scottish national heritage - the nature of scotland summer 2011 issue_12

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The Nature of ScotlandScottish Natural Heritage Summer 2011

Blooming gooGardening asmental health therapy

2020V projectPR for bees, bogs

and barn owls

Art stoppingmomentsSculpture trail opens

on Fife reserve


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www.snh.gov.uk

Contents

7

17

25

29

35

40

50

Features

8 Who will you nominate?

New awards for conservationunsung heroes

10 Providing tools for life

Down-to-earth therapy formental health

26 Holding back the invaders

Installing barriers to halt the sof signal crayfish

28 Trail of tales

Discover a new sculpture tra

30 How to feel good

Volunteering can improveyour health

34 Guardians of the pinewood

Tough times for capercailliein Scotland

50 By the way

Have you tried our longerdistance trails?

52 Restoring vision

Reversing the decline in ournatural systems

60 Celtic rainforest

Exploring the wet woods ofthe west

Regulars

2 Where we are

SNH contact details

3 Welcome

4 Wild calendar

Where to go and what to see this summer

16 Dualchas coitcheann

/Common heritage

Linking language and environment

18 News

24 Inspired by nature

Show and tell whats inspiredyou?

36 Reserve focus

Discover St Cyrus NNR

42 Area news

Reports from round the country

46 Events diary

Guide to whats on

58 Kids only!

Activities for younger readers

64 Mailing list

Make sure you always receivea copy


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Credits

The Nature of ScotlandThe Magazine of Scottish Natural HeritageIssue Number 12 Summer 2011

Published quarterly SNH 2011ISSN 1350 309X

Editor: John WaltersTel. 01463 725 222

Cover photo: Birds-foot-trefoil and daisies growing on the Benbeculamachair in the Western Isles. Almost half the Scottish machair occurs inthe Outer Hebrides, with the best and most extensive in the Uists andBarra, along with Tiree.Photographer: Lorne Gill/SNH

Inside cover photo: Machair is a Gaelic word, meaning an extensive,low-lying fertile plain. Its one of the rarest habitats in Europe , found onlyin the north and west of Britain and Ireland.Photographer: Lorne Gill/SNH

Welcome page: South Uist coastline near Staoinebrig.Photographer: Lorne Gill/SNH

Photography all images by Lorne Gill/SNH other than: David Whitaker 6t;Chris Gomersall/naturepl.com 7ba; Duncan McEwan/naturepl.com 7bc;Paul Kay 17; Niall Benvie/imagesfromtheedge.com 19; Colin Seddon/Scottish SPCA 21; MCR/SNH 23; Graham Burns/BTCV 33b; Mark

Hamblin/2020VISION 35, 57; British Waterways Scotland 42l; Mark Hamblin42m; Highland Print Studio 42r; Annabel Drysdale 43l; Neil Mitchell 43m;Craig Nisbet 43r; Allan Devlin 44r; Cathy Mayne 44m; John Halliday 45m;Andrew Campbell 45r; Terry Whitaker/2020VISION 52; N iallBenvie/2020VISION 54,55; Mark Hamblin/2020VISION 56; Niall Benvie/SNH 63t

Map, 37 Ashworth Maps and Interpretation Ltd 2011.Based on Ordnance Survey mapping. Crown copyrightand database right 2011. All rights reserved.Ordnance Survey Licence number SNH 100017908.

To share your views about The Nature of Scotlandor suggest articles forfuture issues please contact the editor:

SNH MagazineGreat Glen House, Leachkin Road,Inverness IV3 8NWEmail: [email protected]

The views expressed in this magazine do notnecessarily reflect those of SNH.

Printed by: J Thomson Colour Printers, Glasgow

JTCP31k0611

When youve finished with this magazine, please recycle it. Pass it toanother reader or dispose of it at your local waste-collection point.

2 The Nature of Scotland

Where we are

You can contact SNH byletter, telephone or email.The following detailsshould enable you to findyour nearest main office,but bear in mind that wealso have a number ofoffices smaller than thoselisted.

A full list of our officesappears on the SNHwebsite: www.snh.gov.uk

Corporate

headquarters

Great Glen House,Leachkin Road,Inverness IV3 8NWTel. 01463 725 000Email: [email protected]

Other main offices

Battleby, Redgorton,Perth PH1 3EWTel. 01738 444 177

Silvan House,3rd Floor East,231 Corstorphine Road,Edinburgh EH12 7ATTel. 0131 316 2600

Caspian House,Mariner Court,Clydebank Business Park,Clydebank G81 2NRTel. 0141 951 4488

Area offices

Argyll & Outer Hebrides

32 Francis Street,Stornoway,Isle of Lewis HS1 2NDTel. 01851 705 258

Forth

The Beta Centre,Innovation Park,University of Stirling,Stirling FK9 4NFTel. 01786 450 362

Forth

Silvan House,3rd Floor East,231 Corstorphine Road,Edinburgh EH12 7ATTel. 0131 316 2600

Northern Isles

& North Highland

Ground Floor,Stewart Building,Alexandra Wharf,Lerwick,Shetland ZE1 0LLTel. 01595 693 345

Northern Isles

& North HighlandThe Links,Golspie Business Park,Golspie,Sutherland KW10 6UBTel. 01408 634 063

Southern Scotland

Carmont House,The Crichton,Bankend Road,Dumfries DG1 4ZFTel. 01387 247 010

South Highland

Fodderty Way,Dingwall Business Park,Dingwall IV15 9XB

Tel. 01349 865 333

South Highland

The Governors House,The Parade, Fort William,Inverness-shire PH33 6BATel. 01397 704 716

Strathclyde & Ayrshire

Caspian House,Mariner Court,Clydebank Business Park,Clydebank G81 2NRTel. 0141 951 4488

Tayside & Grampian

Battleby, Redgorton,Perth PH1 3EWTel. 01738 444 177

Tayside & Grampian

Inverdee House,Baxter Street,Torry,Aberdeen AB11 9QATel. 01224 266 500


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www.snh.gov.uk

Welcome

Joe MooreDirector of Corporate ServicesScottish Natural Heritage

Summer in Scotland is perhaps the season where our wildlife and landscaplook at their best. The warmer weather and longer days also provide us withopportunity to get out there and experience it first-hand. Indeed, the results this year's Scottish Recreation Survey seem to show that more and more pein Scotland are doing just that.

The survey showed 48% of adults visited the outdoors for enjoyment at once a week that's an increase of 80,000 on last year, which is terrific. At same time, its being forecast that more Scots will stay at home for their holthis year. Staycationers, as theyre called, represent a growing number ofholidaymakers who are choosing Scotland for its landscape, wildlife and pe

However, we also know that 52% of adults don't get out into Scotland'soutdoors even once a week and alarmingly some dont get out and aboall. Our aim is to help change that, so in this edition of The Nature of Scotlaweve highlighted lots of different places where you can enjoy the outdoors find different ways of getting involved.

Our featured national nature reserve (NNR) is St Cyrus, which is a stunnstretch of coastline halfway between Aberdeen and Dundee. Its just off thebeaten track between the two cities, but is easily found. The reserve featurea range of landscapes including sandy beaches, rocky cliffs and shelteredgrassland, and is home to a great mix of breeding birds and flowering plants

Another featured NNR is Tentsmuir on the Firth of Tay. This reserve is clomy heart, as I grew up in Dundee and spent many summers enjoying the beacforest trails there. Weve just opened a new sculpture trail at Tentsmuir, provanother reason to visit this amazing coastal reserve on the northeast tip of F

Continuing the 'get outdoors' theme, SNH are launching an initiative thissummer to promote Scotland's range of longer distance trails. There are 20different routes across the country being promoted as part of the 'Scotland'Great Trails' campaign, all of which provide opportunities for short walks in toutdoors for beginners or longer expeditions for the more intrepid.

Finally, I'd like to draw your attention to the Nature of Scotland Awards,which the RSPB have launched this summer and which SNH are supportinThe awards celebrate and recognise innovation, excellence and achievemenconservation, and theyre the first awards of their kind in Scotland. Theyre ofor nominations now, so if you know of any unsung conservation heroes, nowyour chance to put them forward.

I hope you enjoy this edition of our magazine and that it inspires you to ethe Scottish summer outdoors!


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The Nature of Scotland4

Summer

Wildcalendar

Kenny Taylor givessome seasonaltips for savouringScottish wildlife andlandscapes

What will summer have in store this year? Asnights shrink and days stretch, will you rise to seedragonflies before they warm to flight or be upto watch bats flit along a dusky woodland ride?Will you journey to eagle heights or plunge incool waters? Or will you make time just to sit andenjoy nature wherever you are, from the backlitleaves in a city street to the sun-warmed rocks ofa mountain?

A plug for Edinburgh

Dont get me wrong, as a native Glaswegian I make nospecial pleading for the nations capital. But I have to admitthat Edinburgh is rock solid.

Theres no ignoring the evidence of ancient volcanicactivity that sits at the citys core. Castle Rock, abovePrinces Street, is a plug, for example. It formed when moltenrock, or magma, hardened in a vent of an active volcano.

Theres more plugged-up plumbing around Arthurs Seat the crag complex that is such a city landmark. And thereare other features here, from the time, more than 300 millionyears ago, when this was a hotbed of explosive activity.

To explore these, take a walk in the park from near

Holyrood Palace and Dynamic Earth. Follow the pathalongside Salisbury Crags (a huge sill formed when magmasqueezed between layers of other rock), then eventually upto reach the summit. The view stretches far beyond the cityto swathes of the Lothians, Firth of Forth and southern Fife: acool reward from what was once a very hot place.

Web tip:

http://walking.visitscotland.com/walks/centralscotland/

holyrood_park_arthurs_seat


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1The cliffs of SaCrags are one odefining landmthe nations cap


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Damsel macho

The damsels can be superb at this season, especially themales. Find a good patch of water with some sedges orother water plants sprouting at its fringe, and you could be infor a treat.

Damselflies give a blur of colour to many Scottishwetlands in summer. A blue that manages to be both paleand eye-catching is one of the shades to spot.

It could belong to the slender body of a male commonblue damselfly. The most widespread of our summer damsels(you could see one in many places from the Solway toShetland), the common blue is both beautiful and intriguing.

Males often wait in groups on plant stems, alert for thearrival of females. To start mating, the male clasps the femaleby her neck. Then, if she chooses to continue, she curves herbody under his in what entomologists call a mating wheel.

It looks awkward, but these damsels are adept. Theycan even hold the full wheel position as they flutter, claspedtogether, over the water margins.

Web tip:

www.snh.org.uk/publications/on-line/naturallyscottish/dragonfly/inscotland.asp

A touch of glamour

Orchids are amazing. I dont just mean the ones that cannow grace supermarkets with their exotic presence. Theycan be gorgeous, showcasing some of the features of oneof the worlds largest families of flowering plants (25,000species known, with more being added by the year). Butwhat really excites me is to get up close to a free-living,native orchid.

Now is the season to get acquainted. For despite whatmay seem like an air of exclusivity that still clings to the familyname, wild orchids can be quite common in some places.

On many Hebridean islands, for example, you can seethem anywhere from road verges to meadows or cliff-topheaths. If you explore tracks across rough pastures or moorsthis summer, youll have a good chance of seeing one of ourcommonest orchids the heath-spotted orchid.

It likes acidic soil, where the pale pink, lilac or white ofits flowers gives a pastel-soft contrast to the dark tones ofheather and moorland grasses. Hunker down, nose to flower,to see the glorious calligraphy of petal markings.

Web tip:

www.kew.org/science/orchids/whatareorchids.html

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Basking sharksin the Clyde and waters of the Inner Hebrides; puffinscarrying fish to their young at colonies; frogletson the move; rockpools

to explore; and butterfliesanywhere from beaches to mountains.

Some other things to look for in summer:

Extreme fishing

Gannets are attention grabbers. With a wingspan of around two metres andplumage so white you can quite literally see it from miles away, an adult gannet

just cant blend in to the background.Then theres the plunge factor. Watch a gannet stall in flight, plummet and

dive, sending spray in a cannonade from the surface, and you know youre in thepresence of natural greatness. Olympian performances come as standard withthese birds no tickets required to spectate.

But venues at and near breeding places are scarce, for gannets nest at only afew dozen colonies around the North Atlantic. Luckily, Scotland hosts several ofthe worlds largest ones. The Bass Rock and St Kilda are two of them, and so isthe colony at the Hermaness National Nature Reserve on Shetland.

Like many of Scotlands gannetries, this one at Britains northernmost edgehas been expanding in recent years. So theres plenty of scope to appreciate thebig birds at their nests, or watch them feed in the way that only gannets knowhow.

Web tip:

www.nnr-scotland.org.uk/hermaness

2The female comblue damselfly by the more bricoloured male ta classic matinwheel.

3The large loweran orchid floweused as a landiplatform by polinsects. But itspatterns also logood to the humeye.

4The Bass Rock of the worlds orecorded seabicolonies and habeen home to bgannets.


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A new collection of annual awards is being launchedto recognise and celebrate excellence, innovationand outstanding achievement in Scottish natureconservation

Who will you nominate?


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www.snh.gov.uk

Scotland is home to some of the UKs rarest and most spectacwildlife, and the countrys outstanding natural beauty is renownworldwide. Every day, countless people and projects work tireleto keep it that way.

Its these unsung heroes helping to preserve Scotlands precious naturalheritage, habitats and species who will be honoured in the first annual NaScotland Awards. RSPB Scotland have developed this new initiative to celethe exceptional conservation work going on across Scotland to protect andimprove some of our rarest wild places and wildlife.

Chairing the judging panel is Stuart Housden, director of RSPB Scotlanwhos looking forward to hearing of these great success stories. The challeinvolved in protecting and nurturing Scotlands special places and iconic spare ever more pressing, he commented. There are so many individuals andbusinesses, as well as the public sector, who make a hugely valuable contrito looking after our incredible natural heritage, and we feel the time is right tcelebrating those efforts.

Also on the judging panel are BBC television and radio presenter EuanMcIlwraith, naturalist and author Sir John Lister-Kaye, and Ian Jardine, chiefexecutive of Scottish Natural Heritage. It is everyones responsibility to do wthey can to help make nature work best for Scotland, Ian Jardine remarkedconfident that the people of Scotland will rise to that challenge, as indeed t

already doing. And thats what these awards are all about recognising thehard work that individuals, groups and organisations are doing for the benefiScotlands natural environment.

Entries are open to any individual or project linked to Scotland and you csubmit them under six different categories. They include:

Marine Conservation Award recognises outstanding contribution to thconservation or sustainable management of Scotlands precious marine resthrough partnership working, innovative ideas or new research.

Sustainable Development Award demonstrates how research, initiativplanning or development has had a positive effect on nature conservation linto Scotland.

Politician of the Year Award awarded to the politician whos made an

outstanding contribution to nature conservation in the last year. The award ito any elected representative (MSP, MP, MEP or local councillor) who has lScotland or Scottish nature conservation.

Innovation Award celebrates the most innovative project, initiative, praor technique (management or otherwise) that has helped nature conservatioEntries for this award need to stand out as being different.

Outstanding Contribution Award honours someone whos made anexceptional contribution to the conservation of nature in Scotland or overseThis person could be a volunteer, leader of an initiative, someone whos thedriving force behind delivery on the ground or perhaps someone whos reallinspired change.

RSPB Species Champion Award will go to an individual whos achievsomething extraordinary to protect a vulnerable or threatened species.

When entries close on 26 August 2011, teams of internal and external especific to the category will put together a shortlist of the finalists. These finwill be announced following the judges meeting in November. Supporters wable to raise a glass to the winners, courtesy of The Black Grouse whisky, aawards dinner in early March 2012.

Do you know anyone whos done something outstanding for natureconservation? Visit www.rspb.org.uk/natureofscotlandto find out more anmake your nomination.

Who do you knowthats doing great workto protect and improve

our wonderful wildlifeand wild places?


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One in four adults in Scotland will suffer from

mental health problems at some time in their liveGardening and nature may not strike you as themost obvious remedies, but an Edinburgh servicproving just how effective they can be

Providingtools for life

1The walled gardRedhall dates bsome 250 yearsincludes a numold buildings, sthis summer howhich it's hoperestore in the fu


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2Raised beds are amajor feature of thegarden. Theyre usedfor the estatesvegetable garden aswell as for the traineesindividual allotments.

3Gardening instructorElinor Leslie withtrainee Craig Keppie.

4Callum Whitelaw and

Craig Keppie head outinto the garden.

A warm welcome awaits anyone who enters Redhall Walled Gardenin Edinburgh. The colourful gates stand open, inviting people in,and inside you find folk busy at work, whether weeding, digging orbuilding focused activity is everywhere.

You might wonder why this would be a cause for comment. But it is in manyrespects highly unusual, because Redhall is a mental health facility. Most mentalhealth services are of necessity closed the people using those services receivetraining and therapy without the public casually walking through.

We see our openness as an active virtue, explained Jan Cameron, the teamleader at Redhall. We welcome all manner of passers-by and sometimes evensell them a plant or two!

Indeed, the people who are part of the community at Redhall regularly greetcasual visitors. This is often simply natural friendliness and helps with confidencebuilding. But its also part of the never-ending, vital work of breaking down stigmaand often unintentional ignorance or incomprehension.

Redhall Walled Garden is a service of the Scottish Association for MentalHealth (SAMH, see www.samh.org.uk), a national charity that provides mentalhealth and related services to around 3,000 people and campaigns for bettermental health. The garden provides a unique setting for a remarkable mentalhealth service, nestling in the peaceful haven of Edinburghs Colinton Dell.

Its a working organic garden, with a rich history and beautiful location, and its

purpose is to support people with mental health problems, provide training andassist them towards recovery. Fifty trainees as those who come here are known are offered the opportunity to work in gardening, conservation, IT, administrationand mental health awareness. Trainees sign a contract that requires them toattend for at least three days a week, building up to five. Placements are not timelimited and people can sign themselves in.


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Cost-effective

Redhall has been operating for 27 years, making it oneSAMHs longest running and most established servicehas come through many changes over the years and hbuilt up a strong reputation for being work focused andinclusive. It prides itself on being open to the public, paof the community and highly cost-effective the coststrainee at Redhall are about 4,500 a year compared waround 56,000 for a person in hospital.

Theres a staff team of eight at Redhall, along withoccassional sessional workers who come in to do variopieces of work, as well as students on placement. Themembers are passionate about providing not just a plaof safety for people in times of need, but also a place tinspires, excites, challenges and offers people a sensepurpose a focus on something bigger than themselv

When people come to visit the garden, one of thequestions they often ask is, What kind of people comehere?, Jan observed. Our usual answer is, People likand me!

Mental health problems are no respecter of class,

education, wealth or status. When people come to us have usually been seriously ill for a considerable time aeach case is unique. One trainee once wrote in an evaform that Redhall is the best place to be even on the dday.

This is part of what makes us different from othertraining agencies. For example, we encourage people come in when theyre having a bad day, which for somtrainees can mean extreme distress, up to and includinsuicidal impulses. However, this is the time when we csee whats really going on for them and not just the facshow the world when theyre more able to cope. Then can offer real support and teach them some skills to dewith whatever their problems are. Significant change fopeople often happens on the bad days.

I was given dungarees and boand, for the first time since I waill, I had a sense that I was abledo something and a little spark

hope ignited.

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Growing history

One of the things that strikes people when they come into the garden is thesense of being deeply rooted in time. It was originally the kitchen garden for theimposing Redhall House, so the space within the walls has been dedicated to

growing for more than 250 years (and more than a quarter of a century in itscurrent therapeutic use). The garden sits within a 2.5 hectare (6 acre) estate ofgreat natural beauty, which is part of the Water of Leith Walkway and open to all.The Redhall staff and trainees started to develop this land about six years ago bycreating a path network, providing information panels for the public, encouragingmore native plant species and discouraging invasive plants.

SNH have been a supporter of Redhall for over 15 years and have grant aideda number of projects in the grounds including ponds, a bog garden, raised beds,wildlife planting for birds and bees, as well as path works and signage. Muchof this work is public facing, and members of the public are welcomed into thegarden on various occasions. There are information days on the first Wednesdayof each month, when small groups are given a presentation and a tour of the

garden. And four or five Sundays in the year are designated as open family dayswith various activities, plant sales and catering.

Trainees are always involved in our information and open days, Jan added,and they have lots of amusing stories because not all visitors initially appreciatethat people who have experienced mental health problems may be just asarticulate, informed and helpful as anyone else in society.

Many trainees are highly skilled and qualified, and the complex business ofrunning Redhall makes full use of their many talents. Were privileged to witnessquite remarkable progress in peoples lives as they begin to participate in societyonce more.

When I first came

to work at Redhall Ifelt broken Now Ican actually begin tosee the possibility ofbecoming a wholehuman being again.


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5Agnes Uzanda andElinor Leslie checkover the plants for saleto the public.

6Helen Rowley helpsout with watering theraised beds.

Its inspiring to watch the gardgrow through the seasons andknow I had a hand in that. Thatgreat sense of achievement.

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Dualchas coitcheannCommon heritage

The Gaelic word for south a commonenough term on our maps also meansright. The reason takes us back tothe sun-worshipping practices of ourancestors, as Ruairidh MacIlleathainreveals

An ird a deas air an limh dheis

Bidh feadhainn a tha ag ionnsachadh na Gidhlig gu tric a gabhail iongnadh gu bheil an aon fhacalagainn airson southagus right. Ach tha e furasta gu ler a thuigsinn nuair a chithear gu bheilear atomhas nan irdean bhon t-sealladh aig duine a tha a coimhead a dhionnsaigh an ite far an irich aghrian aig a cho-fhad-thrth. Feumar cuimhneachadh gun robh ar sinnsirean uaireigin ag adhradh donghrin anns an digh sin. Chithear an aon sersa dualchais anns a ghnomhair Bheurla orientate atha a ciallachadh bho thus a bhith a cur d aghaidh a dhionnsaigh na h-irde an ear no oriensannan Laideann (s am faighear am facal orientcuideachd).

Tha an ear a ciallachadh air beulaibh agus tha an iar a ciallachadh air claibh. Mar sin, athaobh irdean na combaist, tha iad a seasamh airson eastagus west. Tha an iar air a shuidheachadhair claibh duine a tha a coimhead a dhionnsaigh na h-irde an ear; s ann bhuaithe sin a tha sinna faighinn abairtean mar tha mi air an obair a dhanamh. Bho shean, s e tha mi iaran obair adhanamh a chanadh daoine a ciallachadh tha mi an didhan obair a dhanamh.

Nuair a sheasas neach, agus e a coimhead a dhionnsaigh na h-irde an ear, ma thogas e a lmhdheas, bidh i a comharrachadh na h-irde a deas. S e sin as coireach gu bheil deas a seasamhairson southa bharrachd air right. Bidh a lmh eile air an taobh tuath; bha tuath bho ths aciallachadh lefta bharrachd air north.

Leis gun do dhirich na Gidheil mar shluagh anns an leth-chruinne mu thuath, bha e ndarrachgum biodh iad a coimhead air slighe na grine san adhar bhon ird an ear don ird an iar tron ird adeas, mar ghluasad ndarrach (tha a ghrian a dol gu tuath anns an leth-chruinne mu dheas). S e sin

as coireach gu bheil sinn a tomhas gluasad deiseil (leis a ghrin, leis a chloc) mar rud fbharach,agus tuathal mar m-fhortanach no m-ndarrach a bharrachd air an aghaidh spgan a chloca. S epartan-tuathal a tha sinn a gabhail air a hermitcrab air sgth s gu bheil e air a thomhas mar chreutairrudeigin m-ndarrach.

Is iongantach mura h-eil a mh-ndarrachd aig tuathal co-cheangailte ris an droch chli a bha aigcl-lmhachd ann am mran chultaran Erpach, agus an deagh chli a bha aig deas-lmhachd. Tha amfacal Beurla sinister a tighinn bhon Laidinn airson cl no cerr mar a chanar cuideachd ann anGidhlig. Agus ann am mran choimhearsnachdan Gidhealach, thathar ag rdh suas gu deas agussos gu tuath calg-dhreach an aghaidh digh bhaisteach na Beurla anns a bheilear ag rdh upnorthagus down south.

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Partan tuathal. Tha amfacal tuathal aciallachadh diofarrudan, ach chan eil gindhiubh math! S em-ndarrachd a tha ea comharrachadh annan co-cheangal ris aphartan seo.

The Gaelic for thehermit crab ispartan

tuathal, literally theawkward crab. Tuathalis connected with leftand north, as well asbeing associated withawkwardness andwrongness. The wordpartanwas borrowedby Scots speakers andis still used for crab inthe Scots dialect of thenortheast.

South on the right hand

The key points of the compass in Gaelic recall the ancient practice of facingrising sun in the east. East is an ear, originally meaning in front, and west isiar, which meant behind. Both terms are found in place names for exampWestern Isles are Na h-Eileanan an Iarin Gaelic.

The term for south is deas, which also means right. The word is relateddistantly to the Latin dexterand therefore to the English dextrous, and has associations with correctness. It derives from the naturalness of sunwise mo(the sun moves from east to west through the south of the sky in the northe

hemisphere).Sunwise, or clockwise, motion (called deiseilin Gaelic) is still seen in G

culture as being more favourable than the opposite, which is known as tuathThis comes from tuath, the Gaelic for north, which originally meant left. Tuahas suggestions of unnaturalness or awkwardness, as inpartan tuathal(awcrab), the Gaelic for the hermit crab.

Deasand tuath are relatively common in the landscape for instance, Ua Tuath(North Uist) and Uibhist a Deas(South Uist). But in many areas of tGidhealtachd, you travel suas gu deas(up south) and sos gu tuath(downorth), which is the opposite of what youd say in modern-day English.


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N

EWS

Visitors leap

The number of Scottish adults visiting the outdoors for leisure or recreation atleast once a week has gone up by more than 80,000 in a year.

The rise in numbers was revealed in the latest results from the ScottishRecreation Survey. It recorded an increase from 46% in 2009 to 48% of the adultpopulation in Scotland in 2010. This also represents a 4% increase from 2006,which equates to another 160,000 people getting out and about once a week.

Walking is the most popular outdoor recreational activity among adults livingin Scotland it was the main activity on 73% of visits to the outdoors in 2010.Family outings were next in terms of popularity, being the main pursuit on 8% ofvisits. This was followed by cycling/mountain biking, which was the main activityon 5% of visits. Total spend on visits to the outdoors in 2010 was estimated to bearound 2.5 billion.

This is really good news, commented Richard Davison, who is responsiblefor SNHs people and landscapes programme. The reasons for the increase willbe many and varied, but we believe our work on encouraging more people tovisit the outdoors, along with the excellent work being done by local authoritiesand many others, is helping to inspire people to get outdoors. Even in towns andcities, people have great opportunities to explore green places near to home andenjoy good local path networks, which is why its important to look after them.Spending time outdoors is fun and very rewarding, and is a great way to improve

your health for free.Last year SNH launched its Simple pleasures, easily found campaign, which

encourages people to enjoy nature close to where they live. The campaignprovides information to inspire people to get outdoors more often, withrecommended routes around some of Scotlands towns and cities, and beyond.

Route leaflets for Aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Inverness, Stirling andDumfries are currently available as part of the campaign. And leaflets for otherareas of Scotland, including Paisley, Johnstone and Renfrew, and Dundee willbe added shortly. To view these, along with top tips for fun activities to do whenyoure out, go to www.snh.gov.uk/simplepleasures


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Paths face challenges

Scotlands network of paths may face additional wear and tear because ofthe effects that climate change will have on weather patterns over the comingdecades. Thats the conclusion of a new report from SNH, which warns that pathscould deteriorate and become unstable due to changing conditions.

Paths play a vital role in allowing people to enjoy the outdoors and contributeto health and well-being. But, as the impacts of climate change become moreevident, challenges in the planning, design, construction and maintenance of ourpaths will need to be addressed.

One of the key recommendations in the report is that those responsible forpaths local authorities and other path managers assess the impact risks ofclimate change on existing path networks and prioritise appropriate action. Thiscould include installing additional or larger drains, changing the surface typewhen paths need repair, or realigning paths on to higher ground through theplanning process.

You can read the report on the SNH website at www.snh.gov.uk/publications-data-and-research/publications/search-the-catalogue/

publication-detail/?id=1780

Voles galore

Scotlands recent freezing winters have resulted in a population explosion of fieldvoles across the country. Experts believe that there are now record levels of thesmall mammals, which were protected from predators by long-lying snow.

Scientists in Dumfries and Galloway have recorded the highest number of fieldvoles in 20 years, and a five-fold increase on average levels. High levels have alsobeen observed in central Scotland and the Highlands. The number of field volesusually peaks every few years, but this year has been exceptional in the south andwest of Scotland.

Aberdeen University professor of ecology Xavier Lambin said it was difficultto work out the total number of field voles in Scotland, but that it could be in theregion of 60 million. This year the figure is potentially 10 times that, pushing their

number into the hundreds of millions.They thrive under the snow, Professor Lambin explained. They tend to

have a good year in these conditions. The snow provides thermal insulation,maintaining a temperature of 23C under the pack.

This protects the voles from the coldest temperatures and the cover stopsthem from being hunted by birds of prey such as buzzards and owls. When thesnow melts, a complex network of runs and tunnels is revealed in the grass inareas where there are high numbers of voles.

Receding snow cover makes them vulnerable to birds of prey, who are nowfeasting on them. Raptor experts report that buzzards and owls, which feed onfield voles, are thriving this year.

The brood size of tawny owls is one of the ways we measure field volepopulations, remarked George Swan, whos researching field voles in theTrossachs. This is how we know its such a decent year because all the owlboxes in the Queen Elizabeth Forest Park have got four chicks in.


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N

EWS Camping byelaws introduced

New laws affecting camping along the shores of east Loch Lomond came intoforce at the beginning of June.

The byelaws apply to the area running from Drymen to Rowardennan(approximately 14.5 km/9 miles) and includes part of the West Highland Way andthe shoreline of the loch. Under the new byelaws, it will be an offence to campanywhere in the restricted zone outside designated camping areas.

The byelaws have been introduced by the Loch Lomond & the TrossachsNational Park Authority to help improve the visitor experience in eastern LochLomond, and to reduce the impacts of years of visitor pressure and antisocialbehaviour.

Loch Lomond is a beautiful part of the national park and one of the mostfamous places in Scotland to come and visit, commented Grant Moir, the parksdirector of conservation and visitor experience. Its important we do everythingwe can to protect it whilst improving the visitor experience.

Well continue to welcome day visitors into the area to enjoy the sights, suchas Ben Lomond, Conic Hill and Inchcailloch. There are also still opportunities tocamp in the area at the official camp sites at Cashel and Milarrochy. And theresalso the new campsite at Sallochy thats been built by Forestry CommissionScotland for visitors to enjoy. The byelaws are giving the landscape a chance torecover and for the area to be managed for all who live in or visit the area.

Ranger teams will be out and about over the summer, giving advice aboutcamping in the national park and all the things visitors can do and see. Theyll alsobe out patrolling with the police to enforce the new camping byelaws in an effortto make sure that Loch Lomond remains a family friendly destination.

The woodlands on the eastern shore of Loch Lomond are a beautiful placeand are protected by law, remarked Paul Roberts of SNH. But the area hassuffered from tree felling, uncontrolled fires and litter over many years. Werelooking forward to the byelaws and the new campsite helping nature to flourish,so that visitors can enjoy this special place for years to come.

Under the byelaws, its an offence to camp in the restricted zones, withthe maximum fine being 500. A number of other measures are also beingimplemented as part of the East Loch Lomond Management Plan, including car

park upgrades, new toilets, a programme of signage improvements and trafficmanagement measures.


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Storms batter birds

Concerns have been raised about the impact the stormy weather in May had onthe breeding success of some wild birds.

According to the RSPB, some ground-nesting birds and those that nest on ornear water may have been among the worst affected. Bird of prey nests are alsofeared to have fallen victim to the conditions.

Heavy rain and winds left more than 1,000 nests on the Insh Marshes NationalNature Reserve in the Highlands submerged under water, including those ofwading species such as lapwing, snipe, redshank and curlew.

According to Karen Sutcliffe, RSPB site manager at Insh Marshes, wadingbirds were already struggling in Strathspey, so the gales had simply dealt a furtherblow to the local population.

A flood in mid-April washed away many early nesting attempts, Karenexplained, but around two-thirds of the birds tried again. Unfortunately, the badweather in May had a really damaging effect and it looks unlikely that many birdswould have made a third attempt.

Monitoring projects also recorded problems with rarer species. RSPB staffstudying the Slavonian grebe found that nests made in sedge beds had beenwashed away. And a research programme radio tagging 16 ring ouzel chicks lostalmost half of its subjects due to bad weather.

In addition, RSPB reports expressed concern about some birds of prey, withnests and eggs of red kites, ospreys and eagles damaged or blown from trees. Inone case, near Callander in the Trossachs, a red kite nest had been blown about60 metres (200 ft) out of a wood on to farmland and a dead chick was found onthe ground.

Many surviving chicks and fledglings, including birds of prey, were found bymembers of the public and taken to the Scottish SPCAs Wildlife Rescue Centrein Fife. They included the buzzard chick shown here with Colleen Cooper of theSSPCA.

Almost all the birds that came into our care were blown out of nests,explained Colin Seddon, manager of the rescue centre. The strong winds cameat a really bad time of year as lots of fledglings had just hatched in nests at thetops of trees. Many of the birds, including tawny owl, long eared owl and buzzardchicks, were simply blown out by the high winds.


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EWS

Look out for commas

The comma butterfly is making a comeback in Scotland.The distinctive orange and brown butterfly has ragged wing edges and a

white comma-shaped marking on its underwings, which make it easy to identify.It can be found in gardens and woodlands from April through to September, as it

hibernates over winter as an adult butterfly and has two broods a year.Commas have so far been spotted as far north as Aberdeenshire, and it

seems to be spreading faster up the east coast than the west, where its as farnorth as Motherwell. Last year, the discovery of comma caterpillars feeding onelm in Bridge of Allan confirmed that the comma is successfully breeding in theCentral Belt.

Wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation are asking the public to help trackthe expansion of the comma in Scotland. Sightings can be returned on specialcomma postcards theyre distributing, or online atwww.butterfly-conservation.org/scottishcommasurvey


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Sea surveys study

A new report that presents the findings of various research projects in Scottishwaters should help marine energy developers, regulators and advisers.

SNH and Marine Scotland sponsored the study, which looked at imageryand data from surveys carried out at 15 locations. Altogether, 14 species and 17habitats of conservation interest were identified.

The report considers the impacts that renewable energy developments would

have on some of the conservation features. It will therefore be of help in balancingmarine energy development and nature conservation, as well as informing marineplanning and the creation of marine protected areas.

Susan Davies, SNH director of policy and advice, said the report should proveuseful to anyone with an interest in marine renewable energy. The waters aroundScotland have huge potential for marine renewable energy development, shewent on, and theyre also internationally important for many features of natureconservation interest.

Our role is to help the marine energy sector to develop sustainably. We dothis by providing advice and information on important marine features so thatthese can be taken into account when planning developments. The evidence inthis report will be a real asset in that process.

You can find the report on the SNH website at www.snh.gov.uk/publications-data-and-research/publications/search-the-catalogue/publication-detail/?id=1782

Natural value

Nature is worth billions of pounds to the UK economy, according to a major newreport.

The National Ecosystem Assessment (NEA) says that for decades theemphasis has been on producing resources we can use and sell, such as timber,crops and fisheries. But this has harmed other parts of nature through pollution,over-exploitation and land conversion.

The groundbreaking research by hundreds of scientists across the UKattempts to put a cash price on the environmental services provided by nature.Examples include:

The health benefits of living with a view of green space are worth up to 300per person per year;

Pollinators are worth 430 million per year to British farming; The benefits that inland wetlands bring to water quality are worth up to 1.5

billion per year; The amenity benefits of living close to rivers, coasts and other wetlands is worth

up to 1.3 billion per year.

The NEA is an independent study funded by a range of bodies across the UK,including the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the

Scottish Government. The report strengthens the arguments for protecting andenhancing the environment and will used by government to direct policy in future.


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Thanks for another greatresponse to our request for

images and stories of wildencounters. We receivedsome fine submissionsagain, and below are someof the entries that weveselected. Please keep themcoming. Email your imagesand stories [email protected]

Inspired by nature


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1 Dornoch Firth yacht

I took a series of photos, both horizontal avertical, from the car park near the golf linDornoch in September looking southeast.heavy rainstorm was passing over the firthsat in the car watching it recede. We soutrarely get skies like this one, so I took a wseries of images of it.John Wigmore, Ashford, Kent

2 Grasshopper

Id been trying to photograph these little cfor hours in a patch of waste ground not fafrom my house. This grasshopper jumped a nearby leaf next to where I was sitting, I forward and managed to get this shot. Grup as a child, I cannot remember seeing agrasshopper with such unusual markings.Duncan Mcnaught, New Galloway,

Castle Douglas

3 Force of nature

I took this picture in early January near whthe River Calder meets with the River SpeNewtonmore. After a month of extremelycold weather (down to 20C and prolonperiods of sub-zero daytime temperaturesRiver Calder froze over. At the first thaw, hblocks, some the size of massive dining taflowed down the river and grounded on shgravels creating an almost impenetrable icScott Duncan, Aviemore

4 Happy bee

With the shortage of bees, it was lovely tothis one buzzing along happily. The bright of the flower just added to the shots happyHazel McKay, Belhelvie, Aberdeenshire

5 Frog

I took this photo of a frog at night in a locaquarry. The frogs are a bit wary during thebut theyre everywhere if you go out at nigI found a suitable subject and lay on the gwith a flashlight on my camera.Stan Wilson, Langholm

Give us your best!

If youd like to send in your images and stories of wild encouplease email them to [email protected]

Remember to include your name, where you live and som

background information on any pictures submitted. Please reyourself to only three entries per person per issue. If youresending in photos that have children in them, then we need wpermission from a parent or guardian of each child in the pict

In contributing to The Nature of Scotlandyou agree to grroyalty-free, non-exclusive use of your material in any way weand in any media.

However, youll still own the copyright to everything youcontribute, and well aim to publish your name alongside anypublished. SNH cannot guarantee that all pictures will be us

we reserve the right to edit any material provided.

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Scientists and river managers arehoping for success with a pioneeringproject to try and curb the spreadof an alien species in the south ofScotland

Holding backthe invadersThe first custom-designed crayfish barrier has

been installed between two rivers in the south ofScotland. The barrier is intended to stop the NorthAmerican signal crayfish moving from one rivercatchment into the other and devastating nativewildlife.

Signal crayfish were first identified in the River Clyde in1996 and recent survey work has shown that theyve spreadinto many of the headwaters of the river. There are nowfears that this invasive non-native species may move acrossinto the neighbouring River Annan catchment, near to theBeattock summit in South Lanarkshire.

The River Annan is some 56 km (35 miles) long and runsfrom Moffat in the north to Annan on the Solway coast. Itsone of the best salmon and sea trout rivers in the south ofScotland and is very important to the local economy.

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Colin Bean from SNHdiscusses the design ofthe new crayfish barrierwith SNH PhD studentZara Gladman.

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Laying traps for signalcrayfish in the RiverClyde.

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The North Americansignal crayfish is aninvasive species thatsforcing out nativespecies across Europe.


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A partnership of bodies including the Annan DistrictSalmon Fisheries Board, Clyde River Foundation, SouthLanarkshire Council, SEPA and SNH have installeda custom-designed barrier at a site close to where theheadwaters of the Clyde and Annan rivers meet. This is thefirst time this kind of unique barrier design has been triedanywhere in the UK or beyond.

Unfortunately, there are no techniques available that willallow us to get rid of signal crayfish from rivers and streams,explained Colin Bean, a freshwater adviser with SNH. So

taking the radical step of developing and installing a physicalbarrier may offer the best hope of stopping the species frommoving into new catchments.

The headwaters of the Clyde and Annan rivers areseparated by a small field that occasionally floods. As signalcrayfish are able to travel short distances across land, thepartnership considered the possibility of constructing aphysical barrier to stop them crossing over.

The two specially designed dams have been installed20 metres apart at a cost of 50,000. Funds for the projectcame through SNHs Species Action Framework, whichidentifies the signal crayfish as a species of conservationconcern. Both the River Annan and the River Clyde will nowbe monitored regularly to check whether the barrier has beensuccessful in stopping the spread of crayfish.

Signal crayfish are voracious predators that feed onjuvenile fish and their eggs, as well as water insects. Theycan also burrow into and undermine riverbanks. This candestabilise them, leading to increased erosion and damageto the spawning grounds of a variety of fish species,including salmon and trout. Unstable banks may also be asafety risk for both humans and livestock.

Once theyre introduced, a population can establishquickly. A single female, for example, can carry up to 350 or400 live young, so it doesnt take very long for a population

to spread and become impossible to remove.Its against the law to capture, keep, transport or release

live signal crayfish into the wild without a licence. They firstentered the UK as a fish farm species in England and Wales.Some of these animals escaped in the 1980s and havegradually spread, with the help of people, to many areasof the country. Theyve had a devastating impact on nativecrayfish populations as they pass on a fungal parasite towhich the native populations have no resistance.

In Scotland, the species was first recorded on the RiverDee catchment in Kirkcudbrightshire in 1995. Theyre nowfound as far north as Inverness-shire and currently occupy

over 174 km of river length, as well as a number of pondsand lochs. People established nearly all of these populations,clearly unaware of the damage that these animals can cause,or the fact that theyre virtually impossible to remove oncetheyre established.

If you visit rivers or lochs in Scotland, then you canhelp by looking out for this destructive species. If you docome across a signal crayfish, please report the sighting byphoning 0141 951 4488.

If this physical barrier proves to be successful, thewe may use it in other parts of the country to help prevcrayfish moving into new areas, Colin added. We canprevent them from becoming a problem in rivers wherecurrently exist, but at least this would give us some hopwe can control their spread in the future.


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One of northeast Fifes natural treasures is thesetting for an imaginative new sculpture trail

Trail of tales

Make your way to Tentsmuir National Nature Reserve on the Firth of Tay for thechance to journey back through time on a new sculpture trail.

Some 9,000 years of history at Tentsmuir are celebrated in the sculptures, which reveal gripping

stories of shipwrecked sailors, ancient tsunamis, Vikings, Picts, Romans, thieves and vagabonds.The 9 km (5.5 miles) Tentsmuir Time Line Trail features six new sculptures including a giant

arrowhead, a totem post and a Highland cow along with four historical objects that already existedon the reserve. The latter includes the remains of the World War II defences that once guarded thiscoast. All the stopping points on the trail have graphic panels alongside that present some backgroundinformation with a touch of humour.

The sculptures were created using a variety of contrasting craft skills, ranging from the latesttechnology of laser cutting equipment to the traditional methods of local blacksmith Jim Shears.

When the idea of a history trail first arose some 12 years ago, I hoped that it would help visitorssee this amazing spot in northeast Fife the way I do, remarked Tentsmuir NNR manager Tom Cunningham.


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I have a terrific job where I see this landscape change daily, but its quite awe inspiring to imahow the area has changed over thousands of years. A walk along the trail is a real adventure andvisitors will discover some remarkable stories about the place as they wander round.

One of the must-see locations on the reserve for visitors is Tentsmuir Point, which lies on the

outermost edge of a large sand dune system. Some 9,000 years ago the shoreline at Tentsmuirlay about 4 km farther inland. As sand gradually built up over the centuries, the shoreline extendeeastwards.

Today, Tentsmuir Point is one of the fastest growing parts of Scotland. Sand is still being depthere and the land is moving out into the sea at a rate of five metres a year or about a fingers wideach day.

Swirling currents and turning tides constantly move the sand to create new shorelines andsandbars. The reserve is therefore an important site for studying how beaches and coasts develochange.

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Evidence of theearliest people atTentsmuir survives inthe tools, shells, bonesand arrowheads theyleft behind.

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An artwork modelledon the cattle that nowgraze the dunes on thereserve to stop treestaking root.

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Mirror image thiswave shape is areminder of the 21metre tsunami wavethat struck Fife some7,000 years ago.

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In our second article to mark the2011 European Year of Volunteeringcelebrations, we look at howvolunteering can improve your health

How tofeel good

People who volunteer are healthier, both physicallyand mentally.

That was the finding from American research conducted in2009, which suggested that folk who volunteer for around100 hours per year or some two hours a week gainthe most benefits to their health. And the findings werebacked up by a similar study for the Institute of VolunteeringResearch, which also suggested there are mental healthbenefits to be gained from volunteering.

Closer to home, a survey of volunteers at LochLeven National Nature Reserve in 2009 found that theyexperienced a range of physical and mental health benefitsfrom getting involved. The sorts of comments they cameback with included:

I enjoyed talking to new people who have now becomefriends, as Im normally a shy person.

It helps me keep fit and regular walking is required,which helps with my heart.

I have to think of ways to solve various tasks and theseall help to exercise my mind the general chat with staffand volunteers is also stimulating.

I like the challenge of working as part of a team. Its helped to increase my confidence.

Here are some examples that may inspire you to get involved after all, it only takes two hours a week!


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1A visit to St Cyrus NNRis guaranteed to liftyour spirits.

Ideal tonic

Unfortunately, I lost my job a few years ago after a neaaccident that left me no longer physically able to carry my normal everyday duties. I therefore had to consider other kind of employment and retraining.

Being a little unsure and frightened of my short- anlong-term future, I decided to apply for a place at MomScotland, which is a charitable trust (part-funded by SIts dedicated to helping people, like myself, whove suf

a major trauma and want help in getting back into theworkplace.

My case worker luckily managed to secure me a voposition at St Cyrus National Nature Reserve near MonHaving previously worked for the Scottish Wildlife Trusand RSPB, this opportunity provided me with a fantastfoundation on which to build my future plans.

The reserve manager, Andy Turner, really encourageand supported me in getting involved with interpretatiopublicity for the visitor centre, shadowing new volunteeand monitoring resident breeding birds, such as theperegrines and fulmars. Whilst under his wing, I found

whole experience an ideal tonic, thoroughly therapeuticand a great escape from my considerable physical,psychological and financial problems at the time.

It was whilst conducting the ongoing annual butterflwild flower and bird hide surveys in summer 2010 thatI really began to improve my overall physical fitness angeneral well-being. St Cyrus is a beautiful and relativellarge nature reserve, and tramping around for miles wawonderful way to keep in shape. It also offered us counopportunities for great wildlife watching. For example, oafternoon we witnessed the magical sight of bottle-nosdolphins jumping, playing and feeding just offshore.

Im really looking forward to continuing in my honorwarden role and being actively involved with projects tcoming year. I really love my voluntary position, and findwork interesting, healthy, relaxing and stimulating. Woroutdoors and close to nature helps me put other thingperspective and I have the added bonus that its mentaand physically rewarding too!

Michael Craig, Aberdeenshire


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2Aileen McKean (left)working withvolunteers atGreenhead Moss.

3Christina McLeay (rightleading a health walknear Blairgowrie.

4Good for your healthand the environment removingrhododendron to help

native plants andanimals.

Health in mind

Greenhead Moss Community Nature Park near Wishaw, in North Lanarkshire, isa local nature reserve. It includes a raised bog, as well as newly created habitatssuch as native woodland and wildflower meadows.

Health is a critical issue in Wishaw, which is one of the most deprived areas inScotland, so its a real boon to have such a large, accessible and safe site nearbyfor environmental volunteering.

Two volunteer groups maintain the site a conservation volunteer group and amental health group (the latter run along with the NHS). The mental health group

has been involved with Greenhead Moss for the past seven years.Volunteers in this group have the chance to meet new like-minded people,

remarked Aileen McKean, community project officer with North LanarkshireCouncil. They also find it within them to be more confident, make friends and feelpart of something other than their mental state.

By working together, all the volunteers have become supportive friends toeach other. The occupational therapists who work with the group and GreenheadMoss staff have all seen an improvement in personal confidence and overallmental health.

The rangers at Greenhead now rely heavily on the volunteer groups to achievemaintenance and management tasks. This helps maintain the park at a level thatvisitors expect.

In return, the volunteers get into a structured life with a routine, which buildstheir confidence and gives them a sense of achievement. I live locally and walk toand from the park, explained Darren, one of the group. The exercise is importantto me and has helped my physical ability and frame of mind. I have a mentalillness and being at Greenhead Moss keeps me fit, and happy to be out with agroup of good people.

You can find out more about the site and the volunteers atwww.greenheadmoss.org.uk


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Open-air gym

If youve ever thought about improving your health and well-being but been by running machines or Lycra, then you should take a look at the British TrusConservation Volunteers. Their award-winning alternative, the Green Gym, the opportunity to help the environment as well as yourself.

Experienced leaders guide you through a range of practical projects, givyou the opportunity to tackle physical jobs in the outdoors. These aim to imp

your strength and stamina, and boost your practical skills and confidence, aas benefit your local green spaces.

Sessions generally last half a day, with most groups run on a week day oweekend morning. Everyone works at their own pace and there are differentand tools to try out. Youll learn about environmental conservation and waysimprove your local surroundings.

Ive gone from having no confidence to my confidence going through throof, commented Fiona Hutcheson, a volunteer with the Fife Green Gym.

just been learning so much loads and loads of things!To find out more, go to www2.btcv.org.uk/display/greengym

Walk and talk

Walking is a great way to stay healthy and active. Across Scotland there arevolunteers leading health walks that range from 10 minutes up to an hour. TWalking for Health programme is designed to allow people to develop andprogress at their own pace, reaching whatever standards they set for thems

Christina McLeay has been a volunteer walk leader with Blairgowrie and

District Next Steps for five years. This involves leading the way, encouragingfolk on the walk and generally keeping an eye on them. Christina prepared frole by attending a Paths for All walk leader course and first aid training. Chnow leads health walks every week.

I really enjoy volunteering as a walk leader, Christina remarked. It getsout and about meeting people and helping them to be more healthy. The traI received makes me confident to lead walks, and we have a brilliant networvolunteers who support each other. It keeps me fit and healthy too, and I lovseeing people whove previously been slightly reluctant walkers coming on really looking forward to the next walk.

To find out more about Blairgowrie and District Next Steps go towww.badns.org

To find out more about the Walking for Health programme in Scotland gowww.pathsforall.org.uk/pfa/health-walks/get-walking.html

Ive gone from havingno confidence to myconfidence goingthrough the roof.

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Guardians of the pinewood

On first reading, the description of a capercaillieseems the stuff of legend.

Its the worlds largest grouse, with the males weighing inaround four kilogrammes roughly the size of a turkey while the females are about half that weight. So it certainly

seems apt that the Gaelic name for the bird is capall-coille(from which the English word comes) meaning horse of theforest!

The birds live in mature conifer forests and preferpinewoods where they eat conifer needles throughout thelate autumn, winter and early spring. This staple food isadded to with other plant material during the rest of the year.

In Britain, capercaillie occur only in Scotland. In fact,the latest national survey found that three-quarters of thepopulation lives within Badenoch and Strathspey. Theresearch was carried out by RSPB and SNH in the winterof 2009/10 and estimated the population at 1,228 birds.This figure was widely reported as a decline from theprevious figure of 1,980 in 2003/4, but the difference wasntstatistically significant.

Within living memory, this species was considered tobe a pest by some foresters, and in the 1970s there werethought to be as many as 20,000. However, since the firstformal survey in the early 1990s, every estimate has beenbetween 1,000 and 2,000 birds.

So why are numbers so low? Well, capercaillie face arange of pressures. First and foremost, theyre the victimsof weather patterns that have been influenced by climatechange. This year weve experienced an old-fashionedwinter, which rapidly turned to spring in April. This is ideal

for capercaillie, as it produces a flush of plant growth inthe spring, on which the females need to feed to get intogood breeding condition. However, these sorts of weatherconditions in winter/spring are the exception nowadaysrather than the rule. And the weather in June is critical too,as the chicks hatch then and are at risk from cold and wet inthe first three weeks of their life.

Recent research by the Game and Wildlife ConservationTrust, RSPB Scotland, Forestry Commission Scotland andSNH updated an earlier study that looked at factors affecting

The capercaillie is one of Scotlands mosticonic birds. But the population is facingchallenging times, as Sue Haysom ofSNHs species group reports


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The capercailliebecame extinct inScotland in 1785. Itwas reintroduced 50years later usingSwedish stock andflourished, but itspresent only in lownumbers now.

the number of chicks produced. The research found links with the weatherpatterns already described, but also discovered that the number of chicks bproduced had declined over the 18 years studied.

Pine marten droppings had increased almost four-fold and fox almostthree-fold compared with the original work. When weather and predators wconsidered together, there were fewer chicks produced when April was waand in forests with more pine martens and crows.

We cant do much about the weather in the short term, but fortunately wact on other issues that affect them. These include the quantity of good habthats available to the birds, the extent to which foxes and crows prey on the

deaths from collisions with deer fences and levels of disturbance.The number and size of partnership projects supporting this species sho

just how much the people of Scotland value this icon of our forests. Private managers have removed or marked 11.3 km of deer fences so far through tSpecies Action Framework; the Forestry Commission Challenge Fund has dwith 220 km; and the EU-Life Nature Project sorted another 40.6 km. Wevcreated new habitats and improved others.

And theres little doubt that we can all help this wonderful bird. If you maconifer woods, you can alter your management to suit capercaillie they fit with other management aims and support is available to offset any costs. Anif youre a birdwatcher or just like walking or cycling in the woods, you can baware that theyre very sensitive to disturbance. Please follow local requestskeep your dog on a short lead or under close control.

Capercaillie are often thought of as an umbrella species, which means you protect a habitat that supports them, then a huge range of other speciealso protected. So you can consider yourself a guardian of the forest if you your bit to help capercaillie.


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The Nature of Scotlan36

Reservefocus

Life on the edge

The windswept dunes of St Cyrus might seem a littleinhospitable as winter storms wreak havoc along thecoastline. But an amazing range of hardy plants andwildlife have made this harsh environment their home


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Located mid-way between Aberdeen and Dundee, St Cyrus National Nature Reshas one of the most varied stretches of coastline in northeast Scotland. A 4 km (miles) sweep of golden sand is backed by the natural barriers of inland cliffs anda seaward ridge of sand dunes. These protect the St Cyrus grasslands from theravages of the weather, creating a small strip of warmth for a huge variety of planbirds and insects.

The reserve musters an impressive 70 different species of breeding bird and over 300 kinds offlowering plant. Many of the plants are rare or at their northernmost limit in the UK. This varied pla

is a magnet for insects, with over 200 species of butterfly and moth recorded here. On a sunny dyou might spot the gentle dance of a common blue butterfly or the red flash of a cinnabar moth, areserve seems to be literally buzzing with life.

The reserve has a fascinating human history too, from the ancient kirkyard to the recent salmofishing industry. Salmon netting took place here for countless generations and the old net dryinggreens can still be seen, along with a collection of bothies and icehouses once used by the fishe

One of the best ways to discover the area is to follow the self-guided Tyrie Trail (named after lady who used to walk this route every day). Use the numbered map and directions in the text to you round.

1The cliffs and dunes atSt Cyrus support aremarkable range ofwildlife.

NetherWarburton

Viaduct

Nether Woodston

Church

Woodston

Kirkside

Scotston ofKirkside Graveyard

Kirksideformerfishingstation

Unsuitable forlong vehicles

Access forlong vehicles

To Stonehaven

ToMontrose

WoodstonB

urn

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Esk

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y r

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Montrose

Bay

A92

St CyrusBEACH

ROAD

Reserve boundary

Bird breeding area no access April to August

Visitor centre

Parking

Toilets

Tyrie Trail

Footpath/steep section

Main road

Minor road

Track

Woodland

Cliffs

Ashworth Maps and Interpretation Ltd 2011.Based on Ordnance Survey mapping. Crown copyrightand database right 2010. All rights reserved.Ordnance Survey Licence number SN H 100017908.

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mile

Kirksideformerfishingstation

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38 The Nature of ScotlandThe Nature of Scotland

2The smooth surface ofthese rocks isevidence that a riveronce ran over them.

3Look out forstonechats, whichhave a sharp loud callthat sounds like twostones being tappedtogether.

4Mineral-rich volcanicrocks have helpedcreate a rich variety ofplantlife on thereserve.

1

Start at the visitor centre building, which was originally built in the late 1800s asa lifeboat station. The line of the old lifeboat doors is still visible at the rear of thebuilding. The St Cyrus lifeboat only saw active service on a few occasions.

Nowadays, the visitor centre stands high and dry, but this was not always thecase. In the past, the River North Esk flowed north, past the visitor centre, and onout to sea. On a stormy night in 1879, the river fuelled with flood waters from

melting snow crashed through the dunes and carved a course straight out tosea.

Today, the visitor centre welcomes around 30,000 visitors each year. Followthe fenced path from the visitor centre and down onto the reserve.

2

A troop of Gurkhas built the wooden bridge in 1985 as a community benefittraining exercise, replacing an older bridge used by salmon fishermen. At thattime, sea water regularly flooded the flat land beneath the bridge. Sand duneshave since formed and prevent the area becoming flooded, although it stilloccasionally goes under water during a very high tide.

The stand of alder trees near the bridge has grown since the last big influx ofsea water in 2001. A particularly high tide brought both sea water and river waterfrom the River North Esk crashing onto the nature reserve. With it came aldercones washed down the river. The alder have since thrived in the damp, shelteredenvironment.

The reserve has a long history of salmon fishing, stretching back some 600years. As you walk along the track towards the wooden footbridge, look out forthe piece of old railway track embedded in the bankside. The track was onceused to moor fishing boats!

Walk past the bridge and down to the grassy track alongside the reed beds.


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4

The towering cliffs in front of you are relict sea cliffs. Duringthe last ice age, the sea battered these cliffs daily. Whenthe ice melted around 8,000 years ago, the cliffs were left

high and dry, as the land rose after the release of the weightof ice pressing down on it for thousands of years. Today,the volcanic rock of the cliffs weathers easily, releasingprecious minerals into the soil. Its these minerals, togetherwith shelter provided by the cliffs, which help several plantspecies survive at their northern UK limit here.

In spring and summer, the cliffs are home to fulmars,which fly back from the sea to breed. They lay specialelongated eggs on the narrow ledges which, if knocked, spinaround rather than roll off the cliffs. Fulmars have a specialdefence against predators they spit a very foul-smellingfishy vomit, which is enough to deter the most determined

fox!Peregrine falcons live on the cliffs year round. Theyusually raise between one and three young, which can beheard shrieking around the skies in early July. Peregrines usea dive-bombing technique to kill their prey. They stoop fromgreat heights and reach speeds of up to 290 km per hour(180 miles per hour) to catch their victim.

Take the broad path past the gate and towards the oldkirkyard.

Stop at the low rocky outcrop at the start of the track. Theserocks once formed the western bank of the River North Esk,before it changed course. The force of the water rushingpast has smoothed the rocks, and small pebbles carried inthe water have ground out the round swirl pools on the top.

Walk on towards the tall reed beds. These are commonreed, and they come alive with the croaking of frogs and toadsin the spring time. The reeds can grow up to three metres

high and provide shelter for a host of birds. Listen out for thegrating call of reed bunting, the chat-chat-chat of stonechatand, if youre lucky, the high-speed trill of a grasshopperwarbler, visiting from its wintering grounds in north Africa.

Continue along the grassy track, past some gorse bushesthat smell of coconut when theyre in bloom.

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St Cyrus is one ofover 50 nationalnature reserves inScotland. Find outmore at www.nnr-scotland.org.uk.

5Common blue butterflyresting on a clusteredbellflower at St Cyrus.

6The reserve is nevermore than 500 metreswide.

The Nature of Scotland

As you walk along, look down towardsthe reed beds where you stoppedearlier. The route of the old river channelis clearly visible. The old channel is very

low lying and stays wet for most of theyear. In the winter, rain water buildsup in this area. Wading birds, suchas curlew and oystercatcher, hunt forworms in the wet ground.

The dry, sandy dune grasslandalongside the old river channel is awashwith colour in the spring and summermonths. Look out for vibrant purpleclustered bellflower, which is at itsnorthern UK limit here. Restharrow andladys bedstraw carpet the dunes in a

beautiful sea of pink and yellow.Continue along the track backtowards the visitor centre.

5

The walk back to the visitor centrepasses two buildings on the left, bothof which have strong links with theformer fishing industry. The first is a

curious low building, built down intothe ground, with a grassed roof. This isa former icehouse, now converted intoresidential accommodation.

In the past, salmon fishermen wouldcut ice from the frozen River NorthEsk in the winter time and carry it tothe icehouse. The grassed roof andearth surrounds of the building helpedto retain the cold and create a giantrefrigerator perfect for keeping fishfresh before going to market!

The second and larger of the twobuildings is Kirkside Bothy. This bothywas home to the salmon fishermen,their nets and equipment until the1990s. Commercial salmon fishingended at St Cyrus in 2007. However,the legacy of the fishing industry is stillvery visible, with several fishing bothieslocated on the reserve and icehouseson the cliffs at Woodston and Rockhall.

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Essential information

St Cyrus is 6.5 km north of Montrose, off the A92 road.Theres a bus service from Aberdeen and Montrose to StCyrus village.

The visitor centre and toilets are open daily from April toOctober and Monday to Friday from November to March.There are picnic benches, interpretation panels and leafletdispensers.

OS maps

Explorer 382 (Arbroath, Montrose & Carnoustie)Landranger 45 (Stonehaven & Banchory)

Trail length

1.5 km (1 mile)

Terrain

The tracks are generally level, but some are grassed tracksand are uneven in places. Theres a 30 cm step near to thekirkyard, approximately halfway around the trail. The trail isntsuitable for wheelchairs.

Dogs

Please follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code and localguidance at the reserve. Take extra care to avoid disturbingbirds, especially between 1 April and 31 July, when many

birds nest on the ground. Please keep your dog(s) undclose control or on a short lead at sensitive times andcomply with any notices you see. A short lead is taken two metres, and under close control means the dog isto respond to your commands and is kept close at hee

Further information

You can download a leaflet about the reserve atwww.nnr-scotland.org.uk/publications.asp?reserve

You can contact SNH on 01674 830 736.

Nearby natural attractions

Montrose Basin is an enclosed estuary of the River SoEsk and provides rich feeding grounds for over 50,000migratory birds each year. The Scottish Wildlife Trust VCentre provides panoramic views across the basin, wittelescopes and remote cameras offering magnificent vof the wildlife. You may spot sand martins in the man-m

sand martin bank, glimpse a kingfisher fishing in the poin front of the centre, or watch common and arctic ternnesting on a floating tern raft.

The spectacular cliffs at Fowlsheugh some 5 kmsouth of Stonehaven are packed with 130,000 breedseabirds in the spring and summer, including guillemotrazorbills and kittiwakes. You may also see puffins andfulmars, and keep a look out too for grey seals, dolphinminke whales.


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Canal pal

People in the Highlands now havesomeone to help them enjoy the

heritage and wildlife of the CaledonianCanal, with the appointment of StephenWiseman as environment and heritageofficer. Based in Inverness, hell beworking along the length of the canalwith local communities, schools andvisitors to encourage people to use andcare for the historic waterway.

The Caledonian Canal runs alongthe Great Glen for 100 km (62 miles)and was built in the 1800s, overseenby the famous engineer Thomas Telford.It passes through some spectacularnatural lochs, as well as a series ofman-made channels and lock systems.

A key role for Stephen is to increasethe number of people enjoying thecanal, and his work will include settingup and supporting walking groups,volunteers and photography projects,as well as involving rural skills classesfrom local high schools. The post ismanaged by the Waterways TrustScotland, and supported with fundingfrom LEADER, the Heritage Lottery

Fund, SNH and British WaterwaysScotland. Local communities arebacking the project, which will providetraining opportunities for local people,along with another boost to localtourism.

Popular place

Its proved to be a busy spring at CreagMeagaidh National Nature Reserve, for

both wildlife and visitors. The annualsurvey of black grouse on the reserverecorded 72 males, a record number.

This was good news for visitors whocame along to our guided black grousewatches and were rewarded with goodviews of the lek, the mating displayof the birds. Although black grousenumbers can vary from year to year, itsan encouraging sign, and we hope thatthe birds will benefit from the increasein native woodland on Creag Meagaidh.

Like all national nature reserves, akey part of the management is aboutenabling people to visit and enjoynature first hand. Reserve managerRory Richardson is delighted that over3,000 people visited Creag Meagaidhthis spring.

Weve recently upgraded the carpark and put in new low-level paths,he commented, so there are moreopportunities for people to access andenjoy the reserve. Creag Meagaidh haslots to offer, whether youre looking for

a mountain experience or are happy totake a short stroll and admire the viewsfrom afar.

Art for health

A new community-based programmehelping people face up to mental health

challenges has been backed by SNH.Highland Print Studio in Inverness isan open access visual arts facility thatspecialises in printmaking and digitalimaging. Its developed a course aimedat helping adults improve their mentalhealth through learning new artisticskills and how to use them creatively.Around 24 adults have been offeredplaces through a referral system set upby Highland Council community mentalhealth team.

The natural world is central to thecourse work and the people involvedgo on field visits to seek inspiration fortheir work (such as the example above)Delivery of health and well-being isone of SNHs core priorities and ourinput of 5,000 funding has helpedget the project off the ground. Therich Highland environment is a greatasset to health and well-being, so itsfantastic to see a local project makingthe most of our outstanding local natureand landscapes to improve peoples

health.The project runs for a year and will

end with a final exhibition. Its hopedthat the participants will continue toenjoy the environment and use thestudio to develop their own work after itfinishes.

SNH Area NewsSouth HighlandCorrespondents: Anne Murray, Kenny Nelson



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Birding hot spot

One of northeast Scotlands top wildlifewatching sites is sporting a new bird

hide this summer. SNH will be lookingafter the new hide at Forvie NationalNature Reserve, which has replaced thepopular one that the local council built.

The hide overlooks the Ythanestuary at Waulkmill, a vast areaof mudflats, reed beds and nearbyfields. Bird life is plentiful here, withthe summer acrobatics of diving ternsand the determined stabbing of thecarrot-coloured beaks of wadingoystercatchers.

Inquisitive seals can be seen fartherout in the water, and over 22,000 pink-footed geese have been counted usingthe estuary and nearby fields. Visitorsalso often see large numbers of otherbirds such as lapwing, golden ploverand redshank.

The mud in front of the hide containsmillions of tiny shrimps, worms andsnails. These are a vital source of foodfor migrating and overwintering birds,making the hides location a terrific onefor bird watching.

The hide is now really comfortableand light and airy inside, commentedAnnabel Drysdale, Forvie reservemanager. Its a great spot for people toview the thousands of birds, includingospreys, which come to the Ythan everyyear.

No fooling

What comes to mind when you thinkabout Scotland tartan, whisky, the

Loch Ness Monster, mist or midges?Two scientists recently confirmedthe discovery of a midge completelynew to science that they first cameacross some 10 years ago on ournational nature reserve at Loch Leven.So what, you may think? Who needsanother species of midge?

Well, this is a non-biting one and,irritating as midges can be, theyrea vital food supply for other animals.Loch Leven is renowned for its waterbirds, as well as being one of the finesttrout fisheries in Scotland. Indeed, thehumble midge is such an important partof our wildlife that its recognised in oneof the sculptures at Loch Leven (shownabove).

So the next time youre enjoying theoutdoors and being bitten, try to thinkof all of the other midges out there thatarent biting you it will make you feelmuch better! Now, if the non-bitingones were to become more common...

In case you think this is a late April

Fools Day story, you can read about itin the Dipterists Digest, volume 17 for2010!

SNH Area NewsTayside and GrampianCorrespondents: Annabel Drysdale, Ewen Cameron, Craig Nisbet

What a view

The recently completed heritage tLoch Leven National Nature Rese

leads from RSPB Vane Farm oveRiver Leven and into the Levenmowoods. A gap in the trees there bthe path close to the loch shore,offering excellent views of BenartHowever, it also meant that walkecyclists and dogs were disturbinginternationally important flocks of geese and swans.

Inspired by new screening at Vane Farm, 19 pupils from HillsidResidential School at Aberdour inFife decided to help. They designcut and installed 50 upright, localScots pine planks with help from teachers, along with SNH staff anvolunteers. They cut silhouettes owildlife into the planks, including asize wingspan of a sea eagle, a skgeese, a red squirrel and an ottershapes allow visitors to view the land its wildlife without disturbing

The animal silhouettes are qustriking, commented Craig NisbeLoch Leven rese

scottish national heritage - the nature of scotland summer 2011 issue_12

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