Good News for local wildlife
The second Inverness and Nairn Biodiversity Forum took place just before Christmas and highlighted a selection of activities that have taken place in the area to raise the awareness and protect and restore our biodiversity. The event was an opportunity for local wildlife and environment groups to showcase their work. There were six presentations ranging from the Caledonian Canal to the Abriachan Forest Trust.
The speakers highlighted the large number of people involved in biodiversity projects all over Inverness and Nairn. The Highland Council Ranger Service worked with over 2500 people and 99 schools in 2012. The Conservation Volunteers Scotland worked with 48 volunteers, 15 of whom have gone on to employment or further education. Both of these organisations have worked with the Merkinch Local Nature Reserve Group taking forward activities and projects there.
Christine Matheson from the Abriachan Forest Trust described the many creative projects they undertake while also managing a productive forest. Learning outdoors in Abriachan has been proved to be a great success and an innovative education programme has developed, such as with pupils who are not able to attend full-time primary or secondary education have benefited from focussed work developed specifically for them in discussion with their teachers.
John Parrott from Coille Alba presented the Lower Ness Invasive Non-native Plants Project, explaining the background to the project and focussing on work in the Glenurquhart catchment and Lower Ness catchment. Work is continuing and a detailed schedule of work is planned for 2013. All this effort is reclaiming the riverbanks and burnsides for native vegetation to colonise. Work started in 2012 by the Findhorn, Nairn and Lossie Fishery Trust on the River Nairn is seeking to do the same.
Trees for Life is committed to restoring the Caledonian forest, particularly focusing on work in Glen Affric and on their Dundreggan Estate. Trees for Life planted its one millionth tree in 2012 and has created 10,000 acres of new Caledonian Forest in the last 20 years. It has pledged to establish one million more trees by planting and natural regeneration within the next five years.
The final presentation was from Stephen Wiseman of the Scottish Waterways Trust presented the Caledonian Canal Environment & Heritage Project. It’s highlight was the 'Go wild on the Canal' event, which aimed to reach out to the Caledonian Canal's neighbours in Inverness. Live traditional music, a birds of prey display, face and t-shirt painting, heritage ship tours, bike 'top gear' tests, a climbing wall and good food were all well received by a massive 2500 audience over the six hours of festivities!
Jonathan Willet the job-share Biodiversity Officer for The Highland Council said: "National action on biodiversity is taking a bit of time to catch up with all this local activity, but hopefully it will soon and then things will really start to happen on a large scale. There is a huge amount of local activity that we, to a certain extent, take for granted. This amount of activity did not happen twenty or even ten years ago. So this is a very positive message to take out of the event."
The Easter Ross Biodiversity Group are planning a similar evening to showcase local wildlife-related projects in Dingwall Academy on Wednesday 20 February, from 7-9pm. Anyone interested should contact Janet Bromham on 01463 702274 or janet.bromham@highland.gov.uk for further information.
The next Inverness and Nairn Biodiversity Forum will be held in November 2013 in Inverness.