Highland communities help wildlife
A three year programme comprising 24 local biodiversity projects and drawing together the efforts of over 250 volunteers across Highland drew to a close this summer.
The ‘Communities Project for Highland Biodiversity’ attracted nearly £100,000 to projects ranging from the production of a wildlife yearbook in Wester Ross to the planting of locally sourced and grown wildflowers in Caithness.
The programme was managed by the Highland Biodiversity Partnership.
Chairperson Cllr Audrey Sinclair said “I was delighted to be involved in the delivery of some of these fantastic and worthwhile local projects. The numbers speak for themselves: over 2,250 participants took part in 97 events. I am especially pleased that the projects involved over 1,000 children from 21 schools.”
Events ranged from open evenings to identify sites of biodiversity importance in Caithness, to wildlife survey training days held in Ross-shire and Inverness & Nairn. The school projects were led by the Council Rangers. Sutherland Rangers organised puppet shows and field trips to encourage and help children to collect seed and plant native trees. In Caithness, primary children produced art walls and tea towels depicting their favourite wildlife.
Councillor Sinclair continued: “I am also delighted to see the level of support this project has attracted from Countryside Rangers and other members of our Local Biodiversity Groups. This in-kind support was not costed into the funding bid, but was extremely significant. I think it fair to say that if it was not for the dedication of the project leaders and many unpaid volunteers, we would not have achieved nearly so much.”
Volunteers were trained in removing and spraying invasive non-native species like Japanese knotweed and Rhododendron ponticum. Rare species such as water voles, elvers (eels) and aspen woodland were monitored, and survey training was provided to encourage new wildlife enthusiasts to identify and record their local wildlife.
The programme was supported by the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund, and received match funding from The Highland Council, Scottish Natural Heritage, Highlands & Islands Enterprise and RSPB Scotland.
Colin McLean, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund in Scotland, commented: “What better way to celebrate the International Year of Biodiversity than to look at the amazing successes of this project. Across the Highlands, people have been stimulated to take an interest in nature. They have learned new skills, discovered new passions and played their part as custodians of our wonderful natural heritage.”
Further details on the projects and the 23 publications, datasets and displays that were produced through it are available on the Partnership website www.highlandbiodiversity.com. If you would like to find out more or get involved in local biodiversity projects, please contact The Highland Council’s Biodiversity Officers Janet Bromham or Jonathan Willet on 01463 702274.