'Scotland’s health and prosperity depend on the quality of our nature and landscapes' - Andrew Thin of SNH

Scotland’s natural environment should be valued not just for its own sake, but because it generates wealth and can sustain and improve our health, lifestyles and culture.
This is the ambition outlined in a new three-year corporate strategy published this week by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH).
The strategy’s aims include encouraging more people to experience, enjoy and value nature and landscapes, and for the natural environment to contribute more to the Scottish economy.
Priorities include helping to halt biodiversity loss in Scotland, using nature more to help adapt to the effects of climate change, and providing valuable advice for the developing renewable energy sector.
SNH will also support the Scottish Government in marine planning and identification of Marine Protected Areas to improve environmental quality and guide decision-making for marine development.
Protected places will maintain and enhance Scotland’s best nature and landscapes, and deliver wider benefits for the local economy, jobs and tourism.
Other priorities in the document include effective and balanced wildlife management and supporting Scotland’s Land Use Strategy, as well as advising on the Common Agricultural Policy reform and renewal of the Scotland Rural Development Programme.
The strategy emphasises that all of this depends on SNH working closely with others. These include national and local government, MSPs, national park authorities and other public bodies. Relationships with land managers, businesses, voluntary organisations, community groups and individuals are also crucial.
Andrew Thin, SNH chairman, said: “Scotland’s health and prosperity depend on the quality of our nature and landscapes. It is crucial that we use this resource wisely and make sure we secure maximum public benefits from it in a sustainable way. The strategy sets out how SNH, as part of a smaller public sector, will work with others to deliver the Government’s outcomes.”
The SNH corporate strategy is available from the organisation’s website at http://www.snh.gov.uk/about-snh/what-we-do/strategy-and-priorities-2012--2015/

New Scottish code for deer management

A new Scottish deer code comes into effect this month, with a focus on cooperative and voluntary deer management across the country. The code, developed by Scottish Natural Heritage, is aimed at anyone involved in deer management, including lowland tenant farmers, recreational stalkers, crofters and upland deer managers.
As part of the Wildlife and Natural Environment (WANE) bill passed by the Scottish Government, the deer code sets out how those who have deer on their land can deliver sustainable deer management. The code puts new responsibilities on land managers and helps to identify what they must, should or could do to manage deer.
Alastair MacGugan, SNH’s wildlife management manager, said: “Wild deer are an important part of Scotland’s ecology, economy and culture. Deer are managed in certain parts of Scotland to protect crops, trees and protected natural areas, as well as to reduce road accidents. Deer stalking also provides an important source of income to many fragile rural economies throughout Scotland. Balancing these different objectives is sometimes a challenge, so the aim of the code is to provide guidance to land managers and their neighbours on how to co-operatively manage deer.”
The deer code supports voluntary deer management, but also sets out when and how SNH may become involved. Previously, SNH authority was confined to taking action when deer were causing damage to the environment. This has now been widened to include powers to take action when deer welfare is involved, or when there is damage caused by deer to social and economic activities.
SNH developed the code with input from a range of organisations and people involved in land management.
For more information, see www.snh.gov.uk.

Red deer hinds near Cattadale

Scotland's marine life in motion

Scottish Natural Heritage have just released some amazing "motion graphics" and photographs of what can be seen in Loch Sunart, a Special Area of Conservation just north of Mull.

See it at http://www.snh.gov.uk/__mpa/

 Using some special software, one is taken on a series of underwater explorations of the amazing animals and plants to be seen in the loch, including northern sea fans, white cluster anemones, feather stars and flame shells. There are six different "dives" to explore as well as over 70 colour photographs. You also have the opportunity to contribute your ideas on marine conservation round Scotland.
Highly recommended.

Malcolm

Sea eagle management scheme "now open for business" says SNH

Photo: - James Deane

Crofting and farming communities have the chance to help sea eagles and their local communities by applying to join a sea eagle management scheme.
It encourages community groups, farmers, crofters and land managers to positively manage land and livestock to reduce the impact of foraging sea eagles whilst improving the birds’ nesting, roosting and feeding areas.
The scheme can also be used to boost the local economy by capitalising on the tourism potential generated by sea eagles.
It is being rolled out across the Inner and Outer Hebrides including Mull and Skye, parts of mainland Argyll and Lochaber, and Wester Ross. A partnership comprising Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), National Farmers Union Scotland (NFUS), RSPB Scotland and the Scottish Crofting Federation (SCF) helps manage the project.
And staff in local SNH offices are on hand to conduct one-to-one surgeries to explain how individuals and community groups can get involved.
Entrants to the scheme can participate for up to three years and the initiative will be open for applications until autumn 2013.
Ross Lilley, the sea eagle scheme manager, said: “We are delighted to be able to extend this new sea eagle management scheme across their entire breeding range. Our staff will be talking to land managers across the Highlands, Islands and Argyll about it in the coming days and weeks.
“This is a means of allowing land managers to adjust their operations, particularly livestock management, to accommodate the birds whilst the sea eagle breeding population becomes established. But more importantly by accessing start-up funds, communities could generate more benefit from the tourism impacts of having sea eagles in their area.
“Visitors are prepared to inject money into the local economy to view sea eagles and that kind of support could be a massive boost for many areas. We hope that many communities will benefit from the presence of these magnificent birds in their areas.”

Scottish deer consultation begins

Red deer hind at Cattadale, Islay

A public consultation has begun on a new code for deer management in Scotland.
Anyone with an interest in deer management is being encouraged to give feedback on the Code of Practice on Deer Management, developed by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH).
The purpose of the code is to help all land managers and land owners, whether in the Central Belt or the Highlands of Scotland, to manage deer sustainably. The code supports the current voluntary approach to deer management. The consultation runs until 1 July.
Andrew Thin, SNH chairman, said:
“Wild deer are an important part of Scotland’s ecology, economy and culture. Deer are managed in certain parts of Scotland to protect crops, trees and protected natural areas, as well as to reduce road accidents. Deer stalking also provides a valuable source of income to many fragile rural economies throughout Scotland. Balancing these different objectives presents a real challenge.”
The code provides guidance on how to manage deer sustainably and outlines the main environmental, economic and social actions associated with deer management. The code also sets out when SNH may intervene in deer management for the public interest.
SNH has developed the code with input from a range of organisations and people involved in land management. The code arises from the Wildlife and Natural Environment (WANE) (Scotland) Act, which was passed by the Scottish Parliament earlier this year.
Alastair MacGugan, SNH’s wildlife management manager, said:
“I’d encourage anyone involved in managing deer to look at the code and let us know their thoughts. This guidance will help all of us to manage Scotland’s deer sustainably in a cooperative way – so it’s important we get input from all those involved to develop a workable and clear code.”
For more information and to respond to the consultation see:
http://www.snh.gov.uk/land-and-sea/managing-wildlife/managing-deer/code-of-deer-management . Hard copies of the consultation can be supplied by contacting Scottish Natural Heritage,
Deer Code Consultation, Great Glen House, Leachkin Road, Inverness, IV3 8NW.

Biodiversity week in the Highlands and Islands

Spotting corncrakes and learning about nettles are all part the celebrations taking place across the Highlands and Islands for Scottish Biodiversity Week from 21-29 May.
Organised by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and partners, "the week has events for every taste, including a walk to search for corncrakes and other birds at Benbecula, learning about the many uses of nettles in Applecross ,and a one-day festival celebrating the forests of the Cairngorms in Aviemore."
For more information on these and many other events across Scotland, see

www.snh.gov.uk/biodiversityweek

Scottish Biodiversity Week organiser, Zeshan Akhter, said:
“We live in an extraordinary country where people can enjoy nature easily – whether it’s at a city park or on a remote western isle. So this week is a great chance to get out and enjoy the brilliant nature on our doorsteps.”
Scottish Biodiversity Week has been held every year since 2001, starting as a local initiative in Fife in 2000 and growing into a national event. Many organisations put on events, including park ranger services, councils, environmental charities, botanic gardens, businesses, schools and community organisations. For more information and event listings, see www.snh.gov.uk/biodiversityweek.
The theme for Scottish Biodiversity Week in 2011 is "Biodiversity is Life - Biodiversity is Our Life", emphasizing the critical links between humans and our amazing, complex world. Biodiversity, the variety of life on earth, is crucial to sustaining ourlives. It produces air for us to breathe, food to eat, water to drink and even medicines to cure our ills. It also provides value to us through activities such as walking or birdwatching and inspiration for art. We need it for our overall health, wealth and wellbeing.

New guide for farmers managing nature conservation sites

Farmers managing protected nature conservation areas can now access a new online guide to their responsibilities and funding sources
Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) produced the guide, entitled 'Farming, SSSIs and Natura sites', in collaboration with the National Farmers’ Union of Scotland (NFUS). It is now available on both the SNH and NFUS websites.
The guide is for farmers in Scotland who own, tenant or manage land that is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Special Protection Area (SPA) or Special Area of Conservation (SAC).
It summarises the requirements of farmers in relation to protected areas as well as sources of funding for conservation management.
Stewart Pritchard, policy and advice manager with SNH, said: “Many farmers across Scotland are keenly involved and take pride in managing important nature conservation sites. It is important that they have access to the right information and that the right help is available to them to do this effectively. That is what this new guide is there for. We hope many farmers will find it useful in making them aware of the expectations associated with managing these sites. Equally it lets them know about funding that may be available to help cover the costs of any additional conservation management.”
The new guide is available here:

www.snh.gov.uk/docs/C280938.pdf
and
www..nfus.org.uk/uploadedFiles/Campaigns/SNH.pdf

Progress for sea eagles in Scotland

Photo: James Deane

Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) today confirmed it will work up a three-year
scheme to help sea eagles throughout their breeding range in Scotland.
The initiative will encourage farmers, crofters and others to further bolster
Scotland’s biodiversity and tourism benefits.
Following advice from a 10-member sea eagle management group, comprising key
stakeholders from land management and nature conservation bodies, SNH will
continue to support existing management agreements covering sea eagl
conservation and management measures.
Later this spring a series of local workshops will be held to explain the
detail of the new scheme which will become operational in late spring or early
summer. A particularly novel part of this will be the establishment of an
advisory panel to guide SNH on key priorities for action and distribute a
portion of the scheme budget.
Panel members will be drawn from the key stakeholder groups who contributed to
the design of the new management scheme.
Andrew Thin, the SNH chairman, said: “The local sea eagle management schemes
are recognised success stories. I am delighted to see progress towards a
national scheme which will provide help and support for those managing the land
which is so important to these birds.
"This is the product of hard work and determination by agency, conservation and
land management bodies, and will build on the success of earlier schemes. We
have real opportunities to strengthen Scotland’s place in Europe as a prime
destination for enjoying special birds of prey.”
The scheme looks to develop tourism initiatives benefiting from the many
visitors eager to see the birds in some of Europe’s finest landscapes.
Jonnie Hall, head of rural policy for NFU Scotland, said: "The aims and
measures of the new scheme clearly reflect the interdependence of conservation
and farming interests. The continuity that the new scheme should provide will
ensure that the efforts of active farmers and crofters will continue to underpin
Scotland's thriving sea eagle population and so reap a range of other rural
development benefits.
"The vital role that farming and crofting play in this conservation success
story cannot be ignored, and so the new scheme rightly recognises and rewards
appropriate management. NFU Scotland looks forward to playing its part in
rolling out the new scheme.”
And Stuart Housden, director of RSPB Scotland, added: “We warmly welcome the
announcement of progress in developing a scheme for farmers and crofters hosting
sea eagles. We are really pleased to have been involved in the development of
workable measures that help support the conservation and management of these
magnificent birds.
"The prize for us all is to reap the much wider benefits from tourism as a
result of the harmonious coexistence between the birds and land management
interests.”
Dr Ron Macdonald, head of policy and advice in SNH and chairman of the sea
eagle management group, noted: “I am extremely pleased that we are moving
towards a forward-looking, national scheme which will benefit the sea eagles and
assist land managers, crofters, and those who wish to see them do well in
Scotland. We look forward to holding local workshops to explain the detail in
the months ahead.”
And Donald MacDonald of the Scottish Crofting Federation commented: “I am
pleased that a new and updated management scheme will become available, and our
federation is looking forward to helping deliver the work locally because both
active crofters and sea eagles will benefit.”
Sea eagles are being reintroduced to Scotland under the Species Action
Framework launched by the Environment Minister in 2007. The framework sets out a
strategic approach to conservation and management of 32 species in Scotland
including the sea eagle. A range of partners is involved in developing this
work and further information can be found at
www.snh.org.uk/speciesactionframework.

Sea eagle nests in Scotland are mostly built in trees, but crags and cliffs are
also used in successive years or alternated with other sites in the territory.
Two or occasionally three eggs are laid in March though sometimes as late as
April with chicks fledging in late July or August. Breeding usually occurs from
four or five years. Territory establishment may be earlier.
Studies have examined the effects of sea eagles on lambs. The Food and
Environment Research Agency (FERA) report published in 2010 looked at the causes
of lamb mortality in the North West Highlands. This study monitored the activity
of predators and the well-being and mortality of lambs in an area where a
significant number of lambs had been lost in earlier years. The report found
little evidence of sea eagles killing lambs.
http://www.snh.gov.uk/docs/B603609.pdf
The sea eagle management scheme was developed by a group comprising SNH
(chair); Scottish Government; Forestry Commission Scotland; British Association
for Shooting and Conservation; Scottish Crofting Federation; National Farmers
Union for Scotland; RSPB Scotland; Scottish Wildlife Trust; Scottish Rural
Professional Business Association; and Scottish Gamekeepers’ Association. The
scheme will cost £80,000 a year over three years. Most of the funding will go
towards management agreements with farmers and crofters, and support for local
initiatives to promote the tourism benefits of sea eagles.
Scottish Natural Heritage is the Government’s adviser on all aspects of
nature and landscape across Scotland. SNH’s role is to help everyone
understand, value and enjoy Scotland’s nature now and in the future. For
further information on SNH, please visit our website at
http://www.snh.org.uk/

Hen Harrier Persecution - report



Picture - Bob Davidson



Full Story - Wildlife Extra

WILD DEER BEST PRACTICE GUIDANCE - PRODUCING QUALITY VENISON WORKSHOP

Wild Deer Best Practice Workshops on the theme of Producing Quality Venison will be held on Mull on Sunday 20th February and Islay on Monday 21st and Tuesday 22nd February 2011. The events are free to attend.

The key aims of the workshops will be to:
• Provide detailed knowledge and basic skills in the meat handling and processing elements of producing quality venison meat;
• Provide quality information on how estates can add value and maximise their revenue from their venison resource;

Nichola Fletcher

• Encourage a collaborative approach to production, distribution, processing and marketing of venison at an island level, to enable greater use of local resources

• Provide expert advice on cooking with venison as a healthy, quality meat.
ISLAY dates are Monday 21st February / Tuesday 22nd February

Nichola Fletcher is a renowned venison cook, demonstrator and teacher - specialising in game meats. She has worked extensively in North America and the UK and many other European countries. Her demonstrations inspire confidence and offer genuinely useful information. As a key part of the workshops Nichola will be running a special hour-long session which will focus on the eating qualities of venison. Nichola will provide expert advice and demonstrate ways of cooking with venison, and participants will be invited to taste the end products!

The following topics will be covered ...

o Introduction to venison quality: The importance of Wild Deer Best Practice from hill to plate
o Selling and supplying venison: An overview of the regulations
o Carcass preparation: A practical demonstration of lardering and skinning

o Larder standards and quality assurance: Advice on getting your larder up to standard and SQWV Assurance scheme

o Butchering venison: A practical demonstration of butchering a carcass

o Adding value to your resource: Maximising the potential from venison

o Venison as a business: Advice on finance and funding

o Practical demonstration, evaluation and discussion of the eating qualities of venison.

Please note that while most of the day will be indoors, for the practical demonstrations we will be using larders by kind invitation of Forestry Commission Scotland on Mull and at Islay Estates on Islay. Participants will be asked to use their own transport between locations. Please ensure you bring warm, waterproof clothing.

Event Timings:

Islay Venison Cooking Event (Monday 21st February)

o Location: Ionad Chaluim Chille Ìle (The Gaelic College) Bowmore, Isle of Islay.

o Content: Nichola Fletcher will host an evening session demonstrating and discussing the qualities of venison. This session will be aimed primarily at workshop attendees but will also be open to members of the public.

o Time: 19:00

Islay Producing Quality Venison Demonstration Event (Tuesday 22nd February)

o Location: Ionad Chaluim Chille Ìle (The Gaelic College) Bowmore, Isle of Islay.

o Time: The event will start at 9.30 with Registration from 09:00 (tea and coffee will be available on arrival). The day will finish around 16:00.

o Catering: Tea, coffee and a soup and sandwich lunch will be provided. Please let us know of you have any dietary requirements.

For further information or queries please contact: Mike Cottam (Best Practice Officer) on 01463 725373 mike.cottam@snh.gov.uk or Linzi Seivwright (Deer Management Officer) on 03002449360 linzi.seivwright@snh.gov.uk

SNH Magazine available as MP3 files

'The Nature of Scotland' as audio files

The quarterly magazine from SNH - called 'The Nature of Scotland' - is now available for download as a series of MP3 files.  As well as translated into Gaelic of course.  Although sadly not as a series of Gaelic MP3 files.  Watch this space however....  The visually impaired Gaelic population will not wish to be discriminated against...

Chough Shed

A few years ago now, SNH, in conjunction with local farmers, erected a number of wooden sheds in places around Islay where it was thought that Choughs might be a bit short of nest sites.  Choughs are 'naturally' cave nesters, but have adapted to use old buildings on Islay.  In recent years, the number of suitable buildings has fallen - not least because many of the old properties have been refurbished - and are no longer suitable for Choughs...  Hence the Chough shed idea.

This one is at Bolsay - on Bob Paget's croft.  They provide useful shelter for animals, potential storage for the farmer, and have these platforms built into the rafters which make ideal Chough nest sites.  I don't know if Choughs have taken advantage of this one yet - although there are signs of Swallows having been here last summer.

Volunteering to help Scotland's Nature - SNH Press Release

Kick off the European Year of Volunteering in 2011 with a resolution to help wildlife in Scotland, suggests Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH).

A recent SNH report found that only 23% of organisations involved with wildlife surveys felt they had enough volunteers to meet their needs and 60% found geographic coverage a problem.

Wildlife recording has a long and important history in the UK for science and conservation, and has always been led by volunteers. Amateur collectors had a key role in developing natural history collections in the 19th and early 20th century and were the first biological reporters, which also spawned many local nature history societies.

Peter Rawcliffe, SNH’s Head of People and Places, said:  “Volunteers play a crucial part in conserving Scotland’s wildlife. For example, we need to know if the number of certain birds, animals or insects is dropping, so we can take quick measures to protect them. Volunteer surveyors play a big role in getting this information.

“If you love nature, surveying is a great hobby. Most organisations need help throughout the country, but if you live in a remote spot, all the better – surveys need to cover all of Scotland, and many organisations have trouble finding volunteers to cover remote areas.”

The report also asked volunteers why they donated their time as wildlife surveyors. Most said they wanted to contribute to wildlife conservation and research. They also commented: “It’s great fun,’ ‘I can do it anywhere, anytime,’ it gives ‘personal satisfaction, a positive aspect to our daily walks,’ and it provides ‘health and relaxation – a great hobby – always something of interest wherever you go.’

There are many organisations which need volunteers, including local ranger services and wildlife societies, as well as national organisations such as Biological Recording in Scotland (BRISC), Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT), RSPB, British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), Butterfly Conservation, Botanical Society of the British Isles (BSBI), Plantlife, British Lichen Society, British Bryological Society, the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club, the Bat Conservation Trust, British Dragonfly Society, Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels, and the Bumblebee Conservation Trust.

There are also regional and local groups throughout Scotland, such as the Inverness Bat Group, the Highland Biological Recording Group, Curracag (the Outer Hebrides Natural History Society), the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust, the Glasgow Natural History Society, Edinburgh Natural History Society and the Paisley Natural History Society.

For general advice on where to volunteer across Scotland, local records centre are usually a good place to start, including the North East Scotland Biological Records Centre, Fife Nature Records Centre, The Wildlife Information Centre for the Lothians and Borders, Dumfries and Galloway Biological Records Centre, and the Shetland Biological Records Centre.

As well, British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV) and other organisations offer training in surveying and recording wildlife, much of which is free to volunteers. BTCV Scotland has been involved in biological recording projects for a number of years now. The charity delivers a range of training workshops, many of them free, which supports local community bio-recorders, allowing them to develop essentials skills and the confidence to become established recorders. As well as these workshops, BTCV is planning a number of BioBlitz events, and will make 2011 the year that every one of the 10,000 volunteers it engages with has the opportunity to gain experience of wildlife surveying.

ohn McFarlane, BTCV Scotland’s Environment Development Officer said:  “Once people get the recording bug, they’re often hooked for life! But the journey of an established and confident recorder can be long and often arduous, requiring a lot of support, training and mentoring from key conservation organisations such as BTCV. We’re aiming to provide continuing support and more opportunities for individuals and communities throughout Scotland to try out wildlife recording and develop a wide range of skills that they will enjoy putting into practice.

“Using the skills and infectious enthusiasm of our Natural Talent and Natural Communities Apprentices, we will inspire and support people from all walks of life who want to begin their recording journey.”

The BTCV Natural Talent and Natural Communities programmes provide 12-18 month apprenticeships to develop taxonomic and habitat specialism and environmental community engagement skills. For more information, see www.BTCV.org/scotland

Greylag geese (Anser anser) - Photo: Scottish Natural Heritage

Mink deVille

SNH and Western Isles council dispute mink claims

Hebrides Today

picture  www.essexbiodiversity.org.uk/

Marine wildlife survey in Loch Sween

SNH Press Release


Survey work in Loch Sween got underway this week to confirm the presence of some of Scotland’s most important marine wildlife features.
The aim of the survey is to update existing knowledge about habitats and species of high conservation importance, known as priority marine features. Previous surveys have revealed the presence of several such features in the loch including native oysters, seagrass and maerl beds and burrowed mud communities with sea pens.
The survey will be carried out by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) in collaboration with Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), as an extension to the routine sampling regularly undertaken in the loch. Marine biologists from SEPA will use a drop-down video camera to capture undersea footage and take “grab” samples from the seabed.
The Loch Sween survey is one of a series taking place in Scotland’s seas in 2010 as part of the Scottish Marine Protected Area (MPA) Project, a joint initiative between Marine Scotland, Historic Scotland, SNH and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC).
Environment Minister Roseanna Cunningham said: "Scotland's seas are home to some of the world's most precious wildlife and stunning marine habitats. This includes internationally important species and that is why efforts to increase our knowledge, such as those being undertaken in Loch Sween, are so important.
“This work will help identify the tremendous national underwater assets we have and enable us to get the careful balance between the growth of important new marine industries and our conservation commitments right."
Other areas that have been surveyed in 2010 include the Ullapool Approaches, the Sound of Canna and the Firth of Clyde, which current data suggest are also home to many priority marine features, including flame shell beds, fan mussels and fireworks anemones.
Ben James, SNH’s project manager for the Loch Sween survey, added: “These surveys are significantly improving our understanding of the distribution and extent of species and habitats that are particularly important to the diverse ecosystems found in Scottish waters.
“This new information will be very useful in our advisory role, helping us provide up-to-date information on the status and distribution of Scotland’s priority marine features.”
The survey work is expected to be completed by the end of November with the final report of the findings published next spring.
David Ross, SEPA’s Marine Ecology Manager, said: “It is great to see this important work, which will improve our understanding of the environment, being completed with little additional cost by coordinating it with existing SEPA monitoring programmes. This is an excellent example of the environmental agencies pooling their resources to ensure maximum benefit for Scotland’s environment.”

"Nature-based Tourism worth £1.4billion to Scotland" says SNH report

Nature-based tourism is worth at least £1.4bn a year to the Scottish economy and supports the equivalent of 39,000 full time jobs. Walking and landscape enjoyment nets £900 million for Scotland each year. These are some of the findings in a new report commissioned by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH). Wildlife tourism brings in £127m and is the main driver behind more than one million trips to Scotland each year. Activities include bird watching, whale watching, guided walks and practical conservation holidays. Among the contributors is dolphin watching on the east coast, which generates at least £4m a year to the local economy, while sea eagles on Mull bring in around £2m.
Adventure activities, such as mountain biking, canoeing and kayaking, are worth £178m. This category also includes surfing, sub aqua, sailing, extreme snow sports, horse riding and adventure activities such as gorge walking, rafting and paragliding. Surfing in particular is growing by around 20% a year, and there are now around 3,000 surfers in Scotland.
Carrying out these kind of studies is very complex, particularly for activities such as walking and enjoying the landscape. But, using information from other studies, this research estimates that walking and landscape are thought to be worth at least £900m between them.
This includes hill walking, mountaineering and climbing, as well as gentler walks of more than one mile. Examples include the 110,000 people who tackle to the summit of Ben Nevis; the 30,000 who complete the whole route of the West Highland Way and the further 60,000 others who trek part of it. It also includes income from those who tour and enjoy Scotland’s landscapes and scenery, such as the 400,000 people a year who visit Glen Nevis.
SNH commissioned the study, called ‘valuing nature-based tourism in Scotland’, as part of wider research to quantify the value of Scotland’s nature to the economy. It follows a previous report which found that sustainable management of natural resources was worth £17.2bn a year to Scotland.
Commenting on the findings, Environment Minister Roseanna Cunningham said: “Scotland’s wonderful natural environment and fascinating wildlife have so much to offer and it’s exciting that there are visitors coming here to appreciate our world-class landscape.
“Tourists obviously enjoy what they see and there’s such a wide variety of activities on offer, whether it’s walking in the glens, spotting some of Scotland’s iconic species or getting involved in conservation.
"Nature based tourism generates significant benefits for the economy, including thousands of jobs. It’s vital that work on the conservation and enhancement of our natural environment continues to ensure we can deliver these benefits for generations to come.”
Ian Jardine, SNH chief executive, added: “We have always known that landscapes and wildlife are one of the main reasons why visitors come to Scotland. We also know that enjoying nature is one of the key activities they like to do when they get here. Now we know just how important that is to the economy of Scotland. With spending on nature activities worth nearly 40% of all tourism spending, nature based tourism can generate significant benefits for the economy.
“These findings underline the need to recognise the role of nature in supporting the economy, to ensure it is managed sustainably, and to make certain that we make the best use of nature as an economic resource.”

Nature bigs it up in Lochgilphead

Giant caterpillars and enormous snails will be on show in Lochgilphead town centre in November, the latest results of a nature project between local school pupils and Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH).
The larger-than-life pictures of wildlife will be projected on to the side of a building in the town as part of the annual Lantern Procession on Saturday 6 November.
Taken by fourth year pupils from Lochgilphead High School, they show the wonderful wildlife found at Moine Mhor National Nature Reserve, an ancient peat bog that lies to the north of the town.
The outdoor projection is the latest step in a two year-long photography project with Lochgilphead High School, called Snapberry Take II. Based around nature reserves in mid Argyll, the project finds novel ways to put young people in touch with nature. In mid September an exhibition of their photographs in the Archway Gallery in Lochgilphead raised almost £1000 for the Red Cross Pakistan Appeal.
Snapberry Take II is run by Caroline Anderson from SNH, with hands-on help and advice from SNH photographer Lorne Gill.
Caroline said: “The teenagers have really captured the essence of Moine Mhor – their pictures are stunning. But seeing them projected on to a building 30 foot high gives them real impact! We hope people will enjoy seeing them and that it will inspire them to go and visit Argyll’s nature reserves – they are great places to discover the wildlife on your doorstep.”
The outdoor projection will be shown on Colchester Square in Lochgilphead from 5.30pm on Saturday 6 November. For more information on nature reserves in Argyll and other parts of Scotland, go to:

Scotland's National Nature Reserves