Dog owners pledge to remove over 22 million pieces of litter

An environmental group from Stonehaven has received huge international support in its bid to clean up on plastic. More than 15,000 dog owners have joined the ranks of the Paws on Plastic campaign. The group of dog owners pledge to pick up a couple of pieces of litter on every walk, every day, removing over…

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Scots distillery to auction cask for Australian crisis

Lindores Abbey Distillery will auction one of its exclusive Australian casks to raise money for the victims of the devastating Australian wild fires this week. The cask, a 300L LPA American Hogshead, was previously filled with Australian De Bortoli 15 y/o Muscat and will be auctioned online through Whisky Auctioneer who have generously waived their…

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Enjoy visiting NTS locations and events with Lidl

The National Trust for Scotland and Lidl have teamed up to give families a warm feeling this winter, thanks to some special offers in their Lidl Book of Big Adventures. The latest edition of the booklet, which combines Lidl’s affordable in-store range, from craft materials to outdoor clothing with the conservation charity’s places, events and…

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Ready for the second Great Borders River Clean

Towns and villages across the Borders region will take part in the second Great Borders River Clean next weekend. The first event, held in October saw more than twenty communities come together to clear 1.85 tons of rubbish from rivers and waterways. A total of 304 people took part and the event’s organiser, St Mary’s…

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Birdwatchers will take flight to Elgin next month

Birdwatchers are set to flock to Elgin for an annual conference in March. Each spring, the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club (SOC) and the British Trust for Ornithology BTO) organise a one-day conference, attracting over 200 bird enthusiasts from around the country. This year, the event it is being hosted by the Moray branch of the SOC…

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Bog Squad celebrates six years of success in peatlands

Wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation celebrates six years of the incredibly successful Bog Squad initiative next month. Begun in 2014 this Squad, of volunteers established and managed by Butterfly Conservation Scotland, is tasked to carry out rehabilitation works on damaged peat bogs across the Scottish Lowlands. These volunteers are working on the front lines in the…

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Snowdrop Festival blossoms around Scotland for 2020

Winter will soon give way to spring and snowdrops will bloom across Scotland, carpeting the country with this popular flowering plant. From 25 January to 11 March, 35 of Scotland’s finest gardens, woodlands, and estates will open their doors for the 14th year of this beloved festival. Properties including the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh; Attadale…

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Police to train specialists in wildlife crime

New police training to detect and investigate instances of wildlife crime has been welcomed by Scottish Land & Estates. Cabinet Secretary Roseanna Cunningham MSP has announced that Police Scotland has today (Monday 20 January) launched a new wildlife crime investigators course to enhance capability in this complex area of local policing. It comes after a…

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Becky puts best feet forward for struggling gardeners

An Edinburgh horticulture student will walk more than 150 miles along the Great Wall of China to raise money for struggling gardeners. Becky Cross, who is studying Horticulture with Plantsmanship at Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), is hoping to raise £3000 for Perennial – a charity which supports people working in horticulture. The challenge will see…

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The drooping saxifrage – a flower of Scotland

Saxifraga cernua, more colloquially known as the ‘drooping saxifrage’ is a common alpine plant across the Arctic. They are found all over the high northern hemisphere, from the year-round Siberian permafrost, to the basaltic northern climes of Iceland – and every icy plain in between. This flower is my all-time favourite. Striking white petals against…

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