Mar 272015
 
Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) in winter birch forest, Norway (c).

Eurasian lynx © Peter Cairns www.northshots.com

With thanks to Richard Bunting.

Rewilding Scotland from restored forests to the return of predators such as the lynx was in the spotlight at a topical lecture by leading conservationist Alan Watson Featherstone, founder and Executive Director of award-winning charity Trees for Life, at Edinburgh Zoo on Tuesday.
The event highlighted the benefits of rewilding the restoration of damaged natural ecosystems for Scotland.

This includes putting Scotland on the map as a wildlife tourism global hotspot and as a world leader in the international drive to tackle global forest loss.

The lecture was the final one in a special eight-week series that has been running at Edinburgh Zoo this year, focussing on Scottish species diversity and conservation.

Mr. Watson Featherstone said:

“In the Highlands we have an opportunity to reverse environmental degradation and create a world-class wilderness region offering a lifeline to wildlife including beavers, capercaillie, wood ants and pine martens, and restoring natural forests and wild spaces for our children and grandchildren.”

Long-term deforestation and overgrazing by too many deer and sheep has left much of Scotland depleted and barren, with wildlife in retreat or missing. The Caledonian Forest Scotland’€™s equivalent of a rainforest is one of the UK’s most endangered habitats, with many of its rare species facing extinction.

Yet action across Scotland is showing how restoring natural processes and protecting wilderness areas, and reducing human interference in ecosystems, can make a positive difference. This includes the restoration of native forests at many Highland sites, the re-establishment of birds of prey such as sea eagles, ospreys and red kites, and the trial reintroduction of European beavers at Knapdale in Argyll.

Future rewilding could involve the reinstatement of missing species, including apex predators which play a crucial top-down regulatory role in ecosystems.

Trees for Life believes that the Eurasian lynx, already reintroduced to areas of Europe such as the Alps and Jura mountains, is a realistic candidate for reintroduction. It offers little threat to sheep and none to humans. It is a specialist predator of roe deer, a species which has multiplied in Britain in recent years and which holds back the natural regeneration of trees through intensive browsing.

Trees for Life is restoring Scotland’s ancient Caledonian Forest, and offers many opportunities for volunteers to support its work and gain conservation experience. See www.treesforlife.org.uk.

Background to reintroducing the lynx

Across Scotland high numbers of deer are having a negative impact through overgrazing and trampling on reforestation, habitat quality, biodiversity and ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration and flood prevention. The loss of native carnivores means that deer now have no natural predators.

The reintroduction of a top predator is crucial, and the Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) is a realistic candidate. The species is still present in many northern and eastern and some southern countries in Europe. It represents no threat to humans, and there are no European records of anyone being attacked by a lynx.

While the reintroduction of predators is often proposed as a means of reducing excessive numbers of red deer in the Highlands, the main impact would likely be in disturbing deer populations causing these animals to move more frequently so that their grazing is less concentrated in specific areas.

Trees for Life believes the lynx could be reintroduced to the UK by 2025. Restoring enough native woodland as habitat would be crucial, and some experts estimate that the Highlands could support a genetically viable population of 400 animals.

Experts are uncertain as to when the lynx died out in Britain, although some discoveries suggest its extinction date may have been some 1,500 years ago.

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Mar 242015
 

donprespicAberdeenshire Green councillor Martin Ford has expressed doubts about the latest claims by developer Donald Trump.

Donald Trump has now suggested that he will build a second golf course in Aberdeenshire and run for President of the United States.

Mr Trump has been talking about running for President for more than thirty years and about building two golf courses and a massive resort at Menie since 2006.

Cllr Martin Ford said:

“Mr Trump has previously stated his intention of building all sorts of things at Menie. Most of what he has announced at various times remains unbuilt. Planning applications have been made and withdrawn, permissions not implemented – or the promised planning application never materialises.

“What Mr Trump says he will do is not a good indication of what he will actually do.

“If Mr Trump takes as long to decide on his golf plans as he has about standing for president, he’ll be getting on for 100 before work starts on his second Menie course, and he’ll be over 100 before he’ll be able to play it.

“In any case, the package being talked about now is a tiny fraction of the development Mr Trump was claiming he would build a few years ago. His latest proposal is for far less than is included in his outline planning consent.

“The protected dunes at Menie – part of a Site of Special Scientific Interest – have been lost. The promised benefits are clearly not going to materialise.

“The absurdly exaggerated claims Mr Trump made in 2007 should never have been believed by the Scottish Government. Now even Mr Trump is confirming he isn’t going to build the resort for which he got planning permission.”

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Mar 242015
 

An acclaimed forest restoration project near Loch Ness is demonstrating how conservation can create employment opportunities in the Highlands, says award-winning charity Trees for Life. With thanks to Richard Bunting.

Trees for Life team Native Tree Nursery

This week Trees for Life introduced two new seasonal staff roles at its Dundreggan Conservation Estate in Glenmoriston, bringing the number of employees at the biodiversity hotspot to six – a substantial increase on the single employee under the site’s previous ownership, when it was managed as a traditional sporting estate.

With concerns about employment in much of the country, and across the Highlands in particular, Trees for Life says that the steady growth in employees at Dundreggan since its 2008 purchase of the estate –combined with high job satisfaction levels – shows how conservation action can be good for jobs.

“People benefitting from a wild, natural environment is part of our vision for a restored Caledonian Forest. Dundreggan shows that breathing new life into native woodlands and other natural habitats can offer fulfilling employment and meaningful training opportunities,” said Alan Watson Featherstone, Trees for Life’s Executive Director.

“When conservation groups buy Scottish estates, fears are sometimes expressed about possible reductions in employment – but Dundreggan shows that the opposite can be true. Bringing the land back to ecological health actually creates major benefits for local people and communities.”

Alongside the new jobs, hundreds of volunteers from diverse backgrounds – including the unemployed and those with limited access to healthy outdoor activities or training opportunities – are now gaining the chance to develop environmental skills, knowledge and accredited training each year.

With most practical work at Dundreggan carried out by volunteers, one of the new posts created by Trees for Life is a Long-term Volunteer Coordinator. In this role, former volunteer Tony Henry will help people to gain hands-on conservation experience, through Trees for Life’s Long-Term Volunteer Programme.

In the role of Seasonal Nursery Assistant, Emma Beckinsale will help run Dundreggan’s Native Tree Nursery. Here Trees for Life grows more than 30,000 locally sourced native trees each year, and is trialling innovative ways to propagate rare and hard-to-grow species such as aspen and montane willows.

Doug Gilbert, Dundreggan Operations Manager who oversees the estate’s management said:

“This is a very exciting time at Dundreggan. We are expanding our capacity to accept long-term volunteers as well as increasing the size of our tree nursery, so creating these additional jobs will really help us in our conservation work. It’s great to see enthusiastic people getting the chance to live and work in this wonderful Highland setting.”

Dundreggan has been described as a Highlands “lost world”

The establishment of the new roles has been made possible thanks to funders including the Scottish Power Foundation, which is supporting the Long-Term Volunteers Programme in 2015.

Since being purchased by Trees for Life, the 10,000-acre estate has been transformed into the charity’s flagship rewilding project. Home to a wealth of rare and endangered species – including 10 never recorded in the UK before – Dundreggan has been described as a Highlands “lost world”.

The expanse of wild land contains substantial areas of ancient woodlands, including remnants of the original Caledonian Forest and Scotland’s largest area of dwarf birch. It is home to a group of wild boar in a fenced enclosure as part of a native forest regeneration project, and also hosts groundbreaking scientific research projects.

Dundreggan’s previous role as a sporting estate has left much of it in poor ecological condition however, and restoration of its woodlands and habitats requires long-term conservation action and sustained funding.

The Caledonian Forest is one of the UK’s most endangered habitats, with many of its rare species in danger of extinction. Trees for Life has planted more than a million trees and aims to establish a million more by planting and natural regeneration by 2018. People can help by becoming a member, volunteering, and sponsoring trees for special occasions. See www.treesforlife.org.uk or call 01309 691292.

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Mar 202015
 

With thanks to Richard Bunting. 

Common Dolphins

Common Dolphins. HWDT Picture Credit: M. Brook

Scotland’s wildlife and great outdoors feature in Green Adventures – a new online travel magazine promoting and inspiring green travel, which was launched on Tuesday. The remarkable marine biodiversity of Scotland’s west coast seas – which has spawned a multi-million pound eco-tourist industry – is highlighted alongside the work of Isle of Mull-based conservation charity Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust.

Green Adventures features ideas and inspiration for adventures big and small with a focus on environmentally friendly holidays, conservation, heritage and eco accommodation.

“We’ll regularly be celebrating and encouraging responsible travel in Scotland – which can be tremendously educational and life-affirming, as well as fun. Travelling positively can help us better understand and appreciate our world, its remarkable cultures and species, and its stunning landscapes,” said Green Adventures editor Penny Bunting.

“We’ll be offering articles and reviews that aim to inspire people to travel in a sustainable way or to seek out green attractions and accommodation. And you don’t have to go to far-flung destinations or spend a fortune to have an adventure – there are many opportunities right on your doorstep.”

For its launch, Green Adventures also features articles on ways to get children outside and active in the UK’s Peak District, sea kayaking on the Mediterranean island of Menorca, Hong Kong’s exemplary public transport system, and travelling with children in Australia – from vibrant Sydney to Victoria’s stunning Great Ocean Road.

Penny continued:

“It’s difficult to travel without contributing to carbon emissions, and irresponsible travel and unrestrained tourism can have negative impacts. But by experiencing, learning about and engaging with our amazing planet, we can all make a positive difference – from supporting conservation initiatives to helping local economies – and have some great adventures at the same time,” 

Green Adventures is free to read and will include regular updates, new articles and reviews.

Penny Bunting writes for a range of publications about travel and the environment. She is also director of Little Green Space (www.littlegreenspace.org.uk), an award-winning project creating green spaces for people, wildlife and the environment, and encouraging sustainable living and protection of biodiversity.

Co-editor Richard Bunting is former communications director of Nobel Peace Prize-winning human rights organization Amnesty International. He also runs Communications & Campaigns International (www.richardbunting.com), a consultancy for good causes – from the Indian Ocean Tsunami Appeal that raised over UK£392 million to UNICEF, Red Cross and acclaimed conservation charities.

Green Adventures is on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GreenAdventuresTravel, and Twitter @greentravelmag.

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Mar 202015
 

martin-fordWith thanks to Martin Ford. Councillor Martin Ford is to serve on a new Aberdeenshire Council working group set up to overhaul the authority’s governance arrangements.

Cllr Ford (Scottish Green Party, East Garioch ward) will represent the three Aberdeenshire councillors who are neither in the Council’s coalition administration or the SNP on the 14-member working group.

The new working group – to be known as the ‘Future Governance Working Group’ – was agreed at last Thursday’s (12 March) full council meeting.

The immediate need to change the Council’s governance arrangements results from the integration of health and social care – but other pressures, including an on-going financial squeeze, also point to a review being necessary.

Speaking during last Thursday’s full council debate, Cllr Ford described Aberdeenshire’s current governance structures as having been ‘tired for some time’. He urged that a bold approach is taken by the Working Group.

Cllr Ford said:

“The Future Governance Working Group has an important job to do. Some changes are needed because of new circumstances. Some changes are needed to address things that are currently not working well, or not as well as they should. Some changes are desirable as over-due improvements.

“For example, a public petitions committee was mooted in 2012. Yet the Council has still not established one.” 

Cllr Ford has identified a number of areas where he believes significant changes are needed. He said:

“I hope the Council will agree to strengthen the role of its Area Committees.

“The process for setting the Council’s budget has to change and include meaningful opportunities for public engagement and consultation. As well as public involvement, there must be a new approach to the scrutiny and challenge of proposals by councillors.

“It has been made ridiculously difficult for councillors to get issues of concern on to the agenda of Council meetings through submitting notices of motion. And this has been a deliberate policy of the Council. It is an essential democratic safeguard that individual elected councillors can raise issues at formal Council meetings.

“I believe the Council must take a fresh look at decision making in relation to cross-cutting priorities such as climate change. Decisions primarily about some different matter will often have knock-on effects for the Council’s efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions, and we need to get better at checking for unintended consequences and secondary effects during the decision making process. Otherwise the Council can accidentally undermine its own policies.

“We also need to look for efficiencies in the decision making process. This is extremely important given on-going financial pressures.”

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Mar 202015
 

With thanks to Angela Theobald.

AberdeenforwardThmEnvironmental charity Aberdeen Forward are hosting a range of workshops and courses up until the end of 2015.

Aberdeen Forward works closely with local communities, businesses and individuals to educate and promote projects that help to protect our environment, reduce waste & encourage sustainability.

Course Details –

Hobby Club: Every Wednesday, 10am-12pm/1.30pm-3pm, these are drop in craft sessions. Donation of £2 per person.

Upholstery Weekend Course: 28th to 29th March, 9:30am to 4:00pm, £190

Plant ideas workshop:

We are pleased to offer this plant ideas (http://www.plantideas.org/) workshop which teaches how to make the most of plants in various useful ways. The cost is £35 per class. Here is the format of the classes:

  • Herb Walk: 25th April 11-13:00, Duthie Park
  • Wild Food: 6th June 11-13:00, Aberdeen Forward Building

Back to Basics Sewing courses 2015: 6pm-8pm, £92, every Thursday in each block

  • 23 April to 28 May
  • 11 June to 16 July
  • 30 July to 3 September
  • 17 September to 22 October
  • 5 November to 10 December

Intermediate/Advanced Sewing courses 2015: 6pm-8pm, £92, every Tuesday in each block

  • 20 April to 25 May
  • 8 June to 13 July
  • 27 July to 31 August
  • 14 September to 19 October
  • 2 November to 7 December

Curtain Making: 12pm-4pm, £92, every Saturday in each block

  • 1, 8 and 15 August 2015
  • 7, 14 and 21 November 2015

Booking

To book or find out more please contact courses@aberdeenforward.org or 01224560360.

Venue

Unless otherwise stated, the venue is:
Aberdeen Forward, 2 Poynernook Road, Aberdeen, AB11 5RW

Mar 172015
 

At the end of March a petition asking for answers about Tullos Hill will close. Anyone interested in finding out how their tax money is being used, anyone interested in saving the city’s remaining roe deer population, and anyone who wants to ensure further money isn’t wasted is urged to sign now. Suzanne Kelly updates Aberdeen Voice on the petition that the ‘Save The Tullos Hill Deer’ group created at the end of 2014.

roe-deer-fawn-picTime is running out for a petition which could force the city to release information on its costly Tree For Every Citizen scheme and which may help save the city’s remaining roe deer from further culling.

The petition can be found here.

Anyone resident in Aberdeen who is on the electoral role can sign. Signatories have to register with Aberdeen City via the link on the petition page.

Many people have reported problems with the city’s electronic system – anyone who wants help in registering can email sgvk27@aol.com.

Aberdeen residents may recall the Liberal Democrats’ election pledge two elections back: A Tree For Every Citizen. Who could object to such a scheme, especially as it was not going to cost the Aberdeen taxpayer any money?

Aberdeen Voice investigations have since proved this innocent-sounding scheme was costly in terms of money and in the much-loved Tullos Hill roe deer population, which had existed in the meadowlands of Tullos for decades before the scheme was rolled out. No one was told that the majority of the trees were destined for meadowland on Tullos Hill (itself an industrial and domestic waste dumping area which had evolved into fields supporting insects, plants, birds and small animals).

No one was told that a previous scheme had seen Aberdeen’s taxpayers penalised £43,800 for the failure of the previous attempt to grow trees on the hill, either. Another fact which was not included in the public consultation was the city and Scottish Natural Heritage had already decided that to implement the scheme, they were going to kill most of the existing roe deer.

These deer had not previously been seen as a problem; they were simply small animals living 6-7 years, greatly enjoyed by tourists and locals alike.

Further background on the Tree For Every Citizen Scheme can be found by using Aberdeen Voice’s line search facility.

The scheme went ahead, and the trees planted are in many (if not all) areas on Tullos overshadowed by weeds which will likely kill them. Some three dozen roe deer were slaughtered – while people were allowed to roam on the hill — as a hired hunter shot them. The city’s risk matrix didn’t think that the residents using the hill for walking, bicycling or riding motorbikes were in any danger of running into a stray bullet.

The petition took months for the city to approve its wording. It had an initial deadline which was extended when it emerged that people who lived outwith the city or who were not on the electoral roll had been allowed to sign.  The city has allowed extra time for people to come forward to sign.

The petition asks for assurances that no further deer will be shot until at a minimum the actual population is known – there may be as few as 19 animals left in the city’s remaining, shrinking green belt pockets according to Scottish Natural Heritage Figures. Deer were killed to plant trees which may never thrive.

The city will be asked to disclose exactly how much money has been spent on the scheme to date; Aberdeen Voice has figures showing that the main consultant, Chris Piper, has received in excess of £50,000 for his services to date. Tens of thousands of pounds seem to have been spent on fencing. How much money the city spent on cleaning toxic chemicals from the soil and removing debris is unknown.

The petition also wants the city to ask for a guarantee from Scottish Natural Heritage / The Forestry Commission that the taxpayer will not be expected to hand over another £48,000 should this current tree-planting scheme fail – which some believe it is destined to do.

Anyone who wants answers or who wants to protect the remaining deer is urged to sign before the end of March.

STOP PRESS: Some new information has come to light in relation to the Tree For Every Citizen Scheme. Aberdeen Voice will report soon.

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Mar 132015
 

MartinFordatUTGWith thanks to Martin Ford.

Ways to improve the Aberdeen City Region Deal proposition were put forward by Democratic Independent and Green councillors at Aberdeenshire Council yesterday (Thursday 12 March).

The up-to-£2.9 billion plan was under consideration by Aberdeenshire councillors at their March full council meeting.

Officers recommended councillors endorse the work done to date on developing a City Region Deal proposal, and authorise continued work on the bid.

Green councillor Martin Ford moved an amendment seeking to improve the proposals. Cllr Ford said:

“Even in the forward to the City Region Deal document it sets out a presumption that ‘fossil fuels will be sixty to seventy per cent of the global energy mix for at least another thirty years’. Yet climate science tells us that must not happen. We in this Council, the Scottish and UK governments, internationally – we all accept the need to reduce the emissions that are causing climate change. So this proposal must reflect that.

“Do not forget our commitments and moral obligations to the other and future residents of this planet.

“We have an important oil industry. The trick is to take that engineering knowledge, the expertise, the skilled workforce and apply those tremendous assets to speeding our transition to a sustainable economy.

“We need to secure the best for our region. So the finished proposal needs to prepare us for the long-term, for change, and to use the opportunities change presents.”

Seconding Cllr Ford’s amendment, Democratic Independent councillor Paul Johnston said:

“Oil is too useful to burn. We need to change the focus of the proposal. It should be about creating a knowledge economy, better jobs, within a fairer society living within what the environment can sustain.

“We need to future-proof our region and our economy by taking a lead, recognising the real opportunities our area has.”

Councillors Ford and Johnston emphasised the further negotiation needed before a proposal is finalised. Their amendment sought to set out a stance for Aberdeenshire Council in the on-going discussions with regard to the overall vision for a Deal, specific projects that could be included, governance and measures of success.

Green MSP Patrick Harvie said:

“The response to our immediate problems can’t be to dig ourselves deeper into the hole we’re in.

“But the Aberdeen City Region Deal is still an emerging proposal. There are elements that are exciting, elements that need to be changed. The improvements put forward at Aberdeenshire Council today are designed to lead to a better Deal and a better future for the north-east.”

The UK government announced in 2011 that it wanted to negotiate the transferral of a range of powers to cities and wider city regions. City Region Deals are negotiated on an individual basis and allow a city region to unlock financial support and powers from national government. The first wave of Deals included Greater Birmingham, Greater Manchester and Leeds.

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Mar 052015
 

duthie-park-bandstand-featWith thanks to Dave Macdermid.

Alan Amoore is the new Chairman of the Friends of Duthie Park, replacing Tony Dawson, who stepped down after seven years in the role at this week’s AGM of the group.

Tony, who has had the Dawson Beech planted within the park in recognition of the work he has done, will retain his links with the group, having been appointed to the role of Honorary President.

This year’s Friends of Duthie Park Open Day will take place on Sunday 16th August.

Feb 052015
 

Several concerned members of the public have reported visitors to wildlife areas such as the Ythan Estuary are paying no respect to the wildlife. People are ignoring signs and other visitors – and pestering the seals. It may seem cute or fun to go up close to seals – but they need to be left alone. One such walker has shared these pictures and their observations. Via Suzanne Kelly.

Photo No. 1

If you visit a wildlife area, please remember that the animals you see are not there for your entertainment.

Our wildlife is to be left alone, with the exception of the discovery of a wounded or obviously distressed creature. Anyone needing assistance or advice can call the Scottish SPCA on 03000 999 999.

Walkers have been observed scaring the seals at the Ythan. They ignored advice and pleas to back away from the animals.

When seals leave the water, they are often seeking rest after exhausting efforts to feed. Here are some photos of what not to do. If you recognise anyone in these photos, please let them know that they need to give animals a wide berth.

Photo No. 2

Said walker, who wished to remain anonymous commented:

“Couple No.1 decided to approach the seals today.

“We shouted to them to back off from the seals after they had scared the first group into the water.

“They did and stood around for a bit before deciding to ignore us and walk past the larger group of seals. 

Photo No. 3

“Couple No. 2 proceeded past Couple No.1 and stood around near the seals that were waiting for them to leave so they could haul out again.

“One young seal was still out the water on its own not far from them.

“They then walked towards the main area of seals.

seal_botherers_1_jan_15“Again we had to shout over to them to keep away from the seals before they backed off. 

“Last picture is a couple walking their dog on the other side.

Thankfully the dog was on a lead and they did give the seals a wide berth, but still a little close for comfort for us watching. 

Photo No. 5

“As we were leaving we could see more people making their way along the beach towards the seals. Clearly something needs done to protect the seals from people.

“These people obviously did not mean any harm to the seals, but were too oblivious to realise what they were doing. But what about people who might find it funny to chase or scare the seals?”

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