ISSUE 59 ’s :

Autumn Issue 2016 En Route to 2020

The report is the first annual report charting the progress of targets and actions identified in the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy: a Route Map to 2020. The Route Map, published in June 2015 identifies on-going and proposed conservation work that will help Scotland meet international biodiversity targets by 2020. In the first year, nearly three-quarters of the Route Map actions are either on-track or – as with restoring peatland and protecting special places – exceeding targets. Two 2020 targets have already been exceeded: the area of Scotland’s seas now designated for nature as part of the marine network now stands at 16%, and 80% of our important nature sites on land, in rivers and in lochs are in good condition or management is in place to help them improve.

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Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham and SNH Chairman Ian Ross launch the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy Route Map 2020 one-year review report at Holyrood Park. Historic Environment Scotland (HES) purchased this forager harvester machine this year to manage protected grassland in Holyrood Park. The harvester can cut and remove grass from very hard-to-reach places. The machine mimics the effects of grazing, helping keep the nutrient status of the soil low and allowing acid

SCOTTISH NATURAL HER grassland species to flourish.

The Forum Issue 59 Autumn Issue 2016 SCOTTISH NATURAL HER ITAGE I Contents & Contacts

Inside this issue:

En Route to 2020 3 Tayside Biodiversity Partnership—Scottish Coppice Festival 4-5 Featured —Cauliflower Mushroom 6 Scottish Seabird Centre launches public survey 7 BCS—Dragons establish a new den near Stirling 8-9 NTS—Hen Harriers Return to Estate 10-11 Scotland—Scotland’s bugs are good for your health! 12-13 HLF—Scotland's Landscape to benefit from investment 14-15 Impacts of street lighting on garden moths 16-17 The Nature of Politics—Species champions go wild in Parliament 18-19 TCV—Rewilding comes to town 20 Publications 21 Great British Beach Clean 22 Superdry donates £12,500 toward saving the 23 RBGE—Building a DNA-based identification system for all life 24-25 SNH— Expanded reserve important for nature and people 26 News Snippets 27 Diary Dates 28

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 SNH publishes a progress report on the Scottish Government’s ambitious plan to improve nature across Scotland

Cabinet Secretary for the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Roseanna Cunningham said: “There can be no doubt that our stunning natural environment is one of Scotland’s most precious assets. How we own, manage, control and conserve it matters hugely to this Government’s ambitions for our country. We must ensure that this important natural asset remains in good condition now and for the future. Our work to protect and increase biodiversity is a key part of that. Healthy forests, moors, rivers and burns and our distinctive coastal plains, machair – to name but a few – deliver a huge range of benefits for the natural environment and for the health and well-being of communities across Scotland. That is why it is so encouraging to learn that Scotland is well on track to meet its commitments to increase biodiversity by 2020, and in fact has already exceeded many goals in key areas such as restoring peatlands, safeguarding our seas and the welcome reappearance of some species of seabird to the Shiant islands, near Lewis, for the first time in recent years. We will continue to champion improved biodiversity as an integral part of Scotland’s natural environment - protecting it now and encouraging future growth.”

SNH chairman, Ian Ross, said: “These projects are important as they both enrich nature and also being wider benefits to people across Scotland. Examples include the work on peatlands, which is absolutely crucial in tackling climate change – our peatlands are estimated to store ten times more carbon than in all of the UK’s trees and restoring them increases this contribution. Peatlands are one of the world’s rarest habitats and support unique wildlife. Closer to home, improving greenspace at hospitals has now been shown to benefit patients, visitors and staff who work there through the opportunities it provides for treatment, restoration, relaxation and exercise. We depend on healthy nature in our daily lives for clean water, clean air, flood protection, recreation and enjoyment and so much more. So although we’ve already made a real difference on the ground, we still have a great deal of work to do to make sure we reach or exceed all our 2020 targets and keep Scotland’s nature flourishing.” In the first year, nearly three-quarters of the Biodiversity 2020 projects are either on-track or – as with restoring peatland and protecting special places – exceeding targets. Work restoring pearl mussels, wild cats, red squirrels, golden eagles and other key aspects of Scotland’s wild life are also making good progress. Projects are also providing lots of opportunities for people to get close to nature, improving their physical and mental health through recreation, environmental volunteering and outdoor learning.

Areas where work needs to be done to reach the 2020 targets include expanding and restoring our native woodland through increasing the rate of new planting and helping it recover naturally by improving deer management planning. A SNH report on deer management, to be published in October, will also provide a more detailed insight into the issues faced in increasing the rate of natural regeneration. Some progress has already been made though: an example cited in the report is the 1,000 hectares of Caledonian pinewoods recovering at Glenmore Forest in Strathspey – which has also increased the number of capercaillie in the area. http://www.biodiversityscotland.gov.uk/doing/route-map-to-2020/ ISSUE 59 Page 3 Tayside Biodiversity Partnership—

Although coppice is an ancient woodland management method practised since Neolithic times, loss of traditional markets for its products has caused a serious dip in managing woods like this in recent years. With the ethos of sustainable development now focussing on the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations, coppice management is rightly placed for a major resurgence. Opportunities are arising to safeguard the old coppice sites that are now rare in Scotland – and to consider planting and managing new coppice woodlands. There are multiple benefits for both. The old coppice woodlands can be extremely rich in biodiversity with many hosting UK Priority Species that need careful management to ensure their continuity. The rotational nature of managing such sites will assist rare butterfly and other invertebrate species that rely on woodland

Coppice Woodland,Branklyn Glen Garden Lyon, Perthshire © C A G Lloyd

glades, a habitat that has been in decline for decades. Such management can contribute to species and habitat targets within Local Biodiversity Action Plans and help meet the Scottish Government’s 2020 Challenge for Biodiversity. New coppice sites can provide for the increased demand for pea-sticks, fencing hurdles, walking sticks and local charcoal. The increase in hedge-laying as a rural management skill is demonstrating an urgent need to source local stakes and binders rather than order them from southern . New opportunities are also being created for new partnership working.

Active Coppice Management in Glen Lyon, Perthshire © C A G Lloyd

Page 4 THE FORUM - Scottish Coppice Festival

Three years ago, in Tayside, there was a highly successful conference “Regenerating Hazel Coppice in Scotland” hosted by the Scottish Crannog Centre. Since then discussions have been ongoing as to how best to raise awareness of the sustainable economic gain in coppice produce and how to safeguard some sites for biodiversity. Organisations keen to take these ideas forward include the Scottish Crannog Centre, Tayside Biodiversity Partnership, Angus Council, Fife Coast & Countryside Trust and Reforesting Scotland. Other organisations are willing to join in. So we come to the first Scottish Coppice Festival! This will be officially launched in Forfar on 16th March 2017 with two site visits to Angus Council coppice sites. Next day the focus will shift to Lochore Meadows Country Park in Fife where a ‘Coppice Management & Marketing of Produce Day’ will include specialist presentations and a site visit to the HLF-funded coppice coupes. The weekend of 18th/19th March will see the Scottish Crannog Centre welcoming practical coppice workers to two very different sites - one an active coppice woodland, the other an ancient coppice where lichen assessment training will raise awareness of its biodiversity importance. Families and visitors from all over Scotland will also be able to enjoy the Coppice Craft Fair which will include charcoal burning, sickle-making and lichen ID sessions for all ages. The Festival is still being planned as we widen events beyond Tayside and Fife. Reforesting Scotland has taken on this task and we are bringing in coppice workers we met at the original conference three years ago so that we can offer events in Sutherland, Torridon and the Borders. Reforesting Scotland is also setting up an online Scottish Coppice Network and there are plans for an online Directory of Coppice Produce. Further details will be available soon via Toni Dickson at [email protected], or check the latest on the Festival at www.taysidebiodiversity.co.uk. Catherine Lloyd, Tayside Biodiversity Partnership “Editor’s note: It is important to note that in some circumstances coppicing can actually be damaging to the biodiversity interest of a woodland site such as lichens, bryophytes, fungi or deadwood invertebrates, and it would be better not to carry it out in woodlands where these species contribute to the interest e.g. in west coast Atlantic Hazel woods - see http://www.snh.gov.uk/about-scotlands- nature/habitats-and-ecosystems/woodland/atlantic-hazel/ for more information.”

Delegates from the 2013 'Regenerating Hazel Coppice in Scotland' Conference exploring a Loch Tay woodland © C A G Lloyd

ISSUE 59 Page 5 Featured Fungi— crispa (Cauliflower Mushroom)

One very exciting fungi to find in Scottish forests is the unusually looking Sparassis crispa. It’s appearance is strongly reminiscent of a cauliflower. The fungus grows on the roots of -especially - where it fruits at the base of trees or trunks, often recurring year after year. Its parasitic life style causes brown rot; however S. crispa is only a weak parasite, not causing major harm to the tree, which provides all the essential nutrients the fungus needs to grow. The texture is firm and rather crisp which might be surprising as just by looking at the fungus one would expect a softer, sponge-like structure. The globular, white to cream fruit bodies are often 15-20 cm in diameter but can reach enormous sizes of up to 75 cm. However, it is quite unusual to spot really large ones as they are widely enjoyed by deer and squirrels. The short stem is the same colour as the fruit body. The name ‘crispa’ refers to ‘waved’ or ‘curled’, which nicely describes the edges of the lobes of the fungus. The Cauliflower fungus is a great beginner’s fungus. The unusual appearance makes it easy to identify and its nutty-like flavour make it a good edible species. One man’s joy is the other man’s sorrow- although easy identifiable due to its distinct structure- pine needles, slugs, and insects readily collect in the fruit body which makes it tedious work to clean before consumption. Still, the effort is worth it as even one fruit body -best picked when young and white- is big enough for a whole meal and tastes delicious, especially in soup. Records show that the fungus is cultivated in Japan for both culinary value and medicinal purpose Medicinal use: Studies have found that S. crispa has a variety of medical properties and has been shown to have anti-microbial, anti-fungal and anti-tumour features. It is mainly used for skin repair, immune support and stroke prevention. Supplements of the fungus have been shown to increase wound healing in diabetic rats. Its anti-tumour properties have been used in fighting Sarcoma 180- a tumour that occurs in mice. Other studies done in mice indicated that S. crispa contains a haemoglobin raising substance that helps the body to raise its haemoglobin level and to stimulate the immune system. Season: Sparassis crispa can be found from July until October. Habitat: The fungus grows on the base and trunks of conifer trees, especially pine. It occurs more commonly on forest edges and woodland tracks and rarely occurs in dark forests.

Photos © Peggy Erlich

Page 6 THE FORUM Scottish Seabird Centre launches public survey for ‘National Marine Centre’ project

Conservation and education charity, the Scottish Seabird Centre, North Berwick, is calling on people from across the country to contribute to a public survey for the National Marine Centre project. This is an opportunity for local residents, national supporters, members, volunteers and even those who have never visited the Scottish Seabird Centre before to contribute to the public consultation process and provide ideas, recommendations and suggestions to create a National Marine Centre for Scotland. The Scottish Seabird Centre opened in May 2000 and is established as a significant tourist destination and local community resource with 270,000 visitors annually and a membership base of 7,000. The charity has listened to feedback and recommendations from visitors, staff, volunteers and members and now plans to achieve more of its charitable objectives by expanding and diversifying its education and conservation programmes, developing new activities and events, and enhancing the exhibition space. The ‘National Marine Centre’ is the working title for this innovative project. Grace Martin, Project Director for the National Marine Centre, said: “The feedback and discussions we have had to-date with key stake- holders and the local community have been incredibly useful and we are now keen to engage with the wider public. The aim of the National Marine Centre is to help people discover more about our amazing marine environment and wildlife - life above and below the waves – including seabirds. It’s essential for us to fully gauge the public’s current awareness, understanding and desire to learn about this important subject matter. The survey is available on our website and we would really appreciate people sparing 10 minutes to share their views. The public’s feedback is vitally important as the plans are developed over the next few years. Thank you to everyone who has supported the project so far and to those who will contribute as we move forward”. www.seabird.org

ISSUE 59 Page 7 Scotland -

A Scottish wildlife reserve, where one of the country’s rarest butterflies can be found, is now home to a number of beautiful dragonfly species, Butterfly Conservation (BCS) can reveal. Wester Moss in Fallin near Stirling is managed by the wildlife charity and owned by Stirling Council. The reserve is an established site for the declining Large Heath butterfly, but now at least five species of dragonfly have been confirmed as breeding there too. David Hill from BC Scotland said: “It’s been a great thrill to see the dragonflies arrive and set up home here as there were no records of breeding dragonflies before this year. We’ve seen five species hunting and breeding over the Moss, including the common hawker, common darter, black darter, emerald damselfly and blue-tailed damselfly. We’ve also had one sighting of a large red damselfly.” The colourful arrivals have been seen following the completion of peatland restoration work carried out to protect the large heath and to stop the land at Wester Moss from drying up. BC Scotland’s ‘Bog Squad’ team - a volunteer task force created to carry out rehabilitation works on damaged peat bogs - have helped create new freshwater pools on the reserve to maintain the damp and boggy lowland habitat which the butterfly lives and breeds on. Lowland raised bog is now very scarce and in Scotland nearly 90% of its former area has been lost. The Bog Squad is managed by Butterfly Conservation Scotland. Bogs in Scotland provide valuable homes for several declining species of butterfly as well as a wide range of moth species, many of which are endemic to peatland habitats. The Bog Squad project aims to help restore peatland habitats and promote their value as places where wildlife can thrive. The work is part-funded by the Peatland Action project, administered by Scottish Natural Heritage.

Common hawker © Paul Kirkland, Butterfly Conservation Scotland

Page 8 THE FORUM - Dragons establish new den near Stirling

Wester Moss is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and maintaining it is crucial to the survival of the large heath population found there. A programme of work has been underway for several years to protect the wildlife found at the site and to make the Moss wetter, including the installation of a 500 metre bund and the construction of numerous dams across old drainage ditches. The work at the Emerald damselflies © Paul Kirkland, Butterfly Conservation reserve has been part-funded Scotland by the Inner Forth Landscape Initiative, Peatland Action Project and LIFE+ financial instrument of the European Community. David Hill, Project Officer of the Bog Squad, added: “The Moss has been drying out, but all the recent work we have done in conjunction with Stirling Council to make the land wetter appears to be paying off - and not only for the butterflies and dragonflies. A wetter Wester Moss will also provide more ‘ecosystem services’, such as carbon and water storage and flood prevention.” Wester Moss is also home to the green hairstreak butterfly, lunar hornet and wood tiger moths and rare plants, such as bog rosemary.

Large heath © Alistair Graham

ISSUE 59 Page 9 National Trust for Scotland —

A male hen harrier chick has been satellite tagged at the National Trust for Scotland’s Mar Lodge Estate, following the first successful breeding attempt on the estate by this iconic raptor species in several decades. Four chicks were produced in total and one of these has been tagged as part of the RSPB’s Hen Harrier LIFE project, which is part-funded by the European LIFE scheme and cosmetics company, LUSH David Frew, Property Manager at Mar Lodge Estate said : “It is fantastic news and really exciting to see these birds returning to the estate for the first time in living memory. We have worked hard to create an environment where raptors can thrive, and it is great to see that our approach to management is paying off. The estate is heavily used by visitors to the and we work hard to balance conservation, field sports and visitor access and enjoyment. The presence of raptors, and particularly the return of hen harriers demonstrates that these objectives can all be balanced given the right conditions. It is tremendously exciting to see these birds here once again.” Will Boyd-Wallis, Head of Land Management and Conservation for the CNPA said, “It is fantastic news that the hen harrier has returned to breed on Mar Lodge Estate after many decades of absence. We very much hope that the careful management undertaken by the National Trust for Scotland alongside other estates in the East Cairngorms Moorland Partnership and in the wider National Park will lead to many more pairs successfully returning to the area. It is also very good that through the LIFE fund, one of the chicks has been satellite tagged. We will watch its progress with great interest and hope to learn more about its movements and habits in the months ahead.”

Page 10 THE FORUM - Hen Harriers Return to Mar Lodge Estate

The hen harrier is a red listed bird species of highest conservation concern in the UK, and was persecuted to the point of in Upper Deeside during the Victorian era. Though currently doing well in northwest parts of Scotland, hen harriers remain under threat from illegal killing and disturbance in areas of South and East Scotland where their tendency to eat red grouse is often perceived to put them in conflict with land management for . Blánaid Denman, Project Manager for RSPB’s Hen Harrier LIFE Project said, “This is amazing news and even more so when you consider the parlous state of Scotland’s hen harrier population. National surveys show a 20% decline in just six years between 2004 and 2010 and East Scotland in particular has seen only a handful of successful breeding attempts in recent years. All this makes the return of hen harriers to Mar Lodge even more exciting and a wonderful cause for celebration. Full credit to all those involved in management of the estate and how fantastic it would be if this were the start of a wider return of hen harriers to this area. In the meantime, we’re very grateful to Mar Lodge estate for allowing us to fit a satellite tag to this chick and excited to watch him spread his wings. Hen harriers travel widely outside the breeding season and satellite tracking plays an important role in helping us to understand where they go and where they’re most at risk. Some hen harriers never go further than 10 miles from their nest site, while others have been tracked all the way to France and back! From the end of the summer, people will be able to follow this chick’s adventures online via the Hen Harrier LIFE Project website at rspb.org.uk/henharrierlife.” An online poll is running to name the tagged chick. You can find out more at www.nts.org.uk/marlodgeestate.

ISSUE 59 Page 11 Buglife Scotland

Buglife Scotland currently has two new campaigns to get the Scottish public outside and looking for insects. By involving the public in these campaigns, Buglife hopes to help encourage people to spend more time outside and appreciating what Scotland’s nature has on offer as well as helping efforts. Spending time outside is immensely beneficial to your physical and mental health and participating in projects such as Nest Quest and the Longhorn Survey is a fun way to do this and to help conserve Scotland’s beauty. Funded by Scottish Natural Heritage, Buglife has been running a series of events across Scotland to encourage people to head outside and look for wood ants and longhorn beetles this summer. The projects encourage the public to head out and spend time outside whilst also helping conservation by collecting records. By joining in with projects such as Nest Quest and the Longhorn beetle survey, participants not only improve their own physical and mental well being through exercise and spending time outside, but they can learn something along the Longhorn beetle and wood way and help protect Scottish nature. Scottish Natural Heritage is ant nest images © Buglife encouraging the people of Scotland to go outside more often, Scotland “Being active outdoors and having contact with nature brings many health benefits, but in an ever busier world, it’s hard to find the time to exercise. This is why projects like Nest Quest are great. Why not get involved in a little citizen science, and by joining in on the Nest Quest not only will you provide useful local infor- mation on wood ants, you’ll be having a healthy dose of the outdoors – good for your body and mind.” (Bridget Finton, SNH)

Wood ant ©Gabor Pozsgai

Page 12 THE FORUM Scotland’s bugs are good for your health!

There is an ever growing volume of evidence from medical professionals and scientists that shows spending time in nature is beneficial for people. Dr. Maria Flinn, an Edinburgh based GP has this to say, “Playing outside and spending time outside has many health benefits for children and adults alike in several different ways. It provides us with valuable vitamin D, for free, through sunshine which has multiple health benefits including prevention of bone disease, diabetes and heart disease; being outside promotes movement and exercise which is very good for our health overall particularly in reducing obesity but also by helping our cardiovascular and respiratory systems. There is evidence to show that spending time outside and in green spaces increase the attention span of children. Spending time outside and in green spaces also reduces stress levels and the exercise through exploration increases endorphin production which helps with mood and happiness.” Buglife is offering prizes of a one year free membership to the person who manages to find the biggest wood ant nest and to the person who finds the most wood ant nests between now and the end of October. To find out more and to get involved, see the project webpages: https://www.buglife.org.uk/nest- quest and https://www.buglife.org.uk/activities-for-you/wildlife-surveys/longhorn-beetle-survey or contact Buglife Scotland via scotland @buglife.org.uk.

ISSUE 59 Page 13 Heritage Lottery Fund – Scotland's landscape to benefit -

Scotland has some of the most outstanding natural heritage, as diverse as it is unique. The Heritage Lottery Fund, has endorsed four major initiatives which will help protect the country’s distinctive natural environment with funding of over £9 million. This investment of National Lottery funding will see landscapes ranging from the lochs of North Lanarkshire, the coastline and uplands of Coigach and Assynt, and the rivers of Almond and Avon, to the breeding grounds of the golden eagle in southern Scotland conserved and made more accessible, giving people the opportunity to experience the health, learning and social benefits of the great outdoors. This brings HLF’s total support to Scotland’s natural heritage to over £100 million. Coigach & Assynt Living Landscapes Partnership (2nd phase) :Grant: £2,900,000 Scottish Wildlife Trust - With some of the most rugged and spectacular of Scotland’s scenery, Coigach-Assynt is perhaps best known for its striking, steep-sided peaks including the iconic Suilven. Its mountains, moorlands, lochs and coastline provide habitats for species such as golden eagles, otters, black-throated divers and freshwater pearl mussels. Covering an area of 606km2, the Landscape Partnership Project, part of a wider 40-year vision, has been developed by a partnership led by the Scottish Wildlife Trust. The five-year project will restore parts of the landscape, including regenerating and reconnecting the remaining native woodland, a major education project working with local schools and repairing and improving pathways. The internationally significant Iron Age settlement at Clachtoll Broch, a local centre of power in 300BC, will be excavated and preserved. Local people and visitors will be encouraged to take part through volunteering and a cultural learning programme which will increase understanding of this vast area’s complex heritage.

Page 14 THE FORUM - from £9 million Investment

RiverLife: Almond & Avon: Grant £1,658,700 River Forth Fisheries Trust - Covering 190km and flowing through West Lothian, Falkirk and the City of Edinburgh Council areas the Almond and Avon Rivers were at the forefront of the industrial revolution stimulating the rise of mills, mining and agriculture and shaping the communities along their banks. The project will encourage people living nearby to reconnect with, and take stewardship, of the rivers through a number of projects and initiatives designed to improve the natural heritage for both the wildlife and community use. Local communities will be involved in essential conservation work to restore and protect the rivers for aquatic wildlife. Paths will be improved to create better access and interpretation produced in conjunction with local heritage trusts. There will also be awareness raising events, skills training with accredited qualifications, and volunteer events to promote and enhance the natural heritage and complement the physical improvements made. South of Scotland Golden Eagle project: First Round pass of £1,150,500 including a Development grant of £50,900. Once widespread, the population of golden eagles in the south of Scotland is now tiny and fragmented making it vulnerable to loses. This five-year project brings together landowners, conservation organisations and statuary bodies in the bid to increase the population of Scotland’s most iconic bird of prey through introducing young eaglets from elsewhere in Scotland to the area. Local communities across the region will be encouraged to support the species with public events, presentations, schools’ activities and guided walks. Around fifty volunteers will be recruited to run events as well as recording and reporting sightings. Seven Lochs:Grant: £4,461,800 Seven Lochs Partnership – Scotland’s largest urban nature park is to be created spanning the Glasgow City and North Lanarkshire boundary. Taking its name from the lochs in the area, the Seven Lochs Wetland Park is a ground breaking project which will bring together the built heritage, such as Provan Hall in Easterhouse, various archaeological sites, Drumpellier Country Park in Coatbridge, and five nature reserves to create a national visitor destination encouraging people to explore the ‘hidden’ heritage within its boundaries. New paths and visitor facilities are planned along with a number of initiatives to en- courage local communities and visitors to explore the rich heritage on their doorstep.

ISSUE 59 Page 15 Impacts of street lighting on garden moths

Artificial night lighting has long been a cause of concern for moths. Due to the characteristic flight-to-light behaviour performed by moths, street lamps can inhibit their foraging and reproduction as well as have a direct impact on survival. With rapid changes to lighting policy and infrastructure currently underway in many British cities, there is an urgent need to understand how moths are being affected. One example of a city undergoing extensive street lighting changes is Large Yellow Underwing© Chris Harlow Birmingham. In 2010 Birmingham City Council embarked upon a 25-year highway infrastructure improvement programme. Throughout the city, traditional low-pressure sodium (LPS) and mercury vapour (MV) street lamps are gradually being replaced by light-emitting diode (LED) lamps in residential areas and high-pressure sodium (HPS) lamps on major traffic routes. These changes are leading to city-wide increases in bright, broad spectrum street lighting and local shifts in UV emissions. But what does this mean for local moth populations? To find out, myself and a team of researchers from the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) and the University of Birmingham conducted garden moth surveys before and after street lamp replacements took place in two Birmingham neighbourhoods. We compared the results to changes in a third neighbourhood where street lamps remained the same. This meant we could work out the true impacts of the street lighting changes over and above differences caused by natural variation between the different locations and years. We discovered that the switch from LPS lamps (which only emit light across a very narrow part of the light spectrum) to the broad spectrum HPS lamps led to an increase in local moth diversity in nearby gardens (see Figure 1). The newly installed HPS lamps seem to stimulate flight-to-light behaviour in a greater range of species, attracting a larger diversity of moths into the local neighbourhood. Interestingly, the replacement of MV lamps with LEDs resulted in fewer geometrids visiting gardens. We suspect that this is because the reduction in UV emis- sions that resulted from the switch lessened geome- trid attraction. Figure 1: The impacts of recent street lighting changes in Birmingham on the diversity of moths attracted into gardens

Page 16 THE FORUM Impacts of street lighting on garden moths

We also examined how garden moth communities were affected by other general characteristics of the surrounding street lighting, such as its proximity to the garden. We discovered that macro-moth attraction to gardens was greatest when street lamps were positioned at high densities, whereas micro-moths were most affected by street lamp proximity and the density of UV-emitting lamps specifically. So it seems that changing street lighting regimes, both in terms of actual street lamp replacement and modifications to lamp positioning, can affect the total moth community in a variety of ways. But generally, moths are attracted to suburban gardens with closer, more dense and more spectrally diverse local street lighting. A key ongoing concern is the possibility that by attracting large numbers of moths into suburban areas, street lamps could have a damaging effect on their populations if these areas have insufficient resources to support moth survival and reproduction. The next step will be to investigate whether this is actually the case. Judging by our findings, there is unlikely to be a ‘one size fits all’ solutions to curb on-going impacts of artificial lighting on moth communities. None-the-less it remains important that lighting engineers, city planners, ecologists and policy makers work together to optimise street lighting for people while minimising the impacts on biodiversity. At least for moths, perhaps we can all play a part in minimising some of the adverse effects of street lighting by providing ecologically important habitats in our gardens. You can find out more about this research by reading the open access published article: Plummer, K.E., Hale, J.D., O’Callaghan, M.J., Sadler, J.P. & Siriwardena, G.M. (2016) Investigating the impact of street lighting changes on garden moth communities. Journal of Urban Ecology, 2 (1), juw004. DOI: 10.1093/jue/juw004

(from left) Joe Harper, Managing Director of Dods of Haddington, sponsors of the trophy; Niall Don- aldson, owner of Tan- derlane Farm, Gar- vald, East Lothian and trophy recipient; Hugo Starker, senior advi- Garden Tiger© sor, Game & Wildlife Shane Farrell Conservation Trust.

ISSUE 59 Page 17 The Nature of Politics:

Today the award-winning Species Champions initiative is relaunched in the Scottish Parliament with the announcement of the first 48 Champions. From the iconic red squirrel and bottlenose dolphin, to little-known treasures like the flame shell and bordered brown lacewing, Scottish Environment LINK are asking MSPs to become champions for wildlife. The State of Nature Report, revealed that Scotland’s fish, mammals, fungi, birds, invertebrates, trees, plants, amphibians and reptiles are under threat as never before. Intensive agriculture, damaging development, over- exploitation of natural resources, invasive species and climate change all put pressure on Scotland’s unique and globally important ecosystems. Craig Macadam, Director of Buglife Scotland, said, “When did you last look for creepy-crawlies under a stone? How many of Scotland’s 93,000 species could you name? We’re looking for champions to rekindle our excitement about nature’s diversity and our understanding of its importance to our health, wealth and wellbeing. MSPs will learn about how they can contribute to the conservation of their species in parliament and by supporting practical action in the community.” Scottish Primrose Graeme Dey MSP, Chair of the Environment, Climate Change & Land

Reform Committee and Species Champion for Woolly willow, said “I would encourage all of my MSP colleagues, the relatively new and longer serving ones, to get nvolved in this programme. Not only is it highlighting a hugely important subject matter. It is also good fun!’’ Flame Shell

Page 18 THE FORUM Species Champions Go Wild in the Scottish Parliament

The Scottish Government is committed to delivering the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy by 2020. This will be a particular focus for the work of Species Champions in the current parliament. Champions can take action for their species in Parliament by asking questions, tabling motions, holding debates, and in discussions in committee. They can also raise awareness of their species in their constituency and further afield. Red Squirrel Golden Plover There are still over 80 MSPs who have yet to join the scheme and take up species. One question in particular is a matter for keen speculation. Rob Gibson, former chair of the Environment committee, retired at the end of the last session. His species, rusty bog moss or Sphagnum fuscum still awaits a champion. Who will be the Scottish Parliament’s new moss boss?

Common Blue Butterfly

(from left) Joe Harper, Managing Director of Dods of Haddington, sponsors of the trophy; Niall Don- aldson, owner of Tan- derlane Farm, Gar- vald, East Lothian and trophy recipient; Hugo Starker, senior advi- sor, Game & Trust. Tree Lungwort

ISSUE 59 Page 19 TCV—Rewilding comes to town!

A project to rewild communities and their green spaces is now under way in the Glasgow and Clyde Valley area. The modern concept of rewilding is associated with restoring large-scale landscapes, predators and key species. But long before the term appeared in the 1990s, reviving native habitats was central to the work of community volunteering charity The Conservation Volunteers (TCV). Now TCV Scotland aims to capture the imagination of people in urban areas who Rewilding Garscadden! Glasgow Midweek may otherwise switch off at the mention of Volunteers re-naturalise pond margins and ‘conservation activities’ by employing a rewilding approach on small-scale, improve biodiversity in Knightswood Park by community-led projects. transplanting bottle sedge and meadowsweet Upper Greenock, Clydebank and Yoker into gabions. Photo: © Rebecca Strofton, TCV were identified by the Glasgow and Clyde Valley Green Network Partnership (GCVGNP) as local places with the greatest potential to engage members of the community in activities that enhance and improve the connectivity of public green spaces. Activities such as planting native trees or wildflower species are encouraging people’s understanding and connection to local wildlife, heritage and nature. A green gym at one site and regular practical conservation opportunities across all three areas have given volunteers the opportunity to get involved in rewilding tasks on a regular basis. There have also been public events and activities for schools and other community groups, with ‘Rewild the Child’ sessions for children during the holidays. This micro-scale project should result in more active citizenship and better social and pro-environmental behaviours, with much-needed health and well-being benefits. Following a successful 5 month pilot project funded by The Robertson Trust and Glasgow & Clyde Valley Green Network Trust, the project has secured additional funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund until January 2018. As a result, the excitement and romance of rewilding will now be brought to many more people, places and communities across Glasgow and the Clyde Valley. Rewilding the child! Nature play To find out more about the project contact session for LINKES youth club at Rebecca Strofton on [email protected]. Knightswood Park in Glasgow. Photo: © Rebecca Strofton, TCV

Page 20 THE FORUM Publications

The Water Environment (Shellfish Water Protected Areas: Objectives and Classifi- cation etc.) (Solway Tweed) Directions 2016 These direct SEPA regarding the setting of objectives for each shellfish water protected area in the Scottish part of the Solway Tweed River Basin District. They also direct SEPA to assess and classify the quality of each shellfish water protected area as either good, fair or insufficient by reference to specified criteria and standards.

Improving transparency in land ownership in Scotland:a consultation on controlling interests in land A consultation on proposals for the disclosure and publication of information about controlling interests in land owners and tenants across Scotland. This consultation seeks public views on policy proposals for taking forward proposals to publish information about controlling interests in land owners and tenants. The Scottish Government has identified a number of issues that are being considered and need to be resolved in developing the regulations to deliver a register of controlling interests,. Consultation on Environmental Impact Assessment amending Scottish Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations to Transpose Directive 2014/52/EU Scottish Ministers are inviting comments on the enclosed consultation which sets out proposals for implementing the European Directive 2014/52/EU amending Directive 2011/92/EU on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment (known as the Environmental Impact Assessment or ‘EIA’ Directive).

ISSUE 59 Page 21 Great British Beach Clean

On the 16th-19th of September hundreds of incredible volunteers headed out to beaches across Scotland to take part in this years Society’s Great British Beach Clean. Last year Scotland hosted 75 events which gathered and submitted beach litter data. With over 100 events registered online before this year’s weekend kicked off, we are hoping 2016 will be another record breaking year! Great British Beach Clean events are fantastic ways to get everyone out onto the beach to not only tackle the problem that they can see at their feet, but to also contribute to tackling litter right back at its source through the data collected.

Not only did we have schools, community councils, boat clubs, rangers, scouts and guides take part but MSPs up and down the country headed out to their local beaches too. By the end of the long weekend we had two Parliamentary Motions tabled by attending MSPs recognizing what amazing work MCS volunteers were doing and how important the data they were collecting was to them and their work .

Page 22 THE FORUM Superdry donates £12,500 to save Scotland’s Caledonian Forest

Trees for Life’s work to save Scotland’s ancient Caledonian Forest and its rare wildlife has been given a welcome boost thanks to a £12,500 donation from fashion brand and retailer Superdry. The donation was raised through sales of carrier bags from the company’s stores across Scotland, with its staff members voting for the funds to benefit award-winning conservation charity Trees for Life. Superdry’s Energy and Environment Manager Paul Thomas recently spent a day at Trees for Life’s acclaimed Dundreggan Conservation Estate in Glenmoriston near Loch Ness, to present the donation and to see some of the practical conservation action being carried out there – in- cluding the charity’s tree nursery where 60,000 native trees are grown each year. Paul said: “We are really proud to be supporting Trees for Life’s restoration of the Caledonian Forest, one of the country’s most iconic but endangered habitats. A healthy environment benefits everyone, and it’s inspiring to support this project which is bringing new life to the wild landscapes of the Highlands.” Steve Micklewright, Trees for Life’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “Initiatives like this make a real difference, with every £5 allowing us to plant a tree and every £50 enabling us to restore 50 square metres of native woodland. So this donation from Superdry is very good news for Scotland’s equivalent of a rainforest, and it will generate long-lasting benefits for woodlands, wildlife and people.” Scotland’s 5p charge on carrier bags in stores aims to reduce plastic bag use. Superdry has gone one step further for the environment by ensuring that its bags are made of easily biodegradable paper rather than plastic .

ISSUE 59 Page 23 RBGE: Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh

Knowing how many species exist, where they occur and how to tell them apart is central to human interactions with nature. And understanding which are common, rare, harmful or edible is based on recognising which individuals belong to which species. Yet, telling species apart is often difficult. Recent estimates suggest that of at least 10 million species on Earth less than 20 per cent have been recognised and classified. Even specimens from known species can be difficult to identify without the right expertise or if the material to be identified is processed or juvenile or fragmentary. A new volume published by the Royal Society is set to overcome hurdles of the past and put scientists on-track in the race to classify and categorise life of Earth. Marking the first decade of DNA barcoding science, ‘From DNA barcodes to biomes’, is a special issue of the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society. It includes 16 articles from different research groups making the point that this is the way forward in understanding life on this planet. DNA barcoding addresses the various challenges by employing a standardised set of DNA regions to tell the world’s species apart. The approach is cost-effective, automatable and is already deployed on an industrial scale. “Although biologists have been naming species for 250 years, 90 per cent of all multicellular organisms await registration, suggesting that a complete census could require a millennium. Current threats to biodiversity make this long wait unacceptable. DNA barcoding will not only allow a complete census of life in two or three decades; it will make it possible to track biodiversity changes with precision and will allow anyone to identify any organism on the spot,” said Professor Paul Hebert, Director, Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, University of Guelph, one of three Co-editors of ‘From DNA barcodes to biomes’, and Scientific Director for the International Barcode of Life project.

Page 24 THE FORUM Building a DNA-based identification system for life on Earth

“How many species live in a gram of soil, a litre of seawater, or a hectare of rain forest? How do these species interact and how are they impacted by climate change and various human activities? Answering these questions requires robust methods for species identification. DNA barcoding combines advances in evolutionary biology and genomics with informatics tools to empower global biodiversity analysis. The articles in this issue of the Philosophical Transactions not only reveal the diverse scientific and socio-economic applications of DNA barcoding, but the emergence of the Barcode of Life as the first megascience project in biodiversity science” added Professor Mehrdad Hajibabaei, Centre for Biodiversity Genomics & Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Co-editor of ‘From DNA barcodes to biomes’, and expert in Environmental DNA metabarcoding. “Life on Earth is complicated and telling species apart can be extremely difficult. The joint efforts of thousands of laboratories around the world to build a shared DNA-based identification resource has been a major step toward this challenge. The fast-moving pace of DNA sequencing technologies offers great promise in the years ahead to build on these successes and further enhance our capacity to understand diversity in the natural world and provide tools for science, conservation and sustainable use of natural resources”, concluded Professor Peter Hollingsworth, Director of Science, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Co-editor of ‘From DNA barcodes to biomes’, and expert on plant DNA barcoding.

ISSUE 59 Page 25 SNH: Expanded reserve important for nature and people

Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) awarded Scotland’s top environmental accolade to an expanded nature reserve in the north of Scotland. Forsinard Flows National Nature Reserve (NNR) is situated in Caithness and Sutherland. Formerly known as The Flows NNR, and set in the open peatland landscape of Sutherland and Caithness, the new reserve has been extended and now covers an area of 15,380 hectares. Peatlands are vital to locking in carbon emissions – rising carbon in the atmosphere is a trigger for climate change – and Forsinard Flows NNR, owned and managed by RSPB Scotland, is a particularly fine example of Scotland’s peatland areas. peatland restoration is one of the priority projects helping to deliver on the 2020 Challenge for Scotland’s Biodiversity. This is one of the ways in which the Scottish Government aims to achieve its 2020 Biodiversity Challenge outcome of a ‘clean, healthy, safe, productive and biologically diverse’ Scotland. Ian Ross, chairman of SNH, said: “National Nature Reserves are important places for people and nature and we are delighted to formally declare the new reserve today. We are pleased to support the work of Scotland’s NNR Partnership to develop the suite of National Nature Reserves and, through this formal declaration, endorse the award of the NNR accolade to this new extended reserve. Scotland’s National Nature Reserves are the finest examples for people to see the best of Scotland’s nature. Peatlands, in particular, are an obvious asset to our country, and present the challenge of managing them effectively so that they continue their role of carbon sequestration. We recognise the RSPB’s ongoing restoration of the Caithness and Sutherland Peatlands which are of great interest for their birds and habitats, but also for their service in capturing and storing carbon emissions.” Pete Mayhew, RSPB Scotland’s senior conservation manager, said: “RSPB Scotland is delighted that our Forsinard Flows Reserve has been given the accolade of Scotland's newest National Nature Reserve. This is a testament to not only the fantastic peatland habitat and wildlife which are of global importance but also the years of hard work restoring these habitats from previous damage and working with local communities to share these wonders with a wider audience.” This is the second new NNR declaration since the formation of the NNR Partnership, and follows the declaration of the Great Forest NNR last autumn. The SNH Board approved this extension to The Flows NNR in August 2015. The Flows NNR was first declared in 2007. It is owned by the RSPB and covers around 11,400 hectares. This extension, and re-naming to Forsinard Flows NNR, includes ground that the RSPB has been restoring back from forestry to peatland habitat.

Page 26 THE FORUM Snippets

Nature of Scotland Awards: The shortlist for the prestigious Nature of Scotland Awards was unveiled at a Scottish Parliament reception hosted by Mark Ruskell MSP. Now in their fifth year, the awards celebrate the people, projects and organisations across the country working to protect our internationally renowned precious wildlife and habitats. Award judges were overwhelmed by the number of entries and faced some tough decisions as they finalised the shortlist across eight awards, including two new categories for this year: Food and Farming Award and the Corporate Award. The winners will be revealed at a black tie presentation dinner on 24th November 2016, at a new venue for the awards, the beautiful Prestonfield House Hotel in Edinburgh. Wildlife TV presenter and naturalist Chris Packham will host this celebratory event for Scotland’s conservation heroes, with over 300 guests, including key decision makers and supporters from industry.

New bug recorded for first time in Scotland. The Tayside Biodiversity Partnership and its many community A new bug has been officially recorded in Scotland and local authority friends recently for the first time after being discovered by an RSPB gathered at East Haven, Angus, to Scotland volunteer at the wildlife charity’s Insh launch the Tayside Biodiversity Marshes nature reserve in the Highlands. Psallus Action Plan (2016-2026). Work now montanus is a species of plant bug, the females of starts on the 586 actions listed in the which are black and red in colour, while the males new publication: are a duller black and brown. Bob Fleetwood has www.taysidebiodiversity.co.uk. volunteered at for four years and routinely carries out survey work on the reserve. He found the female Psallus montanus while collecting and recording beetles and bugs from a birch tree. www.rspb.org.uk/inshmarshes

The Lost & Found Fungi Project: We know that there are many species of fungi in the UK (around 15000 at the last count), but for many we have little idea about where they are or even whether they have become extinct. This project will focus on fungi that have been rarely recorded from our region, carrying out targeted surveys to establish whether they are still there, and if so whether they are genuinely rare or merely under-reported. These abandoned species are currently lost, and hopefully many will be found as a result of project actions. Their conservation will then be promoted in partnership with local specialists and stakeholder groups. The project will run for five years from 1 July 2014 and will be managed by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, funded by a very generous donation from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.

For more information on the project, its background, partners and approach, follow this link. If you want to get involved, or have any queries about the project, the target species, or how to look for them, please email Brian Douglas at [email protected]. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

ISSUE 59 Page 27 Issue 59 Autumn Issue 2016 SCOTTISH NATURAL HER ITAGE Diary Dates

8th/9th November 2016: Joint BES/CIEEM/SSG 2016 Science Conference at RBGE— Connecting people & Environment. Further information www.biodiversityscotland

29th November-1st December 2016: IUCN UK Peatland Programme's 6th Annual Conference: Creating a Legacy for Peatlands. Venue: Shropshire Conference Centre, Shrewsbury. Further information and booking

5th-9th June 2017 : European Climate Change Adaptation Conference Glasgow 2017. The theme of ECCA 2017 is ‘Our Climate Ready Future’. Venue— The Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC). For further information 26th November 2016: The Wildlife Information Centre Autumn Conference: Sea Change? A Conference on Marine Recording and Conservation. Venue: Bo’ness Town hall, Falkirk. FREE, but booking essential. Further information and booking.