Links to information, and reports of projects and inquiries from associate organisations will appear here.
IUCN Peatland Programme - Commission of Inquiry on Peatlands
This report, the culmination of 18 months work, was launched at a reception at Holyrood on 16 November 2011. It highlights the multiple benefits of peatland conservation and restoration, particularly in relation to carbon savings, cleaner drinking water, wildlife conservation and historic archive preservation.
To view the full report click here
For the Summary of Findings click here
SNH's "The Changing Nature of Scotland"
This book was published on 6 October 2011. To read Chapter 34 : "Prospects for the Future : the Uplands in Peril or Thriving" which was written by Lord Lindsay and Simon Thorp click here. The entire volume will be made available in sections to download as a pdf from the TSO website.
http://www.tsoshop.co.uk/parliament/bookstore.asp?Action=Book&ProductId=9780114973599.
The National Gamebag Census
The GWCT's National Gamebag Census is now available and contains information on 'Trends in Corvid Species' and 'Mountain hare bags and distribution in Scotland.'
The CADISPA Trust
(Conservation and Development in Sparsely Populated Areas)
The aim of The CADISPA Trust is to help small rural communities to develop their own solutions to the challenges posed by sustainable development and to meet locally identified community needs within the definition of sustainability. Read more here
SAC's "Helping a Changing World"
SAC presents 25 of the key issues affecting Scottish Communities as the political agendas and party manifestos are drafted for the 2011 Scottish elections. Read more
ACES 2011: International Science and Policy Conference
22nd - 24th August
Conflicts in Conservation: Strategies for coping with a changing world. Want more details? Click here
IUCN UK Peatland Programme's Commission of Enquiry on Peatlands
Eight reviews have been published. They are:
Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Potential
Impacts of Peatland Restoration
Impacts of Burning Management on Peatlands
Importance of Peatlands for the Historic Environment
Policy Options for Sustainable Management
Carbon Conference - 20th & 21st April - Moffat
Carbon in the Uplands - threats and opportunities
Papers from this conference will appear on the Heather Trust's website, as they become available. Click here for the link
Waders on the Fringe
Why nationally scarce waders flourish on grouse moors
Scientists from the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust spent nine years studying the effects of predator control on the breeding success of threatened moorland wading birds. The Upland Predation Experiment, which was undertaken on moorland in Northern England, is one of the longest running studies of its kind ever undertaken. Although this research was carried out in Northumberland, scientists consider that it is also has relevance to the Scottish uplands.
The full report can be read here
Rural Scotland in Focus Report 2010
SAC have launched their first report in what is intended to become a series of reports, published by SAC, on the state of rural Scotland. It presents the latest evidence about the way that rural Scotland is changing and provides a commentary on specific issues, challenges and opportunities across the economic, environmental and social landscape of Scotland's rural areas.
"What future for upland biodiversity?" is addressed in chapter 8 of the report, which can be downloaded through this link.
Golden eagles in Scotland: proposals for additional Special Protection Areas
Roseanna Cunningham made a public announcement regarding proposals for up to six additional SPA's for golden eagles in the north and west of Scotland. Read more here
Red grouse and the Tomintoul and Strathdon Communities
A report on the benefits and impacts of the grouse shooting industry from the rural community perspective has been funded by The Scottish Countyryside Alliance Educational Trust. Research has been conducted by the Centre for Mountain Studies UHI - Perth College. The report is available to download here
The Woes of Hill Sheep Farming
The Farmers Weekly has produced a short (6 mins) video detailing the problems facing hill sheep farming in Scotland. It can be viewed here
Scottish Rural Development Programme
Information and guidance on the SRDP 2007-2013 can be found here
Bird Atlas 2007-2011
Bird Atlas 2007-11 ( see http://www.bto.org/birdatlas/ )is an ambitious project being undertaken by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), BirdWatch Ireland and the Scottish Ornithologists' Club (SOC) to map the distribution and relative numbers of all bird species across the UK, in both the breeding season and the winter moths, and provide measures of changes over the last 20-30 years. It will provide the most comprehensive set of ornithological information to inform conservation and land management policy and action in future.
More than 2000 new volunteer bird surveyors signed up to take part in five long-term BTO-led bird surveys in Scotland during the Building Bird Monitoring in Scotland project - featured in the project's Final Report available here.
Langholm Moor Demonstration Project
Information on the Langholm Moor Demonstration Project can be found through the link: http://www.langholmproject.com/
SAC publishes "Farming's Retreat from the Hills"
In August 2008, SAC published a report which highlights the dramatic decline in sheep numbers in the Scottish hills. To read the report, follow the link:
http://www.sac.ac.uk/mainrep/pdfs/retreatfromhillsfullreport.pdf
NFUS release their Manifesto for the Hills
In September 2008, the NFUS released a publication which proposes policy solutions to the decline in hill and upland farming, focussing on making better use of the existing funds. To read more, click here
Royal Society of Edinburgh Inquiry
The final report for the RSE's Inquiry into Scotland's Hill and Island Areas was released on 8th September 2008.
