Scottish National Heritage - The Nature of Scotland SpringSummer2014Issue - 19

Scottish Natural Heritage
Spring / Summer 2014
The Nature of Scotland
SOS Puffin
Tackling tree mallow
Cairngorms Nature
Halting biodiversity loss
Hidden gem
On the Morvern peninsula
Contents
Features
10 Ideally placed

Scotland's Youth Hostel network
16 Cairngorms Nature

49
26 Capturing the magic of Argyll

Wildlife artist Jane Smith

settles into Argyll
10
16
50
54
30 Peatland revival

Habitat restoration on a

significant scale
49 Tiree Ranger

Helping visitors and locals
Regulars
2

26
Where we are
SNH contact details
3 Welcome
4

Wild calendar
Where to go and what to see
this spring and summer
50 Hidden gem sparkles

Biodiversity on the Morvern
peninsula
54 Protecting a puffin paradise

Removing tree mallow helps
breeding seabirds

60 Scotland's many Medal Routes

Going for a walk with Ramblers
Scotland
20 Dualchas coitcheann

/Common heritage

Linking language and environment
22 News
36 Reserve focus

Discover Rum NNR
42 Area news

Reports from around the country
64 Mailing list

Change your details or subscribe

to our e-newsletter
Scotlands nature blog

We have a variety of blogs for you to follow. Our Scotlands nature blog covers a
wide range of subjects, and recent posts have featured the work of Martin Martin,
lichens on Beinn Eighe, beavers in Tayside and the freshwater pearl mussel. You
can find a link to this blog on the homepage of our website.
www.snh.gov.uk
Credits
The magazine of Scottish Natural Heritage
Issue Number 19 Spring / Summer 2014
Published twice per year
SNH 2014
ISSN 1350 309X
Editor: Jim Jeffrey
Tel. 01738 458528
Where we are
Area offices
You can contact SNH by

letter, telephone or email.
The following details
should enable you to find
your nearest main office,
but bear in mind that we
also have a number of
offices smaller than those
listed.
Argyll & Outer Hebrides

32 Francis Street,
Stornoway,
Isle of Lewis HS1 2ND
Tel. 01851 705 258
A full list of our offices

appears on the SNH
website: www.snh.gov.uk
Cover photo: Seilebost, Harris

Photographer: Lorne Gill/SNH
Corporate
headquarters
Inside cover photo: Thrift

Inside cover photographer: Lorne Gill/SNH
Welcome page photographer: Lorne Gill/SNH
Photography all images by Lorne Gill/SNH other than John Paul
Photography p3 inset; David Whitaker p4 and p9 image two in strip; Laurie
Campbell p6 image 2 in strip, p9 image four in strip, p14, p33; Dave Bevan/
naturepl.com p6 image 3 in strip; Laurie Campbell/SNH p9 image 3 in strip,
p39 bottom; Andy Rouse/2020VISION p12; Jacqui Dunbar p15; Mark
Hamblin/2020VISION /CNPA p16, p18 left, and p19 (left and bottom); Sue
Daly/naturepl.com p20; Stuart Nicol Photography p22; Colin Hattersley/
Visit Scotland p24 right; Becky Duncan/SNH p25; Mark Smith p29 top;
Peter Robson, p32 both; John MacPherson/ SNH p36; Chris
Gomersall/2020VISION p38; George Logan p39 top, p40 right, p41; Mark
Hamblin p40 left, p46 centre; Catriona Frankitti/SNL p42 left; Valerie
Wilson p42 centre, Groves Raines architects p42 right; The Green Team
p43 left; Coille Alba p43 centre; Lewis Mackenzie/Hebrides FishNTrips
p44 left; Doug Bartholomew/SNH p44 right; Nick Gedge p45 left; Neil
McKie p45 centre; Pete Cairns/2020VISION p46 right; Sarah Phillips p48
left; Roy McKeag p49; Greg McVean/Scottish Seabird Centre p54, p58;
John Hunt p56, 57, 59; Stuart Wallace p60; Rob Burns p61.
To share your views about The Nature of Scotland or suggest articles for
future issues please contact the editor:
SNH Magazine
Battleby, Redgorton,
Perth PH1 3EW
Email: editor@snh.gov.uk
Great Glen House,

Leachkin Road,
Inverness IV3 8NW
Tel. 01463 725 000
Email: enquiries@snh.gov.uk
Other offices
Perth PH1 3EW
Tel. 01738 444 177
Silvan House,
3rd Floor East,
231 Corstorphine Road,
Edinburgh EH12 7AT
Tel. 0131 316 2600
Caspian House,
Mariner Court,
Clydebank Business Park,
Clydebank G81 2NR
Tel. 0141 951 4488
Forth
Silvan House,
3rd Floor East,
231 Corstorphine Road,
Edinburgh EH12 7AT
Tel. 0131 316 2600
Forth
The Beta Centre,
Innovation Park,
University of Stirling,
Stirling FK9 4NF
Tel. 01786 450 362
Northern Isles
& North Highland
The Links,
Golspie Business Park,
Golspie,
Sutherland KW10 6UB
Tel. 01408 634 063
Northern Isles
& North Highland
Ground Floor,
Stewart Building,
Alexandra Wharf,
Lerwick,
Shetland ZE1 0LL
Tel. 01595 693 345
South Highland
Fodderty Way,
Dingwall Business Park,
Dingwall IV15 9XB
Tel. 01349 865 333
South Highland
Torlundy,
Fort William,
Inverness-shire PH33 6SW
Tel. 01397 704 716
The views expressed in this magazine do not

necessarily reflect those of SNH.
Printed by: J Thomson Colour Printers, Glasgow
JTCP32k0414
When youve finished with this magazine, please recycle it. Pass it to
another reader or dispose of it at your local waste-collection point.
Southern Scotland
Greystone Park,
55/57 Moffat Road,
Dumfries DG1 1NP
Tel. 01387 272 440
Strathclyde & Ayrshire
Caspian House,
Mariner Court,
Clydebank Business Park,
Clydebank G81 2NR
Tel. 0141 951 4488
Tayside & Grampian
Perth PH1 3EW
Tel. 01738 444 177
Tayside & Grampian
Inverdee House,
Baxter Street,
Torry,
Aberdeen AB11 9QA
Tel. 01224 266 500
2014
Welcome
Ian Ross
Chairman
Scottish Natural Heritage
It could be said that in many respects we live in interesting times, but it is also a
time of opportunities. In taking over as chair of the SNH Board earlier this spring,
I know that the natural heritage of Scotland is a tremendous asset and has the
potential to deliver a range of public benefits. Granted, we have to be increasingly
innovative and creative in the way we manage them and that can be challenging.
We must ensure our actions protect and enhance our precious natural heritage,
but also show how it contributes to the well-being of the people of Scotland.
I would like to look at this from two perspectives. The first is volunteering. I,
like many of you, have been a volunteer, for example carrying out a beach clean,
working with a youth group or sitting as a director on a social enterprise body. I
would like to see more young people reap the benefits from all types of volunteer
work.
When someone takes part in environmental volunteering they develop
practical and social skills, gaining a sense of achievement, self-confidence
and self-esteem. These are all qualities that can help them into permanent
employment. This type of volunteering also helps young people build a
connection with the natural world and sustain a life-long interest in its care. I
firmly believe the hard work and commitment of environmental volunteers benefits
communities, nature and landscape. And, of course, the economy benefits,
through the increased employability of volunteers and by reducing public costs for
health services and environmental projects.
The second perspective on how our natural heritage contributes to our
overall well-being is through a greater focus on our built up areas and centres
of population. It is about promoting greater access to and use of our diverse
countryside and green space. Much of this comes from successful partnerships
with communities, local authorities and non-government organisations, through
initiatives like the Central Scotland Green Network, delivering many benefits for
communities in that area.
Spring
Wild calendar
Kenny Taylor gives some seasonal tips for

savouring Scottish wildlife and landscapes
Listen: each week can sound different to the previous one now; each day brings subtle
changes in colour and scent. Birds are winging-in from far to the south to breed, as
others depart for the farther north. Will the swallows have arrived before the last geese
have gone? Will the whitethroats see the primroses before they fade? Those, and a
myriad other pairings, are just part of the pleasures of spring.
Cheers for the

churr muffit
Empressive,
or what?
Tom Tiddlers
Ground
Spring and early summer are the best

times to learn new bird songs and
calls, or refresh identification of some
you know already. Names derived from
sounds can fast-track recognition.
Cuckoo is a classic. But if you
couple such onomatopoeia (Scrabble
buffs, take note) with a bit of plumage
or behaviour description in a name,
theres a double ID boost.
Take whitethroat. This perky little
warbler will be scratching out songs
from gorse bushes and brambly thickets
across lowland Scotland now. It does
well around farms in the central belt, so
many whitethroats breed close to the
majority of people in the country.
Its English-language name gives
an image of one distinctive aspect of
its plumage. Now think churr muffit.
Thats one of the many Scots terms for
whitethroat. The first part describes the
churring, scolding call. The second is
gloriously descriptive of the way it can
puff-out those white throat feathers.
Another excellent old Scots name
descriptive of that call is whishie, or for
the rambling song Blethering Tam.
But churr muffit is a classic.
Web tip www.bto.org/aboutbirds/bird-id/whitethroat-lesserwhitethroat
Think moth and youll most likely

picture a night scene. But there are also
many day-flying moths, some of which,
both as adults and caterpillars, are
amongst the most spectacular insects
in the country.
As befits the grandeur of its name,
the Emperor related to the silk moths
farmed in Asia is one of these. In
summer, you might meet one of its hairy
caterpillars on moorland large, and
decked-out in emerald green, black
hoops and yellow spots.
On a sunny spring day, theres a
better chance of seeing an adult male
in flight over a moor or open grassland.
With forewings up to 32mm across
(females are even bigger) this is an
impressive creature, made all the more
attractive by circular eyespot patterns
on its wings.
A female Emperor isnt called an
Empress. But theres no doubting her
power to impress the males. Keeping
hidden in vegetation, she releases
scent from a gland on her abdomen.
This pheromone is a potent lure for
males, as many as 70 of which have
been known to home-in on one female.
Web tip www.learnaboutbutterflies
.com/Britain%20-%20Saturnia%20
pavonia.htm
Architectural skills, dancing ability,

sexual energy, careful parenting: its
amazing what can be packed into an
average of five centimetres. The threespined stickleback is the multi-tasker in
question.
One of the most widespread fish in
the country, you could find it in a pond,
river or loch or in pools by the seashore.
Some even venture far out to sea. The
spines towards the head end of this
little fishs back typically two large,
one small are usually very prominent.
But some in the Hebrides have no
spines.
Come spring, the male stickleback
stakes claim to a territory in shallow
water. Then he makes a hollow nest by
sticking together bits of pondweed or
seaweed. He tries to entice a female to
lay eggs in the nest, using a zig-zagging
dance and blush-red belly to lure her
in. Once shes laid her eggs, hell try
to do the same with other egg-bearing
females.
After the fry hatch, hes an attentive
father, guarding the young ones until
they can swim off to explore wetland,
pool or ocean for themselves.
Web tip www.bbc.co.uk/nature/
life/Three-spined_stickleback
www.snh.gov.uk
Spring
Summer
Will the earth move

for you?
Have you ever stayed up

through a bright summers
night, watching as dusk dims
late and never quite reaches
full darkness? As thrush songs
dwindle and owl calls take over?
As sounds of surf and corncrake
calls mingle? As dawn fills the
eastern sky with peach and
apricot beyond rooftops, hills
or beach? If you havent, then
maybe this is the summer to try.
If you have, youll know just why
you want to do it again. And
again.
Aberfoyle, Callander, Comrie, Crieff:

names to bring a smile of pleasure
to anyone who loves the land and
life of those parts of Stirlingshire
and Perthshire where lowland meets
highland. For all those villages sit on or
near one Scotlands defining geological
features the Highland Boundary Fault
(HBF).
Formed hundreds of millions of
years ago, when ancient continents
collided, many Highland mountains rose
and the Central Lowlands sank, the
HBF stands out on maps and satellite
images. It runs from Arran in the west to
Stonehaven in the east, passing places
such as the southern end of Loch
Lomond and a bevy of villages on
the way.
Comrie sits bang on the faultline.
Thats why its the earthquake capital
of Scotland, with records of major
shoogles over several centuries. In
the late 1800s, the village was the
epicentre of detailed scientific studies
of tremors. A purpose-built Earthquake
House was constructed for sensitive
equipment to record quakes. Now
restored and fitted with modern devices
by the British Geological Survey, you
can visit and see if the force will be with
you.
Web tip www.strathearn.com/pl/
earthquake.htm
Voleheart
Orkneys Stone Age heritage is
internationally renowned, whether in
the amazing structures in the Heart of
Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site
on Orkney mainland or on most of the
other islands. But part of the Neolithic
legacy is small, furry and not so often
seen: the Orkney vole.
Visible signs of its presence are
prevalent in the predatory birds you may
be lucky to see there. Short-eared owls
and hen harriers (scarce in many other
places but thriving on Orkney) are two
of those.
Zoologists have long known that
the Orkney vole is odd. Its a type
of common vole, widespread in
continental Europe, but found nowhere
else in Britain and Ireland. Now
researchers led by the University of
Aberdeen and Cornell University have
found that some of the first Neolithic
settlers most likely brought it directly to
Orkney from Belgium as early as 5,100
years ago. Whats more, its DNA is like
a genetic ark from that period.
Further food for thought as you
marvel at a burial cairn, village or henge.
Web tip www.abdn.ac.uk/
news/4846/
Some other things to look for in spring:

Cherry trees in blossom; the first swallows; pond skaters back on pools; new leaves on
trees, just opened.
www.snh.gov.uk
Summer
Oh, Fingal, rock me
Faster than most
Stars and elf arrows
Wordsworth, Keats, Scott, Tennyson,

Turner and Mendelssohn all raved about
it. But they also did so much more.
Through their skills with words, music
and paint, they made Fingals Cave, a
sea-scooped hollow in the side of Staffa,
one of the worlds most famous caves.
It was an overture by Mendelssohn,
at roughly the same time as a new
Turner painting, that propelled the cave
to geo-celebrity. The German composer
scribbled Fingals Cave on the score
and the name stuck. What had once
been Uamh Bhinn (Cave of Melody)
in Gaelic was now linked in popular
imagination to a superhero of Celtic
myth.
And through these layers of fame
and fantasy, the wonder is that both
Fingals Cave and the wider island are
remarkable. Six-sided basalt columns
from volcanoes active at the birth of
the Atlantic Ocean; wave music and
echoes in the stony chamber; tame
puffins and gorgeous black guillemot,
all just a few miles from Ionas sainted
isle and the craggy west coast of Mull.
Take a look this summer, and feel
the art of nature.
Web tip www.southernhebrides.
com/staffa.html
Hear their screaming calls as they

zoom over town buildings and you cant
mistake the season. No other Scottish
breeding bird seems as hefted to
summer as the swift. Many dont arrive
back from Africa until late May. Flocks
form in June and early July. By late
August, most have gone.
You need to look up and be quick
about it to catch sight of swifts in
aerobatic action. Screaming parties
of swifts in fast pursuit can add highspeed action to a summers evening,
but come dusk, many birds rise higher
and higher until lost from view.
Recent studies show that swifts can
ascend to 10,000 feet or more at night,
where they may also sleep, adjusting
position through the night to cope with
changes in wind direction and strength.
So swifts eat, sleep, preen and even
mate on the wing.
Swift numbers have plummeted
across Europe in recent decades, a
consequence, some reckon, of modern
buildings having fewer cavities a swift
can use during those brief months
when it ventures north.
Web tip www.commonswift.org/
swift_english.html
The stem is often the length of an

adults index finger, pointing up from
moor or bog to the heavens. The yellow
flowers are sunny yellow and shaped
like stars.
Bog asphodel makes beautiful
summer links between earth and sky,
then continues through autumn and
winter, as stems and old flower heads
fade to russet and buff. Its bright
orange, pollen-bearing anthers were
once used as a saffron substitute and
to make a yellow hair dye.
But other associations are less
romantic. Some farmers used to blame
it for brittle bone disease in sheep and
cattle (hence ossifragum = bonebreaker in its species name). This was
a case of shooting the messenger,
since bog asphodel can be a good
indicator of calcium-poor ground the
real cause of the problem.
The scientific jury is still out on
what role or not it might play in a
sheep ailment called alveld (elf fire)
in Norway, once said to be caused by
elves shooting arrows at flocks during
the light nights of summer. There are
more things in heaven and earth.
Web tip www.first-nature.com/
flowers/narthecium_ossifragum.php
Some other things to look for in summer:

Coastal cushions of sea pinks; moorhen broods on canals; hairy caterpillars on heaths; roe
deer barking.
www.snh.gov.uk
Ideally placed
The Scottish Youth Hostel Association is 83 years
old and continues to provide a perfect introduction
to Scotlands natural heritage.
10
www.snh.gov.uk
11
You can enjoy some of

Scotlands favourite species
and habitats from the network
of Scottish youth hostels
dotted around the country. With
accommodation to suit all tastes,
there is something for everyone.
The editor of SYHAs Hosteller
magazine, Jane Mackie, selects
just a few highlights.
Close up with an otter
Jan Robinson is the manager at Loch

Ossian and has developed a keen
interest in her wildlife neighbours.
However, surprises are still part of the
lure of this magical location. As with
most places the wildlife around here
tends to be shy and retiring and very
sensitive to change or noise, explained
Jan. A couple of years ago the railway
line was shut down briefly. One morning
during that spell I went out to empty
The Scottish Youth Hostels Association the bins and was treated to a wonderful
close-up meeting with an otter. Otters
(SYHA) was founded in 1931 and,
are notoriously tricky to spot and usually
although initially centred on Edinburgh
require huge amounts of patience to
and the Borders, youth hostels were
see. I think it must have simply got a
also starting up in other regions that
wee bit bolder with the lack of comings
year, including Loch Ossian. Always a
and goings.
remote hostel, Loch Ossian is today a
We have a great variety of bird life
traditionally-styled eco-hostel, set in the
on the loch. Probably the most dramatic
remote wilderness of Rannoch Moor.
Due to its wind and solar power and is the black-throated diver which has a
wonderfully haunting call. We also have
remote location (one mile on foot from
mergansers; they make me smile, as
Corrour station), Loch Ossian gives
they remind me of punks, and I enjoy
an insight into the kind of hostelling
enjoyed by previous generations and is watching them with their young. From
a great place to enjoy a peaceful break the bench outside the hostel with a
good pair of binoculars you can glimpse
amidst stunning scenery.
12
herons as well as goldeneyes, siskins,

and tree creepers.
Most people who come here
hope to see the iconic species like red
deer and golden eagle, Jan added.
However, you do have to work at
seeing them, and I suspect that heading
off the beaten track is the key to
spotting them.
Im sometimes astonished by the
efforts some folk make to reach this
fairly remote hostel; this winter we had
people turn up at the door on skis. But
whilst its true that winter here can be
achingly beautiful, we are busier in the
summer.
We generate our own energy from
a wind turbine and solar panels, and
we have a sophisticated grey water
filtration system that feeds out into the
reed bed. The renewable energy system
means that sometimes you have to fit
your activities to suit the weather but,
hey, on a big windy day we can turn
everything on!
Away from the wilderness of Loch
Ossian and farther south, Oban Youth
Hostel is a great starting point for
taking a boat trip to spot porpoises,
1
Rowardennan Youth
Hostel on the shores of
Loch Lomond.
2
The otter is one of our
most intriguing wildlife
stars.
3
Dating back to the late
1800s the Youth Hostel
at Loch Ossian was
originally a waiting
room for a steamer
that took guests to
Corrour Lodge.
4
The inviting interior of
Loch Ossian Youth
Hostel.

www.snh.gov.uk
13
dolphins, basking sharks, whales, seals,

sea eagles, gannets, guillemots and a
host of other seabirds. Back in April
2013, a sperm whale spent almost nine
days in Oban Bay, right outside the
youth hostel!
Islay is famous for having more than
200 different species of birds, including
oystercatchers, gannets, terns, gulls,
ducks, shags, and cormorants around
the coast and wild geese, lapwings,
curlews, corncrakes and many other
birds inland. Buzzards, hen harriers,
golden eagles and other birds of prey
can be spotted in the more remote
parts of Islay.
Heading up to the north-west
of Scotland, Torridon Youth Hostel
is ideally placed for those who love
mountain scenery and the challenge
of bagging a few Munros. Wildlife
abounds too. There are otters along the
loch and a resident pine marten which
visits the youth hostel bird table.
National Parks, national treasures
Cairngorms National Park, with its
pristine mountains and ancient forests,
is of significant value worldwide and
it houses over a quarter of Britains
threatened species. We have three
14
www.snh.gov.uk
youth hostels within the park

Aviemore, Braemar and Cairngorm
Lodge which all provide good access
to spotting wildlife.
Guests may be rewarded with
sightings of red squirrels, red deer,
roe deer, ptarmigan and mountain
hares. If you're lucky, there are also
opportunities to see pine martens and
ospreys at Cairngorm Lodge.
Scotlands first National Park, Loch
Lomond and the Trossachs is very
accessible to the central belt and also
home to Munros, Corbetts, large lochs
and beautiful, unspoiled scenery. If you
keep your eyes peeled in spring and
summer you could spot some of Britains
most special birds such as black grouse
and osprey. Rowardennan Lodge Youth
Hostel on the banks of Loch Lomond or
Crianlarich a little further north provide
an ideal base from which to explore all
the treasures in the Park.
For further information, please visit
www.syha.org.uk.
Leugh an artaigil seo sa Ghidhlig aig
www.snh.gov.uk/gaelic
SYHA Hostelling Scotland is joining

up with SNH and National Trust for
Scotland for a conservation week in
Torridon (28 September to 4 October
2014), which can be booked via the
SYHA website.
5
The heronry near Loch
Ossian Youth Hostel
has captivated visitors
for several years now.
6
The view from Islay
Youth Hostel as
captured by Jacqui
Dunbar on a recent trip.
15
Cairngorms Nature
Scotlands largest National Park faces challenges to halt biodiversity loss.
The Cairngorms National Park is a truly special
place for nature. It has more high-level mountain
ground than anywhere else in Britain or Ireland,
it has the largest remnant of Caledonian forest,
some of the UKs purest rivers and despite only
covering 2% of our landmass it hosts 25% of the
UKs threatened species.
Impressive statistics perhaps, but maintaining the
international value of the Cairngorms (half the Park is
designated within the Natura 2000 network) is a mammoth
task, and immediate action is still needed to halt the
biodiversity loss that is taking place.
Cairngorms Nature is a new partnership where people
and organisations come together with one purpose a
desire to safeguard and enhance the outstanding nature
in the Cairngorms National Park. Anyone can support
Cairngorms Nature, they just need a passion for the Park.
More than half of Scotlands remaining fragments of
Caledonian forest exist in the National Park and have
enjoyed a high profile in recent years with restoration
schemes such as the one at Glenfeshie. Less well known is
the fact that the Park also holds Scotlands largest extent of
bog woodland, a European priority for conservation. It is also
arguably the UK stronghold for aspen, with stands that go
back hundreds of years.
Managing rivers
The numerous waters of the National Park are some of the
cleanest in Scotland. As we have seen in recent months,
climate change has a significant potential to increase
flooding events, but if we can slow the flow of water in the
catchments we can cope with these pressures and benefit
people as well as nature.
Schemes are under way in the Park to trial new methods
of upland water storage. One scheme at Allt Lorgy near
Carrbridge has reconnected the river with its floodplain
in such a way that the river is doing its own work to reestablish its natural equilibrium, rather than using engineered
solutions.
Across the Park in Glen Clova contour belts of trees
are being planted. These trees will improve soil structure
allowing more water to be absorbed. In turn this will slow the
rate of sediment moving downstream by helping to reduce
peak flow by as much as 40% with strategic planting.
16
www.snh.gov.uk
17
A haven for waders
Restoring peatlands
The large wetland and wet grassland areas in the Park

are havens for wintering wildfowl and farmland waders.
However, there are still threats to the environment from a
variety of pressures, some of which have resulted in a drastic
reduction in numbers of wader species in recent years.
Badenoch and Strathspey remains the most important
mainland area for breeding waders in the UK and the way in
which farmers and crofters manage the land is a key factor in
supporting the rich nature value of the area. They are leading
the way in an effort to create feeding sites for waders such
as lapwing and redshank.
After hundreds of years of decline, montane scrub is
so impoverished in the UK that many people dont even
realise it is missing. The National Park has some of the last
few remaining, scattered, fragments; including the best and
highest example of a continuous treeline in Britain. In July
2013 landowners and managers of estates in the northern
Cairngorms met to discuss the feasibility of restoring
montane scrub and natural treeline on a large scale. There
was a very positive drive to take the project forwards,
supported by a common desire to see landscape change.
The high-altitude ground of the uplands provides some of
the most exceptional and less obvious aspects of the Parks
biodiversity. There are extensive tracts of montane plant
communities including primitive organisms such as slime
moulds and rare lichens. The Park also has the highest tracts
of blanket bog in the UK, however some 35% of designated
upland features are in a less than favourable condition.
The Green Stimulus Peatland Restoration Project (Peatland

Action) is a 15million Scottish Government initiative to
reduce carbon released into the atmosphere by helping
to restore degraded peatlands. SNH and the Cairngorms
National Park Authority have recruited a peatland restoration
officer specifically to work with landowners in the National
Park.
The farmland and grassland habitats of the low ground
of the Park have a history of low intensity management and
high nature value farming. However, economic pressures can
result in more intensive practices which threaten a decline in
biodiversity. It is vital that farming systems in the Park remain
well managed and productive whilst continuing to improve
biodiversity.
The challenges to conservation and biodiversity that
the Park faces are very real. In order to maintain this jewel
of global significance it is essential that all parties come
together so that we can leave a rich legacy for future
generations.
1
Loch Avon is one of the
most remote lochs in
the Cairngorms
National Park.
2
Twinflower, a small and
delicate native flower.
3
Juniper and Scots pine
are evident in this
montane scrub on
Creag Fhiaclach, which
has the highest
treeline in Scotland.
Cairngorms Nature is open to anyone with a commitment

to enhance and conserve the nature of the Cairngorms. The
Cairngorms Nature Festival takes place on May 17 and 18
and will be a weekend to inspire and engage people to take
an interest in the Park. For more information on how to get
involved with Cairngorms Nature or for details of the Festival
please visit www.cairngorms.co.uk
4
The lapwing can look
simply black and white
from a distance, but
close-up shades of
green are clearly
visible.
5
Famland and forestry
in Upper Deeside.
Article kindly supplied by Charlotte Millburn, Press Officer,

Cairngorms National Park Authority.
18
6
The capercaillie is
found in Scottish
native pinewoods, one
of the rarest and most
vulnerable habitats.
www.snh.gov.uk
19

Tha dualchas mr
co-cheangailte ris na
feamainn ann an
Gidhlig, agus tha gu
ler dhiubh air an
cleachdadh le daoine
fhathast, gu h-raidh
mar bhiadh agus
airson an talamh
fheamnadh.
Ruairidh MacIlleathain guides us through the delights of seaweed and notes

how this resource has been incredibly useful to Scottish coastal communities
for centuries. Two varieties even have English names which originate in Gaelic.

There is a strong
tradition of seaweed
usage in the maritime
parts of Gaelic
Scotland, particularly
as food and fertilizer, to
the present day.
Dualchas coitcheann
Common heritage
20
Toradh Mr a Chladaich
The bountiful seashore
There is a traditional Gaelic rhyme that

tells us the finest native seaweeds
to eat, and when they are at their
Cairgein earraich, duileasg samhraidh,
best. In translated form it says: spring
Gruaigean foghair, stamh geamhraidh
carrageen, summer dulse, autumn
badderlocks, winter tangle.
Tha a chiad dh dhiubh sin cho ainmeil am measg nan
The first two are so well known
Gidheal s gun deach an ainmean a thoirt a-steach don
among the Gaels that their names
Bheurla. Tha an cairgein a gabhail ainm bho na carraigean
were adopted by English speakers.
air am bi e a fs gu h-osal air a chladach-fheamainn.
Carrageen gets its name ultimately from
Thathar dhen bheachd gur ann bho Ghidhlig na h-ireann,
the rocks carraigean in Gaelic on
seach Gidhlig na h-Alba, a dhirich carrageen ann am
which it grows on the lower part of
Beurla.
the shore. Its thought that the English
Bidh na Gidheil Albannach fhathast ga ithe agus, ged
came from Irish Gaelic, rather than
a tha an rann a moladh an earraich, s ann sa Chitean as
Scottish.
fherr a tha e, nuair a tha na beothamain ann aig an re as
But the Gaels of Scotland are still
irde. Bithear ga bhuain aig sle-mhara an reothairt agus ga
very partial to it. Tradition says that
fhgail a-muigh air blr-gealachaidh far am bi e a dol geal le it is best to bleach it in the sun on a
solas na grine. Thathar ag rdh gur e blr seamraig an t-ite clover lawn and to allow it to be rained
as fherr oir togaidh an cairgein mlseachd nan lusan. Agus, on three times. Once it is dry, it stores
gu traidiseanta, bu chir leigeil leis an t-uisge a fhrasadh tr
for months and can be used as a
tursan.
thickening or setting agent for stews,
Faodar an cairgein a stradh ann an ite tioram airson
puddings and fruit jellies.
mhosan. Tha e math airson cl (stiubha), mlsean is silidh
Carrageen is poetically known as
mheasan a thiughachadh agus bhathar ga thoirt gu tric do
mthair-an-duilisg, the mother of the
dhaoine a bha a fulang le tinneas na stamaig.
dulse, linking it to another seaweed that
Bhiodh na Gidheil cuideachd a gabhail mthair-anis still widely eaten. The Gaelic name
duilisg mar ainm brdail air a chairgein, ga cheangal ri
duileasg, originally duille-uisge water
feamainn eile a th air ithe gu mr an duileasg. Tha an
leaf, gave us the English dulse. It was
t-ainm sin a tighinn bho duille-uisge agus tha e air a dhol
commonly eaten raw while working on
a-steach don Bheurla mar dulse. Bhiodh daoine ga ithe amh the shore and it is nutritious, containing
nuair a bhiodh iad ag obair air a chladach (agus tha prtain, quantities of protein, fat and Vitamin A,
geir agus Beothaman A gu ler ann as t-samhradh, nuair as
but its most commonly taken in Gaelic
fherr a tha e, a rir an rainn), ach s ann mar cl duilisg as
Scotland as cl duilisg, a thick dulse
bitheanta a ghabhte e, agus tha cuid de dhaoine gu math
soup. Another saying maintains that
measail air cl duilisg fhathast.
dulse soup and nettle soup give you a
Thathar ag rdh gu bheil e for mhath don t-slinte agus
wonderful complexion.
chlir Mrtainn MacIlleMhrtainn gun robh eileanaich ga
The rhyme praises two other
chleachdadh aig toiseach an ochdamh linn deug airson
seaweeds badderlocks in autumn
feabhas a thoirt air feadhainn a bha a fulang le fiabhras.
and sea tangle (Laminaria digitata) in
Agus tha abairt ann bheir cl duilisg is cl deanntaig
winter. Well look at the latter in a future
snuadh air gruaidh mar mhadainn shamhraidh.
column.
Tha an rann a moladh gruaigean as t-fhoghar. S e sin
ainm eile air mircean no muirinean feamainn a tha a fs
air an trigh-sholag agus a ghabhas ithe amh no air a
chcaireachd. Agus stamh sa gheamhradh bheir sinn sil
air an fheamainn sin a-rithist uaireigin san ine romhainn.
Tha rann traidiseanta ann a tha ag innse dhuinn c iad na
feamainn as fherr a ghabhas ithe, agus cuin
www.snh.gov.uk
21
NEWS
NEWS
Tagging n tracking
The use of tracking devices to find out more about our
natural heritage is an increasingly popular and important
approach. Here in Scotland two recent projects look set
to further improve our knowledge of species that would
otherwise be extremely tricky to monitor.
A tiny tracker, weighing less than a paperclip, has
revealed that the red-necked phalarope (which in the UK is
found only in Shetland and the Western Isles) can travel an
astonishing 16,000 miles during its migration.
In 2012 the RSPB and Shetland Ringing Group fitted
tiny geolocators to ten of the birds in Fetlar, Shetland, with
the aim of finding out where they went in winter.
The data gathered recorded a truly epic trip that took
in crossing the Atlantic, heading south down the eastern
seaboard of the United States, journeying across the
Caribbean, before ending up off the coast of Peru. After
wintering in the Pacific, the little bird (which weighs no more
than a golf ball) returned to Fetlar, following a similar route.
The outward journey for the phalarope is even more
admirable when you consider that it heads into the prevailing
weather when travelling towards North America.
New cycle path for

the Trossachs
Loch Lomond and the Trossachs

National Park (LLTNP) will soon benefit
from 750,000 of funding towards
a new cycle path from Strathyre to
Kingshouse. Sustrans Scotland will
work in partnership with LLTNP and
Rum rat
Forestry Commission Scotland to
Meanwhile, in a pioneering project on Rum a female rat was construct the 3.5km cycle path.
Transport Minister Keith Brown
fitted with a rat global positioning system (GPS) to track its
(pictured above centre, with Fiona
movements.
Logan of LLTNP and John Lauder of
The beautiful Rum National Nature Reserve is managed
by Scottish Natural Heritage and is home to around a quarter Sustrans Scotland) said The Scottish
Government is committed to investing
of the world's breeding population of Manx shearwaters.
in cycling infrastructure, training and
They are a migratory marvel, sometimes reaching the seas
around the Falkland Islands before returning to Rum by way road safety projects through active
partnerships with charities such as
of the African coast, a round trip of staggering proportions.
However, in recent history brown rats have been sighted Sustrans to make Scotland a more
active and healthy nation and increase
at the shearwater colony and they could have an adverse
the numbers of people choosing to
effect on the population.
cycle each day.
Understanding rat behaviour is vital to assessing their
Sustrans Scotland considers that
likely impacts on Manx shearwaters and other species, as
the new off-road route will prove a
Lesley Watt, the SNH Rum reserve officer, explained, Rats
popular draw for locals and tourists
are thought to be responsible for numerous global seabird
alike. Its a significant economic
population declines through predation on eggs, chicks and
adult birds, though historically they have not been thought to investment for the area and will provide
local people with a safe cycling
have an impact on the Rum shearwater colony.
link between the villages and local
But we are concerned that rat numbers and predation
may increase in the future. So we need to know more about businesses whilst also providing safe
recreational facilities.
the ecology of the rats to inform our future management
You can find out more on the
policy for this globally important Manx shearwater breeding
Sustrans website at www.sustrans.org.
site.
uk/news
We are all intrigued about what we'll find out when our
roaming rat data is analysed and we view the results.
22
Scots pine voted the nations favourite tree

In our last issue we carried news that a three-month consultation was underway to find out if the public
in Scotland would like a national tree, and if so which species. Well, the votes are now in and the
Scots pine has been voted Scotlands favourite native tree.
The survey was carried out by Forestry Commission Scotland, and opened online last October,
attracting 4,500 responses.
The Scots pine was the clear favourite, with over 52% (2,374) of all responses opting for this
species. The second favourite tree was the rowan, which received 15%, and in third place came the
holly with 7%. Seen as evocative of Scotlands landscape, the Scots pine is an important provider of
habitat for species such as the Scottish crossbill, pine marten and capercaillie.
Declaring the Scots pine as the national tree of Scotland during a Members Debate in the Scottish
Parliament, Environment and Climate Change Minister, Paul Wheelhouse, said: Scotlands trees,
forests and woodlands are some of our greatest and most treasured natural assets. We are rightly
proud of them because they help shape our landscape and make Scotland the fantastic country that it
is.
The Scots pine was an obvious choice and certainly the peoples choice. Its designation of being
the national tree of Scotland will help create an iconic symbol to highlight the significant contribution
trees make to our country.
The idea of a national tree of Scotland came from Alex Hamilton, a member of the public who
brought his campaign to the Scottish Parliament through a petition and received cross-party support
from MSPs.
Forestry Commission Scotland is now developing a range of activities to help promote the national
tree of Scotland across the country.
www.snh.gov.uk
23
NEWS
This special year provides plenty of opportunity to celebrate

the very best of Scotland's wildlife and landscapes,
encouraging you to get active, enjoy our fantastic natural
larder, as well as our creativity, culture and ancestral
heritage.
One of the highlights of the year so far was the John
Muir Festival in April celebrating the life and legacy of the
Scots-born naturalist who is widely acknowledged as the
founding father of the National Park movement.
Muir was a conservation visionary who lived most of
his life in North America. But did you know that he was a
Scot and that it was in Scotland that he first fell in love with
nature? His legacy will now be permanently marked here
with the opening of the John Muir Way on 21 April this year
(see page 25 for more details).
In addition to the John Muir Festival, there are lots
Many of us have been inspired by
of other events and activities featuring our wildlife and
nature through visiting outdoor centres landscapes during this year of Homecoming Scotland 2014.
with school, college or university
Make this your year to enjoy our stunning flora and fauna and
groups. The Field Studies Council
get along to one of the many festivals around the country,
(FSC) has two centres in Scotland
showcasing wildlife through nature trails, boat trips and a
Kindrogan and the newly acquired
great range of events for all ages. Why not visit one of our
Millport and there is a fair chance that fantastic national parks or national nature reserves and see
some of you will have passed through
some of Scotlands natural stars - red squirrels, red deer,
the doors of these buildings.
some of the largest and most important seabird colonies in
The FSC has other centres in
the world and so much more.
England, Wales and Northern Ireland,
Find out more about Homecoming Scotland 2014 events
and no doubt Dale Fort, Orielton,
at www.homecomingscotland.com. For more information
Blencathra, Flatford Mill and Malham
about our national parks and national nature reserves
Tarn bring back fond memories of
visit http://www.lochlomond-trossachs.org/, http://
studying outside and fighting the
cairngorms.co.uk/ or www.nnr-scotland.org.uk or visit
elements.
www.snh.gov.uk.
In July, Professor Des Thompson,
SNHs Principal Adviser on Biodiversity,
becomes chairman of the FSC. I view
this as a great chance to build on earlier
successes in the FSC and for outdoor
learning more widely, explained Des.
Recently, the FSC led the publication
of an exciting and challenging blueprint
Reaching Into the Outside, launched at
the House of Commons. This sets out
ten ambitious opportunities for doing far
more to broaden the benefits of outdoor
learning.
The Field Studies Council is keen to
hear your ideas and you can participate
through its website at http://www.
field-studies-council.org
Field Studies Council
24
NEWS
Homecoming Scotland 2014

the year when Scotland
welcomes the world!
John Muir Way new coast-to-coast route.

The John Muir Way stretches 134 miles, or 215 km, across Scotlands heartland, and runs between
Helensburgh in the west through to Muirs birthplace of Dunbar on the east coast.
It would take you around seven to ten days to walk from end to end, and about half that by bike. But
the Way is designed in such a way as to make bite-size chunks extremely attractive.
The John Muir Way was the vision of Keith Geddes, the Central Scotland Green Network (CSGN)
Chairman. He proposed the extension of the original John Muir Way in East Lothian westwards across
CSGN to Helensburgh, forming a coast-to-coast route.
This new path symbolically links John Muirs birthplace with Loch Lomond and the Trossachs
National Park Scotlands first National Park. John Muir is often referred to as the father of national
parks, so nothing could be more appropriate.
SNH led the route development, working with CSGN, nine local authorities, the National Park,
Sustrans, Scottish Canals, Historic Scotland, the Forestry Commission and various landowners.
The aim was to create an accessible, popular route linking together the finest landscapes,
countryside and places of interest for residents and visitors. It's a flagship project which demonstrates
the benefits of CSGN partnership working. With only a short timescale for development (2010 to
2014) its testimony to everyones hard work that it opened to coincide with Homecoming Scotland
and the Commonwealth Games. Moreover it links several core paths with other promoted paths and
routes.
Partners hope that the route will encourage many people to become more active, improving their
health and wellbeing, enjoyment of nature, and also raising their awareness of John Muir.
This new route, combined with Scotland's recognition of his achievements on April 21 each year,
gives opportunities to develop a growing recognition of Muir in his homeland and remind ourselves that
his inspirational work is even more relevant today than it was during his lifetime.
In addition to the opening of the new route, Scotlands National Parks, with SNH and other
partners, have come together to host The John Muir Conference 2014 that will explore our
approaches to managing protected areas and National Parks and ask Are they delivering for our 21st
century society?. The conference, in Perth Concert Hall on 12 and 13 May, includes study tours to a
range of conservation and visitor management projects in Scotland. Full details of the conference at
www.johnmuir100.com.
You can find out all about the John Muir Way including detailed maps on the John Muir Way
website at http://johnmuirway.org/. And why not visit the John Muir facebook page?
www.snh.gov.uk
25
Capturing the magic of Argyll

1
A well-travelled wildlife
artist, and awardwinning film-maker,
Jane Smith finds
that Argyll has sights
and sounds every
bit as memorable as
anywhere else in the
world.
When she was in her twenties,

Jane Smith, after graduating from
Manchester University, found that
her career as a natural history
film maker for the BBC and
National Geographic took her
on stunning assignments around
the world. She could be filming
snowy owls on the tundra then
living with penguins in the South
Atlantic.
Now living in Argyll on the west coast
of Scotland, home since 1997, Jane
has found not only a new source of
inspiration and wonder but also a
different way of seeing and expressing
her love of the natural world.
When Jane and her husband,
wildlife film-maker Mark Smith, wanted

to find somewhere to call home and
raise a family, they werent sure if
anywhere in Britain could compare
with some of the amazing locations
they had seen on their travels. They
toured the length and breadth of the
country in a campervan, and just as it
seemed their search was in vain they
reached Argyll and instantly knew they
had found somewhere special, a part
of Scotland that seemed so unusually
rich in hilltops, coastline, woodland and
islands.
Inspired by nature
For Jane this would not only be a
change in lifestyle but also, in 2000
when her first child was born, a change
of career. Polar bears and small
children are not very compatible, she

noted, so I started teaching myself
painting and print-making, and explored
my new home of Argyll for inspiration.
The more I looked, the more I found. I
learned where ospreys nest, where the
sea trout jump, where to see a chough
in winter and corncrakes in summer.
Her passion for art grew quickly,
and when internet blogging became
popular she found she could use this
platform very effectively to combine
storytelling and artwork with natural
history. By 2005 she had exhibited at
the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh,
with work she created for Aig an Oir, a
project jointly created and managed by
Forestry Commission Scotland and the
Society of Wildlife Artists (SWLA). In
2012 Jane was elected as an Associate
of the SWLA, with whom she has
2
1
Kittiwake dispute is
one of Janes earlier
works and captures
the drama and agility
we associate with
many coastal birds.
2
A classic Hebridean
landscape showing
machair, geese and the
distinctive white sands.
26
www.snh.gov.uk
27
exhibited annually for the last six years

at the Mall Galleries, London.
The captivating allure of Argyll and
the islands is deeply felt not only by the
many artists that have grown up there
but also by those, like Jane, who have
found themselves instantly at home in a
part of Scotland quite unlike any other.
There are several thriving artists
collectives, studio trails and galleries
that reflect just how much, and in how
many ways, artists draw upon Argylls
landscape, heritage and wildlife.
Its only by interacting with wildlife
that we start to care about it, she says.
3
When we stand outside on a frosty

night and listen to the stags roaring and
the tawny owls hooting to each other
across the loch, its every bit as exciting
as the Serengeti.
Encounters with wildlife
This almost tactile relationship with
the world around her means all Janes
pictures start with a field sketch, to
convey the excitement of an encounter
with a wild animal or bird. I find that as
I sit outside, drawing quietly, the life of
the wood or meadow carries on around
me, she explained. I see far more than

if I was moving through. I draw the
small things that pass by, marsh fritillary
butterflies, marmalade hoverflies,
beautiful demoiselle damselflies above
the burn and gall wasps in the oaks.
Of course, as well as its oakwoods,
burns and lochs, Argyll has seemingly
endless coastal and island habitats to
explore. Since 2011 Jane has been
working with the RSPB on the island
of Oronsay. In 2012 she exhibited at
Glasgows Kelvingrove Art Gallery and
Museum with 'Sea art in a different
way, in which she teamed up with five
other artists to capture interpretations
of the Future of the Atlantic Marine
Environment (FAME) project, led by
RSPB, and funded by the European
Commission
In her early years as a natural
history film maker Jane worked in and
grew to love parts of the world that
many, if not most, of us will never
experience at first hand. However, as
she says, finding your own wildlife back
home is every bit as exciting and a
privilege to be treasured.
You can read more about Janes
experiences on Oronsay and see
more examples of her work at www.
janesmithwildlifeart.blogspot.com
Further reading
Aig an Oir Society of Wildlife Artists

at http://swla.co.uk/wp-swla/pastprojects
Future of the Atlantic Marine
Environment (FAME) at www.
fameproject.ev/en
www.snh.gov.uk/gaelic
3
The shy, secretive,
corncrake is seldom
seen, but often heard.
Its distinctive, rasping
call evoking memories
of a more rural past.
4
Jane at work in the
Argyll countryside.
5
Six-spot burnet moths
are attractive,
day-flying moths that
are often mistaken for
butterflies.
28
www.snh.gov.uk
29
1
Habitat restoration at
Whitelee windfarm.
Peatland revival
Windfarms continue to provoke
debate among environmentalists,
but the opportunities for habitat
restoration on a significant
scale are undeniable, as Peter
Robson, Senior Ecologist with
ScottishPower Renewables,
explains.
ScottishPower Renewables has approached new

windfarm developments with an aim to minimise
significant environmental effects through sensitive
design and habitat restoration.
Upland Scotland comprises a rich mosaic of grassland,

heathland, woodland and bog habitats. Many areas are
subject to high rainfall and cool annual average temperatures
which lend themselves to the formation of peat.
The uplands are also where the wind resource is
greatest, which has led to many windfarms being located
In 2001 ScottishPower Renewables pioneered the first large- in these same areas. Given the environmental sensitivities
scale Habitat Management Plan (HMP) within the industry
of these landscapes many windfarms are co-located in
at Beinn an Tuirc windfarm in Argyll. The area covered 1670
commercial forestry, particularly those areas which have
hectares of upland heath and blanket bog. By early 2014 the performed poorly in their intended function of producing
combined total of land covered by our HMPs stood at 8200 quality timber.
hectares spread across 16 sites, primarily in upland areas.
Of the land covered by HMPs in upland areas,
approximately 50% comprises former commercial forestry

on peatland. While techniques for restoring open moor
peatlands are relatively well understood, there are few
examples of peatland restoration from commercial forestry.
30
www.snh.gov.uk
Researching afforested peatlands

This led ScottishPower Renewables to implement research
to understand how forested peatlands work at a functional
level, and to undertake experiments to investigate new
restoration techniques.
Much of this work was undertaken at Black Law (central
belt) and Whitelee (west Scotland) windfarms, which

have two of the largest and most ambitious HMPs in the
windfarm industry. They aim to deliver specific targets for
species, such as breeding waders, raptors and black grouse.
ScottishPower Renewables has taken an approach which
recognises that, for species to benefit, the focus must start
with creating quality habitats.
Where peatlands are involved, the understanding of
how these heavily degraded systems have been affected is
fundamental. The process of planting forests on blanket bog
during early afforestation attempts involved deep ploughing
to create elevated ridges into which trees were planted, and
31
furrows connected to a drain network.

This method has implications for the land afterwards.
The furrows create localised drawdown of the water table
and affect surface water movement. Moreover, the elevated
ridges cause approximately 40% of the surface area to be
raised above the original ground level. As trees grow the
surface of the peatland is compressed by the weight of the
trees and shaded by branches becoming denser.
After felling, despite light being able to reach the surface
once again, the legacy of drains and furrows persist.
Whats more, there is potential for erosion to occur on bare,
exposed peat by a combination of frost, wind and water
runoff.
Dramatic improvements
The technique involves un-ploughing the ground by removing

tree stumps and spreading forestry residues in a particular
way that, together with tracking by special low ground
pressure machinery, results in a flattened surface with
protection from erosion. Monitoring has revealed that this
process dramatically raises water levels closer to the peat
surface and early indicators of vegetation growth show
that specialist bog plants (such as sphagnum mosses) are
increasing at a surprisingly rapid rate.
The aim, once the correct conditions for restoration are
achieved, is that the various flora and fauna which occupy
these habitats will show a similar improvement and therefore
Need for intervention
achieve the wider HMP aims.
Building on the 2010 success, a larger-scale 10 hectare
Over eight years of monitoring has been undertaken at Black trial was implemented in 2013. This aimed to investigate
Law windfarm to investigate whether blanket bog would
potential environmental side effects of water quality, runoff
restore post-felling without further intervention. Although
rates, and erosion which could occur using this technique.
there are localised circumstances where this could occur,
Early results are promising and ScottishPower Renewables
the majority of deforested blanket bog requires special
are cautiously expanding the roll-out of this method, with
management to achieve restoration.
a few tweaks, to a larger scale in 2014 with a view to
A further driver to intervene has been the spread of
developing the knowledge to a level where it can be safely
conifer trees regenerating from seed on many sites, which
deployed at other appropriate sites.
can occur at high densities where surface conditions remain
It has been a lengthy process to improve our
dry.
understanding of peatland restoration, and we have had
After early trials to investigate traditional restoration
many supportive meetings with the relevant stakeholders
methods of ditch-blocking proved unsuccessful, a more
involved in delivering these HMPs, including SNH, Forestry
drastic approach was considered necessary. A method was Commission, RSPB and various local authorities.
sought to remedy both the dry surface conditions and the
However, this work has potential to support a much wider
increasing problem of coniferous regeneration.
knowledge base than just windfarms, and ScottishPower
An area of land at Whitelee windfarm was identified as an Renewables, who funded peatland researchers Strath
ideal test site, and after pilot studies to test various ideas in Caulaidh to scope, design and deliver the 10-year work
2010 one method emerged as a promising candidate.
program, aim to have the work published in a format which is
accessible to all practitioners in this area.
2
2
Removal of forestry
from what was
previously a peatland
area can expose
significant damage.
3
The same site two
years on from
restoration work, with
clear evidence of
habitat recovery.
4
The common snipe is
one of the species that
can benefit most from
upland habitat
restoration of blanket
bog and heath.
32
www.snh.gov.uk
33
1
Attentive Hare by
Fergus Gill.
2
Gannet Preening by
Ruaidhri Forrester.
3
Scotch Mist by Jake
Watson.
Snap to it!
Focus Environment is an environmental photographic
competition for secondary school pupils throughout
Scotland. The competition encourages young people
between the ages of 11 and 18 to demonstrate their
awareness of the natural world around them.
Its an exciting way to encourage
young people to take an interest in
Scotlands natural habitats and wildlife.
The competition is divided into two
age groups, 11-14 and 15-18 and
the categories are My Environment,
Wildlife & Habitats and Natures
Moods. The winning photographs form
a touring exhibition which visits galleries
and museums across Scotland.
2014s competition is now underway.
Anyone interested in entering needs to
34
be in secondary education in Scotland

and the closing date for entries is
Monday 6 October 2014. Please bear
in mind that all photographs submitted
must be taken in Scotland.
Back in early 1995, which was
European Nature Conservation Year
(ENCY), Chevron had just completed a
major conservation project in Aberdeen
and was looking to develop a new
environmental project. One of the focus
areas of ENCY was environmental
education for Europes school children,
and it seemed that developing a

schools project would fit very well with
the greater European aim.
Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH)
had been designated the manager for
ENCY efforts in Scotland, so Chevron
reached out to SNH to explore ideas.
At the same time, Conservation Trust
for Volunteers (TCV) was also keen to
develop a schools project, so the three
parties got together to exchange ideas;
the result was Focus Environment.
Real talent emerges
Focus Environment was launched in
spring 1995, with competition packs
sent to every secondary school in
Scotland. That year, the response was
relatively modest, compared to the
2000 plus entries received in 2013,
but it was evident that there was
some real talent in Scotlands schools
that deserved recognition across the
country.
The initial concept had just been
to run a competition but now the

organisers put together an awards
event and a travelling exhibition to
showcase the work of the nations
talented young photographers. That
opening awards event was held in
the National Museum of Scotland in
Edinburgh in November 1995, with the
exhibition taking pride of place in the
museums main concourse, and young
people from all over Scotland coming
with their families to celebrate their
achievements.
Wheel and the Shetland Museum.

Today, Focus Environment is
a partnership between Chevron,
the Scottish Wildlife Trust and
TCV Scotland, continuing to bring
together business and conservation
organisations in an event that promotes
environment, education and the arts.
It isnt just confined to Scotland either
with similar competitions being held in
Norway and Australia.
Gathering momentum
You can read all about the Focus

Environment project at http://www.
focusenvironment.com/index.asp
and if you would like to see the touring
exhibition the timetable (right) shows
where and when the exhibition will be
near you.
Since then, the event has gained

momentum, with growing numbers of
entrants, showcasing both the sheer
beauty of Scotlands landscape, flora
and fauna and the talent of many young
people to audiences across the country.
The photo exhibition travels throughout
the year, in venues such as Dynamic
Earth in Edinburgh, the Inverness
Museum and Art Gallery, the Falkirk
www.snh.gov.uk
Further information
FOCUS Exhibition
Touring Schedule for 2014
Venue Dates
Fraserburgh Lighthouse Museum
6 - 29 May
Inverness Museum
3 - 27 June
Falls of Clyde, New Lanark World
Heritage Site 1 - 31 July
Shetland Museum & Archives
5 August - 2 September
Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh
September dates TBC
Falkirk Wheel
1 - 31 October
35
Reserve focus
The big Small Isle

Rum is the largest of the island quartet known as the Small Isles. More mountainous
than neighbouring Eigg, Muck and Canna, its jagged outline is famous on Scotlands
western seaboard.
Rum National Nature Reserve

is one of Britains largest at
over 100 square kilometres.
Its landscape and wildlife have
made it internationally wellknown and it is undoubtedly one
of the most spectacular nature
reserves in Scotland.
For many it is a fascinating bird that
is the biggest natural draw on Rum.
The Manx shearwater is the islands
most common bird and the colony here
can number upwards of 60,000. Its
reputedly Britains longest-lived bird
with records of birds living for over 50
years. What makes them even more
remarkable is that they are a migratory
marvel. They arent resident all year
round on Rum and return to the island
36
www.snh.gov.uk
each spring from the South Atlantic to

breed in burrows on the Rum Cuillin.
Thus between spending spring and
summer in the northern hemisphere,
and autumn and winter off the coast
of South America, they clock up an
astonishing 13,000 mile migration.
One bird that is resident on Rum
throughout the year is the magnificent
sea eagle, which is the fourth-largest
eagle in the world and is Scotland's
largest bird of prey. Its wingspan an
impressive two and a half metres is
hard to mistake. The coastal areas and
mountain tops are ideal places to seek
out a glimpse of a bird that began its
reintroduction to Scotland back in 1975
on Rum.
Equally at home on Rum are red
deer. For several decades studies of
this popular Scottish species have
taken place each year and this has

enabled a comprehensive picture of the
animals behaviour to be documented.
Many of us who may never make it
to Rum will have watched BBCs
Autumnwatch programme to see these
majestic animals in great detail.
Finally, it isnt just the wildlife that
brings visitors to Rum. The island has
a rich social and economic history and
Kinloch Castle is a remarkable relic of
a bygone era. The castle was built in
1897 for Sir George Bullough, a rich
Lancastrian industrialist. However,
it began to decline after World War
One when the Bulloughs visited less
and less frequently, and finally in 1957
the family trustees sold the island and
the castle to the Nature Conservancy
Council.
37
1
The scenery of Rum
draws visitors from
near and far.
2
The otter is one of the
species resident in and
around Loch Scresort.
3
Tumbling waterfalls on
Kinloch River.
4
Red deer are an
extremely popular
tourist attraction on
Rum.
The walk we suggest here is the 8km

Kinloch Glen Trail. Although this walk is
on a well-defined track you should be
aware that you are heading into remote
countryside and carry appropriate
footwear and waterproofs.
1
Day visitors will most likely arrive on

Rum by ferry. The ferry enters Loch
Scresort and moors on the south
side of the loch. The loch is home to
otters, and grey and common seals are
present too. You can try and spot
them from a nearby otter hide just a
10-minute walk from the pier.
Follow the track from the pier
around the bay, sticking to the lower
path which hugs the shoreline, where
eider ducks and oystercatchers are
common and you may see greenshank.
Our walk heads into the village itself
where you will find a crossroads and a
signpost for Harris and Kilmory.
38
Follow the initial stages of a clear track

that is the easiest way to reach either
Kilmory or Harris from the village of
Kinloch on foot.
The route hugs a pine wood and
follows the south side of the Kinloch
River which has both brown and sea
trout. Herons can often be spotted
hunting here. On sunny days this can
be a good spot to see butterflies, and
small pearl-bordered fritillary and green
hairstreak are about in early summer.
Common lizards and tiger beetles are
also regularly seen on this track.
Just beyond the trees, where
primroses abound in spring, you will
reach a fork on the track. Stay to the
left and note that the river bends away
from you. You may see bobbing dippers
here, look for a distinctive white bib
which contrasts with a dark head and
body.
The walk progresses fairly steeply to a

large deer fence where you pass through
a small swing gate to the side.
Rum is something of a stronghold
for red deer. They can be one of the
highlights of a visit to Rum and are often
spotted in this glen. This iconic animal
is Britains largest land-based mammal
and is arguably most visible when its
rich red coat stands out against a wintry
backdrop. Autumn, however, brings the
rut, and roaring stags can fill the glens
with what is one of Scotlands most
exciting natural sounds.
www.snh.gov.uk
39
Essential
information
4
The track slopes uphill and passes a

piece of rusting machinery on the ridge
to the left. This was the stone crusher
used by George Bulloughs men to
make surfacing materials for the tracks
to Harris and Kilmory.
You are now out in open hills and
a scan of the skyline often gives views
of soaring golden eagles. Last year
we fitted a golden eagle chick with a
satellite tag and it was regularly spotted
hunting in this glen.
Scotland is home to almost all of
the 440 or so pairs of golden eagles
that attempt to breed in Britain.
Identification can be a challenge for
visitors. Look for fairly rectangular
shaped wings held in a shallow V
shape.
By contrast, buzzards have shorter,
more rounded wings and tend to soar
with them held level to the body. The
sea eagle also holds its wings fairly
level when soaring, and has a wedgeshaped tail.
The path next arrives at a stone bridge

where you can see the Kinloch Glen
waterfall and a view of Mullach Mor
(the translation of which means the
big eminence). There is also a view
of relatively young woodland where in
summer blackcaps and willow warblers
take advantage of the many insects
present.
The ground around here can be
boggy off the track and you might spot
the delicate yellow flowers of tormentil
and bog asphodel or the tiny blue
flowers of the common milkwort.
Small birds such as meadow pipit,
wheatear, stonechat and skylark may
also be around, the latter perhaps being
heard before you spot it.
At this point you have a choice. Visitors

who are planning to return to the
mainland by ferry should retrace their
steps, but those with a few days on the
island are now at an ideal point from
which to forge farther on and either
explore the north of the island and
head for Kilmory Glen or turn south and
walk to Harris. Either way the views
from here are marvellous. Most of the
landscape of Rum was shaped by the
formation of a volcano some 60 million
years ago, and in Hallival and Askival
the island has two of the Hebrides
most attractive peaks.
5
The golden eagle, with
a wingspan of around
two metres, is one of
our most impressive
birds of prey.
6
Rum offers a great
location for an outdoor
holiday.
40
left onto a path that passes a seating

area then heads into the woods and
the ruins of an old village. The path
continues straight to the otter hide.
An NNR since April 1957, Rum National From the hide, otters, minke whales and
seals can sometimes be seen, as can a
Nature Reserve is famed for red deer,
range of birds including oystercatcher,
Manx shearwater, Highland ponies,
eagles and above all stunning scenery. red-throated diver, red-breasted
merganser, and gannet.
Rum is part of the group of islands
The North Side trail is approximately
known as the Small Isles and together
2
miles
long and you should allow
with Canna, Muck and Eigg lies south
one
hour
to complete this walk. Turn
of Skye and west of Morar. Caledonian
right
just
before
the small bridge over
MacBrayne have a regular ferry service
Kinloch
Burn
and
follow the yellow
to Rum from Mallaig, but a number
eagle
trail
markers.
An early highlight
of small firms also provide a service
of
this
walk
is
seeing
Highland ponies
including the MV Sheerwater Small
in
the
village
fields
during
the stalking
Isles ferry from Arisaig (summer only).
season. The walk although not high
does reach a point where good views
OS maps
of the peak of Hallival are visible.
Explorer 397
(Rum, Eigg, Muck, Canna & Sanday)
Landranger 39
(Rum, Eigg, Muck & Canna)
Terrain
The walks are mostly on firm level

surfaces but the ground conditions
can vary along the way and after heavy
Trails
rainfall can be boggy. You should
consider wearing at very least good
There are several trails to enjoy on Rum. walking shoes or boots and carry
Our featured walk explores Kinloch
waterproof clothing as the area is noted
Glen, but you may enjoy the Otter Hide for its high rainfall.
or North Side walks. These waymarked
trails make it easy to explore Rum on a
Scottish Outdoor
short visit.
Access Code
A mere 10-minute walk from the
pier lies the Otter Hide path. From the
Please follow the Scottish Outdoor
pier walk beyond the boatsheds and
www.snh.gov.uk
Access Code and local guidance at

the reserve. Please keep your dog(s)
under close control or on a short lead
at sensitive times such as during the
bird breeding season (April to July)
and comply with any notices you see.
A short lead is taken to be two metres,
and under close control means that
the dog is able to respond to your
commands and kept close at heel.
Nearby attractions
Kinloch Castle is a time capsule
of Edwardian extravagance largely
untouched by the passage of time.
Guided tours of the fascinating
principal wing of Kinloch Castle take
place daily. To allow guests visiting
for the day an opportunity to take the
tour these are timed to coincide with
the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry from
Mallaig and the MV Sheerwater from
Arisaig.
Further information
You can contact SNH on 01687
462026. You can also download a
leaflet about the reserve from the
publications section of the SNH
website www.nnr-scotland.org.uk/
rum. Find out more about Rum at
http://www.isleofrum.com/index.php
41
SNH Area News
SNH Area News
Northern Isles and North Highland
Forth
Correspondents: Gail Churchill, Valerie Wilson, Juan Brown
Correspondents: John OKeefe, Caroline Crawford, Iain Rennick
Orkney geese solution
Invernaver innovation
Sumburgh renovation
Green Angels
Controlling rhododendron Gateway to the May
Wild goose-meat went on sale at

licensed outlets in Orkney last year
for the first time. The resident greylag
goose population in Orkney has
expanded rapidly in recent years,
causing significant agricultural damage.
At the same time, both wildlife tourism
and wildfowling make an important
contribution to the Orkney economy.
We are therefore working to find a
balance to control the resident goose
population to establish a viable number
that can be managed sustainably and
minimise agricultural impacts while
generating important income for the
local population.
This work is being carried out under
the Orkney Resident Greylag Goose
Adaptive Management Pilot, and in
2013 we started trialling the sale of
goose meat that has been harvested
by the project. Goose meat is a good,
healthy source of protein and allows
people to eat fresh, eat seasonal, and
eat local.
The sale of goose meat in this
first year has gone really well with
different products available such
as goose sausages and goose
breasts. Scotlands Natural Larder
ran educational and tasting events to
promote goose products and we have
also produced recipe cards for baked
goose breasts and goose casserole.
The wild goose meat is only available
for sale from licensed sellers in Orkney.
The crofters at Invernaver and North

Achnabourin in north Sutherland
have joined forces to manage the
internationally significant dunes and
heaths in a novel arrangement with
SNH. This special area has taken a
battering over the years and not just
from the weather. Episodes of overand under-grazing have combined with
burning, rabbits and weeds to damage
the intricate mosaic of species.
Invernaver hosts plant communities
more commonly found on top of the
Cairngorms thriving just above sea
level alongside sand dune species. The
crofters are working closely with SNH
on management aimed at restoring this
unique protected area. The boundary
between the two grazings has been
fenced and the sheep combined into
one flock. This allows sheep to be
removed from the hill ground and
herded onto Invernaver in the winter
when heavier grazing is required to
remove excess growth and benefit the
less robust species.
In summer most of the sheep are
put back onto the hill while those
left on Invernaver are shepherded to
encourage them onto the higher ground
allowing the plants around the dunes to
flower and set seed.
The grazing of key species is
measured by the crofters and will show
whether more or fewer sheep are
required at key times of the year.
Visitors and locals alike will benefit

from the new facilities at Sumburgh
Head when they are unveiled in May,
marking the completion of an ambitious
project, led by Shetland Amenity
Trust. The iconic lighthouse buildings,
perched above the cliffs at the southern
tip of mainland Shetland, have been
completely renovated, with great
attention to historic detail.
SNH is a partner in this project,
which includes state-of-the-art
interactive displays revealing the
wonders of the marine environment
and its complex food webs culminating
in top predators such as the seabirds
and killer whales for which Shetland is
famous. Light is very much the theme,
the lighthouse having played a vital part
in Shetlands maritime safety over the
past two centuries, and the sun itself
giving life to the sea through the energy
captured by marine algae at the base of
the food chain.
The internationally important seabird
colony at Sumburgh Head is an RSPB
reserve and one of the most accessible
in Britain. The site is very popular
with visitors, including those from the
cruise ships which make brief stops
in Shetland. Passengers are regularly
taken from Lerwick to Sumburgh Head
in the summer to see the seabird
spectacle, including ever-popular
puffins, at close quarters.
See www.sumburghhead.com
The Green Team delivers volunteering

and Outdoor Learning programmes
to young people in Edinburgh. Their
Green Angels programme encourages
girls aged 12-18 to take part in
environmental volunteering through
exploring the countryside in and around
Edinburgh. The girls learn about their
local natural environment in a fun and
exciting way and carry out conservation
tasks that improve access to green
spaces and benefit wildlife.
Green Angels, which is funded
by Scottish Natural Heritage, was
developed as a way of reducing the
barriers some girls face to being in a
mixed gender group and carrying out
physically demanding and sometimes
muddy work.
The Green Team is working in
partnership with Blackhall Mosque
to support the participation of eleven
girls in this programme. The girls took
part in various activities, including
tree planting, pond dipping and
environmental art. They learned lots of
new skills, made new friends and their
confidence in the outdoors grew. All of
the girls have achieved their John Muir
Award and were presented with their
certificates at the Mosque.
If you would like to find out more
about volunteering with the Green
Team, have a look at their website www.
greenteam.org.uk/
Introduced in the 18th century for use

in parks and gardens, rhododendron
ponticum is our most widespread
and damaging non-native plant. It
has attractive flowers, but reduces
biodiversity by eradicating other plants,
hinders the natural regeneration of
trees and is a factor in spreading plant
diseases.
Controlling rhododendron is
difficult and expensive. Action must be
taken over a wide area to prevent recolonisation. The traditional method of
control has been to cut the plants down
then treat the area with herbicide for up
to two years. This control can in itself
be damaging to the environment.
In March 2014 a successful
workshop on rhododendron control
was held at Kippenrait Glen SSSI near
Dunblane.
This was organised and led by
John Parrott of Coille Alba, a small
environmental charity, supported
by SNH and Forestry Commission
Scotland, and attended by over 40 land
owners, forest managers and forestry
contractors. John demonstrated new
techniques, including the injection of
herbicide directly into the plant stems,
which has been shown to have close to
a 100% success rate.
By spreading the word about these
new techniques, the aim is to ensure
that future control is cheaper, quicker,
more environmentally friendly and
ultimately more successful.
42
www.snh.gov.uk
Visitor facilities on the Isle of May

National Nature Reserve in the Firth of
Forth have been improved with a new
building at the main harbour.
This replaces a building known as
the Mouse House a small timber
building originally erected in the
1960s as accommodation for research
workers studying the islands mouse
population, hence the name.
It was then converted into a
makeshift visitor centre in the 1990s. It
has served the island well, but is now
in poor condition and doesnt meet
modern regulations such as those for
disabled access.
The new building corrects all that.
It acts as a gateway to the reserve,
providing information about what there
is to see on the island at different
points in the season so that visitors
get the most from their time there. It
also provides essential visitor facilities
toilets, seating and shelter and a
meeting place for larger groups.
Up to 10,000 people visit the island
between April and October each
year on visitor boats which run from
Anstruther and North Berwick. Visitors
are rewarded with one of Scotlands
best wildlife spectacles over 200,000
seabirds on the island in peak breeding
season plus a large seal population.
43
SNH Area News
SNH Area News
Argyll and Outer Hebrides
Southern Scotland
Correspondent: Mags Russell
Correspondents: Paeder OConnell, Chris Miles, Andrew Panter, Trevor Godden
Traveller's Choice
Act now, enjoy forever
New life for Taynish Mill
Caerlaverock under siege
Sensory benches
All on track
Lewis and Harris, in the Outer

Hebrides, has been ranked fifth best
island in the world and the best in
Europe by TripAdvisor. The Travellers
Choice Awards puts the island ahead of
the likes of tropical paradise Ko Tao in
Thailand and the famous Easter Island.
Visitors are attracted to these
islands for their stunning scenery,
rich culture and increasingly their
spectacular wildlife.
One of the growing attractions for
visitors is the opportunity to watch sea
eagles at close quarters. Following a
successful re-introduction programme
the sea eagle population has been
growing steadily and now the island is
one of Scotlands strongholds for the
species.
In order to safeguard the wildlife
of the island and coastal waters,
Scottish Natural Heritage and RSPB
are encouraging wildlife tour operators
to sign up to the sea eagle watching
Code of Conduct.
The code promotes best practice
in wildlife watching, enabling visitors
and local businesses to enjoy and
benefit from wildlife, whilst ensuring
it continues to thrive. It is hoped that
more wildlife tour operators will adopt
the code and help protect our natural
heritage for future generations in this
stunning part of Scotland.
A new initiative led by Scottish Natural

Heritage and partners Argyll and Bute
Council, Forestry Commission Scotland
and NHS Highland will take a collective
approach towards maintaining and
enhancing Argylls countryside and
coastal areas.
Argyll and Isles Coast and
Countryside Trust (ACT) is a charity
with eight board members and an
experienced advisory group, and
employs a development officer.
Julie Young will work with agencies,
communities, and groups to pool
resources, experience and information.
Julie says, The key areas ACT
will focus on are developing and
promoting improved access networks;
enhancing biodiversity and the historic
environment, taking a lead in developing
region-wide projects and collaborative
working and supporting the existing
network of groups working in these
areas.
Ross Lilley, SNH Operations
Manager Argyll & Outer Hebrides and
board member of ACT noted, Already
there is a good consensus amongst the
board members on what the Trust can
deliver and considerable enthusiasm to
start building projects that will achieve
our aims.
The Trusts work will be focussed
on making Argyll and the isles a better
place to work, live and visit.
Readers may remember our article on

the refurbishment of Taynish Mill at
Taynish NNR in the Autumn/Winter
2013 edition of The Nature of Scotland.
We are now delighted to announce
that the Mill will have a new lease of life
throughout the Year of Homecoming
2014. The reserve team are planning
some great exhibitions through the
course of the year at this magical
location.
The team can now put the Mills
ancient walls to good use once again,
remarked Reserve Manager Alan
Martin, The Mill is only a short walk
from the reserve car park and along an
all-ability pathway. We hope that the
Mill Exhibitions will be an additional
highlight to any visit to the Reserve for
local residents and visitors alike.
This historic building which was very
close to being lost forever will now host
educational exhibitions, interpretation
on the Reserve, and there are a few
surprises planned for later in the year.
So if you are coming to Argyll, make
sure you check out Taynish and its
magical Mill. You may surprise yourself
that youve never been before and you
will likely want to come back.
At the start of the year, Caerlaverock

NNR on the Solway Firth experienced
its highest water levels for 50 years.
High spring tides coincided with
heavy rainfall and severe storms to
bring sea water flooding over the
saltmarsh. This caused damage to
paths and bridges but, most shocking
of all, was the sheer amount of plastic
debris left behind.
Thanks to the efforts of our regular
volunteer groups and the local
community, a sustained clean-up
operation removed huge amounts of
rubbish, from traffic cones and sheep
feed buckets to little yellow rubber
ducks!
The paths are now clear, the reserve
is open, and there are some fantastic
seasonal wildlife experiences to be had.
Spring sees the saltmarsh come
into bloom with a colourful carpet of
wildflowers; skylarks sing their glorious
song and breeding waders defend their
territories in acrobatic aerial displays.
On warm evenings, the reserve
echoes with the rasping mating calls of
rare natterjack toads. Caerlaverock is
a place of constant change and every
visit is unique. But if rising sea levels
are a consequence of climate change
and cause erosion of the saltmarsh
habitats as predicted, all this could be
under threat.
Cairnsmore NNR in the heart of the

Galloway and South Ayrshire Biosphere
Reserve has some new artwork to help
you get a feel for the essence of the
place.
The installation of beautifully
designed ergonomic benches aims
to create a sensory experience by
focussing attention on the surrounding
landscape. The invitation is to lie down,
and let the sounds, smells and sights of
nature dominate your senses.
Rosnes Bench is an idea developed
by Scottish artists Dalziel and Scullion.
They were inspired by the Biosphere
and Dark Sky Park initiatives, which
encourage better understanding of our
environment by local communities and
visitors.
To appreciate the Rosnes Benches
we have to allow the artworks to
challenge how we see and perceive
the natural world. The benches slow
us down, create stillness, change our
viewpoint and help us to remain in the
moment, and be part of the immediate
context that surrounds us.
Thirty benches have been installed in
12 special places throughout Galloway.
At Cairnsmore the benches are beside
the Clints of Dromore walk where the
heather, wind and ever-changing sky
will whisper their secrets to those who
can hear them. For further information
and directions to the other locations go
to www.rosnesbench.com
Anyone driving along the A7 from

Galashiels to Edinburgh cannot fail to
notice the construction activities for the
new Borders Railway.
Due for completion in the summer
of 2015, the developers have faced
some challenges to minimise the impact
on the resident wildlife along the route.
As works progressed, SNH has been
providing expert advice and arranging the
special licences required when protected
species have to be disturbed.
Some species have been persuaded
to relocate. One-way bat-flaps were
installed under licence in an existing
Victorian tunnel ahead of renovation
works. The bats then left for alternative
roost sites in bat boxes put up in nearby
trees.
Disturbance to badger setts has been
avoided at most locations by establishing
exclusion zones during the construction
work. And for otters, cast-in mammal
ledges have been used in culverts to
allow them access under the line.
These are just some examples of
the great care thats been required by
developers, consultants, SNH, SEPA
and other stakeholders, to protect the
animals and their natural environments.
The hope is that once the line is open,
visitors will find the areas wildlife much
as it was before, and largely untouched
by the new development.
44
www.snh.gov.uk
45
SNH Area News
SNH Area News
South Highland
Tayside and Grampian
Correspondents: Liz McLachlan, Chris Donald, Anne Elliot
Correspondents: Shona Smith, Sandra Penman, Ewen Cameron
Meagaidh Cadet Corps
Eagle eye from the sky
Caring for capercaillie
Silent Witness
BioBlitz at Loch Leven NNR Tales from the riverbank
Native woodland on Creag Meagaidh

NNR has been getting a boost, thanks
to the efforts of Highland Air Cadets.
Restoring the native forest is one
of the main aims of the Reserves
management but in the past (pre
Nature Conservancy Council and
SNH) non-native trees like Sitka spruce
were planted and these are causing
issues as they seed out into the native
woodland and open ground.
We need to keep on top of these
regenerating seedlings and saplings.
The willing team of workers armed with
hand tools relished this conservation
work. The task was ideal for developing
their planning, teamwork and leadership
skills and their competitive instincts
meant they achieved a power of work.
They also got the chance to practice
fire-lighting skills, shelter building and
camouflage and concealment.
Reserve Manager Rory Richardson
was delighted with their visit. At Creag
Meagaidh we are always keen to work
with groups of young people like school
rural skills classes and the cadets, he
noted. Its a real win-win situation as
they can play their part in improving
the nature of the Reserve and develop
useful skills and life experience at the
same time. The Highland Air Cadets
have been visiting Creag Meagaidh
NNR for the past three years to carry
out work for us.
An exciting new project on two

Highland NNRs is helping us
understand more about the behaviour
of golden eagle chicks once they
fledge.
Last summer two fledgling eagles
were fitted with satellite tags, one in the
Cairngorms and one on Rum NNR. The
transmitter is fitted as a mini back-pack
and is powered by an integrated solar
panel. This sends signals to a satellite
which records the birds movements on
a daily basis.
The Rum NNR youngster, named
Mowgli by Rum Primary School
pupils, moved out of his parents home
range but remained on the island and
was seen hunting and feeding on
carrion. In February Mowgli hopped
islands, however, and was tracked on
neighbouring Eigg.
Brave is the name given to the
Cairngorm youngster who has moved
more widely, visiting the Angus Glens
and Drumochter Hills.
The maps will be updated on a
weekly basis and posted on SNH social
media outlets to promote interest in
NNRs and golden eagles.
One of Scotlands most threatened

birds the capercaillie is the focus of
conservation efforts in Strathspey.
Capercaillie live in mature Scots
pine forests and like quiet places to
eat pine needles and undertake their
breeding rituals. Disturbance from
people and dogs has been a problem,
especially where the male birds carry
out communal displays called lekking
during the spring breeding season.
In a capercaillie wood adjacent to
Boat of Garten, Cairngorms National
Park Authority (CNPA), the local
community, Seafield Estate and SNH
have put in place innovative measures
aimed at reducing recreational
disturbance. Following these trials a
follow up SNH survey showed dramatic
effects on peoples behaviour which
should benefit the birds.
Many other factors affect
capercaillie numbers and within the
Cairngorms National Park, CNPA
and its partners are drawing up a
conservation framework for the species.
A key task is to carry out a spatial
analysis to find out:
where the main capercaillie
populations are in the Park;
where the threats are;
what are suitable areas for birds to
expand into; and
what are the priority areas that need
managed.
If you like crime dramas, you might have

spotted the brooding background of
Corrie Fee NNR on your TV in January.
The BBCs Silent Witness forensic
pathologists headed north to support
local police investigating the chilling
murder of a lap dancer found in a
remote forest in the two-part episode In
a Lonely Place.
The shows producer described
the area as a great place to shoot
when they spent several days filming in
September in Corrie Fee, Glen Clova
and Dundee.
Locations were given fictional
names Glen Doll Forest became
Macroom Forest and we saw the
team of pathologists walking there
from Corrie Fee to see bodies being
exhumed.
Locals featured as extras and SNH
received a small location fee, which we
used for some path maintenance work.
Why not visit this Ice Age relic
yourself? Youll see alpine plants, birds
and dragonflies from the path but
hopefully nothing as grisly as the
scenes created by the Silent Witness
crew.
http://www.nnr-scotland.org.uk/
corrie-fee/
Bio means life and Blitz means to

do something quickly and intensively.
A BioBlitz is a great outdoor family
event where members of the public,
with help from local experts, work
together to do a fast and intensive
survey of all forms of life in a natural
space.
Its a race to see or find as many
different species of plants, birds,
insects, fungi, mammals and fish as
possible in 24 hours. Everything is
written down to make a list of species
records which feed into national
databases that monitor our wildlife.
Loch Leven NNR celebrates its 50th
Anniversary this year and what better
way to celebrate than to come along
and join in with our BioBlitz. Running
from 12 noon on Saturday 5 July until
12 noon on Sunday 6 July 2014 there
will be a wide variety of wildlife experts
on hand to help you identify what you
come across or you can just find out
more about what can be found at the
nature reserve.
If you are interested in wildlife
and want to help at the Loch Leven
NNR BioBlitz, or want to learn more
about the day, please email sandra.
penman@snh.gov.uk in the first
instance. Youll be glad you did.
46
www.snh.gov.uk
Natural Capital refers to valuable

social and economic resources
provided by nature that we all benefit
from.
Rivers provide us with water, income
from angling tourism and whisky,
recreational opportunities for canoeing,
riverbank walking and much more.
Sadly, we have all been a bit careless
with our Natural Capital. In northeast Scotland, the Dee Catchment
Partnership and River Dee Trust, with
funding from SNH, have appointed
Joanna Dick to be their new outreach
officer. Her challenging task is to make
us all more aware of how we are still
very dependent on our rivers.
Environmental issues often seem so
big and daunting that we feel powerless
to make a difference. But Joannas
projects will show the small things we
can all do to help, and if lots of people
each do a small thing, that all adds up
to a big difference.
So check out their website www.
riverdee.org.uk and read about the
schools work, learn how different users
can share the river and the intriguing
Yellow Fish project.
If youre not near the Dee, RAFTS
www.rafts.org.uk can identify a more
local Rivers Trust you could help.
Dont leave it to somebody else do
your bit too.
47
SNH Area News
Instant impact on Tiree
Strathclyde and Ayrshire

Correspondents: Sarah Phillips (CAVLP), Hilary Britton, Scott Ferguson (GCVGNP)
Exploring hidden gardens Magnificent meadows
Seven Lochs
The natural beauty and dramatic

scenery of the Clyde Valley has
attracted many people to live along
its river banks. In the 18th and 19th
century wealthy landowners building
their new country houses in the valley
looked to the surrounding landscape,
incorporating its natural beauty into
their designs for extensive gardens and
parkland.
Many now appear lost. However,
look closely and you will discover
evidence remains, often in places we
may think of as natural or wild. This is
particularly true for the Clyde Valley
Woodlands NNR, where at least three
of the six component woodland sites,
Chatelherault, Falls of Clyde and
Mauldslie, are remnants of designed
landscapes.
The HLF-funded Clyde and Avon
Valleys Landscape Partnership (CAVLP)
is working with local communities and
landowners to investigate these places
and explore ways to conserve, enhance
and celebrate them. This includes
conservation management plans for the
NNR that consider how to balance the
natural and historic heritage of these
places through their management.
Next year the Garden History
Society of Scotland will be running a
volunteer project to record some of
these lost landscapes. You can find
out more on the CAVLP website www.
clydeandavonvalley.com.
SNH has been working for a number

of years with Glasgow and North
Lanarkshire Councils, and the Glasgow
and Clyde Valley Green Network
Partnership, amongst others, to develop
the concept of the Seven Lochs
Wetland Park.
The Seven Lochs Heritage Project
was awarded a 256,000 development
grant, and progression of a second
application for 4.2m of HLF funding
to deliver the Seven Lochs vision is
planned.
The Seven Lochs Wetland Park
will span the Glasgow City and
North Lanarkshire boundary between
Easterhouse and Coatbridge, and
takes in key sites such as Drumpellier
Country Park, Hogganfield Park and
Provan Hall/Auchinlea Park, as well
as five local nature reserves and
other protected areas. A plan for the
Seven Lochs Wetland Park has been
published, setting out a vision to create
a new visitor attraction of national
significance.
Over the next 12 months the
Glasgow and Clyde Valley Green
Network Partnership (GCVGNP) will
work with the Seven Lochs Partnership,
which brings together The Conservation
Volunteers Scotland, Forestry
Commission Scotland, and SNH to
take forward plans for the park.
48
The Heritage Lottery Fund has awarded

a unique partnership of conservation
organisations and local councils, (led by
Plantlife), 2.1m for a national project
called Save our Magnificent Meadows.
Two such meadows to benefit are
Kittochside, East Kilbride, and Feoch
Meadows, South Ayrshire.
Save Our Magnificent Meadows
will be the single largest contribution
in recent decades to halt the decline
and loss of wildlife-rich grasslands.
The project will work with landowners
to ensure meadows are managed
sympathetically, and create new
grasslands where they are needed.
It will directly safeguard over 3,000
hectares of our most vulnerable
grassland habitats and influence
the management of a further 2,845
hectares.
Crucially, Save Our Magnificent
Meadows will foster greater
understanding of the values of wildliferich grasslands by landowners and
nearby communities. With thousands
of people expected to participate
in activities and over 30 projects
encouraging greater access to our
meadows and grasslands, Save Our
Magnificent Meadows will ensure
the sound, smell and colour of one
of the most precious pieces of our
countryside are placed firmly back in
the nations consciousness.
SNH is part-funding a
ranger post on the isle of
Tiree. As Morven MacLean
explains, the aim is to help
to maintain and conserve
the islands unique
natural heritage through a
combination of information,
education, and conservation
activities.
in allocated overnight camping areas.

The aim is to reduce erosion in some
of the most popular parking areas,
which were often on protected machair
sites. One of Steves tasks is to greet
visitors arriving on the ferry, and direct
those with mobile homes to designated
camping pitches.
Another aspect of the job relating to
erosion control is ensuring responsible
access by visitors and locals. To
this end, parking areas have been
developed, some small fences placed
to direct access away from the most
sensitive areas, and direction signs put
up. Backing up these features, are oneto-one meetings to explain the reasons
for the restraints. Steve, along with John
Bowler, the islands RSPB conservation
officer, has also been involved with
taking beach measurements to monitor
coastal erosion on the island and these
valuable measurements are fed back to
SNH.
Tiree is part of the

Inner Hebrides and
traditionally enjoys
high levels of sunshine.
participants.
One of Steves biggest challenges
has been the attempt to improve
access to the less accessible parts
of the island for disabled people and
people with pushchairs. The idea is
to establish an equal access forum,
involving disabled people in making
an assessment of areas where
improvements are required and what
those improvements should be.
Long-term goals
Additional to the SNH grant, funding

for the ranger post is provided by the
Heritage Lottery Fund, Discover Tiree,
and the Tiree Trusts Windfall Fund.
At present the SNH funding has been
approved for an initial three-year term
and a voluntary access group, Ndair
Thiriodh, has the long-term goal of
continuing projects beyond this time.
And there is more in the pipeline.
A Tiree app is in the final stages of
Community involvement
testing before going live, brochures
and a series of walking route cards are
A large part of Steves job is community being produced, and an application for
Helping reduce erosion
engagement and education. As well
Dark Sky Discovery Status for a site
on the island is on the horizon.
In the middle of Tirees very busy tourist as organising guided walks and fun
activities for groups such as the
season, one of the most important
Beavers he has arranged a beach
jobs Steve tackles is the caravan and
campervan parking issue on the island. clean, and worked on the development www.snh.gov.uk/gaelic
of map-reading and navigation skills
There is a scheme in place to ensure
all visitors with mobile homes park only with Duke of Edinburghs Award
Steve Nagy was appointed as Tirees
full-time ranger in August 2013. From
teaching enthusiastic Beaver Scout
groups about the natural heritage, to
encouraging responsible access on
the islands stunning and often fragile
landscapes, Steve has been a visible
presence on the island for locals and
visitors alike and a fantastic resource
for SNH in an area which is a long way
from our nearest office.
www.snh.gov.uk
49
1
Dramatic scenery on
the Rahoy Hills
reserve.
Hidden gem sparkles

Think of West Highland scenery and you might
conjure up images of Ben Nevis, Glencoe or
Arisaig. But would you think of Morvern?
Yet, situated in the remote
and wild heart of the Morvern
peninsula, Rahoy Hills Wildlife
Reserve boasts dramatic scenery
and a wide range of habitats
and wildlife. From basalt tops
and cliffs with their rare arcticalpine flora to the oakwoodfringed shore of Loch Arienas it
is something of a hidden gem in
Scotland.
Remarkable contrasts
The contrasts in this small reserve are

remarkable. Theres the wide range in
altitude from Loch Arienas shoreline just
above sea level to the summit of remote
Beinn Iadain at 571m. Then theres the
predominance of nutrient-rich basalt,
and the cliffs and soils this provides.
And beyond the soils and vegetation
the remote location is a haven for a
range of birds, dragonflies, mammals,
amphibians and reptiles that few
reserves can match.
An amazing sequence of geological
For many years the variety of life on
events
created the rich dark crumbly
the reserve has been monitored and
basalt
tops
of these hills and
mapped, and the Scottish Wildlife
surrounding
cliffs, providing soils to
Trust (SWT) has concluded that Rahoy
support
a
rich
mountain flora.
Hills is the most biodiverse of its 130
Rare
and
scarce
species growing
properties.
here include the Norwegian sandwort,
hairy stonecrop and northern rock
Morvern transformed
cress.
In more sheltered areas cliff ledges
The area is perhaps best known in
provide
safe havens from grazing
Scotland for being the location where
for
sensitive
plants, which form lush
several St Kilda families were relocated
communities
of tall mountain herbs.
to in 1930. Fifty years later a noted
Flower-rich
grassland
fringes the
Scottish history book Morvern
hills.

Transformed beautifully detailed life
The UK has a special responsibility
in this Highland parish in the nineteenth
for
this
highly specialised habitat which
century, but by and large the area has
is
rare
in
mainland Europe. The special
been overlooked.
nature
of
Rahoy is recognised by two
However, the Rahoy Hills reserve is
international
conservation designations
slowly but surely throwing the spotlight
both
the
montane
habitats and the
back onto this quiet corner of Scotland.
oak
woodland
are
Special
Areas of
The reserve is run by the SWT in
Conservation
and
form
part
of the
partnership with Ardtornish estate and
European
network
of
protected
sites.
has been a nature reserve since 1975.
50
www.snh.gov.uk
51
The importance of the montane

habitats with their rare arctic-alpine
plants was first recognised by the
botanist John E Raven more than
50 years ago. The Raven family are
still represented here through the
Ardtornish estate, and work closely with
SWT to manage the reserve.
Studying the area is part and parcel
of the story of the reserve today. Every
year SWT carry out assessments of the
status of seven arctic-alpine species
that are of particular conservation
interest. This is a valuable and unusually
detailed record of increases and
declines in these species over time, and
will help inform conservation efforts in
the long term. One particularly positive
note was that in 2013 Alpine cinquefoil
was found for the first time since the
1980s.
which will create a fresh flush of tree

regeneration, providing a patchwork
of new growth to gradually revive the
old oakwood along the shore of Loch
Arienas.
These projects are a partnership
between Ardtornish Estate, the SWT,
SNH and the Rahoy Hills Management
Committee and highlight the
collaborative approach being used to
manage the reserve.
Butterflies and badgers
The area is well-endowed with

butterflies, and sixteen species have
been recorded here. Amongst the
rarest is the purple hairstreak which
was only recently recorded and is a
species that appears to be moving
slowly north. Their favourite habitat is
amongst oak trees but they like the tree
Woodland glades
tops and spotting them on summer
evenings is not easy.
Meanwhile, at the very foot of Beinn
Things rarely stand still at Rahoy.
na h-Uamha, a project is building on
As recently as 2013 the warden,
work done in past decades to ensure
Steve Hardy, was standing in a glade
continuity of regeneration of the oak
in Arienas Wood when a chequered
woodland. This Celtic rainforest is
skipper butterfly fluttered past the
important on a global scale for its
first ever recorded on the reserve. The
mosses, liverworts and lichens, giving
tiny chequered skipper is only on the
the woodland a lush green quality.
wing from late May to late June and
Old fenced areas, where young
was once thought to be confined to
trees have successfully established in
a handful of locations. It relies almost
the absence of grazing pressure, have
entirely on grassland dominated by tall
been partially opened up. This will allow purple moor-grass, and thus the open
limited numbers of deer in and out, and woodland clearings of Rahoy Hills are
ensure that woodland glades, especially near ideal.
important for butterflies such as the
Mammals abound in the reserve
pearl-bordered fritillary, are maintained. and, as well as the usual range of deer,
At the same time two new
shrews and mice, there is now evidence
enclosures have been fenced off,
of badgers at Rahoy. In 2011 the
52
warden, Isabel Isherwood, discovered

a badger dung pit 400m up in what
looked like very unlikely badger habitat.
However, remote cameras placed
around the reserve confirmed the
suspicions and captured many hours
of footage of adult and cub badgers to
shed some light on badger behaviour in
the uplands.
Back in the nineteenth century
several settlements in the Reserve area
were abandoned and Morvern fell quiet.
Fortunately nature has been quick to recolonise what is now by any standards
one of Scotlands hidden gems and
well worth a visit.
Further information
Rahoy Hills is located 6 miles north of
Lochaline on the Morvern peninsula.
Accommodation is available on
Ardtornish estate www.ardtornish.
co.uk/estate/
The Scottish Wildlife Trust website
page on Rahoy is at http://
scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/reserve/
rahoy-hills/
2
Arctic sandwort
- Arenaria norvegica.
This rare plant, which
is a protected species,
clings to thin exposed
soil.
3
Hairy stonecrop
- Sedum villosum. This
tiny arctic-alpine plant
grows in wet flushes on
high slopes on the
reserve.
4
Tall-herb plant
community on an
ungrazed sheltered
ledge. An abundance
of grazing-sensitive
montane plants cling to
these ledges, including
roseroot and water
avens.
5
The chequered skipper
is only on the wing
from late May to late
June.
Arienas Wood
Late summer, early autumn sounds
are few, the wood is quiet, robins tick
ticking. Beautiful, delicate pale dead
grasses glow in pools of sunlight
against dark shady places beyond.
There are splashes and flecks of
autumn colour among the trees. A
jay calls, a loud hoarse screech, after
acorns. Common hawker dragonflies
impress, big powerful dragons, and so
slight and delicate damsels, common
blues. Three black Scotch argus on
white bramble blossom. Treecreeper,
built for tree-creeping, up and round
them and out along their limbs. Long
thin toes for gripping bark, stiff tail
support, fine curved bill for prising out
hiding insects from the tightest tree
cracks and bark splits, a detailed finery
of plumes all the shades of the wood, it
is as though it were made of tiny pieces
of bark and lichen.
Steve Hardy, Warden.
www.snh.gov.uk
53
1
Puffins are under
threat on some islands
in the Firth of Forth.
Protecting a puffin paradise

John Hunt, SOS Puffin coordinator, describes a remarkable volunteer
project to help puffins in the Firth of Forth.
54
www.snh.gov.uk
55
2
Volunteers cut the tree
mallow with loppers
and shears.
3
Over 200 work parties
have generously given
their time to the
project.
20,000 apparently occupied burrows

in 1999 to well under 5,000 in 2006.
The Scottish Seabird Centre in North
Berwick became the focus for these
concerns and acted as the catalyst for
a TV programme about the problem in
2006, which generated lots of publicity.
SOS Puffin project
A wonderful feature of the East Lothian coastline is the chain of four islands near North
Berwick the Bass Rock, Craigleith, the Lamb and Fidra. As well as forming a delightful
backdrop to the landscape they are hugely important for their breeding seabird populations.
Seabirds are under a lot of pressure
these days from fishing practices and
climate change, but another unusual
threat has emerged in recent years
the invasive plant tree mallow.
Tree mallow is native to coastal
areas around the Mediterranean, and
its northern natural limit is the southwest of the UK and Ireland where it is
comparatively rare. An impressive plant
growing up to 3m high, it can in some
circumstances become invasive and
form a dense cover, excluding all other
vegetation.
56
A local curiosity
by 2006, 90% of the island was densely

covered with an impenetrable jungle.
Tree mallow is known to have been
Tree mallow then reached the island
introduced to the Bass Rock in the
of Fidra, 4km west of Craigleith, in the
17th century, where its large leaves
early 1990s and subsequently increased
were used as a bandage or poultice
alarmingly, so that by 2006 nearly half of
by the garrison of the fortress. There it
the island was also densely covered.
remained as a local curiosity until the
As the spread of tree mallow
1950s when somehow seed managed
continued, concern grew about the
to reach the nearest island of Craigleith. impact this was having on the nesting
Helped by milder winters and soils
seabirds and in particular on the very
enriched in nitrogen and phosphates
large puffin population on Craigleith.
by the seabirds, tree mallow spread
Puffins will not nest in dense tree
slowly at first and then more rapidly until mallow and numbers crashed from over
The Centre then hosted a seminar to

discuss what could be done and this
led to setting up the SOS Puffin project
with the aim of controlling tree mallow
on Craigleith and Fidra helped by
volunteers. The project was generously
funded by Viridor Credits (landfill tax)
to help pay for tools, training and
boats. It is run by volunteers under
the auspices of the Seabird Centre
and guided by a management group
including representatives of SNH, the
landowners, the Seabird Centre and
Aberdeen University, which carries out
the ecological monitoring.
From 2007 work parties have
been organised on a regular basis
with groups of volunteers taken out
to the islands to cut tree mallow. They
really enjoy the experience of visiting
attractive islands as well as the fun and
satisfaction of working together to clear
areas of tree mallow, knowing that this
will help puffins and other seabirds.
Landing on the islands is not easy
and many trips are cancelled because
of the weather, but work continues
throughout the year except during the
breeding season when disturbance to
the seabirds would be unacceptable.
Volunteers cut the tree mallow with
loppers and shears and provided this
is done close to the ground it kills the
plant. A small number of volunteers
are trained in the use of brushcutters
but most of the work has to be done
by hand. There is a large seed bank
in the soil and seedlings keep coming
up, so repeated cutting of tree mallow
www.snh.gov.uk
57
4
Puffins need clear
access to the breeding
burrows.
5
The removal of tree
mallow requires
cutting the plants close
to ground level.
is needed. All plants must be cut each

year to prevent flowering and the
production of even more seed.
years the regenerating seedlings have

been cleared each year so that puffins
have been able to nest on both islands
without being impeded by tree mallow.
School education programme
Puffin numbers are no longer
declining and appear to have increased,
Volunteer support has been remarkable, though obtaining an accurate count of
and to date 950 people of all ages
occupied puffin burrows is notoriously
have helped on work parties, many
difficult. Grasses have returned to the
more than once with some enthusiasts northern half of Craigleith and to some
coming over 50 times. One important
parts of Fidra, which helps to suppress
aim of the project is to inform and
the tree mallow so that the task of
educate as well as involve the local
keeping the plant under control has
and wider community, and over time
become progressively easier. However,
the social benefits of the project have
if work parties stopped now, tree
come to seem almost as important as
mallow would soon return and it is vital
the conservation ones. The project also to keep up the control effort for some
features in the Seabird Centres school time to come.
education programmes.
Many conservation projects set up
So, seven years and 200 work
to control invasive species have failed
parties later, what has been achieved
because the money or commitment
from an awful lot of hard work? The
has run out, but those involved with
original mature tree mallow cover has
SOS Puffin are determined that will
been removed, and for the last five
not happen in this case. With the
58
enthusiasm and dedication of the

volunteers there is every confidence
that the project can be continued for as
long as necessary to bring tree mallow
fully under control and ensure that
puffins will thrive and continue to be
enjoyed by visitors to North Berwick.
The puffins and other nesting

seabirds on the two islands can
be seen in many different ways:
by using the interactive live
cameras in the Scottish
Seabird Centre
around the world on
the Scottish Seabird
Centres website,
http://www.seabird.org
by taking a boat trip around
Craigleith.
www.snh.gov.uk
59
Scotlands many Medal Routes
Medal Routes is a Ramblers Scotland project aiming to help people become

more active. Being outdoors is recognised as a great way to improve peoples
physical and mental health, and this project will make finding local walking
routes easier for everyone.
almost 90 locations in Scotland so far, and many more

will be added in the run-up to the Commonwealth Games,
supporting the creation of a physical activity legacy from this
major international sporting event.
The routes are all mapped by local people, providing
an opportunity to share their local knowledge of paths,
greenspaces and places of scenic or historic interest so
others can also enjoy them. Local volunteers decide on the
start/finish point for the walks the Walking Hub location
and map the three routes. Hubs need to be where people
congregate perhaps at a community centre, library,
hospital or large workplace and where information on the
routes can be made available.
Stanley example
With the focus this year on the Commonwealth

Games, Ramblers Scotland has been mapping
short walks around local communities throughout
Scotland to inspire people to rediscover and share
information on great routes in their area.
60
The routes take approximately 15, 30 and 60 minutes to

complete and are badged as bronze, silver and gold routes.
They can be found in both urban and rural environments, and
the aim of the project is to encourage people of all abilities
to enjoy short walks and help make Scotland more active.
Medal Routes has identified more than 250 routes in
A good example of the Medal Routes can be found in the

village of Stanley in Perthshire. Theres a bronze route which
simply winds its way round part of the village, starting and
ending at the local Post Office. For the silver route, a nearby
viewpoint is added onto part of the bronze route, and the
gold route takes the walker out of the village to a nearby
beauty spot by the Tay before returning to the Post Office.
Its a model that is being applied up and down the
www.snh.gov.uk
country. Mary Gristwood is a Local Volunteer Ambassador

in Armadale, West Lothian, and is pulling together a heritage
walk around the location.
The beauty of the Medal Routes is their appeal and
potential to bring together all ages and sections of the
community, she notes. They can be enjoyed by individuals
or, as I recently experienced, groups of more than forty
people. In addition, their location provides easy access in a
central and safe environment.
Although it has only been a short time since the launch,
she continues, weve had a tremendous turnout, in the
most adverse weather conditions, and enjoyed the company
of those from as young as three, right up to people in their
eighties.
The wide appeal of the Armadale routes is attracting
those interested in local heritage and also those wishing to
keep active and fit. Feedback from the first walk, written and
anecdotal, has been hugely encouraging.
1&2
Medal Routes
encourage people of
all abilities and ages to
enjoy short walks.
61
designed to encourage people to enjoy the outdoors in their

local area and gain the health benefits from being more
active, such as Paths for All Health Walks, NHS Greenspace
Rob Burns is the Medal Routes Project Officer, based
demonstration projects and Glasgow Life.
in Ramblers Scotlands Milnathort office, and he too is
The charm of the initiative is that it recognises that life is
enthusiastic about their value. It is fantastic to see so
busy
and that time is a precious commodity. But by providing
many people throughout Scotland choosing to be part of
guidance
on short walks Ramblers Scotland has made it
Medal Routes, he explained. We have lots of opportunities
simpler
than
ever for folk to enjoy the outdoors on their own
for people to get involved and encourage anyone that is
doorstep.
No
specialist equipment is needed, the routes all
interested to come forward we will find a role just right for
use
existing
paths,
and have easy-to-follow, downloadable
you! Even if you cant volunteer, we would love you to try out
leaflets
to
guide
walkers.
some Medal Routes around your local area and enjoy the
Thanks to the Medal Routes project, enjoying a local walk
routes already mapped. There is nothing better than finding a
just
got a whole lot easier for many of us.
hidden gem of a walk, right on your doorstep!
Medal Routes is also making links to other initiatives
Further information
62
www.snh.gov.uk
A role for everyone
All Medal Routes are available to view on the Ramblers

Scotland website at www.ramblers.org.uk/medalroutes and
can easily be downloaded to any mobile or hand-held device.
To make sure that Medal Routes are providing the right
kind of experience, Ramblers Scotland is seeking feedback
from users via a short online survey. Simply try out a Medal
Route walk and let them know how you get on.
If you would like more information on how you can
volunteer to create Medal Routes in your area, email
medalroutes@ramblers.org.uk or visit the Medal Routes
website. This project gratefully acknowledges funding by
SNH, Ramblers Holidays Charitable Trust and Paths for All.
3
Using local knowledge
the walks require no
specialist equipment.
63
Scottish Natural Heritage Spring / Summer 2014
SOS Puffin
Tackling tree mallow
Cairngorms Nature
Hidden gem
On the Morvern peninsula

We hope you enjoyed this issue of our FREE magazine.
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Scottish National Heritage - The Nature of Scotland SpringSummer2014Issue - 19

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Scottish National Heritage - The Nature of Scotland SpringSummer2014Issue - 19

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Scottish Natural Heritage

Spring / Summer 2014

The Nature of Scotland

Tackling tree mallow

On the Morvern peninsula

26 Capturing the magic of Argyll

50 Hidden gem sparkles

Scotlands nature blog

You can contact SNH by

Argyll & Outer Hebrides

A full list of our offices

Cover photo: Seilebost, Harris

Inside cover photo: Thrift

Great Glen House,

The views expressed in this magazine do not

The Nature of Scotland

Kenny Taylor gives some seasonal tips for

The Nature of Scotland

Cheers for the

Spring and early summer are the best

Think moth and youll most likely

Architectural skills, dancing ability,

Will the earth move

Have you ever stayed up

Aberfoyle, Callander, Comrie, Crieff:

Some other things to look for in spring:

The Nature of Scotland

Faster than most

Stars and elf arrows

Wordsworth, Keats, Scott, Tennyson,

Hear their screaming calls as they

The stem is often the length of an

The Nature of Scotland

Some other things to look for in summer:

The Nature of Scotland

You can enjoy some of

Close up with an otter

Jan Robinson is the manager at Loch

herons as well as goldeneyes, siskins,

dolphins, basking sharks, whales, seals,

The Nature of Scotland

youth hostels within the park

SYHA Hostelling Scotland is joining

The Nature of Scotland

A haven for waders

The large wetland and wet grassland areas in the Park

The Green Stimulus Peatland Restoration Project (Peatland

Cairngorms Nature is open to anyone with a commitment

Article kindly supplied by Charlotte Millburn, Press Officer,

The Nature of Scotland

Ruairidh MacIlleathain guides us through the delights of seaweed and notes

The bountiful seashore

There is a traditional Gaelic rhyme that

The Nature of Scotland

New cycle path for

Loch Lomond and the Trossachs

The Nature of Scotland

Scots pine voted the nations favourite tree

This special year provides plenty of opportunity to celebrate

Field Studies Council

Homecoming Scotland 2014

The Nature of Scotland

John Muir Way new coast-to-coast route.