Environment

This week, conservation charity Buglife launched a complete B-Lines map for Scotland. B-Lines is the response to the decline of bees and other pollinating insects, a plan for how to reconnect our wild places by creating a network of wildflowers across our landscapes.

The Skills Development Scotland and Scottish Government Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan was launched earlier this week, and identifies a series of priority areas focused on employers, education and individuals that will help Scotland capitalise on job opportunities emerging from the net-zero transition. 

Plans to protect at least 30% of Scotland’s land for nature by 2030 – and to examine options to extend this further – have been announced today by Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham.

New measures to increase the maximum available penalties for the worst cases of animal cruelty have come in to force.

Taking effect from 30 November, the Animals and Wildlife (Penalties, Protections and Powers) (Scotland) Act 2020 increases the maximum penalty for the most serious animal welfare and wildlife crimes to five years imprisonment and unlimited fines.

Plans to commission a Scottish Centre of Expertise in Biodiversity have been announced as part of the new draft strategy for the environment, natural resources and agricultural research programme.

Six Farm Conservation Advisers, members of the Scottish Farming and Wildlife Advisers Group (ScotFWAG), have worked with over 60 Scottish farmers to create habitat benefiting many species of birds and bees.  The farmers involved in the project stretch from Shetland and Orkney to The Borders.

Wildlife watchers are being asked to help a University of St Andrews project gain knowledge about bottlenose dolphins by sending photographs taken of the mammals spotted off the coast.

Trees for Life is asking people across the Highlands to report sightings of red squirrels for the Great Scottish Squirrel Survey from 21-27 September.

The rewilding charity wants to increase sightings of the animals across the region during the week and beyond – whether in gardens, local communities or in woodlands.