Scottish Biodiversity Week comes to Caithness and Sutherland

15th to 23rd May 2010 is Scottish biodiversity week and Highland Council's Countryside Rangers in the North Highlands have organised an exciting variety of guided walks and events to celebrate our marvelous diversity of wildlife.

There will be opportunities to see pufiins at Dunbeath, orchids at Achmelvich, dolphins at Strathy Point, wildflowers at Inchnadamph and much, much more. Participants can try pond dipping at Skelbo forest near Dornoch or get up close and familiar with the creatures that live in the mudflats at Loch Fleet. 

After a cold and gloomy winter now is the time to get out and about and see some of the wildlife spectacles the North has to offer on our doorstep. May is one of the best months to see wildlife and the North Highlands offers such a great wealth of birds, animals and plant. Using the local knowledge of the Rangers will offer the best chance to see some of the real specialities of the North Highlands. The walks are designed to suit all ages and abilities. There is a small charge for the events.

Senior Highland Council Countryside Ranger Andy Summers said “We are all part of Scotland’s incredible variety of living things – the animals and plants that exist everywhere around us. This is our biodiversity. It is fragile and shrinking but we can all help to protect it. We all have a responsibility to look after Scotland’s biodiversity so that it continues to support and enrich our lives. Even small steps can make a big difference and there are many ways you can contribute by making small changes to your daily routine and helping within your local community.”

Scottish Biodiversity Week has been held annually since 2001 and has become a national fixture in the Scottish calendar. This year it will run from 15th to 23rd May 2010, taking in International Biodiversity Day on 22nd May – the latter is promoted by the Convention on Biological Diversity Secretariat.  2010 is a very special year as it also the International Year of Biodiversity as declared by the United Nations.

For further details of events in your area, visit the Countryside Rangers events page.