ISSUE 58 ’s : Summer Issue 2016 Scottish Biodiversity Strategy: Taking Steps towards 2020

On Tuesday 22nd March 2016 delegates with an interest in Scotland’s Biodiversity Strategy gathered at Battleby for the first annual Scottish Biodiversity Strategy Stakeholder Event. Unlike previous biodiversity conferences the aims of hosting this annual event are simple; To pointedly discover where we are along the route map to 2020, to share ideas and to make sure that we are, metaphorically speaking of course, on the right path to 2020. It is fair to report that there was a bit of a positive biodiversity buzz. Clearly a lot has happened since the Route Map to 2020 was published as recently as 2015. The demographic though was slightly unfamiliar. Amongst the usual, weathered faces, there were real, live, “young people”. SNH’s Biodiversity Youth panel providing a fresh face and

ITAGE reminding some of the “more senior”, if not mature, environmentalists present that there is indeed a positive future beyond 2020, let alone towards it!

SCOTTISH NATURAL HER

The Forum Issue 58 Summer Issue 2016 SCOTTISH NATURAL HER ITAGE I Contents & Contacts

Inside this issue:

SBS Stakeholder report 3 NBN & SBIF—Collaborative working 4-5 Featured —Tongues of fire 6 Floodplain meadows - A technical handbook 7 Froglife—greener pathways for the future 8 NTS—Did you see me today 9 John Muir Trust—Turning Biodiversity engagement into action 10-11 ENFOR—Outdoor Learning 12-13 Trees For Life—Renovated Bothy & Project Wolf 14-15 Coille Alba - Hotspot for 16-17 Scotland—Whats visiting the allotment? 18 2016 Biodiversity Science Conference 19 Keep Scotland Beautiful—Adopt a Station 20 Postcode local trust Opens for Applications 21 HWDT—Marine traffic pressures on Scotland’s cetaceans 22-23 Publications 24-25 Diary dates 26

Contact details

Do you have a news story? Are you involved in a The views expressed in this newsletter are not project? If so, then let the Biodiversity Team necessarily the views of Biodiversity Scotland. know! Ask for our article guidelines to help you The editors reserve the right to edit or exclude make the most of your article. articles; the editors’ decisions are final. Email: [email protected] Tel: 01463 For further information about the Biodiversity 725325 Team, log on to: Biodiversity Team www.biodiversityscotland.gov.uk Scottish Natural Heritage Great Glen House Leachkin Road INVERNESS IV3 8NW Page 2 THE FORUM STAKEHOLDER

Scottish Government’s Keith Connal kicked off the serious business, summarising changes to how Scotland is to deliver our Biodiversity Strategy through a new governance structure. To inspire there were examples of innovative projects, integrating biodiversity with other aims on the Crown Estate’s land on Glenlivet Estate, habitat restoration in the Forth catchment and plans in to use NHS greenspace to improve the physical and mental health of patients (and staff). Although early days along the path to 2020 the news was positive, progress has been made with the ongoing and proposed work outlined in Scotland’s Biodiversity a Route Map to 2020.

SAVE THE DATE 8th March 2017 Scottish Biodiversity Strategy 2nd Annual Stakeholder Conference

The main event though for many was discussion, workshops to take stock and find out what the challenges ahead might be. And that is where we noted a sign that there has been a foray “off piste”. Repeatedly the biggest challenge noted is a degree of public disengagement with biodiversity. A bit of a shock, but also a wake-up call. Delivering projects is good, but we also need to take the crowd along with us, metaphorically speaking of course.

ISSUE 58 Page 3 Collaborative working in Scotland: an update from the National Biodiversity Network (NBN)

Between November 2015 and March 2016, Scottish Biodiversity Information Forum undertook some work to improve their alignment with Biological Recording in Scotland (BRISC) and the NBN. This work has resulted in three agreed changes in order to establish an effective biodiversity data infrastructure in Scotland: 1. That SBIF and the NBN unite so that there is a single body governing the biodiversity data infrastructure and the Data Flow Pathway. To honour the original Public Petition which brought SBIF into existence, the SBIF Steering Group continues as the SBIF Advisory Group to the NBN in Scotland to support and facilitate the NBN and the Data Flow Pathway. 2. The SBIF Coordinator role transfers to be managed and hosted directly by the NBN to act as their Scottish Liaison Officer thereby maximising the capacity of the NBN in Scotland. 3. That the SBIF Advisory Group should focus on two matters: 4. driving a review and redesign of the ‘Biodiversity Infrastructure in Scotland’ with a view to re-aligning it, and 5. facilitating the Data Flow Pathway in Scotland so that the envisaged biodiversity infrastructure is highly effective. NBN Scottish Liaison Officer From the 1st April 2016, the SBIF Co-ordinator role transferred to the NBN becoming their Scottish Liaison Officer, the principal contact between the NBN Secretariat and Network members, data partners and data users in Scotland. Work on Recommendation 3 above has commenced. The review focus is currently on planning the approach; facilitating the Data Flow Pathway is however ongoing and the creation of the Atlas of Living Scotland will improve the flow of data in Scotland.

Fig. 1

Page 4 THE FORUM and the Scottish Biodiversity Information Forum

The Atlas of Living Scotland Fig. 2 The Atlas of Living Scotland [Fig. 1] is a new website being developed as a partnership between Scotland’s Environment Web (SEWeb); the Atlas of Living Australia (ALA); Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA); the NBN Trust and Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH). The NBN facilitates collaboration between its members and data are shared via the NBN Gateway, an infrastructure that needs updating. The Atlas of Living Scotland is the first stage in creating a platform to eventually replace the NBN Gateway. The Atlas is built on open-source code, originally created for the Atlas of Living Australia, and it allows interrogation of data such as species occurrences, habitats, images and spatial environmental layers. For example Fig. 2 shows the spatial portal in which species occurrences (blue dots) can be mapped with environmental layers (in this case ancient (of semi-natural origin) woodland (pink areas)). Each occurrence location can be interrogated to reveal associated datasets and records. The website was launched on the 27th May 2016, and is still developing. In June there were just over 2.5 Million species records available through the Atlas, and 24 spatial layers. For the moment to view the full NBN data holdings please continue to visit the NBN Gateway. We would encourage you follow the links below to explore the Atlas of Living Scotland, try out its functions, and send us your comments. Atlas of Living Scotland website: www.als.scot (send comments and suggestions to: [email protected]) . National Biodiversity Network (NBN) Gateway: https://data.nbn.org.uk/ Atlas of Living Australia: www.ala.org.au For further information please contact: Christine Johnston, NBN Scottish Liaison Officer; email: [email protected], tel: 07342254589

ISSUE 58 Page 5 Featured Fungus—Gymnosporangium clavariiforme

There are four established Gymnosporangium species in the UK; they are rusts and their life cycles alternate between different host plants, fungi are basidiomycetes and only distantly related to mushrooms and toadstools. Gymnosporangium clavariiforme has (Juniperus communis) as it’s host and is visible on the juniper in the first half of the year on damp days. The alternate host for G. clavariiforme is hawthorn with structures found on the underside of leaves and on berries. G. clavariiforme is most commonly recorded in the spring when it produces amazing bright orange, structures on juniper known as telial horns. These horns grow in dense clusters and each individual horn can reach a length of around 1cm, expanding in damp conditions. At the beginning of the growing cycle, it can appear from a distance as though the tree is on fire and it has been suggested that a Middle Eastern species of Gymnosporangium Gymnosporangium may have been responsible for the story of the clavariiforme, telial stage burning bush in the Bible. In dry weather, these structures on juniper disappear and all that is visible is a slightly swollen area on the host stem. If you have a juniper wood near you, it would be well worth checking this out on a damp day in April or May. Fruiting: G. clavariiforme has been recorded from April and May in its distinctive telial stage on juniper; the less distinct aecial stage is mostly found in August and September on hawthorn. Habitat: Like all rusts, Gymnosporangium is parasitic, Gymnosporangium clavariiforme, in other words, feeding from a live host. In most cases, aecial stage on hawthorn. there is little damage done to the hosts although sometimes apparently the production of haws can be limited. Searches for the different stages of the fungus are clearly limited to habitats that support juniper, hawthorn or rowan. It is of interest that in many areas where the distinctive telial stage of G. clavariiforme is relatively common on juniper, the alternate host, hawthorn is not present in any quantity. Distribution: Records of these species can be generated from either stage of their life cycles. Records of G. clavariiforme are mostly from the telial stage on juniper. This may go some way to explaining the more limited distribution of the latter. All photos © Alan Watson Featherstone

Page 6 THE FORUM Floodplain Meadows - A technical handbook

A brand new handbook on species-rich floodplain meadows is now available. Comprehensive and beautifully illustrated, the handbook covers everything you need to know about the history, management, restoration and creation of this vitally important, yet threatened, habitat. Once very widespread, these iconic sites now occupy less than 1,500 ha in the UK. Flood- plain meadows are both part of our heritage and inspirational wildlife habitats. They support a diversity of plant species rarely seen elsewhere, offering a home for a wealth of wildlife including birds, bees, butterflies and other pollinating . They are the product of a long agricultural tradition of managing floodplains to produce a valuable crop, and thereby provide a rich seam of rural history to explore. Floodplain meadows require no artificial fertilisers yet remain productive during droughts and recover rapidly after floods. In addition, they supply many additional benefits to society for free, including storage and cleansing of floodwaters, sequestration of carbon and a very aesthetic contribution to the landscape. Mindful of the frequency of extreme flood events that have affected Britain in the period 2000–2015, encouraging resilient agricultural systems that can accommodate flood storage, yet bounce back to provide a crop that delivers both biodiversity and an economic return, is becoming an increasingly important priority. This book is aimed at anyone managing, restoring, or re-creating floodplain meadows, and those with a general interest in rural history and how it has influenced the floodplain wildlife we have today. Information on how to obtain a copy oh the handbook is available at: www.floodplainmeadows.org.uk

ISSUE 58 Page 7 Froglife—Greener Pathways for the future

Froglife is a national wildlife charity committed to the conservation of amphibians and reptiles – frogs, toads, newts, snakes and lizards – and saving the habitats they depend on. Recently, the Froglife’s Glasgow Green Pathways Project won ‘Best Community Initiative’ at the Evening Times, Streets Ahead Awards, and was recognised for empowering vulnerable and disadvantaged young people to take part in positive activities linked to wildlife and conservation in their local community. This project rests on a mass of scientific research that suggests that being outdoors and in particular connecting with nature, has a huge positive effect on people’s health and wellbe- ing. It helps physical and mental health, learning, behaviour and social skills for people of all ages and abilities. Wildlife surveys, den building, natural arts & crafts, creating ponds and homes – these are but a few of the exciting activities and projects delivered by Glasgow’s very own ‘Froglady’ – Lauren Lochrie. As Conservation Youth Worker for this innovative project, Lauren feels “privileged to be able to work with young people and the wider community to improve their local green spaces for the benefit of both people and wildlife” Over the past two years, Green Pathways has engaged over 3,000 young people, working with over 30 different schools and youth groups across the city’s parks and green spaces. Froglife secured funding for the project from a 2-year Young Start grant from the Big Lottery. Scottish Natural Heritage have also played an integral part in the project by funding all the habitat work. Recent enhancements include; a large pond at Croftburn Allotments, a wildlife pond and hibernacula (amphibian home) at Shettleston Community Growing Project and creating a vegetable garden and wildlife pond with St. Cuthbert’s Primary School at Ruchill Pop-up Allotments. If you’d like to get involved or for more information, please contact: [email protected]

Page 8 THE FORUM NTS—Did You See Me Today?

As the summer is upon us and we are spending more time out of doors, the National Trust for Scotland is asking members of the public to help their rangers by recording the amazing wildlife that can be seen at the many beautiful countryside properties managed by the Trust. Priority habitats and species are subject to a targeted monitoring programme undertaken by the Trust’s Ranger Services. However, with over 760 km2 of land to manage, many of the more common species can go under-recorded. To help address this, a new, fun and easy to use webpage www.nts.org.uk/wildlifesurvey has been set up in partnership with iRecord. Wildlife sightings entered here will not only help to inform management activities locally but will, following verification by iRecord’s expert taxonomists, be made available on the National Biodiversity Network Gateway where they can be accessed by policy makers, researchers, and members of the public alike, allowing these records to really make a difference. If you are planning a visit to a Trust property this summer - from the tranquil Malleny Gardens in Edinburgh, to the remote wilderness of the Torridon Estate - why not note down, or take photographs of,

the and plants you see along the way. We look forward to seeing what you find… Wondering what you might see? Take a look at our nature channel at: http://www.nts.org.uk/Nature- Channel/ If you would like any further information about this project, please contact Christine Oines on 0131 458 0487 or email [email protected]. ISSUE 58 Page 9

John Muir Trust—

‘When communicating about nature, try to: show how amazing nature is; share the experience of the natural world; talk about people, society and compassion as well as the natural world; explain where and why things are going wrong; encourage action and creativity.’ These are the recommendations offered by Common Cause for Nature (2013), a Public Interest Research Centre published practical guide to values and frames in conservation. For many of us it was reassuring that these recommendations were reinforcing stuff that felt familiar. The John Muir Trust believes that a love of biodiversity can lead to care, action and a wish to protect it. Its main engagement initiative, the John Muir Award, encourages connections with, and enjoyment of, places of natural character – biodiversity. Experiences are celebrated through a nationally recognised certificate. Many reading this will know that the John Muir Award is delivered through partnerships with diverse organisations – youth groups, schools, Local Authorities, outdoor centres, adult and family support groups, ranger services etc. These organisations use the Award to help them meet people needs – curriculum, employability, attainment, health & wellbeing, environmental studies, family learning etc. Organisations integrate the John Muir Award Four Challenges –Discover a wild place; Explore it; Conserve it; Share experiences – into what they do. A flexible structure for people to enjoy nature engagement. “Working within the framework of the John Muir Award has seen learners actively engaging with their immediate environment, viewing it through fresh eyes and with a new understanding.” Jake Perry, Beeslack Community High School, Penicuik A full Conserve Audit 2015 report can be viewed at www.johnmuiraward.org [https://www.johnmuirtrust.org/whats-new/ conserve-audit-2015]

Page 10 THE FORUM Turning biodiversity engagement into action

So what does this mean for Scotland’s biodiversity? During 2015 the John Muir Trust ran a monitoring exercise to identify the amount and type of activity carried out to meet the Conserve Challenge of the John Muir Award. In Scotland this year long ‘Conserve Audit’ was based on a sample of 82% of all participants (over 17,000). It revealed specific recorded outcomes: 134,118m2 of general habitat management – such as bracken, gorse, beech, sedge, bramble, ragwort etc 30,565m2 of woodland felling, coppicing and brashing 13,179m2 of wildflower planting and reseeding 10,046m2 of alien invasive species cleared 7,282 native trees were planted and 937 metres of hedges were maintained or planted Activity was valued at £889,175 based on Heritage Lottery Fund figures. 33% of this Conserve activity was carried out by people experiencing disadvantage – those who would not normally engage in positive action for the environment. Woodlands were the most likely place for Conserve activities, then school/centre grounds, urban parks & wildlife gardens, and Scotland’s National Parks. The Conserve Audit 2015 demonstrates that individuals and groups can make a meaningful impact on their environment. It highlights the merits of working in partnership to achieve mutual benefits. It shows that the John Muir Award can act as a catalyst for cross-sector partnerships – environmental sector, formal education, youth work, community learning, outdoor centres, and health. And connect all these people with national policies and priorities such as biodiversity for a Greener Scotland. The Conserve Audit shows that promoting open inclusive direct experiences and enjoyment of nature is a positive approach to people caring for it. An approach reinforced by the Common Cause for Nature recommendations. Toby Clark is the Scotland John Muir Award Manager with the John Muir Trust. ISSUE 58 Page 11 ENFOR: Outdoor Learning –

Ask anyone about a memorable childhood experience and it is invariably an outdoor one. Why? Well, the outdoors provides an engaging and real world context for learning. In Scotland, the Curriculum for Excellence promotes regular progressive learning experiences from the ages of 3 to 18 years. This reflects the Learning for Sustaina- bility (LfS) Report (2012) recommendation 1.1. under entitlement to learning for sustainability, that outdoor learning should be a regular, progressive, curriculum-led experience for all learners. LfS is now embedded in the General Teaching Council for Scotland’s Professional Standards and is recognised as an entitlement for all learners. This means all teachers should have, or need to develop, skills in taking learning outdoors. What does this mean for children? We should start young, through playful exploratory nature -based experiences outdoors and build on these through the primary and secondary school years including the senior phase at school, where young people are making choices about their future. For example, Young Scot’s Youth Panel, working with SNH, is exploring biodiversity issues. Nature provides fantastic (and free) resources for interdisciplinary learning. In addition to the formal curriculum there’s a wealth of informal opportunities, within and beyond the school gates, including Citizen Science. Through hands-on real world experiences young people can get the bug for nature, understand it better and develop a stake in its future.

Page 12 THE FORUM Support from the Environment and Forestry sector in Scotland

Better working partnerships, along with the promotion of and access to natural play spaces, biodiversity-rich school grounds, local green spaces, woodlands, special sites for nature and wild places, all can contribute to this. That is what the ENFOR Outdoor Learning partnership is all about. The ENFOR acronym refers to Environment and Forestry partners - Scotland, Forest Enterprise, Scottish Natural Heritage, and Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park, plus Historic Education Scotland, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, and SEPA. The partners also work closely with the wider education, environment and outdoor learning network across Scotland, funding projects for example. To maximise our increasingly limited resources, it’s even more important to work together effectively to have the widest reach and biggest impact. That’s my role – to support ENFOR education colleagues in providing joined-up, coherent and effective support for outdoor learning across Scotland. Attainment is the buzz word in Scottish education circles just now. An inclusive approach is part of the creation of a smarter, fairer, greener and wealthier Scotland. Where does the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy (SBS) and ENFOR fit in here? Well, the Route Map’s Priority Project 6 aims to increase schools’ access to greenspace and nature for outdoor learning as part of the wider Learning for Sustainability agenda, with the target to ensure that 100 schools in the 20% most disadvantaged areas across Scotland have access to quality greenspace for outdoor learning by 2020. That’s one tangible part that we can play, to help to close the Attainment Gap across Scotland. Remember, quality outdoor learning can be fun and makes it real. Penny Martin, ENFOR Outdoor Learning project officer

© Forestry Commission Scotland

ISSUE 58 Page 13 Trees For Life—Renovation of Athnamulloch Bothy

An iconic but once derelict mountain bothy in Glen Affric has been transformed into an eco-friendly rewilding base by Trees for Life – creating the springboard for an ambitious 25-year programme of forest restoration which will extend Scotland’s towards the country’s west coast. Until the bothy became unsafe and was closed in 2008, Trees for Life’s volunteers used it for 17 years as a base for planting the first new Scots pines to grow in the area for centuries. With significant tree planting in the remote location virtually impossible without a place for volunteers to stay, the conservation charity undertook an ambitious fundraising drive to save the bothy. Around 100 people gathered at the remote Athnamulloch Bothy – which lies west of Loch Affric, on the National Forest Estate managed by Forest Enterprise Scotland – on Sunday 29 May to celebrate the building’s £137,000 renovation, which has been funded by generous donations and grants. In a major boost, almost half the costs were covered by a £60,000 award from the Legacy 2014 Active Places Fund, part of the ’s Commonwealth Games Legacy 2014 programme. Trees for Life secured the remaining funds through its Build the Bothy public appeal – fronted by broadcaster and wildlife filmmaker Gordon Buchanan – and further grants, including £20,000 from the Moray-based Gordon and Ena Baxter Foundation, £15,000 from The Robertson Trust, £10,000 from the Garfield Weston Foundation and £1,000 from the James Thin Charitable Trust. Highland Council was also very helpful in enabling a building in such a remote location to meet today’s stringent building control standards. Trees for Life’s Founder, Alan Watson Featherstone said, “Saving Athnamulloch Bothy from dereliction – and giving it an exciting new lease of life as a base for conservation volunteering to help rewild one of Scotland’s great natural areas – represents a new era for our restoration of the Caledonian Forest in Glen Affric’s western reaches. Our sincere thanks go to everyone who has helped make this project succeed. We can now embark on ambitious large-scale forest restoration work in partnership with Forest Enterprise Scotland, in which our volunteers will plant another 250,000 trees – extending Glen Affric’s endangered forests west- wards, and creating crucial forest corridors and habitats for rare wildlife.”

Page 14 THE FORUM .. And Project Wolf

Project Wolf – a unique new conservation programme in which volunteers replicate the natural disturbance effects of Scotland’s extinct predators – has been launched in the Highlands near Loch Ness by Trees for Life. It is being trialled at the charity’s acclaimed Dundreggan Conservation Estate in Glenmoriston, Inverness-shire, lying to the west of Loch Ness. It involves volunteers operating in teams of three ‘wolves’, regularly walking through the ancient woodlands during Alpha wolf pack Dora, James and Matt the night and at dusk and dawn, creating disturbance that will keep deer on the move. “Grazing pressure on young trees by too many deer, today undisturbed by natural predators, is the major threat to Scotland’s native forests. This is starkly apparent in the surviving Caledonian Forest, where many remnants consist only of old and dying trees because young trees cannot survive the relentless browsing. “Project Wolf – an innovative answer to this challenge – is supporting our work by creating a ‘landscape of disturbance’. By walking through Dundreggan’s woodlands at unpredictable times, the volunteers mimic the effect of wolves in keeping deer on their toes and less likely to spend time leisurely eating seedlings and young trees. This will encourage new trees to flourish – giving them the chance to form the next generation of forest giants that are desperately needed if the Caledonian Forest is to survive,” said Alan Watson Featherstone, Trees for Life’s Founder. “Project Wolf is backed by a growing body of research which shows that predators have a much wider impact on their prey than just the animals they manage to hunt and kill. In many ways, the fear that the presence of predators generates in prey animals is just as important as their direct impacts,” said Doug Gilbert, Trees for Life’s Operations Manager at Dundreggan. Project Wolf is part-supported by funding that Trees for Life received after winning a global conservation competition in March this year. The charity’s broader Rewilding the Highlands project – which also involves the planting of 50,000 native trees and the creation of habitats to offer a lifeline to rare wildlife – won the Alpine category of the 2016 European Outdoor Conservation Association (EOCA) scheme, securing £23,000 as a result of an online public vote. For more information, see www.treesforlife.org.uk or call 01309 691292.

ISSUE 58 Page 15 Coille Alba—

In March 2016, the presence of the rare Aspen at Fasnagruig on the south shore of Loch Ness was confirmed by dipterist Iain MacGowan. The had not been recorded in this aspen woodland since it was first seen there in 2003. This find has highlighted the importance of the aspen woodlands in South Loch Ness, and prompted a move to learn more about this aspen hotspot and its biodiversity potential. Aspen hoverfly larvae feed in the decaying layer under the

bark of fallen deadwood Adults of the medium-sized, rust-coloured hoverfly Hammerschmidtia ferruginea were found in the UK for the first time in 1905, near Grantown-on- Spey. Between 1905 and 1987, only 29 adults were captured from just four localities, and the species was given Endangered status in the British Red Data Book and included as a Priority Species in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan, where it gained the name ‘Aspen Hoverfly’. Subsequent fieldwork revealed the presence of Hammerschmidtia at 14 localities, all in Highland, and the majority in Strathspey.

Adult Aspen Hoverfly nectar on rowan, bird cherry and hawthorn

Page 16 THE FORUM - A Hot Spot for Flies

Iain MacGowan explains the operation of an emergence trap placed over a rotting aspen stem

The Aspen Hoverfly has very particular needs. During its larval stage, it depends on the decaying wood of aspen trees Populus tremula. When an aspen tree or large branch falls and dies, the thick, nutrient-rich sub-cambial layer decays into a wet, pungent-smelling material, in which the larvae feed on microbes. However this stage only lasts for a period of 2 -3 years before the bark breaks up and the layer dries out. As a consequence, in order to sustain healthy populations of these insects, a regular supply of large diameter deadwood is required within the adults’ flying range of a few kilometres.

Aspen deadwood also provides an excellent habitat for the larvae of many other saproxylic insect species. There are 15 or so rare insects which depend entirely or largely on this habitat in Scotland, the majority of these specialists being flies (Diptera).

With support from the Malloch Society and the Forestry Commission, Coille Alba is now embarking on a survey of the South Loch Ness aspen woodlands. This will map and quantify the current standing and deadwood resource, and the area’s potential for sustaining a viable population of Hammerschmidtia. Our report will also make recommendations for the future management and possible expansion of these key aspen woodlands.

More information on aspen woodlands can be found in the Scottish Aspen website.

ISSUE 58 Page 17 Butterfly Conservation Scotland -What’s fluttering down the allotment?

Butterfly Conservation Scotland wants people using allotments, community growing spaces and community gardens to have a good look at their patch to see which butterflies are making their homes nearby. This comes after a recent report showed that even once-common species such as the Large White Butterfly have declined in the past decade. Urban allotments and community growing spaces could be providing safe havens for them, so allotmenteers are being asked to become ‘citizen scientists’ Large White Butterfly to help the charity learn more about the butterflies in allotments and other greenspaces. Anyone interested in joining the survey will be given a free butterfly ID guide and recording pack and asked to survey their allotment three times over the summer. The information gathered will be used to inform the Stirling-based charity’s conservation work in Scotland. Allotments with the greatest numbers and species of butterflies will be featured in Butterfly Conservation Scotland’s newsletter. Project Officer Anthony McCluskey said ‘Allotments can be great places to see butterflies. Whether it’s the dreaded white butterfly whose caterpillars eat cabbages and broccoli, or a colourful Small Tortoiseshell tucked away over winter in the shed, we want to hear from everyone. It’s also a great way to get out and meet your neighbours on the allotment, and you could even do this survey as a group.’ Butterflies are both beautiful in their own right, and as important links in food webs. A pair of Blue tits will need 20,000 grubs to raise a large brood of chicks, so efforts made to help our insects will also benefit other wildlife. Contact amccluskey@butterfly- conservation.org or visit www.butterflyconservation.org/ urbanbutterflies

Small tortoiseshell © Fiona Govan

Page 18 THE FORUM 2016 Biodiversity Science Conference

Connecting People and Environment

Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh 8th –9th November 2016

The relationships between people and the environment are central to both driving and addressing the major current threats to biodiversity.

 There is growing concern that many people are becoming increasingly disconnected from their environment.

 Conserving biodiversity, and sustainably managing our environment, needs an understanding of how people interact with the environment to produce the benefits that they receive and to find ways to overcome barriers to sustainably managing the land.

 Addressing and understanding these issues – which are at the heart of current efforts to conserve biodiversity – needs a wide range of research skills and disciplines. Reflecting this the Biodiversity Science Conference is aiming to take a multi-disciplinary look at the ways in which people and their environment interact, and the consequences of this for sustainable land management and biodiversity conservation in Scotland.

The science conference will once again be linked to a British Ecological Society policy training day for Early Career Researchers. This will take place on 8th November prior to the science conference, and will also be held at the RBGE. It will give early career scientists an insight into the processes of environmental policy making, including an understanding of how to feed research results into the policy making process. It will involve talks from those involved in environmental policy making, as well as interactive sessions and opportunities for networking.

Programme information for both days is available at www.biodiversityscotland.gov.uk Detailed information on registration for both the Science Conference and the Policy Training Day will be available via Eventbrite. 15 travel & accommodation bursaries are available for ECRs (PhD students and those no more than 5 years post-PhD) - these are by reimbursement and on a first come first served basis. Please contact: [email protected]

This is a joint meeting organised by the Science Support Group of the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy, the British Ecological Society, and the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management, and co-sponsored by the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh and RSPB Centre for Conservation Science.

ISSUE 58 Page 19 Scotrail Biodiversity Fund

The ScotRail Biodiversity Fund, which is managed by Keep Scotland Beautiful, is now open to applicants who take part in the Adopt a Station scheme. Awards range from £100 to £5,000 to support and encourage biodiversity projects in Scotland's stations. Funding is awarded to community groups whose applications show a dedication to ecosystem restoration, biodiversity planting and conserving wildlife in Scotland, in and around their chosen station. For more information, click here. The Adopt A Station programme attracts people from all walks of life. Businesses, charities, clubs, schools and dedicated individuals are all helping to improve the appearance of stations through activities such as gardening and litter picking. Adopting a station is a great way of meeting people and developing a sense of community ownership. If you would like to become an Adopt A Station volunteer, please contact ScotRail’s Community Liaison Manager, John Yellowlees, on 07771 831252 or [email protected]

Images © Keep Scotland Beautiful

Page 20 THE FORUM Postcode Local Trust Opens for Applications

The Postcode Local Trust which is a grant- giving body funded by players of People's Postcode Lottery has announced that it will re-open for applications on the 1st September 2016. The Trust provides financial support for charities and good causes which help communities enhance their natural environment in a way that benefits the wider community. Registered charities in England, Scotland & Wales can apply from £500 - £20,000 (£10,000 in Wales) whilst other constituted not for profit organisations may apply for up to £2,000 for community based projects that improve local ecology and habitats, encourage bio-diversity and benefit the wider environment. The type of projects that can be funded include:  The creation of community gardens  Habitat restoration projects which benefit biodiversity and which provide lasting benefits to a community such as on-going recreation activities, flood prevention schemes, natural hedgerow boundaries  Tree planting or creation of community orchard projects; outdoor education projects delivered with local communities by environmental charities  Green-energy projects which create more sustainable solutions to lowering energy costs for a community; etc. The closing date for applications will be the 30th September 2016. http:// www.postcodelocaltrust.org.uk/

ISSUE 58 Page 21 HWDT—Marine traffic pressures on Scotland’s cetaceans

Electronic navigation safety technology is to be used to study the potential impacts of marine traffic on whale, dolphin and porpoise species off western Scotland in a new season of research expeditions launched by Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust this week. For the first time, scientists and trained volunteers onboard the conservation charity’s specialized research yacht Silurian will use an Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponder to collect detailed data on other vessels’ movements. This will be combined with sightings and underwater acoustic monitoring of cetaceans – the collective name for whales, dolphins and porpoises – to gain new insights into how species are affected by ships’ movements and noise. AIS – an automatic tracking system that electronically identifies and locates nearby vessels, continuously transmitting details of their identity, position, speed and course – is more commonly used in navigation safety, allowing ships to ‘see’ each other in all conditions. With marine traffic from a large range of industries growing, known threats or pressures for cetaceans from shipping include ship-strikes – in which vessels accidentally hit whales – and noise pollution from poorly designed or poorly maintained vessels, which can mask out whale sounds used for communication and navigation Dr Conor Ryan, Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust Science Officer, said: “This innovative approach provides us with an opportunity to enhance our long-term research, which is providing unprecedented insights into the distribution and range of cetaceans in Scotland’s seas, as well as the challenges they face – including the unintentional consequences of human activities. The Hebrides may seem like a wilderness, but human impacts on the marine environment are significant – and likely to increase with expansions in marine industries, such as aquaculture and renewable installations. Strengthening scientific understanding is crucial if we are to help industries ensure that their impacts on Scotland’s remarkable whales, dolphins and porpoise populations are minimal.”

Page 22 THE FORUM to be studied using navigation safety technology

The new AIS transponder on Silurian will also allow closer public engagement with the trust’s research expeditions. By using the research vessel’s unique Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI) number 232004280, people will be able to follow Silurian’s progress around Scotland’s west coast in real-time via www.hwdt.org. Equipping Silurian with AIS technology has been made possible by a grant of £94,000 from the UK Government’s Coastal Communities Fund. This grant has also funded a major refurbishment of the yacht, including an environmentally friendly and long-lasting copper coating for the hull that will ensure the vessel remains seaworthy for the next decade, alongside other activities. Western Scotland’s seas are one of Europe’s most important habitats for cetaceans with 24 of the world’s estimated 92 cetacean species recorded in the region to date. Many of these are national and international conservation priority species. As well as strengthening knowledge about cetaceans and contributing to recommendations to safeguard them, the trust’s surveys are important because cetaceans are apex predators at the top of the marine food web, and so can act as indicators of the marine envi- ronment’s overall health.The 2016 surveys depart from Tobermory on the , Kyle of Lochalsh or Ullapool. The new addition of Ullapool as a rendezvous point will allow the trust to carry out more surveys in the remoter corners of its study area. Areas covered depend on the weather but will range from Mull of Kintyre in the south, Cape Wrath in the north and St Kilda in the west. Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust – based in Tobermory on the Isle of Mull – is recruiting paying volunteers for its surveys. until October, there will be 12 separate expeditions, each lasting between one and two weeks. This includes two ‘Teen Teams’ reserved for 16-17 year olds. These volunteers will work and sleep on Silurian, receiving specialist training and working with scientists – conducting visual surveys, acoustic monitoring, and cetacean identification through dorsal fin photography. They will also be able to develop sailing and navigation skills as they visit some of Britain’s most remote and wild corners. For details, email [email protected], call 01688 302620 or visit www.hwdt.org.

ISSUE 58 Page 23 Publications

Scottish Biodiversity Indicator S010: Condition of notified species 71% of all species features were in favourable condition; 3% were unfavourable recovering; 3% were unfavourable with corrective measures agreed; and 24% were in an unfavourable condition (values do not add up to exactly 100% due to rounding) The percentage of species features that were favourable or unfavourable recovering were: 88% of terrestrial mammals; 72% of birds; 76% of fish; 57% of marine mammals; 50% of amphibians and reptiles; 100% dragonflies; 87% of butterflies; 82% of other invertebrates; and 82% of vascular plants; 65% of non-vascular plants.

For details , and for further information contact [email protected]

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Scottish Biodiversity Indicator S011: Condition of notified habitats 63% of all habitat features were in favourable condition, 9% were in unfavourable recovering condition, 11% of features were unfavourable with corrective measures agreed and 17% were unfavourable. 98% of marine and 82% of coastal features were favourable / unfavourable recovering. 95% of geological features were favourable / unfavourable recovering. 73% of freshwater and 70% of wetland features were favourable / unfavourable recovering. 74% of upland, 53% of woodland, 56% of heath and 50% of grassland features were favourable / unfavourable recovering.

For details , and for further information contact [email protected]

ISSUE 58 Page 25 Issue 58 Summer Issue 2016 SCOTTISH NATURAL HER ITAGE Diary Dates

14th September 2016:Inner Forth Landscape Initiative: Defeating the Invaders. A conference on local solutions to the global problem of invasive non-native species. Venue: Raploch Community Campus. For further information

8th-9th November 2016: Biodiversity Science Conference. Connecting People and the Environment. Venue—Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh. A joint conference between SBS Science Support Group , BES and CIEEM supported by RBGE and RSPB

SAVE THE DATE 8th March 2017 Scottish Biodiversity Strategy 2nd Annual Stakeholder Conference