ISSUE 5 NEWSLETTER JANUARY 2013

Putting the Buzz into Community Action for Wildlife

Tayside Biodiversity Partnership

Ten years on from the publi- Linnet and Tree cation of the Tayside Biodi- Sparrow projects versity Action Plan, local taking place in Angus people are being encouraged and areas of the to get involved with its Re- South Esk catchment view. A full day’s get- More than 90 atten- together at the Battleby dees enjoyed the Conference Centre, was range of information held on Saturday, 1st Decem- stands and displays ber. Part-funded by Scottish from a wide variety Natural Heritage, the day of environmental outlined projects undertaken organizations and by the Tayside Biodiversity workshops that Partnership and the many aimed to give every- environmental organizations one a chance to say Catchment Partnership

and local communities who what type of wildlife have received SITA Tayside projects they would

Biodiversity Action Funding. like to see in Tay- side. To illustrate just how much The Tayside Biodi- work is already being carried versity Action Plan out by local community was published in groups, environmental or- 2002 with over 400 ganizations – and keen indi- actions. Since then viduals – seven speakers over 100 projects outlined their own successful have been under- projects and hopefully pro- taken by the Part- vide inspiration for others to nership with many follow. The River South Esk more funded by the Catchment Partnership was SITA Tayside Biodi- chosen to present on the versity Action Fund ecosystem services provided (landfill tax credits). by the natural resources in For more informa- Biodiversity leaflet available at http:// the catchment. tion visit Tayside theriversouthesk.org/ Carol Littlewood of Little- Biodiversity – INSIDE THIS ISSUE: wood Land Care also pre- www.taysidebiodiver sity.co.uk / join the Non-native Species Secretariat 2 Facebook page New Montrose Path Network 2 Townscape Heritage Initiative 3

Interesting American Mink Found 3

Renewables and the River South Esk 4 The River South Esk The River Catchment

PAGE 2 Non-native Species Secretariat River South Esk Good Practice Highlighted on National

Website The Non-native Spe- cies Secretariat has responsibil- ity for helping to coordinate the approach to invasive non-native species in Great Britain. They are responsible to a Programme Board which represents the relevant governments and agen- cies of England, and Wales.

The NNSS has produced a web- site in order to help those in- terested in finding out more about invasive non-native spe- cies and to facilitate those working on this subject in Great Britain. The website has infor- mation on local action groups. This useful tool can be used by other groups who want to learn how to tackle different INNS problems. The River South Esk Catchment Partnership was recently added as a local action group. Visit our page on https:// secure.fera.defra.gov.uk/ nonnativespecies/index.cfm? pageid=412

New Montrose Path Network Town & coastal walking routes to be published

A new signposted path network will be established this year which will include favourite walking routes around the town. The walks will include the path from to overlooking the River South Esk and Montrose Bay and walks along the beach to Kinnaber Links. A leaflet of the paths will accompany the network and will be available from the library, Access Office or to download from the Council’s website. For more information contact Karen van Eeden, Country- side Project Access Officer, Angus Council at [email protected] or on 01307 473366. ISSUE 5 PAGE 3 Brechin Townscape Heritage Initiative HRH’s Visit to regeneration project

On October 4th 2012, HRH Prince Charles, the Duke of Rothesay, visited the Mer- Photos clockwise, The Merchant’s House, chant’s House, Brechin’s High Kit Martin, HRH Prince Charles/the Duke Street and the Town House of Rothesay and the Lord Lieutenant Mrs G Museum where he was able to Osborne looking at the historic timbers at the Merchant’s House. Mrs Marston meet- see first hand completed pro- ing HRH at the Town House Museum © jects grant funded by the Louise Beattie Townscape Heritage Initiative. On the same day, 90 Year old Margaret Marston, the oldest living former resident of the Merchant’s House, travelled up from Northampton to meet time after last stepping foot in the the Prince and visit the Mer- house some 58 years ago. Wild garlic Allium ursinum The first evidence of the chant’s House for the first human use of A. ursinum comes from the Mesolithic settle- ment of Barkaer (Denmark), where an impression of a leaf has been found. The Latin name is due to the brown bear’s

Interesting American Mink Found taste for the bulbs and its habit of digging up the ground to get

Keep your eyes open for these unusual silver coloured mink at them; they are also a favourite of wild boar. The leaves of that have been trapped on the neighbouring Lunan catch- A. ursinum are edible; they can be used as salad, spice, boiled ment. Contact [email protected] for more informa- as a vegetable, in soup, or as an ingredient for pesto in lieu of tion. basil. The leaves of A. ursinum are easily mistaken for Lily of the Valley sometimes also those of Colchicum autumnale and Arum maculatum. All three are poisonous and possibly deadly. PAGE 4 ISSUE 5

Renewables and the River South Esk Catchment

Wind, sun, waste, biomass and water all provide scope for renewable energy generation

Renewable energy has the poten- turbines approved or pending in the tial to be a significant element in River South Esk catchment area. both the landscape and the econ- Small scale run-of–river hydro omy of the River South Esk catch- schemes are another area of inter- ment. Within the Angus Council est with small private schemes in part of the catchment, there has Glen Clova and Glen Moy. Scottish been mixed success for renewable Water has large land holdings and is energy projects with large scale looking to identify renewable po- wind farms failing to gain planning tential – for example a small project permissions but with a growing approved at the Tannadice waste number of small scale develop- water treatment plant has the ca- ments contributing to energy pro- pacity to power the plant. More duction, reducing costs for local recent technologies are also gener- businesses and residents; and ating interest such as biomass (using earning an income from surplus wood, forestry waste and even power contributing to the national straw bales) and anaerobic digesters grid. which can convert carbon based waste to energy. Wind, sun, waste, biomass and water all provide scope for renew- There is wide range of options, and For any comments or to join our able energy generation. Wind tur- whilst choosing the correct site, mailing list, please contact: bines of less than 50m to blade tip technology and plant to meet func- are widely distributed across the tional and environmental considera- Project Coordinator area with larger examples con- tions is paramount to a successful River South Esk Catchment Partnership sented at Memus and Whitefield project, there are opportunities out Angus Council, County Buildings, of Dun. there to reduce expenditure and Market Street, Forfar, DD8 3LG even generate income with the right Phone: 01307 473355 By the end of 2012 there were in project. Fax: 01307 467357 excess of twenty proposed E-mail: [email protected]

About The River South Esk Catchment Partnership …..

To address the many issues which affect the South Esk catchment, representatives of some organisations have been meeting regularly since 2004 with the development of an integrated Catchment Management Plan at the forefront of their aims. Gradually an informal Steering Group was formed*. The process of developing a Catchment Management Plan began in earnest in 2008 with the employment of a part-time Project Officer to oversee an intensive two year consultation phase which would capture people’s views on what they considered the key environmental, social and economic issues to be within the catchment. These views were used to form the basis of the plan’s strategic aims, catchment objectives and actions. Phase one of the plans implementation is now complete and development of the next phase of implementation is at the forefront of the Partnership’s mind. The River South Esk Catchment Partnership would like to thank all its funders and supporters. Without them it would be impossible to carry out the work we are undertaking. The logos on display denote the funders of the 2011/12 phase. Their funding will allow us to work towards enhanc- ing and promoting many facets of the catchment .

*The Esk District Salmon Fishery Board, Angus Council, Scottish Natural Heritage, Esk Rivers and Fisheries Trust, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Atlantic Salmon Trust, Scottish Agricultural College, Forestry Commission Scotland, Littlewood Land Care, Cairngorms National Park Authority, Macaulay Institute, Scottish Water, National Farmers Union Scotland, Scottish Rural Property and Business Association Scottish Government Rural Payments and Inspections Direc- torate.