Posts Tagged ‘conservation’
Scottish wildcats on the last of their nine lives
With wildcat numbers dwindling, is there hope for Scotland’s feisty feline? It was only as recently at 1988 that wildcats received the full protection of the law. Before that they were snared, trapped, shot, stuffed and poisoned (a wildcat sporran lurks in our cupboard, a relic from a Victorian relative), and it took a long…
Read MoreOver 635,000 people flocked to see Dippy the dinosaur
After delighting more than 635,000 visitors Dippy, the Natural History Museum London’s famous dinosaur, has bowed out to rapturous applause at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. Following a record-breaking stop in Glasgow, Dippy is being dismantled and packed away, ready to head to Great North Museum: Hancock, opening there on 18 May. Newcastle upon Tyne…
Read MoreThe Scottish newt is a natural born survivor
Around for a million years, adapted to land and sea, and with remarkable regenerative powers, the newt is a creature like no other. I have long been fascinated by newts. If they survive the attentions of their many predators, they may be fairly longlived. They also have an extraordinary ability to regenerate various parts of…
Read MoreThere’s more to Selkirk than you may have thought
Anyone who lives outwith Scotland’s smaller towns and villages could perhaps have the impression that life is very quiet there. They may live under the view that every day is pretty much the same – but that’s a total misconception. The life of Selkirk, and its wonderfully diverse population, feature in a new four-disc DVD…
Read MoreA period property that is full of distinction
A charming Georgian house in a conservation village is now on the market. Presented to the market by Savills, Oak Lodge in Inveresk Village, Musselburgh, is a charming B Listed family home of considerable character. On an elevated site, the house has a delightful south-westerly aspect over its walled garden, to the Pentland hills in…
Read MoreA new battle of Culloden – to save it for the future
The National Trust for Scotland is this week launching a public consultation to try and ensure the long-term protection of Culloden Moor, the site of the 1745 battle. This pivotal moment in Scotland’s history was where the 1745 Jacobite Rising came to a tragic and brutal end in one of the most harrowing battles in…
Read MoreNew records set in 2019 big farmland bird count
Scots farmers have played their part in the best-ever year for the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust’s Big Farmland Bird Count. Results show 1,400 people – a 40 per cent increase on last year – recorded 140 species over 1 million acres in the GWCT initiative which took place between 8 and 17 February 2019.…
Read MoreFundraising for our seas is in the picture
A Stirlingshire artist who was inspired by the TV series Blue Planet II is selling art will help raise funds for the UK seas. Dunblane artist, Jeremy Wyatt, will support the Marine Conversation Society as his latest exhibition has been inspired by the sea, and he says he’ll be giving half the proceeds from the sale…
Read MoreNTS looking for new board of trustees members
Members of the National Trust for Scotland are being offered the opportunity to apply to join the election process for the charity’s board of trustees. From coastlines to castles, art to architecture, wildlife to wilderness, the Trust cares for heritage sites across Scotland and Trustees will play a key role aiding the Trust in encouraging…
Read MoreScans reveal water damage to a Mackintosh classic
State of the art survey techniques have revealed the severity of water damage to an iconic Charles Rennie Mackintosh property. The surveys, carried out in partnership between the National Trust for Scotland – who own and care for the Hill House in Helensburg – and Historic Environment Scotland, shows the extent of the damp and…
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