Environmental Standards Scotland is consulting on its new five-year Strategy, which sets out how ESS will ensure public bodies in Scotland are complying with environmental law, how ESS will scrutinise the effectiveness of environmental law in Scotland, and how it is...
Crofters are adapting their farming practices in north Skye to support the population of corncrakes: in 2024, 27 males were recorded giving their distinctive 'crex crex' call - an increase on the number in 2023. Corncrakes migrate 6000 miles from the Democratic...
by Janet Ullman, Amphibian and Reptile Conservation janet.ullman@arc-trust.org Saving Scotland's Amphibians and Reptiles is a project of Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (ARC). We work with crofters to support their needs in establishing or maintaining populations...
by Peggy Semler May was a busy month for us, with the weekend of 9-11 May turning out to be the biggest beach cleaning event we have ever organised on the island – the Bracadale Beach Blitz! With the help of many volunteers and partner organisations, and especially...
by Anne MacLennan Salmon farming is unsustainable according to a report published last month. Aquaculture is the fastest food production system in the world. Farmed fish have outnumbered wild-caught fish since 2022. Seventy percent of salmon are now farmed, with...
The Scottish Land Commission is seeking ideas on what a fully land reformed Scotland could look like, and what it would mean to you. There's a short online form with two main questions: 1. What changes would you like to see in how land is owned and used in Scotland...
by Peggy Semler From 9 - 11 May, a successful collaborative effort took place to remove marine litter and debris from seven beaches around Loch Bracadale. Volunteers, along with partner organisations, focused on cleaning remote and inaccessible areas along the...
Members of Skye Naturalists' Network have found a new butterfly species for Skye – the Chequered Skipper – at Dalavil in Sleat, with the nearest known colonies at Morar on the mainland. (Photo by Martin Benson). They also found a number of rare or unusual species such...
After No-Mow May comes Let it bloom June! Some tips on how to manage your lawn for nature all year round from Plant Life's Let it Bloom June campaign. Things don’t have to get messy and you can still be in control while maintaining a space for your local wildlife....
SRUC (Scotland's Rural College) is offering a distance learning course in MSc Wildlife and Conservation Management. The flexible, online, three-year programme includes conservation management, rural land use planning, land use history and more. Applications are...