Wildlife & Conservation
Why the mink must be exterminated
Mink are not cute and they’re not cuddly – this is one alien invader our indigenous wildlife could happily live without. At the time of Neanderthal man, animal skins were worn as a necessity against the elements. Indeed, without them life would have been well nigh impossible. These days, attitudes towards wearing fur clothing change…
Read MoreOur guide to Scottish wildlife spots continues
Scottish Field’s guide to the best places to enjoy the best of the country’s wildlife continues. We bring you 10 more places to go and see some of the fantastic creatures we have – at land, at sea and in the air – and where we recommend to see them. Click to read PART ONE…
Read MoreHave your say and pick Scotland’s Tree of the Year
Six trees are in the running for Scotland’s Tree of the Year. Organised by the Woodland Trust, they are looking for people’s favourite wooden growth in Scotland. The contenders are: The Cadzow Oak, Chatelherault Country Park, Hamilton This is one of 300 very ancient oaks growing on what were the hunting grounds of the Duke…
Read MoreThey are helping Scotland’s wildlife to a full recovery
Caring for Scotland’s wildlife is back in focus next week. This new documentary series takes a look inside the Scottish SPCA’s wildlife rescue centre. The sixth episode is due to be shown next Monday, 8 April, There’s excitement in the bird centre as a juvenile raven comes in with a broken wing – the combined…
Read MoreImprove your deer management skills with BDS
Thinking of taking your deer management skills to the next level? The British Deer Society has three courses already scheduled for 2019 across the UK. Developed and taught by some of the leading experts in the industry, over three days, the Deer Management Course covers a wealth of topics such as population dynamics, census techniques,…
Read MoreThe search is on for Scotland’s Tree of the Year
The Woodland Trust is calling for the public’s nominations to find Scotland’s Tree of the Year 2018. Previous winners include the Suffragette Oak in Glasgow, The ‘Ding Dong’ Tree in Prestonpans and the Big Tree in Kirkwall, Orkney. Is there a tree in your area which can follow them? The winning tree will receive a…
Read MoreMark is a man on a mission – to save salmon
The Atlantic Salmon Trust’s new chief executive is on a mission to find out why its numbers are falling. Mark Bilsby has been named as the new chief executive officer (CEO) of the trust, replacing Sarah Bayley Slater who leaves the post after two and a half years. With more than 20 years’ experience as…
Read MoreVolunteers wanted to keep Scotland’s beaches tidy
Volunteers are being sought to help keep Scotland’s coastline clean and beautiful. Macduff Marine Aquarium will be leading the charge next weekend, with a fun filled couple of days, to get ready for British summertime. On the weekend of 24 and 25 March, the Aberdeenshire aquarium team will be sharing top tips on how to…
Read MoreLooking at the sad decline of Scottish kestrels
I have long had a soft spot for a creature that was once our most common bird of prey. And I came across one again recently, shut in a boiler room at the Aberfeldy Distillery – a dapper little male kestrel. As thin as a wraith, it weighed less than four ounces, when normally it should…
Read MoreTales of the riverbank as beavers pose a problem
As beavers continue their rapid colonisation of Tayside, Strathearn and Strathmore, seeping their way effortlessly into river systems, there is growing disenchantment amongst the farming fraternity, and mounting worries about how to deal with the issues arising daily. Whilst on the one hand, conservationists and many members of the public are ecstatic about the beaver’s…
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