Highland Biodiversity Action Plan
Highland Biodiversity Action Plan
2015– 2020
Consultative Draft
13. Summary of Proposed Actions
1.1. Proposed Actions Table
1.1.1. The project suggestions identified through this draft Plan have been brought together in the following table. The title, a brief rationale, outline of the proposed action and a list of suggested partners are shown.
1.1.2. Please note that the majority of these proposals are merely ideas at present. We cannot deliver them all, and are seeking your thoughts on whether or not they are feasible, which project ideas we should take forward as a matter of priority, and what if anything we have missed?
1.1.3. We welcome any feedback on how to deliver these ideas, timescale, who should be involved, where we might get funding and what the outputs should be. If your group or organisation is listed as a suggested partner, please let us know whether or not it is able to be involved, and to what level?
1.1.4. Lastly, we cannot hope to deliver all these projects so please help us to identify where we should spend our resources in the next five years by letting us know your top five priorities.
Please include any comments in the final column of the table and send it in to Caroline Vawdrey at
Proposed Project Title(& rationale) / Project proposal
(& suggested partners) / Comments & further suggestions
Sustainable Management of Habitats & Species / Issues:
• Lack of funding & advice
• Low native woodland cover
• Need for peatland restoration
• High deer numbers
• Wildlife crime
• Habitat destruction by wildfires
• Litter & pollution
• Seabed habitat loss
• Fish farming impacts on wild fish
• Species issues
1. Agent & Land Manager Training
The next SRDP is due to be launched in 2015, we want to maximise its benefit to Highland biodiversity. / A series of training events for agents and land managers to raise awareness of good practice and SRDP / low costs / no cost options. This would build on existing initiatives, and distribute guidance and codes of good practice.
(SGRPID, FCS, SAC, NFU, SCF, SLE, SNH, RSPB)
2. Wildlife Estates Scotland Project
WES aims to promote best practice, build recognition & raise standards in game & wildlife management. / There may be opportunities for wildlife and biodiversity groups to work with estates on citizen science or habitat management projects arising from the Wildlife Estates Scotland initiative.
(SWE, SLE, SNH, RSPB, SWT, Local Biodiversity Groups)
3. Wildlife-friendly Monitor Farm
Monitor Farms Programme is a Scotland-wide network to help farmers share experiences & adopt best practice. / Could the Monitor Farms Programme be used to help a farm improve its management for biodiversity, making the most of grants and no cost / low cost options, and demonstrating the results to other land managers, agents and agency staff across Highland?
(SAC, SAOS, SGRPID, NFU, SLE, SCF, SCU, SNH, FCS, RSPB)
4. Land Use Catalyst
There is a need to help land managers & groups share information & learn from each other. / A sustainable / natural heritage catalyst post that works across the organisations informing and linking up groups at an early stage for maximised action.
(SNH, FCS, SGRPID, RSPB, SAC)
5. Ecosystem Approach Project
Despite lots of discussion & several landscape-scale projects there are still no real working examples of the Ecosystem Approach. / A demonstration project to trial the Ecosystem Approach on a Highland catchment and convey the results to decision makers at Highland, Scottish and European levels. Potential to link with other studies in other European countries?
(UHI, SNH, FCS, SEPA, SGRPID, RAFTS, SLE, NFU, SCF, RSPB, THC)
6. Black Isle Links Project
Many conservationists live on the Black Isle and there is a desire to contribute to land management discussions. / Is there potential to link up farmers and conservationists on the Black Isle, perhaps using the RSPB’s Volunteer & Farm Alliance Project as a starter?
(RSPB, SNH, TBI, SAC, NFU)
7. Wildflower Meadow Creation
There is interest in creating wildflower meadows in public spaces as an alternative to mown grass, but a lack of knowledge in creation & management. / A training course for Council grounds staff and community groups wishing to create wildflower meadows, perhaps linking in with land management courses and a demonstration site at UHI.
(Highland Council, UHI, SNH, NTS, Flora Locale, Scotia Seeds)
8. Atlantic Hazelwoods Project
This is a project idea that came from the last Highland BAP but has not been delivered in Highland yet. / FCS has identified a number of woods that could be a starter for this project.
(FCS, SNH, SCF, SLE)
9. The Lonesome Pine
Large areas of Highland remain devoid of trees due to high deer numbers, but there are isolated pockets that could provide a seed source for future regeneration. / A project to identify isolated patches of trees across Highland and seek ways to protect and expand them with the ambition of creating connecting corridors – potential for citizen science in identifying sites.
( FCS, HBRG, Local Biodiversity Groups)
10. Riparian Woodlands Project
Whilst eligible for SRDP funding, riparian woodlands are by their very nature linear, requiring long expanses of fencing to protect relatively small areas of woodland. / A project to encourage woodland regeneration and planting on the banks of rivers and streams across Highland for the many benefits it can bring.
(FCS, SNH, RAFTS)
11. Transitional Woodland
Whilst there are concerns about woodland expansion onto bogs and high deer numbers, this is a missing habitat and the biodiversity benefits are likely to be great. / A project to identify potential sites, establish transitional woodlands and demonstrate their value and management requirements in Highland. The idea is to encourage native woodland at low density that is controlled largely by 'natural' factors - climate in the case of treelines and hydrology/paludification in the case of bogs.
( FCS / SNH / Highland Council / RSPB)
12. Peatland Projects
Peatland restoration is taking place in Caithness & Sutherland, but there are other areas in Highland that could benefit from this. / A project to identify sites suitable for drain blocking and tree removal elsewhere in Highland, and draw together a funding bid, perhaps utilising Peatland Action funding?
(SNH, RSPB, FCS)
13. In-bye Survey
A suggestion from the Flows to the Future Project. / A biodiversity survey of in-bye land around the peatlands of Caithness & Sutherland, linked to the Flows to the Future Project.
(Peatland Partnership)
14. Highland PAW Group
Wildlife Crime is being tackled nationally through PAW Scotland, but there are local groups under this initiative to tackle local issues. / Establishment of a Highland Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime (PAW) Group to address local concerns, help with early communication, information sharing, awareness raising and publicity management.
(Police Scotland, SNH, RSPB, SLE, other HEF partners)
15. Wildlife Crime Awareness Raising
The main role for all partners wishing to deliver the Highland BAP would be in raising awareness and encouraging people to report incidents. / Wildlife crime should be reported to the police as soon as possible. Never intervene, take photos and notes, including grid refs, don’t touch or more evidence. See http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Environment/Wildlife-Habitats/paw-scotland/ for more information.
(Highland Environment Forum members)
16. Wildfire Awareness Raising Project
Wildfires, often resulting from the uncontrolled burning of heather moorland, are causing damage to moorland and mountain habitats and species. / An awareness-raising project, working with game keepers, crofters and other land managers, perhaps using demonstration sites & case studies, promoting the Muirburn Code and joint working to tackle wildfires.
(SFRS, SNH, Deer Management Groups, SGA, North Highland College, SLE, Crofters Commission, SCF)
17. Highland Marine Litter Project
Although there are national campaigns and beach clean-ups, marine litter is still increasing on Highland beaches. / A project to raise awareness and improve waste collection facilities at harbours and ports, starting with a baseline survey to ascertain the quantity and source of litter on our beaches.
(Highland Council, MCS, Moray Firth Partnership, marine industries)
18. Seabed Protection
Inshore trawling & dredging are destroying seabed habitats and there are concerns that the Marine Protected Area designations will not fully address this problem. / HEF members are asked to join the Highland Council in calling for the Scottish Government to further investigate inshore fisheries management measures to increase the number and extent of areas that are closed to mobile fishing gear.
(Scottish Government, Marine Scotland, SNH, local communities, fishing groups, Highland Council)
19. Beaver Reintroduction
This is likely to get the green light in 2015. / Discussions will be needed on where reintroductions could take place and if they will be allowed or if beaver will just be left to colonise naturally from the Tay catchment and the official release site in Argyll.
(SNH, RAFTS, SEPA, SLE)
Development & Infrastructure / Issues:
• Lack of sensitivity in road construction & maintenance
• Lack of ecological advice to planners
• Development pressure
• Impacts from renewable installations
20. Highland Road Verges Project
A Road Verge Project was trialled in Caithness with some success. Attempts have been made to extend it to other sites, but there is much more to do to make this project a reality across Highland. / A dedicated officer or volunteer is needed with time to secure political support for the project and liaise with / train the Council, BEAR Scotland and contractors’ staff, as well as raise awareness of the benefits of ‘untidy’ verges in the countryside amongst the general public.
(Highland Council, Transport Scotland, BEAR Scotland)
21. Biodiversity Input to Local Plans
The only way to halt the decline of biodiversity due to development is to agree that there should be no net loss of biodiversity from development. / A suggestion that the biodiversity officers, SNH and others need to work more closely with the Council planners over the Highland-wide Local Development Plan and Area Plans, and ensure that biodiversity offsetting and green networks are taken forward through the development planning process.
(Highland Council, SNH, RSPB, Local Biodiversity Groups)
22. Woods and Waterways
A suggestion from the pre-consultation exercise. / Linking up Inverness using the canal as the central spine and joining with the Dunain Community Woodland, Craigphadrig, Newcraigs, Anam etc. to promote health and wellbeing.
(FCS, SCT, Highland Council)
23. SuDS Graduate Internship
Sustainable Drainage Systems are a sequence of water management practices and facilities designed to drain surface water more sustainably. They frequently involve ponds, and these could have higher biodiversity value. / Highland Council applied for a graduate internship post to assess SuDS ponds in the A96 corridor as part of the Green Network, create local best practice guidance to maximise the wildlife value of SuDS, and see how future ponds in developments can be designed and sited to maximise their benefit to wildlife and residents.
(Highland Council, SNH)
24. Green Networks
There was considerable work on green networks to prepare the supplementary guidance to accompany the Highland wide Local Development Plan. / There is an opportunity for planners and partners such as SNH to work together on Easter Ross and other areas throughout Highland to develop green networks within the larger developments through the planning process.
(Highland Council, SNH, RSPB, Local Biodiversity Groups)
25. Inverness Walks on Water
Highland Council & others have drawn together a Green Infrastructure funding bid for this project. / If successful, this project will provide a sequence of high quality green spaces around Muirtown and South Kessock, linked by green active travel routes along the river, canal and seafront.
(Highland Council, Scottish Canals, Merkinch Greenspace)
26. Biodiversity Offsetting Project
This requires land where particular new habitat creation or management can offset the loss of biodiversity on a development site. To compensate for the loss the offset area needs to be bigger than the site lost. / It is suggested that the Council and partners look into this by identifying potential sites and habitat improvements, as well as a mechanism for this in Highland.
The Green Networks that have been proposed around large settlements and in the A96 and Inner Moray Firth development corridors would seem obvious locations for local offsetting.
(Highland Council, SNH, RSPB, SWT)
27. Golden Eagle Project
A Golden Eagle Officer will be employed to survey and monitor eagle populations, work with land managers and help raise awareness of eagle issues in the Monadliaths. / As further windfarm applications go through the planning process in this area, it is hoped that other developers will contribute to this work.
(Highland Council, SNH, SSE, Natural Research, RSPB, Raptor Study Group, Estates & other developers)
28. Renewables Offsetting Pilot
There is potential for offsetting projects in this industry. / It is suggested that this approach is investigated and a Highland pilot project undertaken.
(Highland Council, SNH, developers)
Local Biodiversity Projects / Issues:
• Lack of capacity within Local Biodiversity Groups
• Lack of easily accessible funding for small projects
29. Brownfield Biodiversity Project
Brownfield sites often provide valuable wild plants for insects and habitats for small mammals & birds. There is a need to identify good sites & provide advice on the potential for improvements on public buildings & sites in urban areas. / A potential project carried out by volunteers from the local groups to identify brownfield sites that are good for biodiversity. The volunteers could also identify public buildings where nest boxes for swifts, bats etc. could be put, & educate the public officers as to the benefits of such actions.
(Local Biodiversity Groups, Highland Council, other HEF partners)
30. Volunteering Opportunities
The Easter Ross Biodiversity Group identified a lack of clarity on local volunteering opportunities, and is trying to address this by publicising opportunities. / There is potential to extend this to cover Highland, by making better linkages between volunteering groups, bringing together groups with suggestions for local projects, and making opportunities and contacts more visible to the public.
(Highland Council, TCV, RAFTS, FCS, RSPB, NTS, Third Sector Interface, Council for Voluntary Services)
31. Wildlife Gardening Project
There is greater demand for allotments and interest in growing food. / Is there potential for a pan-Highland Wildlife Gardening Project funded by HEF partners & led by the Local Biodiversity Groups with links to local allotment & gardening groups? The project could have events, competitions & garden visits.
(Local Biodiversity Groups, Highland Council, SNH, RSPB, Gardening Groups, Garden Centres & Nurseries)
32. Local Biodiversity Action Programme
National agencies are looking to local groups to deliver regional and national biodiversity objectives, but there is no easily accessible fund or support to help them undertake such work. / Could we run another community grant scheme, where the Local Groups receive support to update their LBAPs, this process identifies future projects, and then funding and support is available to deliver these projects? This would encourage grass roots endeavours to achieve regional biodiversity objectives. Mentoring project leaders could be one way to build capacity to deliver projects.
(Highland Council, SNH, Local Biodiversity Groups)
33. Highland Green Gym Project
There is a growing recognition of the link between biodiversity & health, and support for practical biodiversity projects involving volunteers. / A possible project to encourage volunteering, linking biodiversity and health, led by The Conservation Volunteers with input from the Local Biodiversity Groups and funding from the Landfill Communities Fund.
(TCV, Highland Council, Local Biodiversity Groups)
Awareness & Knowledge / Issues:
• General lack of interest & awareness of nature & wildlife
• Lack of interest & awareness amongst children & young people
• Lack of awareness in seashore & marine biodiversity
• Lack of interest in soil biodiversity
34. Biodiversity Awareness Survey
We don’t know about the public’s level of interest or understanding in biodiversity. / An online survey to get a baseline of biodiversity awareness and knowledge across all ages and sectors of the community, which could be repeated every 3-5 years. This could help identify areas for future awareness-raising projects and give us feedback on how we are doing.
(Highland Council, SNH, other HEF partners)
35. Nature Connections
A lot of local wildlife knowledge is being lost due to our lack of connection with the natural world. / A nature project for all ages to help communities to learn from their elderly members.
(Local Biodiversity Groups, Wildlife Watch Groups, CVS & other Third Sector Groups)
36. Eco Schools Co-ordinator
The Eco Schools programme lost its officer support and some Highland schools are losing their green flag status. / This requires a dedicated volunteer or member of staff who could work closely with teachers, helping them to re-engage with Eco Schools and other green initiatives, and to access resources and support for wildlife-related work as they need it.
(Highland Council, HEF partners)
37. Marine Heritage Project
The Seashore Project identified a tremendous interest in seashore biodiversity and a desire to find out more through further marine events. / One suggestion is to seek funding for a second awareness raising project, focusing on our marine heritage and traditional links with the sea.
(Highland Council, SNH, MCS, SEPA, Moray Firth Partnership, Museums, Fishing Groups, RAFTS, Crown Estate)
38. Highland Herring Rediscovery Project
WREN has already worked up a project bid for a W Ross Herring Rediscovery Project, but it was thought that this would be better delivered across Highland. / A project to identify herring spawning grounds, better understand the life cycle, and teach children about herring, marine biology and our cultural links with herring fishing. Possibly best delivered as one element of a wider Highland Marine Heritage Project?
(Highland Council, SNH, MCS, SEPA, Moray Firth Partnership, Museums, Fishing Groups, RAFTS, Crown Estate)
39. Soil Management Project
With advances in technology and farming practices soils are often treated as a growing medium, possibly to the detriment of the other ecosystem services that they provide. / A project to bring together soil scientists and land managers, to explore the ecosystem services provided by soils, raise awareness amongst both civil servants and land managers, and demonstrate best practice.
(Scottish Government RPID, FCS, James Hutton Institute, SAC, SLE, NFUS, CC, SCF)
40. Earthworms versus New Zealand flatworms project
Little is known about the extent and impact of NZ flatworms in Highland. / A project suggestion to map the extent and raise awareness of New Zealand flatworms in Highland, building on existing guidance.
(HBRG, Local Biodiversity Groups, Gardening Groups)
INVASIVE NON-NATIVE SPECIES / Issues:
• Lack of long term funding
• Difficulties of scale
• Lack of guidance & support
• New INNS threats
41. Rhododendron Project
SRDP is only funding source for clearance on private land and there is a need to co-ordinate clearance work to give other eradication projects the best chance of success. / There is a need for a further Rhododendron Project Officer to co-ordinate applications to the new SRDP within the four priority areas identified by the last project, instigate action on road and railway verges, facilitate community surveillance of ‘cleared’ areas (to stop recolonisation), and secure public support for Rhododendron removal.
(Invasive Species Forum partners)
42. INNS Apprenticeships:
The BTCV Apprenticeship Programme proved a very effective way of co-ordinating INNS projects on the Cromarty Firth. / Is there scope for running further apprenticeships to tackle invasive non-native species, using the work carried out in the Cromarty Firth as a model?
(TCV, RAFTS, Invasive Species Forum)
43. Urban INNS Surveys:
Gardens are a major source of INNS & we know little about their extent in our towns. / A project to train volunteers and survey urban areas for invasive non-native species. This would inform future co-ordinated control programmes.
(Highland Council, SNH, HBRG, local biodiversity groups)
44. Caithness Salmonberry Project:
Salmonberry is an invasive shrub that is overtaking hedges in Caithness. / A potential project to train volunteers and co-ordinate salmonberry eradication, extending a trial that was carried out some years ago.
(Caithness Biodiversity Group, Highland Council)
45. Highland Rhodie Plant Swap:
The 2006 BAP identified R ponticum as a main threat to native biodiversity, and proposed a project to stop it being grown in gardens. / A Highland-wide project to raise awareness of the damage caused by this plant amongst gardeners, building on the plant swap initiative being run by the NTS at Torridon.
(Invasive Species Forum partners, Garden Centres, Gardening Clubs, Local Biodiversity Groups)
46. Rapid Response Pathway:
More and new INNS are being found throughout Highland, and there is a need to clarify reporting procedures & action. / A project to identify and agree clear rapid response pathways for new species that may start to colonise, as well as raise awareness amongst the general public.
(Invasive Species Forum partners)
Biological Recording & Data Management / Issues:
• Lack of information
• Lack of capacity to manage biological records
• Data capture
47. Reform STAG:
The local biodiversity groups are keen to undertake species related projects but do not know where to begin. / The re-formation of a specialist group to identify area-based citizen science projects that the local groups could carry out, and make the linkages with the national priority species lead partners.
(Highland Council, SNH, RSPB, HBRG)
48. Highland Biological Database Project:
We await clarity on the national situation regarding the storage and management of biological records but lack adequate facilities in Highland. / Once the national situation is clearer, a project to create a Highland data management and biological volunteer co-ordination hub, building on the existing Highland Biological Database Project.
(HBRG, SNH, Highland Council, Highland Environment Forum partners)
49. Data Collection:
Lots of species records are collected but not passed on by specialists and companies undertaking EIA surveys. / A volunteer post or studentship within the Highland Council Development & Infrastructure Department to look into data collection from new developments?
(Highland Council, SNH)
List of Potential Partners