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Impact of a natural pyrethrin biocide on two amphibians, common toad Bufo bufo and palmate newt Lissotriton helveticus, in Highland Scientific Advisory Committee Quarterly newsletter David O’Brien, Jeanette Hall, Catherine O’Brien, Diane Baum & Lucy Ballantyne Issue 6, December 2013 SNH staff David O‘Brien and Jeanette Hall, with a local naturalist and staff from Lochaber Fisheries Trust, have published an article on

the implications of crayfish control measures on non-target species. Welcome from the Chair A quarry pond at Ballachulish, Highland was treated with PyBlast (a biocide derived from Welcome to the SAC’s sixth newsletter. The natural pyrethrin) to eradicate a population of Scientific Advisory Committee met on 26 invasive non-native signal crayfish September 2013. We considered discussion Pacifasticus leniusculus. Although it was papers on ‘Natural Heritage Indicators and anticipated that pyrethrin application would success measures for SNH programmes’, lead to the death of all poikilothermic animals ‘Statistical robustness of National Performance present in the quarry pond, its use was Indicators’, ‘Knowledge exchange – shaping sanctioned as surveys did not reveal the SNH’s approach’, ‘Red squirrels – a review of presence of any protected or other scarce the science behind SNH’s approach’, and species. It was assumed that native fauna, ‘Native woodlands and ecosystem services’. including amphibians, would re-colonise from Minutes of the September SAC Meeting an adjacent pond which was not treated. provide summaries of these topics and are PyBlast (0.4 mg/l) was applied from 12 to 13 available from Linda Nicholls and will be June 2012. Follow-up surveys later in June, placed on the SNH web page. Discussion of and in August and September, found no live the paper on native woodlands was especially crayfish, but established the presence of challenging, as the paper considered possible common toad Bufo bufo tadpoles, and both management approaches to combat the likely, larval and adult palmate newt Lissotriton but uncertain, future impact of diseases on helveticus. All appeared developmentally and Scottish native trees. Impacts are quite likely behaviourally normal. These observations to be severe, and with the timescale of forest suggest that common toad and palmate newt replacement being in centuries rather than larvae are able to survive levels of Pyblast years, it is important to look far ahead. But generally lethal to crustaceans, indicating that such timescales also mean that it is impossible amphibian presence at a site should not to predict with confidence how woodland necessarily halt crayfish eradication landscapes will change over long timescales. programmes. Ash, larch, juniper and Scots pine woodland may all be dramatically different as a consequence of emerging disease; research is The full article can be found at: needed to assess approaches to mitigate and adapt for such changes. http://www.conservationevidence.com/individu

al-study/5357#internal-article

Information: [email protected]

and [email protected] Bob Furness

1 SAC Working Group on Diversifying wintering waterbirds, like ducks and wading Native Woodlands birds, at sites across the UK that are internationally designated as ‘Special Duncan Stone Protection Areas’ (SPAs). It found that while these species are being affected by climate On 26th September 2013 SNH’s Scientific change, the UK SPA network will continue to Advisory Committee (SAC) considered a provide an important refuge for them. paper ‘Native Woodlands and Ecosystem Protected areas such as SPAs are a crucial Services – dealing with a broken system’. means of conserving wild spaces and rare That paper discussed the risks to native species, and we need to understand their woodlands in a rapidly changing environment, future role as climate change alters the global and made a case for a radical response to distribution of wildlife. reduce the risks to ecosystem functions through diversifying the tree species used. The research found that climate change can explain more than half of the observed 30-year In response to this paper and the SAC population trends of the 62 species studied, discussion, we are forming a working group to which included many species found in consider the issues in more detail. In internationally important numbers in the UK. particular, the group will consider the issues Based on this information, future projections surrounding ecosystem resilience, (such as under a scenario of 4˚C of mean global the objectives and evidence supporting these) warming would be likely to cause more than and evaluate the risks, costs and benefits of half of these species populations in the UK to different resilience options to a range of decrease by more than 25%. Climate change agreed woodland values and functions. is a long-term threat to some northern breeding seabirds, with large declines Objective of the working group: To consider projected for Arctic terns and guillemots, and the risks to native woodlands, and to assess to waterbirds which overwinter on our the costs and benefits of a range of estuaries in large numbers, such as eider and conservation woodland resilience options, in bar-tailed godwit. Some species like avocet the context of current and projected and snipe, whose populations may be limited environmental change. Since we are within a by cold winter weather, are anticipated to fast-changing environment, it is necessary to increase, alongside breeding common terns. consider the risks and benefits both of more radical options, and the status quo. Although there may be some change in the range of species which individual SPAs Information: [email protected] currently support, the study projected that these sites will continue to hold internationally important bird populations in the future. The SPA network may not stop some species declining, but will provide an increasingly Britain’s nature networks provide important refuge for our birds. The UK’s hope for birds threatened by climate existing SPA network provides a strong change foundation, which can be managed to keep pace with population changes of individual Andy Douse species, so that we can give our birds the best chance possible of coping with the future. New research provides strong evidence that internationally important British bird This project was funded by DEFRA with the populations are being affected by climate support of the Joint Nature Conservation change, which will threaten their long-term Committee, Natural England, Natural conservation status. The existing network of Resources Wales and Scottish Natural special sites protected and managed for these Heritage. The work was undertaken by the species will continue to be important for many British Trust for Ornithology, Royal Society for of the same species in the future. the Protection of Birds, University of Turin, Paris Natural History Museum and University The paper, published in the journal Nature of York. Additional data were provided by Climate Change and led by researchers at the BirdWatch Ireland, Groupement d'Intérêt British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), examined Scientifique Oiseaux Marins, International the impact of climate change upon breeding Waterbird Census, Ligue pour la Protection seabirds, such as puffins and gulls, and des Oiseaux, SOVON Dutch Centre for Field

2 Ornithology and the Wildfowl and Wetlands with support from SNH and the Bean Goose Trust. Action Group.

The full project report, technical annexes and In October 2011, 15 birds were caught and a policy summary are at: ringed on the Slamannan Plateau, south of Falkirk. Four birds were fitted with Global http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Default.aspx?Menu= Positioning System (GPS) - Global System for Menu&Module=More&Location=None&Compl Mobile communications (GSM) units or ‘tags’. eted=2&ProjectID=16731 The remaining 11 geese were fitted with standard plastic neck collars. In October The paper can be accessed from: 2012, a further six geese were caught and www.nature.com/nclimate/journal/vaop/ncurre ringed, again on the plateau, with all six being nt/full/nclimate2035.html. fitted with GPS/GSM tags. Again in October 2013, 14 geese were caught and ringed, with Information: [email protected] four being fitted with the tags.

The data derived from this work will add to our knowledge of winter site use, migration Revised SSSI Guidelines – part 1 corridors and staging/breeding ground locations, and generally where the birds have This month, after a lengthy gestation, JNCC been through the annual cycle. For example, published the revised “Guidelines for selection last year the tagged birds left Scotland via the of biological SSSI – Part 1”. This document Borders, Fife and Aberdeenshire, with staging sets out the rationale and operating principles posts in Denmark and Norway, before of SSSI selection and replaces the former reaching their breeding grounds in the parts A & B of the 1989 version. Specific northern part of Dalarna, Sweden. One bird, habitats and species are dealt with in Part 2 – Tag 7, before returning to the plateau last plans for review of these chapters are still September, spent six days touring Yorkshire! being developed. The Guidelines retain their GB focus. There is a separate approach to the The accumulated data lend themselves to selection of earth science SSSI. detailed analysis of habitat use on the Slamannan plateau, as well as identifying key The new, shorter and improved Part 1 was areas on the staging/breeding grounds for produced by an inter-agency group (NE, CCW conservation action (even if this is only to and SNH – DoENI observed). SNH Head of pinpoint those sites, aim to protect them and Science Ian Bainbridge was the hard-worked reduce disturbance). editor in chief. Please visit: You can download the revised Part 1 of the http://scotlandsbeangeese.wikispaces.com/ Guidelines for Selection of Biological SSSI and click on the page ‘migration and breeding from the JNCC website at: quarters' for more information, including http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/page-2303 maps."

Information: [email protected] Information: [email protected]

Tag 7 Returns to Slamannan: the Wild land map consultation origins and movements of Scottish- wintering bean geese Simon Brooks

Neville Makan SNH has prepared a map of wild land in Scotland, based on a GIS analysis of existing The ambitious target of fitting a small number datasets, using four physical attributes: of bean geese (Anser fabalis fabalis) with perceived naturalness, ruggedness, telemetry devices to learn more about the remoteness from public roads, and absence of habits and movements of Scotland’s only flock modern artefacts. Following its consideration of bean geese has now been fulfilled. This by a SAC Review Panel, the Scottish project was led by Carl Mitchell and Larry Government consulted on the map’s proposed Griffin from the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust use in the National Planning Framework 3 main issues report and revised Scottish

3 Planning Policy. It attracted a significant catchment scale to identify and remedy some number of comments, both in support and of the most important areas that will help challenging it. In light of these comments we maintain natural fluvial geomorphological have now been asked to provide further advice processes. Felling of riparian coniferous to Ministers on the map and whether it woodlands and replanting with broadleaved effectively identifies this key natural heritage trees is also getting underway in a variety of asset. sites managed by Forest Enterprise. And a variety of fishery trusts have also been We therefore launched a short a consultation working to reinforce key populations by in November to inform the preparation of this collecting larval pearl mussels and infecting advice, which can be viewed on our web site: their host salmonids. http://www.snh.gov.uk/protecting-scotlands- nature/looking-after-landscapes/landscape- As well as important conservation actions, the policy-and-guidance/wild-land/mapping/. project also aims to raise awareness of the species. To date this has included developing The consultation runs until 20 December a ‘Pearls in the Classroom’ project that fishery 2013. trusts are now providing in local primary schools. A river watcher has also been Information: [email protected] launching river watch schemes in the Outer Hebrides and Angus to improve the detection of wildlife crime. And a project website has been established to better disseminate project outputs and keep others up to date with Freshwater pearl mussels project actions – it will shortly be revised and considerably improved. Since the article about freshwater pearl mussels in the first SAC newsletter, there has Separate to the Pearls in Peril project, we been a lot of activity to improve the have had an important early insight into the conservation of this endangered species in a lifecycle of pearl mussels in Scotland. Like variety of locations across Scotland. This has other freshwater unionid molluscs, the principally been happening as part of the freshwater pearl mussel relies on a fish host to Pearls in Peril (£3.5 million EC LIFE+ funded) complete its lifecycle. Freshwater pearl project. The project formally started in mussels are very host specific and only utilise September 2012 with the ambitious aim of salmon or trout. During their first year, larval improving the conservation of pearl mussels in pearl mussels live harmlessly on the gills of 21 Special Areas of Conservation in Scotland, juvenile salmonids. It has long been assumed England and Wales. that pearl mussels in Scotland primarily use salmon as their host, and secondarily exploit A project team has been recruited and project trout when salmon are absent (e.g. above actions are underway, with important planning impassable falls). Recent work managed by work also taking place ready for summer SNH staff member Angus Tree examined 2014. The project is managed by Jackie juvenile salmon and trout at three sites in Webley in SNH, and involves approximately Lochaber during the winter when pearl mussel 20 other partners and funders. larvae are most obvious on the gills of fish. Our study found that in some rivers, despite an The majority of the work in the project is taking abundance of salmon, the pearl mussels are place in Scotland and so far has included exclusively using trout and vice versa. Further encouraging 12 land managers to submit work by the IBIS project at the University of SRDP applications. This will result in over Glasgow has found similar results in other 10km of riverbank woodland being established important rivers. These results will have alongside the Rivers Dee, Spey and South important implications for future conservation Esk to improve habitat, reduce silt inputs and management and we hope to undertake moderate summer temperatures. Agreements further work to identify host specificity in other are also being reached with fishery and land important rivers and understand the reason for owners on the Rivers South Esk, Dee and site specific host relations. Naver to remove in-stream structures such as bank protection, weirs, fishing croys etc to Information: [email protected] improve in-stream habitat for pearl mussels and their host fish. This restoration of in- stream habitat has been planned at the

4 Tackling Wildlife Crime birds/Poisoninghotspotmaps2010, and taking action to try eliminate persecution in these and Des Thompson and Iain Sime other areas. Earlier this year we launched ‘Heads up for harriers’ to raise the profile of SNH plays a key role within PAW Scotland – the persecuted hen harrier - the species given the Partnership for Action against Wildlife one of the highest priorities within UK PAW: Crime: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Environmen https://www.google.co.uk/#q=PAW+Scotland. t/Wildlife-Habitats/paw-scotland/what-you-can- Much of the work is scientific, with a recently do/hen-harriers A lot of our effort goes into formed PAWS Science Group developing a lot assembling the evidence on raptor numbers of this. Recently, the first annual report on and nesting success across Scotland, with wildlife crime in Scotland was published: published conservation frameworks on golden http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2013/ eagles and hen harriers placing persecution in 09/2382. Two work areas have heavy perspective alongside other pressures. involvement of SNH. Information: [email protected] and Uniquely within its range, the freshwater [email protected] pearl mussel is still subject to persecution within Scotland and, due to this and other ongoing criminal activity, is a UK wildlife crime priority. SNH chairs the priority group UN Technical Advisory Group on coordinating action to reduce the impact of wildlife crime affecting pearl mussels. We Raptors meeting focus on awareness raising and this is helped enormously by the Riverwatcher and patrolling The CMS (UN Convention on Migratory work being done as part of the ‘Pearls in Peril’ Species) Memorandum of Understanding on project, and the availability of the Scottish the Conservation of Migratory Birds of Prey in Investigative Support Officer we co-fund in the Africa and Eurasia (Raptors MoU), came into National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU). We effect on 1 November 2008. The UK played a have also been working with the NWCU and leading role in the development of this, with Police Scotland to identify ‘hot spots’ of Scotland hosting the first meeting to pave the criminal activity. The plan now is to further way for this, at Cameron House, Loch encourage and target action that could Lomond, in October 2007: improve the detection of crimes, the collection http://www.cms.int/news/PRESS/nwPR2013/_ of evidence and deter further crimes. nov/nw_011113_raptors_5th_anniv.html

A notable success for our work was securing A Technical Advisory Group (TAG) has been the first convictions for damage to pearl created to help implement the raptors MoU, mussels in Scotland. In February 2013, two with 15 specialists from Eurasia and Africa contractors and a developer were convicted meeting in Edinburgh in the third week of for allowing pollution to escape from the January to take this work forward. Des construction of a hydro scheme in Glen Lyon Thompson, Marion Whitelaw and Paul and smother the majority of pearl mussels in Robertson are organising this. the River Lyon. It is unclear when the population will recover. The prosecution was led by SEPA and has recently been recognised for its achievements when the Research Reports team (which included SNH, Tayside Police Kamila Fraser and the NWCU) were awarded the inaugural Reports published recently UK Wildlife Crime Operation of the Year from WWF. The following SNH Commissioned Research Reports have been published in the last few Raptors months. All are available on the SNH website. Persecution of raptors has a high public and political profile. We play an active role in the CR432 Characterising Scotland's marine PAWS Raptor Group, which is identifying environment to define search locations for hotspots for poisoning new Marine Protected Areas. Part 2: The http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Environmen identification of key geodiversity areas in t/Wildlife-Habitats/paw-scotland/types-of- Scottish waters. crime/crimes-against-

5 CR437 Marine biological survey to establish CR610 NA8 Golden eagle range report - Glen the distribution of Priority Marine Features Etive and Glen Fyne Special Protection within the Clyde Sea area. Area. CR523b Survey of the feeding areas, roosts CR611 Building an evidence base for and flight activity of qualifying species of managing species conflicts in Scotland. the Caithness Lochs Special Protection CR612 Marine Protected Area and Marine Area; 2011/12 and 2012/13. Renewable-related black guillemot surveys. CR552 Ecological coherence: Definitions in CR615 Whorl snails (Vertigo spp.) policy and practice. surveillance in Scotland: a condition CR553 The Scottish Beaver Trial: Ecological assessment of the narrow-mouthed whorl monitoring of the European beaver Castor snail Vertigo angustior in Aberdeenshire. fiber and other riparian mammals – Third CR616 Whorl snails (Vertigo spp.) Annual Report 2012. surveillance in Scotland: A condition CR558 Establishing trees without fences in assessment of Geyer’s whorl snail Vertigo Scotland. geyeri, and the round-mouthed whorl snail CR565 National Vegetation Classification Vertigo genesii in Perthshire and the Black Survey of Rousay Site of Special Scientific Isle. Interest. CR617 Geyer’s whorl snail (Vertigo geyeri) CR569 Evaluation of SNH programme of surveillance on Islay 2012. advice for designate site management. CR618 Survey and ecology of Botanophila CR574 Biological analyses of underwater fonsecai Ackland (Diptera, Anthomyiidae), video from research cruises in Lochs a seed-fly endemic to Scotland. Kishorn and Sunart, off the Mull of Kintyre CR620 Validation of seabed habitat MPA and islands of Rum, Tiree and Islay, and in search feature records relating to the South the Firth of Lorn and Sound of Mull Arran possible Nature Conservation MPA. approaches. CR624 White-beaked dolphin and Risso’s CR575 Herbivore impact assessment of the dolphin click characteristics and the Torridon Forest SSSI. potential for classification and species CR590 Assessing the sensitivity of identification. geodiversity features in Scotland’s seas to CR625 Review and development of open pressures associated with human activities. space audit and strategy guidance and best CR595 Analysis of bird and marine mammal practice. data for Billia Croo Wave Test Site, Orkney. CR629 Applying wildlife welfare principles at CR596 Status of five BAP species of diptera the population level. (flies) in Scotland. CR630 Applying wildlife welfare principles to CR597 European medicinal leech Hirudo individual animals. medicinalis L. in Scotland: surveillance CR634 Visitor behaviour in sensitive 2012. woodland habitats – repeat camera survey CR598 A review and evaluation of at Boat of Garten Woods. collaborative landscape-scale management initiatives. Reports reviewed recently CR599 Distribution and status of proposed protected features in the Fetlar to The following SNH Commissioned Research Haroldswick MPA proposal. Reports have recently been reviewed by SAC CR604 The Scottish Recreation Survey: members, and will be published shortly. annual summary report 2012. CR605 The Scottish Recreation Survey: CR613 The Scottish Beaver Trial: Woodland technical report 2012. monitoring 2012. CR606 Open mosaic habitats on previously CR626 South of Scotland Golden Eagle developed land; survey and Project. recommendations for habitat planning and CR632 Population modelling of Greenland management in Scotland. white-fronted geese: Potential impacts of CR607 Report on the delivery of a monitoring additional mortality on Scottish, Kintyre and programme for bean goose on the Caithness subpopulations. Slamannan Plateau 2011/2012. CR608 Report on the delivery of a monitoring programme for bean goose on the Information: [email protected] Slamannan Plateau 2012/2013. CR609 Surveillance of priority terrestrial invertebrates in Scotland.

6 CAMERAS Update potentially competing demands. It will also Ian Bainbridge provide a forum to discuss how researchers and policy makers can help support land

managers deliver multiple benefits within a The CAMERAS Board met in November. It thriving rural economy and thereby ensure that received updates on progress with the sustainable development is achievable. The CAMERAS Rural Affairs and Terrestrial conference will be relevant to members of all Environment Evidence Strategy, which is likely three of these target audiences. to be published in spring 2015; on the initiation of the next review of RESAS’ strategic http://www.sruc.ac.uk/info/120470/sruc- research programmes, and began discussions sepa_conference on CAMERAS future direction and structures.

SCRR Update News

Ian Bainbridge Millport Marine Station The Scottish Consortium for Rural Research continues to grow as a networking group for The Field Studies Council has recently bought rural researchers across Scotland. Their the Millport Marine Station on Great Cumbrae autumn newsletter (No 78) provides a range of in the Clyde. FSC Millport will be open for field summary reports on work of the members teaching from February 2014. Following (www.scrr.ac.uk) and the website holds details closure of the current Marine Station by the of forthcoming meetings and events. University of London (UoL) at the end of the current field season, the Field Studies Council SCRR has recently facilitated seminars on the (FSC) will begin the operation of FSC Millport uses of metagenomics, and a research field centre at the start of 2014. agenda for the Cairngorms National Park, and http://www.field-studies- on 16 December there will be a seminar on council.org/centres/millport.aspx environmental tourism in Scotland at the Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh. Next year, there Britain's Bird Atlas 2007-11 are plans for seminars / workshops on data handling and management, and on widening One of the most ambitious volunteer projects the agenda for citizen science, so watch the ever undertaken, to map all of our birds in both website for details. winter and the breeding season, and from

th every part of Britain and Ireland, has been On February 10 2014, the SCRR/RSE Annual realised with the BTO’s publication of the Bird Peter Wilson lecture at the RSE is to be given Atlas 2007–11. by Dr Alan Belward, Unit Head for Land http://www.bto.org/news-events/press- Resource Management of the European releases/all-change-britains-birds Commission’s Institute for Environment and Sustainability. His subject: “Running out of land – a new global challenge”. Details from: www.royalsoced.org.uk/events/ Appointments

Professor Des Thompson was recently Conferences appointed Chairman-elect of the Field Studies Council. Established in 1943, and with an internal reputation for its work, the FSC is the Scotland’s Rural College and educational charity which inspires Scottish Environmental Protection environmental understanding through first- Agency Biennial conference, hand experience across the UK. It has 19 Edinburgh centres (including Kindrogan and recently 15-16 April 2014 acquired Millport Field Station in Scotland). “Delivering multiple benefits for our land: Dr David Genney has been awarded an sustainable development in practice” honorary research associate position at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. As part of This conference will seek to present the best his role as SNH’s bryophyte, lichen and fungus possible scientific understanding of the adviser, he has worked in partnership with complexities associated with meeting such RBGE staff on snowbed bryophyte monitoring,

7 lichen taxonomy and conservation, and the Professor Thomas Meagher, Professor of feasibility of translocation as a tool to help Plant Biology at the University of St Andrews. species adapt to climate change. The latest Professor Meagher has served on the Defra collaboration (an SNH/SEPA funded PhD with Science Advisory Council (2004-2009), the the University of Glasgow) will use population Natural Environment Research Council (2007- genetics and niche mapping to assess the 2013) and the UK Plant Health and Biosecurity spatial scale at which we need to manage Taskforce (2012-2013). Atlantic rainforest habitat for lichens. Dave said “It’s a real honour to have been awarded this position, and testament to the encouragement I get from SNH to pursue SNH Staff Profile good science through academic links”. Ron Macdonald Prof. Phil Boon (Head of Ecosystems and Director Policy & Advice Biodiversity Unit) has been awarded an honorary professorship at the University of the Highlands and Islands. He received this in person at the recent graduation ceremony at Inverness College. Phil is already making a contribution to the work of UHI as a member of the Advisory Group for the Rivers and Lochs Institute, and hopes to be able to contribute in future to some of the undergraduate teaching in freshwater management.

The University of the Highlands and Islands Ron Macdonald is Acting Director for Policy & has appointed Professor Ian Bryden to the Advice, backfilling for Susan Davies during her new post of vice-principal (research). year-long secondment to Scottish Government Professor Bryden, who currently holds the as Deputy Director of its Rural and Chair of Renewable Energy and heads the Environment Science and Analytical Services Institute of Energy Systems at the University of Division (RESAS). Edinburgh, will take up his role in the autumn. Ron joined SNH’s predecessor body The Professor Bryden, who is also a director of the Nature Conservancy Council in 1988 (NCC). European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney, His primary degree is in Zoology from the worked at Heriot-Watt University and Robert University of Aberdeen (1977) and his PhD is Gordon University before joining The in applied Ornithology, from University College University of Edinburgh. Dublin (1984), which was a study of rook feeding ecology. He subsequently worked for The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh has the Irish Government Wildlife Service from recently appointed its new Regius Keeper and 1984 until he joined the NCC in 1988. During three new Trustees to its Board. They are: his time with NCC and SNH he has worked on agri-environment policy, as an Assistant Regius Keeper: Simon Milne: In Regional Officer on Islay, Jura and Colonsay, February, Simon Milne will move from his as SNH Area Manager for Grampian and most current position as Chief Executive of the recently, from 2006, as Head of Policy & Scottish Wildlife Trust to become the new Advice. Regius Keeper. Ron is Programme Director for Biodiversity Trustees: Action and The Sea, Wildlife Management and Diana Murray Chief Executive of the Royal the Social & Economic Development Commission on the Ancient and Historical Programmes. Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS). Recently, she has taken on joint responsibility of Historic His topic responsibilities include taking a Scotland as the two bodies merge into one. strategic overview of: National Performance Indicator 41 for Participation He is the Professor Iain Gordon, Chief Executive Reviewing Officer for Freedom of Information and Director of the James Hutton Institute. (FOI) requests and Lead Director for the UK Joint Nature Conservation Committee and, of course, the Scientific Advisory Committee.

8 academic institutions, Colin is not. He is He has an interest in wildlife management employed as an occasional lecturer at the within East and Southern African and this year University of Edinburgh but spends more time took a busman’s holiday travelling overland dealing with in policy rather than pure science. through some of Zambia’s national parks. At However, the policy areas that he is involved the drop of a hat he will talk fulsomely about with, representing shooting and land the challenges which face natural resource management interests do overlap with many management in Africa. You have been mainstream conservation issues in Scotland. warned. Goose management is one such area, and Colin sits on the National Goose Management Review Group (and occasionally on the Goose Science Advisory Group) and is closely SAC Member Profile involved with the development of the adaptive management approach. He also sits on the Dr Colin Shedden National Species Reintroduction Forum, National Access Forum and a number of PAW Scotland groups, including the PAW Science Group. Other areas of recent work include assessment of climate change on coastal monitoring for the establishment of statutory suspensions of waterbird hunting, impacts of avian predators and rolling out the use of “Green Shoots” biodiversity mapping and recording by individual shooters, syndicates and clubs. He recently chaired a working group on voluntary bag reporting for wild birds for the Scottish Government. Colin says “BASC prides itself as an evidence- based organisation, having its own research Colin Shedden is a zoology graduate of the team and a number of senior managers with a University of Glasgow, where he also studied science background. It has been both for his Ph.D. This looked at the flattering and challenging working with SNH as microbiological impact of roosting gulls on part of the SAC and hopefully I bring some Glasgow’s water supply and sought solution to additional applied understanding to the heavy contamination through non-lethal Committee.” scaring. Further research investigated more detail in the relationship in bacterial transfer from gull feeding sites (the rubbish tips of Scotland) to water and land. Although mainly dealing with gulls as “inland” seabirds, other work took him to the Shetlands and St. Kilda. From 1984 he was employed by the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) in a number of roles. Although these were not in pure research he did continue to contribute scientifically in a number of areas, such as the impact of deposited lead shot on wildfowl and the sustainability of harvesting migratory quarry species. In the early ‘90s he spend three years on a joint BASC/SNH project on deer management in Scotland, the first work of its kind that established that roe deer were as abundant, if not more abundant, than red deer. Since 1994 he has been the BASC’s Director Scotland and also served on the Board of the Deer Commission for Scotland for five years before its merger with SNH. While other members of the Scientific Advisory Committee are recognised scientists within

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