Celebrating UNESCO recognition for the Flow Country
Today’s confirmation that the Flow Country has become Scotland’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site inscribed for its globally important ecosystem has been warmly welcomed by Wildland’s Chief Executive Tim Kirkwood.
UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee has approved the bid at its congress in New Delhi, awarding the designation, reserved for places of special cultural, historical or scientific significance, for the Flow Country’s outstanding universal value in ecosystem quality and processes.
Tim Kirkwood commented:
“Congratulations to everyone involved in this very special moment of celebration. Securing UNESCO World Heritage Site status is a huge achievement for the Flow Country Partnership after so many years spent carefully building the scientific, economic and community cases for inscription.
“Its success is perfect testament to a shared vision for this beautiful, unique, fragile, diverse landscape and the determination of community representatives, businesses, scientists, conservationists, politicians and others to see the Flow Country’s global significance recognised and its future guaranteed.”
The Flow Country World Heritage bid was brought forward by the Flow Country Partnership (formerly the Peatlands partnership), a broad group representing a wide range of stakeholders in the peatlands of Caithness and Sutherland. Wildland has helped to fund and guide the project alongside The Highland Council, NatureScot and RSPB Scotland.
Bringing beavers back to the Cairngorms National Park
The Park Authority is working closely with a range of partners and land managers on a carefully considered proposal to translocate beavers from the Tay catchment to the upper Spey catchment. The release sites are at Rothiemurchus, Wildland Cairngorms and RSPB Scotland Insh Marshes.
Beavers are considered ‘nature’s engineers’ with an incredible ability to rework, restore and re-naturalise the landscape, helping combat climate change and boost biodiversity. From coppicing riverside trees to damming smaller water courses, creating narrow canals and rich wetlands, beavers create the ideal habitat for wildlife to thrive, as well as slowing the flow of water which reduces flood risk downstream.
Following a series of informal ‘Beaver Blethers’ back in March, the Park Authority and partners are back out on the road to speak with residents, farmers, business-owners, fishery interests and other groups as part of the formal six week public engagement process, which runs from 14 August to 25 September. The information gathered at this second series of ‘Beaver Blethers’, will help inform the licence application to NatureScot.
The events will be taking place from 2-7pm and are as follows:
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– 17 August – Kincraig Hall, open to the general public
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– 23 August – Nethybridge Hotel, open to fishing interests
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– 30 August – Duke of Gordon Hotel, Kingussie, open to the agriculture sector as well as members of the public
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– 7 September – Inverdruie House Tipi, Aviemore, open to local business interests
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– 13 September – Grant Arms Hotel, Grantown-on-Spey, open to the general public
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– 19 September – Aberlour Hotel, open to fishing interests as well as the general public.
Dr Sarah Henshall, Head of Conservation at the Cairngorms National Park Authority said: “Working with land managers, we aim to release beaver families in three locations in the Upper Spey catchment. In collaboration with land managers and communities we then plan further releases within the catchment over the next few years to ensure there are enough for a viable population. Our beavers will be coming from the Tay Catchment and will be trapped under licence by The Beaver Trust. They will go through health checks in a zoo – and if we get the go ahead from NatureScot – they will then be transported to their release sites in the Cairngorms National Park soon after.
“We need to apply for a licence from NatureScot as beavers are a European Protected Species. To be successful in this application we need to show that there is enough suitable habitat for a self-sustaining population of beavers to live in the Park; that there are land managers willing to have the first beavers in the Park released on their land; that we have a Management Plan identifying any issues that beavers may cause and outlining solutions to minimise or avoid any unacceptable impacts to protected or valuable habitats; and that there is a majority of supportive public opinion. Over the next six weeks we’ll be hosting lots of opportunities for local communities to share their views in meetings, events, and an online survey.”
Three local land managers have come forward to be involved in the project. One of those is Rothiemurchus. James Grant for Rothiemurchus said, “Beavers have become re-established in Scotland, and they are modifying the landscape. We support this plan for the Upper Spey and are pleased that there may be a suitable site for an early reintroduction within Rothiemurchus Forest. We look forward to considering the views expressed in the formal engagement, and if it proceeds, working with the support and advice of the Park Authority and NatureScot to implement any mitigation.”
Wildland Limited is also set to host a family of beavers. Thomas MacDonell, Director of Conservation for Wildland Limited said, “Our habitat restoration work over the last 20 years has resulted in one of our sites being considered suitable as a beaver release site, this is a welcome recognition of our contribution to a healthier environment. We are looking forward to welcoming beavers to the Spey catchment as it is expected that they will bring many positive outcomes.
“Others may be less sure, perhaps they are concerned about potential negative outcomes for them, this is why this engagement process is extremely helpful. At Wildland Cairngorms we support both the relocation and the engagement.”
Furthermore, RSPB Scotland Insh Marshes was identified as being highly suitable for beavers. Karen Birkby, the Site Manager, said, “As part of our long-term vision for Insh Marshes – to improve the functioning of the river Spey and its floodplain for nature and people – we’ve been really keen to get beavers back. They are fantastic animals with the ability to provide many benefits to other wildlife and the nature reserve is really suitable for them. So we were delighted to offer it up as one of the initial release sites. We are looking forward to continuing discussions with our neighbours as part of the wider engagement and are hopeful that, by the end of next year, beavers will be making their new home here with all the benefits that will bring.”
Depending on the results of the engagement process, the first beaver family could be released in late Autumn of this year. Sandy Bremner, Convener of the Cairngorms National Park Authority Board, said: “Beavers will bring benefits to the Park’s natural environment and, in future, they could also provide an economic boost in the form of ecotourism.
“Where there are concerns, it is very important that they are aired. I would urge anyone with an interest in finding out more, or making their views known, to take part in the formal public engagement process. This is a highly significant moment for the Cairngorms National Park, with plans to return a lost species after 400 years.”
For more information or to make your views known, please go here: www.cairngorms.co.uk/beavers
Historic milestone reached as critically endangered wildcats released into the Cairngorms National Park
Led by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), the Saving Wildcats partnership has released the cats into undisclosed locations within the Cairngorms Connect landscape of the Cairngorms National Park where they will be carefully monitored using GPS-radio collars.
Approved under licence by NatureScot, the trial releases are the first-ever conservation translocation of wildcats in Britain in an effort to help restore Scotland’s critically endangered wildcat population. Approximately sixty wildcats will be released over the next three years.
The project, which has undertaken widespread engagement with local communities, has drawn on global conservation and scientific expertise to further understanding of wildcat ecology and behaviour.
David Field, Chair of the Saving Wildcats Project Board and Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, said:
“We are delighted that the Saving Wildcats partnership has taken this historic step towards securing a future for the species in Scotland.
“The time is now to give the ‘Highland Tiger’ the best chance of survival and I am thankful for the work of our team members, partners and supporters in making this happen.
“I am also particularly grateful for the support of our local community in the Cairngorms as, without their engagement, we would not have reached this exciting milestone.”
Lorna Slater, Minister for Green Skills, the Circular Economy and Biodiversity, said:
“Wildcats are a much loved native species in Scotland and yet their very existence is under threat.
“This announcement is welcome news and is an important step in ensuring the survival of the species.
“Reversing the dramatic losses in nature that we have seen in recent times is one of the defining challenges that our country faces. The Scottish Government remains committed to this fight and is actively working towards protecting and restoring our natural environment and the animals that rely upon it.
“I’d like to thank everyone that has been involved for their incredible hard work that has got us to this position. I look forward to seeing the progress of the wildcats as they settle into their new home in Scotland’s iconic Cairngorms National Park.”
Dr David Hetherington, Nature Networks Manager at the Cairngorms National Park Authority said:
“This is indeed a milestone moment for the species, which takes place against the backdrop of large-scale habitat restoration and connection unfolding across the Cairngorms National Park.
“This conservation project is the most ambitious for the wildcat in Scotland to date and it’s great to see it taking place here.”
Alex Macleod, Forestry and Land Scotland North Region Manager and Cairngorms Connect Board Member, said;
“The Cairngorms Connect Partners are committed to a 200-year vision to restore habitats, ecological processes, and species across a vast area of the Cairngorms National Park.
“The size, scale, and positive impact of our restoration efforts, make this landscape a great release location for the first conservation translocation of wildcats in Britain. We’re delighted to be a part of restoring this amazing species in Scotland.”
Simon Hodgson, Forestry and Land Scotland Chief Executive, said:
‘‘We are proud to support this initiative and to help it develop to the next stage and strengthen the wildcat population further. Our land management across Scotland helps to create a mosaic of interconnected habitats. At a landscape scale this is attractive to and beneficial for wildcats.
“We expect these new wildcats will do well and would hope that their release inspires everyone to do their bit and respect and take care of the environment in which the wildcats thrive.”
NatureScot Chief Executive Francesca Osowska said:
“A huge amount of work has laid the ground for these wildcat releases, and we’re proud to have played our part in that. Our research shows that wildcats are facing extinction in Scotland, which makes conservation translocations like this a vital tool for the species’ recovery.
“We have a good track-record of conservation translocation success in Scotland, with golden eagle, white-tailed eagle and beaver populations all recovering and supporting efforts to regenerate biodiversity. The newly-released wildcats will face significant challenges as they seek to establish themselves, so it’s crucial we continue to do everything we can to give them the best chance to survive, and thrive, in Scotland.”
Thomas MacDonell, Director of Conservation for Wildland Limited, on behalf of Cairngorms Connect said:
“It’s fantastic that Cairngorms Connect have been selected as a suitable release site for these critically endangered cats and it is the best possible reward for the whole team at Wildland, along with the Cairngorms Connect partnership, to receive such recognition for all the hard work involved during the first twenty years we have been restoring our precious landscape.
“The Saving Wildcats team have been a pleasure to work with and we wish the cats every success in becoming an integral part of the wild ecosystem and our futures.”
The cats were born in a purpose-built off-show conservation breeding for release centre based at Highland Wildlife Park, near Aviemore, in 2022.
Despite detailed preparations ahead of the first release, one of the most difficult aspects of any conservation translocation is predicting how an animal will respond to being released.
Dr Helen Senn, Project lead and Head of Science and Conservation Programmes for the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, said:
“We hope that this project will pave the way for the full recovery of Scotland’s last remaining native cat species.
“Unfortunately, life is tough for wild carnivores and the sad reality is that some of the wildcats that we release will not survive due to threats such a road traffic. Their survival is contingent on their individual behaviour in a new environment. While the Saving Wildcats team have made every effort to prepare the wildcats by moving them into large pre-release enclosures which support natural development, informed by other successful carnivore recovery projects such as Iberian lynx in Spain and Portugal, they cannot ultimately control how the cats will react.
“However, we also know that inaction will result in extinction. As human activity is responsible for the wildcat’s decline, we have a responsibility to take action now to protect one of our rarest and most threatened mammals.
“Everything we learn from this closely monitored first trial release will help inform future releases.”
The conservation breeding and release of wildcats is being carried out by the Saving Wildcats partnership (#SWAforLIFE) led by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) in collaboration with NatureScot, Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS), The Cairngorms National Park Authority, Norden’s Ark and Junta de Andalucía. Releases are being conducted with the support of Cairngorms Connect.
The project is funded with the contribution of the LIFE Programme of the European Union and other partners and organisations.
Within the lifespan of the project, it’s envisioned that approximately 20 cats will also be released in 2024 and 2025 from the conservation breeding for release centre.
The cats bred for release are not available for public viewing to help them prepare for life in the wild.
The Saving Wildcat team will now focus on following the wildcats’ new lives in the wild and preparing the second generation of wildcats for release next year. Further updates from the project are expected to be issued at the end of the summer release period. Regular news from the project will be shared in the Saving Wildcats newsletter. Those wishing to support a wildcat family can sponsor a parent in the breeding centre.