29 Apr 2019
Scotland’s geodiversity supports a complex mosaic of habitats that host a wide range of species. The value of geodiversity as part of nature and natural diversity is not only in the presence of rocky crags and islands, and a varied landscape that provides a range of habitats. It also lies in the ongoing processes that are continually shaping our slopes, river banks and dynamic coasts.
25 Apr 2019
We are very used to hearing about the two key culprits responsible for the decline of butterflies and moths in our countryside - habitat loss and climate change, but a third ‘driver’ increasingly being identified as guilty is nitrogen, the two main sources being vehicles and farming.
15 Apr 2019
Crystal clear waters, tumbling through a rock-strewn channel - a scene that is encountered throughout Scotland. But in some of these watercourses, a truly special species can be found. The Freshwater pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera) is one of the most critically endangered molluscs in the world. Up to a half of the world’s remaining population are found in Scotland. As a nation, we therefore have an international responsibility
15 Apr 2019
Scotland supports six species of native amphibian and four native reptile species. Common frogs and common toads are perhaps the most well recorded species, being obvious in parks and gardens during spring breeding and migration. In recent decades our most common amphibian and reptile species are under threat from habitat loss and fragmentation, introduced diseases, pollution and climate change.
09 Apr 2019
A popular feature of Scotland’s countryside for over 40 years is now experiencing a critical decline. With this decline comes a threat to your enjoyment of the countryside and to the habitats and species that form our wonderful natural environment. What is this popular feature? Well, you may well have met them, heard them on […]
08 Apr 2019
Asking what the EU has ever done for the environment in Scotland – and indeed the rest of the UK – is like the scene in Monty Python’s Life of Brian, where they question: “What have the Romans ever done for us?” The answer, of course, is similarly long and impressive. Two especially important pieces of EU law that have afforded many years of critical protection for our wildlife
05 Apr 2019
Bats can tell us a lot about the state of the environment, as they are top predators of common nocturnal insects and are sensitive to changes in land use practices. The pressures they face - such as landscape change, agricultural intensification, development, and habitat fragmentation are also relevant to many other wildlife species, making them excellent indicators for the wider health of the UK's wildlife.
04 Apr 2019
What kind of country do we want to live in? What do we want our countryside to look like? What wildlife and landscapes do we want to protect so we can hand them on to future generations? These questions take on an alarming urgency in a time of unprecedented political turmoil and ecological crisis. No matter what the outcome of current political negotiations, there is a risk that Scotland’s wildlife could be under significant threat as a result.
25 Mar 2019
Mighty ancient Scots pine forests are home to red squirrels, Scottish wildcats and capercaillie. Carbon-rich deep peat moorland hosts an abundance of butterflies and insects. Temperate Atlantic rainforests teem with more than 500 species of mosses, ferns, lichens and liverworts. And that’s just three of Scotland’s many important habitats.
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