten
who lives with her granny in Morningside, Edinburgh, and gets up to all sorts of
mischief.
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Staff at Scotlands best-known outdoor clothing and equipment shops are being
offered free training to help spread awareness of the Scottish Outdoor Access
Code (the Code).
The high street training sessions will allow sales staff to develop their
understanding of the Code. They can then encourage customers to think about
their own behaviour and how best to leave no trace when enjoying Scotlands
great outdoors.
The training programme has been adapted from the Code and created
specially for retail staff. It covers the key Code messages as well as specic
responsible camping advice. Around 20 sessions have been delivered so far to
over 100 staff.
SNH have a duty to promote responsible access and maintain Scotlands
natural beauty, remarked SNH campaign ofcer Kirstin Guthrie, but these are
also important to retailers who rely on the outdoors for their business. We realised
there was a missed opportunity here as they speak to our target market every
day. So weve made it easy for retailers to help deliver these key messages to
customers by offering free training, point of sale leaets and swing tags to attach
to stock. To nd out more, contact Kirstin on 01738 458 633.
NEWS
www.snh.gov.uk
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25
NEWS
Squirt alert
A small colony of an invasive species
called carpet sea squirt has been found
at Largs in the Firth of Clyde. This is the
rst sighting of the species in Scotland,
although its previously been found in
Wales, Ireland and the south coast of
England.
The carpet sea squirt (shown on the
right in the picture alongside) is thought
to have come originally from Japan.
It can reproduce and spread rapidly
and tends to smother other marine life
growing on the seabed. Its especially
good at growing over underwater
structures such as sh farming
equipment, boat hulls and pontoons.
Experience from other parts of the
world has highlighted it as a potential
nuisance species that causes economic and environmental problems.
The carpet sea squirt is most likely to spread by attaching itself to the hulls of
boats. Its a distinctive mustard, pale orangey-yellow or beige colour and often
appears as pale at patches. Larger growths may look like wax dripping from
articial structures just below water level. Its surface has leaf-like veins with tiny
pores and it has a spongy texture and a leathery feel to it.
SNH, Marine Scotland and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency
are planning how to deal with the discovery of the carpet sea squirt in Scottish
waters. As with any marine non-native species, removal is difcult and costly.
However, a recent programme to remove it from Holyhead harbour in Wales had
some success, and its hoped that a similar response in Scotland could prevent
further spread.
For more information about the carpet sea squirt, visit www.snh.org.uk/
carpetseasquirt. If you think you may have seen this species, please email
carpetseasquirt@snh.gov.uk
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Print out
Red squirrels
An updated version of our popular Red Squirrels publication will
shortly be available. Its crammed with the latest stunning red squirrel
images and explores the life cycle and behaviour of one of Scotlands
favourite mammals. It also considers the issues facing the species
today.
This publication is part of our long-running Naturally Scottish
series, which also features whales, seals, badgers and bumblebees.
For a full overview of the Naturally Scottish series, visit the
publications area of our website at www.snh.gov.uk/pubs
You can order copies of SNH publications via our website. You can also buy them in person from the shop in the reception area of our
Battleby ofce, near Perth. Most SNH publications are free, but the Naturally Scottish and Landscape Fashioned by Geology series do
carry a cover price. Hard copies of our research and report series are also priced items.
www.snh.gov.uk
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27
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1
Take a walk! Youll
learn more about your
local area, meet other
people and soon start
to feel healthier.
2
Walking as part of a
group can be fun and a
good way to mix
socially.
Volunteer leaders
www.snh.gov.uk
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The 3,700 volunteer walk leaders in Scotland are the backbone of hundreds
of health walk schemes. Theyre often drawn from the people who take part in
the regular walks and who are therefore most likely to appreciate the needs of
local people. They understand their feelings about the local environment and the
barriers to getting out and about.
NHS Health Scotland recommend that adults should take at least 30
minutes of moderate physical activity on most days of the week. However, the
Government believe that 60% of adults arent meeting even this minimal target.
Lorraine Crawford, a young mum from Barmulloch in Glasgow, was one of them,
until she joined a health walk as a way of meeting people and taking a break from
the stresses of family life. Now shes a volunteer walk leader, and Lorraine praises
health walks for allowing people to mix socially.
The fact that youre able to walk regularly as part of a like-minded local group
is what appeals to inactive people, Lorraine commented. Very few of the folk
taking part would be interested in becoming involved with sport or facility-based
exercise.
We all help each other and enjoy catching up. We feel like were taking back
the streets, paths and parks, which might otherwise seem threatening if you were
on your own, particularly to women and older people.
29
A key part of the Paths for All vision of a happier, healthier, greener and more
active Scotland is that paths which look inviting and appealing for outdoor activity
exist in all parts of the country. These can provide a health walk around an urban
housing estate or a mountain bike ride in a national park.
We receive statistics from around 150 volunteer-led walks per month,
explained Ian Findlay, chief ofcer with Paths for All, and weve come to realise
that what started out as a separate project is now central to what our organisation
is about.
We believe everyone has the right to enjoy their outdoors and to live a
more active lifestyle, regardless of their age, gender, ability or social or ethnic
background.
Our walking for health work is aimed at the most inactive in society, who are
often also those suffering the highest levels of inequality and can be the most
difcult to reach. Through the community health walk scheme were showing that
the simple act of walking and socialising together is helping to change peoples
quality of life for the better and creating more vibrant communities.
2
Walk leader Lorraine
Crawford (in red) and
some of her fellow
walkers from
Barmulloch celebrate
at a Paths for All
awards ceremony.
3
Paths for Alls Ian
Findlay (left) and public
health minister Shona
Robison (right) lead a
health walk in Fife.
Joint approaches
And the links between health and our environment are becoming more widely
recognised. When the Scottish public health minister Shona Robison recently
visited Fife, we were able to point to the path network as an example of the
way forward. Paths for All had worked along with the local authority, and part
of the development costs had been paid for by the local health board, who had
recognised the health benets of walking.
These joint approaches between health and environment agencies and local
authorities are practical and benecial. Theyre likely to be even more so in the
future, given the squeeze on public spending thats forecast for the next few
years.
Lorraine Crawford is in no doubt about the benets for individuals. Walking
has helped change my life, so why wouldnt I want to help others take the steps to
change theirs?
30
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www.snh.gov.uk
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31
32
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www.snh.gov.uk
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1
Hen harrier chicks in
the nest on Langholm
Moor.
2
A couple of pupils from
Langholm Academy
give Cat Barlow a
helping hand with bird
box building.
33
Seabird
skyscraper
34
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Charlies Holm
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0
4
Cradle Holm
1
kilometres
Faedda Ness
www.snh.gov.uk
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35
2
In the 19th century, a hill dyke was built between Voe o da
Mels (meaning inlet of sands) and the Geo of North Croo.
This wall separates the better land on the west side of the
island from the rough hill ground. During lambing, the ock
of 350 sheep are brought to the west of the dyke, where the
shepherd can keep an eye on them.
You should see small numbers of grey or common seals
hauled out in this area, or you may even spot an otter. We
have recorded grey seal and common seal pups on the
island for the rst time in recent years, and there are also
several otter holts.
36
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4
A short climb from the southeast corner of the island brings
you to level ground where a chasm opens between you and
a 50 metre (164 ft) high grass-covered stack. This is the
Holm (small island) of Noss, or Cradle Holm.
People once risked life and limb going over to this high
rock stack in search of extra sheep grazing or to collect bird
eggs for food. For over 200 years, they travelled over to
the rock on a cradle. This was a box that ran on two ropes
between Noss and the holm, and which carried sheep or
people.
5
Just round the corner from Cradle Holm, you come upon the
Noup (high headland) of Noss. These are the highest cliffs
on Shetlands east coast, rising to some 181 metres
(592 ft). The sandstone cliffs have been worn away to
expose striped layers of red, yellow and grey rock weathered
into a honeycomb of crevices and ledges.
These tiers of ledges are packed with thousands of
bickering and screaming seabirds. The most numerous birds
are the 45,000 guillemots, followed by some 8,000 pairs of
gannets, along with smaller numbers of fulmars, razorbills,
black guillemots, kittiwakes and pufns.
www.snh.gov.uk
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1
The sandstone cliffs of
Noss have weathered
to produce horizontal
ledges and honeycomb
holes that are perfect
for nesting.
2
Hardy Shetland sheep
live on the island all
year round.
3
The great skua is a
pirate of the seas. It
pursues birds as large
as gannets to steal a
free meal.
4
The Noup of Noss is
one of the rst, or last,
sights for generations
of Shetland travellers.
37
6
Continue round onto the north side of the island and you
arrive back at the hill dyke. A short distance after this you
reach Papil Geo (small inlet of the priest, although theres
no other evidence of religious use here). This is the nearest
spot from the ferry for those visitors who have little time on
Noss but are keen to see pufns.
The pufn is one of the worlds favourite birds. Adults
arrive back at the breeding colony in April and leave again
by the end of July to spend winter in the North Sea or North
Atlantic. They can live for more than 30 years and generally
mate for life, returning to the same cliff-top burrow year after
year. Their young are called pufings, which seems oddly
appropriate for the bird thats known by many as the clown
of seabirds.
5
The British Isles hold
about 10% of the
worlds pufns.
6
Noss is one of the
most popular places to
visit in Shetland.
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Essential information
Boats
OS maps
Explorer 466 Active Map
Shetland Mainland South
Trail length
Terrain
The path round the island is rough in places and can be
slippery when wet. Expect a gradual climb from sea level to
181 metres (592 ft) at the Noup.
Please wear sensible footwear so that you can cross
the rocks safely when using the Noss boat they can be
slippery. You should also take warm waterproof clothing, as
the Noss weather can be very changeable.
Parts of the path and viewpoints are on the edge of
unfenced cliffs, so please take great care.
Dogs
The SNH boat is not suitable for dogs.
Further information
Theres a small information centre on Noss where SNH
staff provide an introductory talk for all ferry passengers
upon landing. A leaet about Noss is available in alternative
formats, including large print and audio format at
www.snh.org.uk/pubs
www.snh.gov.uk
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39
Up close
A rosy future?
40
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Clearwater revival?
Solar-powered eagles
www.snh.gov.uk
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41
LIFE+ launches
Return to normal
42
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Half-day workshops with an opportunity to recreate some of the reserves plants and animals
in air-hardening clay. You can then take your
creations home with you! Booking essential as
space is limited.
Thursday 1
Guided Walks
Knockan Crag NNR
Sutherland
www.snh.gov.uk
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43
Wednesday 12
SGP: Small-scale
wind and
micro-renewable
technology
Battleby, Perth
June
Thursday 3
SGP: Rural/urban
myths
Battleby, Perth
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Wednesday 16
Thursday 17
Friday 18
Saturday 19
Coastal Biodiversity
Taynish NNR
Tayvallich
Argyll
Tuesday 22
Management
Proposals
Moine Mhr NNR
Near Kilmartin
Argyll
Wednesday 23
Thursday 24
SGP: Outdoor
learning for teachers
Badaguish,
Near Aviemore
Thursday 24
SGP: Mainstreaming
green prescription
Central Belt
Saturday 26
Saturday 26
Saturday 26
Open Day
Moine Mhr NNR
Near Kilmartin
Argyll
Wednesday 30
www.snh.org.uk
www.snh.gov.uk
45
Towering adventure
1
Youngsters from
Thornhill Primary
helped local MSP and
minister for
parliamentary
business, Bruce
Crawford, to ofcially
open the new Flanders
Moss viewing tower.
2
The 900 metre (half
mile) all-abilities path
and boardwalk allows
visitors to walk around
part of this ancient
bogland.
46
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1
Birds of prey continue
to be persecuted in
Scotland. This female
golden eagle was shot
near Peebles in 2007. It
was one of the only
breeding pair in the
region .
2
Its illegal to catch
freshwater mussels to
look for any pearls they
may contain.
2
49
Priority species
The WLEWG is made up of the
police including the National Wildlife
Crime Unit and a number of relevant
organisations. Every year the group
looks again at the conservation
priorities for policing. The current ones
are crimes against bats, freshwater
pearl mussels and rarer birds of prey
(golden eagle, white-tailed eagle, hen
harrier, goshawk, red kite), as well as
the illegal international trade in certain
species.
So, in a practical sense, how does
all this actually help prevent wildlife
crime and enforce the law? If we look at
prevention rst, then awareness raising
is critically important. We have to give
advice to people to make sure they
remain within the law. Its also important
that others who may see an offence
taking place can recognise it as being
illegal and know how to report it. Much
of this is put across in presentations
by wildlife crime police ofcers, with
around 150 talks and roadshows every
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Convictions
3
The worst threat faced
by badgers is badger
baiting, where people
send dogs down
badger setts and
gamble on which
animal will survive the
ght that follows.
4
In Shetland a
sherman clubbed
grey seal pups to death
in 2008 with a wooden
fence post. He was
jailed for 80 days.
There are now many successes to show for the investigations into reports
of wildlife crime and the prosecutions that follow. For instance, in 2005
Strathclyde Police became aware that a badger sett had been lled with slurry.
Working with partners Scottish Badgers and North Lanarkshire Council, the
sett was slowly excavated. As the slurry ran out during the dig, so did a badger
which would otherwise have been condemned to death through starvation or
suffocation. The police traced the person responsible and he was eventually
ned 800.
In a case the following year in Lothian and Borders, staff from the Scottish
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) and the Royal Society
for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) helped police to trace a man with a mist
net who was trapping nches. More birds that had been taken from the wild
were found in the mans aviary, which resulted in him being charged and ned
1,000. The man also had an address in England and, after investigations there,
a case was submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service. On this occasion, the
man received a conditional discharge from the court but had to pay costs of
11,750.
In 2006, in the rst conviction of its kind in the UK, a man was ned 500
after recklessly disturbing dolphins in the Moray Firth. He was seen speeding on
a jet-ski right through a school of bottlenose dolphins, then executing a number
of rapid turns back through the school again. Much of this evidence was caught
on digital camera. More recently and again a rst UK conviction of its kind a
man was jailed for 80 days in 2008 after clubbing to death 21 grey seal pups
on the island of East Linga in Shetland. There are also a number of ongoing
cases relating to the poisoning of birds of prey.
Its not yet perfect, but the work of police wildlife crime ofcers mostly
carried out with help and advice from our partner agencies and the increased
awareness of all operational ofcers of wildlife crime issues, is beginning to
make a difference.
www.snh.gov.uk
www.snh.org.uk
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51
7
52
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1
The makings of a
perfect day Moray
Firth dolphin watching
at Chanonry Point on
the Black Isle.
2
Team-building events
are a popular part of
the Maximillion range
of services.
www.snh.gov.uk
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53
Top priorities
Over 1,000 farms and estates across Scotland
have won ve-year government contracts over
the last couple of years aimed at helping them
conserve their wildlife. The awards have typically
been worth about 50,000 each, with the money
coming from the rural priorities strand of the
Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP).
The programme still has three years to run, so theres time
yet for farmers and land managers to put together a bid. The
decisions on funding are made by regional panels that meet
several times a year, with applications judged against agreed
priorities. One of the top priorities for nature conservation is
to see sites of special scientic interest (SSSIs) and Natura
sites thriving, so high scores usually go to applicants aiming
to maintain or restore sites to good condition. Conservation
work outwith SSSIs can receive funding too, but the scheme
is competitive and success depends on scoring highly for
other wildlife management priorities.
Specialist advice is usually needed to get SSSI
management right, so the scheme will pay part of the costs
if you want to hire someone to produce a plan. SNH can
also advise on suitable management and may be able to
visit and talk about whats required. If youre considering
an application on your SSSI, then it would certainly be
worth your while contacting your local SNH ofce to talk it
through. The next rounds for SSSI management proposals
are in August and October 2010, with applications normally
having to be in several months before. For more information
on the scheme, go to the rural priorities page on the Scottish
Government website www.scotland.gov.uk
Over the page are some examples of the sorts of projects
that have been successful so far in attracting funding.
1
Saltmarsh and croft
land at Northton on the
Isle of Harris, Western
Isles.
54
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55
2
Sphagnum mosses
make up the living
surface of Scotlands
peatlands. These
ancient landscapes are
home to rare plants
and birds.
3
Corn buntings have
declined by a
staggering 83% over
the past 20 years. Their
numbers have
plummeted since the
1970s as a result of
intensive farming.
4
Britain is now one of
the major European
strongholds for the
marsh fritillary
buttery. But even here
its range has reduced
by over 62%.
No trees please
Cobbinshaw Moss is a wild area of peatland in West Lothian
that needs to stay wet in order to maintain its interest. Many
of the plants and animals for which its special along
with the patterned surface of mosses and pools would
disappear if it dried out. Its therefore vital that trees dont
get a chance to grow on the moss, as they suck water out of
the ground. The SRDP has provided funding to install stock
bridges so that sheep can graze the whole area and eat any
tree seedlings that appear.
The only source of water for the moss is rain, so its
important to block the places where the water can run off.
Moss owner Matthew Hamilton has also been given funding
to block the channels created where people used to work
the peat.
Living traditions
Traditional ways of working the land are often the best for
wildlife, and this is particularly true on the machair of the
Western Isles. SRDP can be used to help boost the crofting
economy, so that people can stay and maintain traditional
crofting methods, which then deliver huge benets for
wildlife and the landscape of the islands.
Northton Common Grazings, on the island of Harris, are
getting 100,000 over the next ve years. In return, they will
grow an oats and barley mix on six hectares (15 acres) of
the machair to use as cattle feed in the winter. The crop will
be fertilised with seaweed, harvested using a reaper-binder
and then stooked.
This form of traditional crofting should benet rare birds,
such as the corn bunting, and retain a long-established look
to the landscape. In addition, cattle and sheep grazing will
be managed, which will benet the grasslands rich variety
of wild owers, and marram grass will be planted to help
stabilise the sand dunes. All this work should also have
knock-on benets for the islands tourism industry.
The Nature of Scotland
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Buttery havens
The marsh fritillary buttery is disappearing across Europe.
It relies on wetland thats traditionally grazed with cattle, and
for many farmers that just isnt protable. The necessary
positive management isnt likely to happen unless the farmer
gets cash from the SRDP to cover the extra costs for
grazing suitable wetland and bog sites.
David Colthart farms some eight hectares (20 acres) of
grassland thats rich in species at Appin in Argyll, and he
was one of the rst to benet from rural priorities funding. He
doesnt have an SSSI, but he found that if he made sure bits
of his farm were right for this scarce species then he would
get priority points. David and other farmers with land thats
suitable for marsh fritillaries have been advised by SNHfunded Buttery Conservation expert Tom Prescott. Tom has
found that initial grumbles about how complex SRDP seems
have largely given way to growing enthusiasm for what
can be done. The payments help, of course managing
grassland for wildlife attracts 111 per hectare a year.
Beef relief
Many of the sites across Scotland that are valuable for
wildlife need to have a certain level of livestock grazing on
them. Cattle and sheep numbers can be ne-tuned to get
it right for conservation, but the farmer may not have the
facilities required to support the levels of livestock.
Blackpark is a small beef unit near Castle Douglas in
Galloway. Thick vegetation is crowding out some of the
native animals and plants found there (such as water rail
and spignel) because the level of summer grazing isnt high
enough. The owner, Lynda McQueen, needed somewhere to
put the livestock in winter as so much of the land is ooded.
SRDP covered the cost of a new shed and agreed an annual
sum in return for grazing the site.
www.snh.gov.uk
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...initial grumbles
about how complex
SRDP seems have
largely given way to
growing enthusiasm
for what can be done.
57
Kids only!
Spring is one of the most beautiful and welcoming
seasons of the year, so grab your coat, put your
wellies on and get outside!
P$kHadH1
You can make your den as simple or
as fancy as you want. For younger
children, an old blanket draped across
the washing line or a great big
cardboard box will do the job. If an
adult will help, you could nail together
some old bits of wood (or pallets).
Leave space for a door, use a saw to
cut out a window, and then throw a
tarpaulin over the top for the roof.
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59
60
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61
Inuence
Background
Lady of the Lake marked the peak
of Scotts popularity as a poet. With
25,000 copies sold in eight months, it
broke all records and made Scott and
his publisher a fortune. Scotts fame
even spread beyond Britain to the
United States. By way of comparison,
the leading Romantic poet Wordsworth
sold only 3,000 copies of his bestselling book of poems in his lifetime.
Scott set the 80-page epic poem
Lady of the Lake in 1530, at the time
of King James V. The poem was written
in six parts, with each part representing
a day, and was about the struggle
62
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1
Loch Katrine is roughly
13 km (8 miles) long
and 1 km (0.6 miles)
wide. Its the main
water reservoir for
much of Glasgow and
its surrounding areas.
2
The poem Lady of the
Lake created
Scotlands rst tourism
boom.
3
Sir Henry Raeburns
portrait of Sir Walter
Scott (1822).
4
The historic steamship
Sir Walter Scott has
been cruising the
waters of Loch Katrine
for over a century.
Programme
Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National
Park Authority plan to celebrate the
anniversary with a programme of
cultural and literary events that will
give a particular focus to the natural
and cultural heritage of the Trossachs.
Support for the celebrations is coming
from SNH, Forestry Commission
Scotland, Event Scotland, LEADER,
Stirling Council and local businesses
and communities.
A key event planned for autumn
2010 is The Chase, named after the
Scott passionately
promoted Scotland
as a country of
wild, untouched
landscapes, rich in
history and myth.
www.snh.gov.uk
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63
Please send the completed form to:
Customer Relations Team
Scottish Natural Heritage, Great Glen House
FREEPOST RRBY-UACB-EGAY
Leachkin Road, Inverness IV3 8NW
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We do not sell, rent or lease our customer lists to third
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SNH will not generally disclose your personal information
to other organisations. We will, however, share your
64
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magazine7_cov.indd 2
31/03/2010 17:09
www.snh.gov.uk
Spring 2010
IYB 2010
How you can help
Great Scott
Epic poem
recalled
Its criminal
Protecting our
wildlife
magazine7_cov.indd 1
31/03/2010 16:07