Environment

Communities in Carstairs Junction, Coalburn and Coulter are being asked to take part in a walking, cycling and wheeling mapping consultation between now and 18 October, to help create new active travel maps and wayfinding.

Integrating woodland on new entrant farms and crofts

This interactive lunchtime webinar will be hosted by Lynbreck Croft, who will share their experiences of woodland expansion and tree planting, navigating grant systems and providing practical advice.  You will also hear from Lyn White, Scottish Forestry who will outline the grants options available to support woodland expansion on new entrant farms and crofts.  Finally, the webinar will feature a virtual tour of the Glensaugh Farm Agrofores

One of Scotland’s largest community buyouts that has appeared at risk in recent weeks has received a major boost thanks to a £0.5 million pledge from the Dunblane-based Carman Family Foundation.

The community of the small town of Langholm in Dumfries and Galloway aims to buy 10,500 acres of Langholm Moor – jointly valued at £6 million – from Buccleuch’s Borders Estate.

Members of the Rural Youth Project community have rallied to have their voices heard on the climate crisis, partnering with YouthLink Scotland to co-host a webinar on 12 August at 11:00 am (BST).

The webinar, ‘How YOU(th) can be a leader for change’, will empower and encourage young people to find their voice, influence policy and give practical tips on how to create grassroots movements.

A wildlife app launched by the Bumblebee Conservation Trust gives users a new view of bumblebees through an augmented reality 3D function.

The free ‘What’s That Bumblebee’ app lets people engage with nature in a different and fun way by bringing a three-dimensional bumblebee to virtual life in the user’s own garden or living room, for studying in detail and with the option of capturing images to send to family and friends.

The Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust is calling on members of the public to record their at-sea excursions and sightings of whales, dolphins, porpoises and endangered basking sharks off Scotland’s west coast to boost monitoring efforts and strengthen understanding of the coronavirus lockdown’s impact on these animals.

Scientists from the University of St Andrews will undertake the first comprehensive study of the carbon stored in Scotland’s coastal wetlands and their vital role in the fight against climate change.

Record numbers of volunteers took part in research expeditions organised by the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust last year, helping to launch a new year-round programme of monitoring marine mammals and basking sharks in the Hebrides. 

The Scottish Government has published a new strategy to ensure the country's nature is protected and restored with flourishing biodiversity.
 
By 2045 the strategy will help to transform Scotland and secure the wellbeing of the environment and biodiversity by restoring nature and ending Scotland’s contribution to climate change. This will mean Scotland:

Rural projects that protect the environment and mitigate the impact of climate change will share £34 million.

A total of 472 businesses will benefit from the latest award of Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) funding, which promotes environmentally friendly land management practices and looks to protect and enhance Scotland’s natural heritage.

This brings the total committed to rural businesses under AECS since 2015 to more than £211 million, benefiting almost 3,000 applicants.

Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing said:

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