Training Day at Skye

The Highland Council Rangers in Skye and Lochalsh are coordinating a National Amphibian and Reptile Recording Scheme (NARRS) training day at Breakish Hall on Skye on Saturday 9th April 2008.

The training day will be conducted by Chris Gleed-Owen of the Herpetological Conservation Trust, who said: “There are many good reasons why we need the National Amphibian and Reptile Recording Scheme. It will provide information we are currently lacking on the status of amphibians and reptiles in Britain, but it will also raise awareness and appreciation of these often-maligned animals, and encourage people to get involved in recording and conservation.”

NARRS is a national wildlife-monitoring project to measure trends in the conservation status of all UK species of frog, toad, newt, lizard, snake, turtle and terrapin.  It will rely upon the efforts of many trained volunteers, but also the help of the general public taking part in recording campaigns. NARRS has been developed by The Herpetological Conservation Trust in partnership with many other organisations.

Councillor Drew Hendry, Chairman of The Highland Council’s Planning, Environment and Development Committee said: “This is an excellent example of partnership working where Highland Council can link up with other organisations and volunteers for the benefit of our natural environment. We also have to remember that the ecology of the Highlands depends on all creatures and not just the cute, feathered and fluffy ones. I hope that we get a good turn out of volunteers willing to learn how to record our Highland amphibians and reptiles.”

Knowledge about the distribution and status of even our common reptiles and amphibians is poor in parts of the Highlands due, at least in part, to a lack of people trained in recording these animals. The National Amphibian and Reptile Scheme aims to address this problem by training people in survey and identification of reptiles and amphibians.

To register an interest in attending the NARRS training on Skye, contact: Highland Council’s Senior Countryside Ranger, John Phillips for Ross, Cromarty, Skye and Lochalsh at the Planning and Development Service, Old Corry Industrial Estate
Broadford on the Isle of Skye by telephone/fax: 01471 822 905 or e-mail: john.phillips@highland.gov.uk

For further information about NARRS see: www.narrs.org.uk