Tag Archives: conservation

Tiny shells and hidden animals

Posted on February 15, 2019 by Scottish Natural Heritage

Do you like snails? The gastropod molluscs commonly found in your garden are probably the first thing that spring to mind. Or maybe you smell garlic and see a yummy plate of l’escargot. However, this small word covers an array … Continue reading →

Posted in biodiversity, climate change, Insects, SNH, Uncategorized | Tagged climate change, conservation, Habitats, molluscs, Protected Areas, SAC, Scottish Natural Heritage, snails, SNH, SSSI

Local community takes pride in local conservation site

Posted on January 25, 2019 by Scottish Natural Heritage

The Friends of Almondell and Calderwood Country Park tell us how they‘re implementing management to improve the biodiversity of their local wildlife site – Calderwood Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The group embarked on an initial five year … Continue reading →

Posted in Community engagement, conservation, country park, Scottish Natural Heritage, SSSI, Uncategorized | Tagged biodiversity, conservation, nature conservation, Scottish Natural Heritage, Site of special scientific interest, SNH, SSSI

SNH divers assess Loch Carron flame shell bed damage

Posted on May 19, 2017 by Scottish Natural Heritage

Images of bright orange, dead flame shells strewn across the seabed in Loch Carron received widespread social and mainstream media coverage recently. Recreational divers had reported that the flame shell bed – a rare and ecologically important habitat – had … Continue reading →

Posted in biodiversity, conservation, Marine, Marine Protected Areas, MPA, MPAs, Priority Marine Features, Protected Areas, Research, sea life, Uncategorized | Tagged biodiversity, Coast, conservation, flame shells, Limaria hians, marine, Marine Protected Area, Marine Scotland, marine survey, MPA, nature, photography, PMF, Priority Marine Features, Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage, SNH, Wildlife

A world of riches above and below Scotland’s seas

Posted on August 31, 2016 by Scottish Natural Heritage

A colourful catalogue showcasing the rich biodiversity in Scotland’s seas has just been published on our website. Illustrated with photos and maps, the intriguing catalogue describes Scotland’s 81 Priority Marine Features (PMFs). PMFs are the habitats and species considered to be … Continue reading →

Posted in basking shark, biodiversity, Marine, Marine Protected Areas, MPA, MPAs, photography, Priority Marine Features, Projects, Research, sea life, seals, Uncategorized, wildlife management | Tagged biodiversity, Coast, conservation, flame shells, images, marine, marine life, Marine Protected Areas, MPA, nature, otter, photography, PMF, PMFs, PMFs Priority Marine Features, Priority Marine Features, Risso's dolphin, Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage, sealife, SNH, Wildlife

Deer Management on the Assynt peninsula

Posted on June 28, 2016 by Scottish Natural Heritage

Nationally and internationally important woodlands on northwest Sutherland’s Assynt peninsula are being seriously damaged by high numbers of grazing red deer. Over several years now our attempts to get the key landowners to agree a plan to manage the deer … Continue reading →

Posted in biodiversity, Community engagement, Land management, Protected Areas, trees, Uncategorized, wildlife management, woodlands | Tagged Ardvar woodlands, Assynt, biodiversity, conservation, deer management, Deer Management Group, Highland, nature, Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage, Sutherland, Wildlife, woodlands

Wild about crop relatives

Posted on December 16, 2015 by Scottish Natural Heritage

Crop wild relatives (CWRs) are wild plant species that are genetically related to our cultivated crops. Farmers have used them since the beginning of agriculture to improve their crops and get better harvests. Growing in the wild, they contain higher … Continue reading →

Posted in biodiversity, Flowers, Protected Areas, Uncategorized, wildlife management | Tagged barley, biodiversity, conservation, nature, oats, rapeseed oil, Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage, SNH, WCR, wild crop relatives, wild strawberries, Wildlife

The changing nature of our climate

Posted on November 4, 2015 by Scottish Natural Heritage

Imagine if you could no longer find your favourite bird on the wetland in winter, or if trees were dying in your local wood for lack of water in summer. What if the fish in our rivers changed, and salmon … Continue reading →

Posted in biodiversity, Birds, climate change, Flowers, Insects, National Nature Reserves | Tagged adaptation, Argyll, biodiversity, birds, black grouse, butterflies, capercaillie, climate change, conservation, Loch Leven, Report Card

Swallows and heavy water – the making of a remarkable scientist

Posted on September 24, 2015 by Scottish Natural Heritage

Professor Des Thompson, our Principal Adviser on Biodiversity, celebrates the pioneering work of life scientist Professor Dave Bryant, who celebrates his 70th birthday today. Along with the spring return of swallows in 1972 a young lecturer arrived at Stirling University’s … Continue reading →

Posted in biodiversity, Birds, Nature and technology, Research, Uncategorized | Tagged biodiversity, Bird, birds, conservation, Dave Bryant, dipper, housemartin, images, nature, photography, Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage, SNH, swallows, University of Stirling, Wildlife

Spotted: Scottish wildcat sighted at Parliament

Posted on September 23, 2015 by Scottish Natural Heritage

Vicky MacDonald is the Communications Coordinator for the Scottish Wildcat Action project. Here she gives us an insight into why this project is important and what their new website hopes to achieve. It’s not every day you get to wear … Continue reading →

Posted in biodiversity, Scottish Wildcats | Tagged biodiversity, Cairngorms National Park, conservation, Scottish Natural Heritage, Scottish wildcat, Sctottish Wilcat ACTION, SNH, wildcat

The Bog Squad in ACTION

Posted on September 18, 2015 by Scottish Natural Heritage

Butterfly Conservation Scotland’s ‘Bog Squad’ is a volunteer task force, created to carry out rehabilitation works on damaged peatlands across Scotland’s Central Belt, with funding from our Peatland ACTION project. David Hill of Butterfly Conservation tells us more. Central Scotland … Continue reading →

Posted in biodiversity, Flanders Moss NNR, Flowers, Insects, National Nature Reserves, Projects, Soil, Uncategorized | Tagged biodiversity, Bird, birds, bumblebees, butterflies, Butterfly Conservation Scotland, conservation, National Nature Reserve, nature, NNR, Peatland ACTION, Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage, SNH, The Bog Squad, volunteers, Wildlife