Category Archives: citizen science

A blizzard of butterflies – “an incredible day” counting northern brown argus

Posted on March 2, 2021 by NatureScot

The northern brown argus, at this time of year, is in its twilight months as a hungry caterpillar. The larvae will begin to pupate in May and emerge as butterflies to brighten up small patches of the Scottish countryside through … Continue reading →

Posted in citizen science, coastal, Insects, Moths and butterflies, survey, Uncategorized, Volunteering | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Mapping the Birds of South East Scotland – A Celebration of Citizen Science in Action

Posted on February 5, 2021 by NatureScot

This week’s blog is written by Mike Thornton, a NatureScot operations officer in the Lothians, and a keen volunteer citizen scientist. Mike has worked on a range of citizen science projects, including the Birds in South-east Scotland 2007-13, a Scottish … Continue reading →

Posted in biodiversity, Birds, citizen science, conservation, Volunteering | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

A quest to learn more about humpback whales in Scotland

Posted on October 9, 2020 by NatureScot

As part of Scotland’s Year of Coasts and Waters, Ron Macdonald, chair of the North East Biological Records Centre and an avid humpback whale watcher, introduces a blog by Lyndsay Macneill, a talented and enthusiastic citizen scientist who discovered a love of whales … Continue reading →

Posted in biodiversity, citizen science, Year of Coasts and Waters, Year of Coasts and Waters 2020 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Celebrating Volunteers’ Week 2020 and Thinking Ahead

Posted on June 1, 2020 by NatureScot

By Alison Matheson, SNH Policy and Advice Officer Today sees the start of Volunteers’ Week 2020.  Volunteers’ Week is an annual celebration of the contribution that millions of people make across the UK through volunteering. Over the last few months, … Continue reading →

Posted in citizen science, SNH, Uncategorized, Volunteering | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Moths on the move

Posted on May 5, 2020 by NatureScot

Mike Thornton, SNH Operations Officer for the Forth Area, describes how integral moths are to Scotland’s biodiversity, and why it’s crucial to know how their populations are changing. I lift the egg cartons out of the moth trap, slowly revealing … Continue reading →

Posted in Argyll National Nature Reserves, biodiversity, citizen science, climate change, conservation, Ecology, moth, science, Scottish Natural Heritage, SNH, survey, Volunteering | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ardnamurchan’s unique day-flying moth

Posted on January 23, 2020 by NatureScot

Each year in early summer, volunteers from various parts of Scotland travel west to survey a rare, striking and elusive day-flying moth – the New Forest burnet, at the only site it occurs in the UK.  Since becoming extinct in … Continue reading →

Posted in biodiversity, citizen science, climate change, conservation, Ecology, Flowers, Insects, Land management, moth, Projects, Protected Areas, Research, Scotland's Protected Places, Scottish Natural Heritage, SNH, Species Action Framework, SSSI, Uncategorized, wildlife management, woodlands | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Remarkable achievements at Ben and Glen Nevis

Posted on January 21, 2020 by NatureScot

Over the last five years, the Nevis Landscape Partnership has achieved what it says on the side of its bus – carried out a programme of 19 projects, with tremendous volunteer support. This £3.4 million scheme has had a tangible … Continue reading →

Posted in Access, citizen science, Community engagement, conservation, Diversity, Ecology, Flowers, Lichens, mosses, paths, plants, Projects, Scottish Natural Heritage, SNH, survey, Trail, Uncategorized, Visitor centre, Volunteering, wild flowers, wild land | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Sea-searchers recognised for 31-year contribution to marine conservation.

Posted on January 10, 2020 by NatureScot

SNH has supported Seasearch in Scotland for many years now. The skills and enthusiasm of their union of marine life investigators has in turn supported our own research. Some of our marine team are Seasearch volunteers in their free time. … Continue reading →

Posted in Awards, biodiversity, citizen science, coastal, Community engagement, conservation, mapping, Marine, Marine Protected Areas, MPA, MPAs, Priority Marine Features, Research, sea life, SNH, survey, Uncategorized, Volunteering, Year of Coasts and Waters 2020 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Flow Country projects ends on a high

Posted on December 12, 2019 by NatureScot

The Flow Country is one of our last wild places, stretching across Caithness and Sutherland in the far north of Scotland. And it’s a crucial spot in the battle against climate change – on the best and biggest peatland of … Continue reading →

Posted in biodiversity, citizen science, climate change, Community engagement, conservation, Land management, peatland restoration, The Flow Country, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Mapping our species-rich grasslands

Posted on November 5, 2019 by NatureScot

According to UK charity Plantlife, Britain has lost 97% of its species-rich grassland in less than a century. Hundreds of plants, fungi and invertebrate species rely on these important habitats – which in turn support healthy populations of birds and … Continue reading →

Posted in battleby, biodiversity, Cairngorms National Park, citizen science, Ecology, Flowers, Fungi, gardens, graduate placement, Habitat Map of Scotland, Land management, mapping, meadow, plants, SNH, Staff profile, Uncategorized, wild flowers, wild land, Young people | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment