Category Archives: Volunteering

Giving to nature and getting back

To mark the start of this year’s Volunteers’ Week, Steven Neish, who has volunteered for seven years at our Tentsmuir National Nature Reserve, explains the quid pro quo of helping nature. Every week, at NatureScot National Nature Reserves the length … Continue reading

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From bog-sceptic to bog-enthusiast: the power of volunteering

To celebrate Volunteers’ Week, we asked David McCulloch, a volunteer at our Flanders Moss National Nature Reserve (NNR), to give us an insight into his volunteering experiences with NatureScot. I started volunteering for NatureScot in 2015, after taking early retirement. … Continue reading

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

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

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

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

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Celebrating Volunteers’ Week with the Loch Leven Volunteers

In our second blog paying homage to all volunteers during Volunteers’ Week, Chris Boyce, our student Placement at Loch Leven National Nature Reserve (NNR), explains some of the benefits of volunteering. There are two main roles for people volunteering for … Continue reading

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Celebrating Volunteers’ Week 2020 and Thinking Ahead

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

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Moths on the move

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

Remarkable achievements at Ben and Glen Nevis

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.

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

Taking Cumbernauld’s Wild Ways Well to a European audience

Making more use of Scotland’s outdoors as Our Natural Health Service is an initiative being led by SNH. Paul Barclay from The Conservation Volunteers (TCV), is part of the Cumbernauld Living Landscape team and delivers an innovative green health programme, … Continue reading

Posted in active travel, gardens, green health, Green infrastructure, paths, Planning, Projects, Scotland's Protected Places, Scottish Natural Heritage, SNH, Uncategorized, urban nature, Volunteering | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment