| Turtle Roadshow ‘lands’ in Western Isles | 9 May 2005 |
| Marine turtles are just one of the species featuring at events throughout the Western Isles between 21st and 29th May 2005. The Comhairle has organised a programme of events and activities for Scottish Biodiversity Week, to raise the profile of local biodiversity. This will be the third year that events have been organised in the islands. Scottish Biodiversity Week is nine days of events and activities for children, grown ups, schools, families, businesses, in fact everyone. Over 200 events are 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 run during the week, across the whole of Scotland, are 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. In essence, our future is in your hands. The Marine Conservation Society launched its Scottish Turtle Roadshow in February this year and is visiting communities around the entire coast of Scotland. The Roadshow with its life-size inflatable turtle will be visiting the Western Isles during Scottish Biodiversity Week and will be holding evening talks as well as visiting many schools throughout the islands during the week. Councillor Angus Nicolson, chairman of the Western Isles Local Biodiversity Action Plan Steering Group, said “The different events will allow you to explore and learn more about ‘our nature’ - the variety of wildlife and habitats in the Western Isles from the machairs of the Uists to the hills and coast of Harris and woodland in Lewis. Some of the more intriguing events being held this year include ‘Mystery Bones’ - a bone identification surgery; ‘Predator and Prey’ - a fun activity where participants take on the character of a particular bird or animal; and ‘The Web of Life’ - an activity about food chains where participants learn about the interdependency of plants and animals. The programme promises to offer something for everybody regardless of age or ability.” To find out more about what is being done for biodiversity in the Western Isles and for a full programme of events, visit the Western Isles Biodiversity website at www.cne-siar.gov.uk/biodiversity or contact Anne MacLellan on 01870 602425, email amaclellan@cne-sair.gov.uk. Notes to editors Biodiversity is a term first coined at the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, and encompasses all the wildlife and habitats in our ecosystem. The UK Biodiversity Action Plan, which was published in 1994, is Britain’s response to the convention and sets out an attainable goal for biodiversity conservation. In Scotland there are now 226 Species Action Plans to help conserve a broad variety of endangered species and 41 Habitat Action Plans for the protection of vulnerable sites. The Western Isles Biodiversity Partnership comprises CnES, SNH, RSPB, SAC, SEERAD, Scottish Crofting Foundation, Crofters Commission, SEPA, Forestry Commission Scotland, Western Isles Fisheries Trust, Western Isles Fishermen’s Association, Western Isles Aquaculture Association, a Landowner representative, and Scottish Wildlife Trust. Awareness raising through events such as Scottish Biodiversity Week is a key aim of the Western Isles LBAP. Nigel Scott Tel: 01851 709389 (Work) |
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