Highland amphibian and reptile surveyors receive plaudits at national conference

The Community Greenspace Wildlife Audit Project which has run in Easter Ross and the Black Isle for the last three years as part of the Local Biodiversity Action Plan recently received praise from the National Amphibian & Reptile Recording Scheme at their national conference.

At the conference (held in January) the Highland area was highlighted as the area that provided most opportunities for training since the start of the NARRS project. Highland was also acknowledged as the area which had the best take up of people going on to carry out these very important surveys that will bring the knowledge of where amphibians and reptiles inhabit the British Isles.

This local project run by Highland Council’s Countryside Ranger Martin Hind has provided training in the NARRS survey for the public allow them to get involved and contribute to national records.

Martin Hind said: “Each of the workshops was well attended and led by local experts in their field with David O’Brien showing us how to identify smooth from great crested newts along with other signs to look for when looking for the five amphibian species we have in the Highlands in four workshops.

“Martin Gaywood led the two reptile workshops which looked for adders, slow worms and common lizards. The adders proved elusive during the field trips but a few records have been sent in since. Anecdotally people feel that adders are much less common than they used to be unless you know where there are good populations – do get in touch.”

David McAllister led a joint workshop at Dornoch under the same project with the help of David O’Brien. The Community Greenspace Wildlife Audit Project has also run number of other workshops including ones for the Scottish Badger Distribution Survey, Highland Red Squirrels Survey and the British Dragonfly Atlas.

There will be future workshops for a range of flora and fauna species for people to get involved.  Anyone interested in receiving information on these workshops can e-mail Martin Hind at martin.hind@highland.gov.uk.

This project is one of 24 being undertaken in Highland with assistance from the Highland Biodiversity Partnership.  It is supported by the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund, and receives match funding from Highland Council, Scottish Natural Heritage, Highlands & Islands Enterprise and RSPB Scotland.