Western Isles Biodiversity

Previous Events

Otters in Scotland and the work of the International Otter Survival Fund

Talk by Grace Yoxon, Thursday 2nd August 2007 at Nunton Steadings, Benbecula at 7pm.

Organised by Curracag - The Outer Hebrides Natural History Society

Environmental Fayre in Ness - 29th May 2007

Loch Stiapabhat Local Nature Reserve (LNR) in Ness was the focus of attention during Scottish Biodiversity Week and LNR Celebrations Fortnight 2007.  An Environmental Fayre was held in Lionel School on Tuesday 29th May 2007 for local school children and the public to learn about their local nature reserve and the work of key environmental organisations and projects.  A new website for the LNR was also launched by Donald John MacDonald, former rector of the Nicolson Institute in Lewis.

Organisations and projects participating on the day included Bumblebee Conservation Trust (BBCT), Hebridean Mink Project, John Muir Trust (JMT), Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), Galson Estate Trust Ranger and the Western Isles Biodiversity Officer.

Over 170 pupils from Airidhantium, Barvas, Cross and Lionel schools attended one of two sessions during the day where they took part in fun activities to learn about biodiversity and the LNR. Highlights for the schools included BBCT’s giant bumblebee model, JMT’s slug workshop and SNH’s otter and mink displays.  The activities generated a lot of interest by the schools with some organisations being invited back to schools for follow-up sessions.

The Fayre was also open to the public in the evening and provided an opportunity to, meet with members of the Loch Stiapabhat LNR Management Group, find out about plans for the LNR and the work of the various environmental organisations and projects.

Loch Stiapabhat was designated a LNR by Comhairle nan Eilean Siar in July 2005, the first in the Western Isles.  The reserve is managed by a local management group known as ‘Friends of Loch Stiapabhat’. The LNR provides a fantastic opportunity for locals and visitors to the area to study wildlife and has great educational value for schools throughout the islands.  Events such as the Environmental Fayre encourage the development of links with nearby schools and it is hoped that pupils will become involved in practical projects on the reserve. The local community has backed the initiative whole heartedly and it is hoped that in the long-term the LNR will bring small-scale economic benefits to the area through the provision of visitor facilities. The involvement of young people is considered to be vital for ensuring the Western Isles’ unique wildlife and habitats are maintained for future generations. 

 

Scottish Biodiversity Fortnight 27 May - 11 June 2006

Scottish Biodiversity Fortnight is fourteen days of events and activities for children, grown ups, schools, families, businesses, in fact everyone. There will be talks, guided walks, pond-dipping, birdwatching trips, nature reserve open days, wildflower planting days, nature photography/painting workshops & exhibitions, whale and dolphin watching trips and much more! The myriad of activities run during the fortnight, across the whole of Scotland, are designed to promote awareness and appreciation of Scotland's unique biodiversity, help the public understand what biodiversity is, to encourage them to get involved, and to reinforce the message that what they are doing locally does have a national, international, and global impact.

A programme of events has been organised throughout the Western Isles to raise awareness of local biodiversity. The various events provide the opportunity to view and appreciate some of the incredible range of wildlife found in the Western Isles

Please note that an adult must accompany children under 16 at all events.
All outdoor events are dependent on reasonable weather conditions.

Lewis and Harris

Monday 29th May

Aren’t Birds Brilliant - Guided wildlife watching walk at Griais (Gress) Beach, Cliffs and Saltings on the Isle of Lewis with RSPB Walks Officer, Alice Starmore. This is an easy and leisurely stroll across beach and firm ground. Meet at Picnic area car park beside bus shelter opposite Gress Cemetery at 2pm. Duration 1.5 hrs. Strong footwear and waterproofs essential. Contact: Alice Starmore 07798 667751.

Northton Machair Walk – A guided walk on Northton Machair, Isle of Harris with Bill Lawson. Learn about the machair flora and fauna and the history and archaeology of the area. Meet at the MacGillivray Centre Car Park, Northton (NF989902) at 2.30pm. Duration 3hrs. Good walking shoes and waterproof clothing necessary. Charge £3.00 per person. Contact: Bill Lawson on 01859 520488.

Thursday 1st June

Aren’t Birds Brilliant - Guided wildlife watching walk at Braighe na h-Aodhe (Branahuie), Lewis with RSPB Walks Officer, Alice Starmore. This is an easy and leisurely stroll over beaches and firm ground. Meet at main car park at centre of the Braighe at 4pm. Duration 1.5 hrs. Strong footwear and waterproofs essential. Contact: Alice Starmore 07798 667751.

Monday 5th June

Northton Machair Walk – A guided walk on Northton Machair, Isle of Harris with Bill Lawson. Learn about the machair flora and fauna and the history and archaeology of the area. Meet at the MacGillivray Centre Car Park, Northton (NF989902) at 2.30pm. Duration 3hrs. Good walking shoes and waterproof clothing necessary. Charge £3.00 per person. Contact Bill Lawson on 01859 520488.

Aren’t Birds Brilliant - Bragar Corncrake Evening - Come and enjoy an evening walk learning about and listening to one of the UK’s most elusive birds with RSPB Walks Officer, Alice Starmore. Meet at Cemetery car park at Port Mhor Bhragair, Isle of Lewis at 7.30pm. Duration: 2 Hours. This is an easy walk, though sturdy footwear is recommended. Contact: Alice Starmore 07798 667751.

Wednesday 7th June

Aren’t Birds Brilliant - Guided wildlife watching walk at Tolsta with RSPB Walks Officer, Alice Starmore from Leverhulme Bridge to Bun Abhainn na Cloich. This walk allows great vantage points for watching the sea life below, and also takes in the rich flora of the moorland. Meet at Traigh Ghearadha (Garry Beach) car park at 11am. Duration: 2 Hours. Sturdy footwear is strongly advised. Contact: Alice Starmore 07798 667751.

Wild About Good Health – A guided walk around the Stornoway Castle Grounds looking at good health indicators in nature and humans with Chris Ryan, Paths for Health Co-ordinator in the Western Isles. Meet at YMCA Bridge in Stornoway at 7pm. Sensible footwear and showerproof jackets required. Contact Chris Ryan on 01851 612288.

Uist and Barra

Monday 29th May

Corncrake Walk at Loch Sandray, North Uist - Come and enjoy an evening walk learning about and listening to one of the UK’s most elusive birds. Meet at Free Church of Scotland Car Park, Sandray, North Uist (NF741685) at 9.30pm. Charge: RSPB Members £1, Non-members £3 Contact: Brian Lowe on 01876 510725.

Tuesday 30th May

Guided Natural History Walk at Balranald Nature Reserve - Come and enjoy a morning’s easy walk, discovering the wildlife of the reserve and learning about how RSPB work with local farmers and crofters to help protect local bird species. Meet at RSPB Visitor Centre, Balranald, North Uist at 10am. Duration 1.5 hrs. Charge: Members £1, Non-members £3. Contact RSPB Warden Jamie Boyle on 01876 560287.

Wednesday 31st May

Otter Walk at Langass, North Uist - Join us for a morning’s walk, learning about the wildlife of North Uist and hopefully gaining a glimpse of otters as they search the shoreline and play in the surf. Meet at Langass Lodge Hotel, Locheport, North Uist at 10am. Duration 3hrs. Charge: RSPB Members £2, Non-members £4.
Please book in advance Tel: Jamie Boyle on 01876 560287.

Monday 5th June

Corncrake Walk at Eoligarry, Barra - Come and enjoy an evening walk learning about and listening to one of the UK’s most elusive birds. Meet at Eoligarry Pier, Isle of Barra (NF713076) at 9.30pm. Charge: RSPB Members £1, Non-members £3 Contact: Brian Lowe on 01876 510725.

Tuesday 6th June

Guided Natural History Walk at Balranald Nature Reserve - Come and enjoy a morning’s easy walk, discovering the wildlife of the reserve and learning about how RSPB work with local farmers and crofters to help protect local bird species. Meet at RSPB Visitor Centre, Balranald, North Uist at 10am. Duration 1.5 hrs. Charge: Members £1, Non-members £3. Contact RSPB Warden Jamie Boyle on 01876 560287.

Wednesday 7th June

Otter Walk at Langass, North Uist - Join us for a morning’s walk, learning about the wildlife of North Uist and hopefully gaining a glimpse of otters as they search the shoreline and play in the surf. Meet at Langass Lodge Hotel, Locheport, North Uist at 10am. Duration 3hrs. Charge: RSPB Members £2, Non-members £4. Please book in advance Tel: Jamie Boyle on 01876 560287.

Further information on all events in the Western Isles is available from Anne MacLellan on 01870 602425.
Email: amaclellan@cne-siar.gov.uk.

For a list of events throughout Scotland visit www.biodiversityscotland.gov.uk

 

Local Biodiversity Officers Network Meeting in the Western Isles (8-9 September 2005)

Local Biodiversity Officers from all over Scotland met in the Western Isles for their biannual network meeting. The photograph on the right shows those who attended the meeting (left to right):

Nadine Russel (Orkney), Ro Scott (SNH Edinburgh), Peter Norman (Dumfries & Galloway), Susan Steel (Edinburgh), Caroline Peacock (Edinburgh & Falkirk), Samantha Muir (Western Isles), Janet Bromham (Highlands), Stephen Corcoran (Cairngorms National Park), Catherine Lloyd (Tayside) and Petrina Brown (Renfrewshire).

This was the first time the meeting had been held in the Western Isles and was hosted by the Comhairle in Stornoway. After a welcome from Cllr Archie Campbell, Chair of the Comhairle’s Sustainable Development Committee, officers discussed local and national Biodiversity issues and recent developments. A minibus tour of the Islands followed over the next day and a half looking at various projects concerned with the conservation of local wildlife and habitats. After the visit Cllr Archie Campbell said “the Comhairle’s commitment to the environment is demonstrated through the hosting of this network meeting. Those involved received a useful insight into the local community and importantly how the Comhairle and its local partners are helping to manage the environment through the Local Biodiversity Action Plan process and related projects”. The officers’ work, from Shetland to Dumfries, includes taking action to improve conditions for rare and threatened species and habitats, and promoting people’s understanding and enjoyment of their local wildlife.

After attending the launch of the Local Nature Reserve at Loch Stiapabhat in Ness, the visitors enjoyed local hospitality at Comunn Eachdraidh Nis. Their journey then took them to Tarbert to hear about the Hebridean Mink Project, and on to North Uist to see habitat management work being done by RSPB at Balranald for the corncrake and great yellow bumblebee. Nadine Russell from Orkney said “It’s really useful for me to see the work being done to promote Biodiversity in a different group of islands. As relatively isolated small communities we have a lot in common, not least the management of the seas which surround us.” The final port of call was Loch Druidibeg in South Uist, where local SNH staff explained the work of the Goose Management Scheme and the Uist Wader Project”.

Loch Druidibeg, Balranald, Carinish

 

Launch of Phase 2 Action Plans 11th August 2005.

TV Presenter Chris Packham formally launched the Phase 2 Western Isles Local Biodiversity Action Plans (LBAP) on Thursday 11th August at Taigh Chearsabhagh, Lochmaddy. The launch took the format of a number of presentations followed by a buffet lunch. Samantha Muir, the Biodiversity Officer, provided background information on the progress since the launch of the Phase 1 Action Plans in May and on the development process for the Phase 2 plans. Considerable public consultation was involved in producing the plans to ensure local community participation. This was followed by a presentation by Chris Packham. Chris is familiar to most as the presenter for the successful Children’s BBC Wildlife programme, The Really Wild Show. Chris had been in Uist for the week prior to the launch working on his most recent project, which he hopes will encourage visitors to come to the Western Isles to see and enjoy some of the rare and unusual wildlife. Chris commended the work done to produce the second phase of LBAP’s and wished the plan every success in the future.

Phase 2 Launch with Chris Packham

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar in conjunction with the Western Isles Biodiversity Partnership and Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) produced the second phase Species Plans to protect the Corn Bunting, Dunlin, Corncrake, Irish Lady’s-tresses Orchid and the Habitat Action Plan will safeguard Cereal Field Margins. John Love, SNH Area Officer, commented on the considerable community involvement in the process and Councillor Alasdair MacEachen, chair of the launch, concluded by acknowledging the considerable involvement and input by the partner organisations.

 

Scottish Biodiversity Week 21 May - 2 June 2005

A programme of events and activities was organised throughout the Western Isles.

Scottish Biodiversity Week was a 13 day programme of events and activities for children, grown ups, schools, families, businesses, in fact everyone. Over 200 events were planned across the country, ranging from Nature Reserve open days and guided walks, scrub clearance and moth walks, exhibitions and talks, making bird boxes and animal tracking. The myriad of activities ran during the week, across the whole of Scotland, and were designed to help the public understand what biodiversity is, to encourage them to get involved, and to reinforce the message that what they are doing locally does have a national, international, and global impact.

Events in Barra included: Bumblebee Walk, Guided Natural History walk at Balranald Nature Reserve, Corncrake walks, Otter walk at Langass, Mystery Bones: A bone identification surgery by Mary Harman, Scottish Turtle Roadshow, Grimsay Boat day.

Events in Lewis and Harris included: The Web of Life, In search of Eagles, Northton Machair walk, Aren’t birds brilliant, Photographing wild plants and flowers, Gathering edible seafood, Predator and prey, Corncrake walk, Scottish Turtle Roadshow.

Further information on all events in the Western Isles is available at www.cne-siar.gov.uk/biodiversity or contact Samantha Muir 01871 810259, e-mail: smuir@cne-siar.gov.uk

 

Public Meetings

Public Meetings on Biodiversity

The development of partnerships is essential for the successful implementation of the plan at a local level and to help foster this, the Comhairle held a series of public meetings in Barra, Benbecula and Stornoway in February 2002.

The aim of the meetings was to:

The meetings took the form of a series of presentations followed by a workshop session where participants were encouraged to discuss the ways in which biodiversity was important to them.

Guest speaker was Dr Kenny Taylor, writer and broadcaster and Chairman of the Cairngorms Local Biodiversity Action Plan (LBAP) Management Group. Dr Taylor told of his experiences with the biodiversity process in the Cairngorms area and examples of practical initiatives resulting from the Cairngorms LBAP. Local Scottish Natural Heritage and Scottish Agricultural College staff and the Comhairle's Crofting & Biodiversity Development Officer also gave presentations.

Barra Meeting Report
Benbecula Meeting Report
Stornoway Meeting Report

 

Public Consultation on Draft Action Plans

The LBAP Steering Group carried out public consultation on the 3 draft local action plans in December 2003. Evening workshops were held in Barra, Benbecula and Stornoway and were facilitated by a consultancy specialising in community engagement.

The full consultant's independent report on the consultation exercise is available here.
The Western Isles LBAP Steering Group will use this report as a prompt for further ongoing discussion.
The report is also available in the local libraries.

 

Local Community Workshops

Western Isles Local Biodiversity Action Plan – Local Community Workshops 14 - 24 March 2005

The Comhairle in association with the Western Isles Biodiversity Partnership and SNH wishes to obtain the views of the public on the five latest draft action plans – Corn Bunting, Corncrake, Dunlin, Irish Lady’s-tresses Orchid and Cereal Field Margins.

To have your say, please come along to one of the community workshops:

Monday 14th March, 7.30 pm – Cabarfeidh Hotel, Stornoway
Tuesday 15th March, 7.30 pm – Shawbost Community School, Lewis
Monday 21st March, 7.30 pm – Castlebay School, Barra
Tuesday 22nd March, 7.30 pm – Kildonan Museum, South Uist.
Wednesday 23rd March, 7.30 pm – Carinish Hall, North Uist Thursday 24th March, 7.30 pm – Sir E Scott School, Harris.

Contact Anne MacLellan on 01870 602425, amaclellan@cne-siar.gov.uk.