This page is the beginnings of a portal for Scotland community action in response to Ecological emergency.
River Dee Trust’s Million Trees Campaign, a project to save threatened salmon in the River Dee, wins one of the country’s most prestigious nature restoration awards, riverdee.org.uk (Nov 23, 2023) — More than 460,000 trees have already been planted.
Biodiversity[edit | edit source]
The Scottish Wildlife Trust has well over 46,000 members. The Scottish Wildlife Trust acquired its first wildlife reserve in 1966 and now has more than 120 reserves throughout Scotland with visitor centres at Loch of the Lowes (Perth and Kinross), Montrose Basin (Angus), and the Falls of Clyde (South Lanarkshire). As well as providing homes for wildlife these sites are valuable places for people to interact with and enjoy wildlife. The trust also seek to influence and challenge legislation for the benefit of wildlife.
The Scottish Wildlife Trust was involved in a trial reintroduction of the Eurasian beaver to Scotland. Begun in 2009, the trial ran at Knapdale until 2014. The beaver was given native species status in 2016.
Another of the Scottish Wildlife Trust's major projects is the protection of the red squirrel in Scotland. With project partners, the Saving Scotland's Red Squirrels project aims to stop the advance of the grey squirrel into the North and North East of Scotland, as well as protecting pockets of red squirrel habitat in South Scotland and Loch Lomond and the Trossachs
The trust is one of 46 Wildlife Trusts operating in the United Kingdom and the Crown Dependencies.
- Scottish Wildlife Trust, registered charity dedicated to conserving the wildlife and natural environment of Scotland.
Rewilding[edit | edit source]
This article is an offshoot of our Ecological restoration Scotland page and focuses on community led rewilding or initiatives involving local communities.
- Rewilding Nation declaration call for Scotland as Charter launched, scotlandbigpicture.com (Mar 15, 2024) — More than 2% of Scotland’s land now rewilding according to new figures
Environment quality[edit | edit source]
Keep Scotland Beautiful is an environmental charity based in Scotland, which aims “to make Scotland a cleaner, greener and more sustainable place to live, work and visit.” The organisation campaigns and educates on a range of environmental issues including climate change and litter reduction.
Keep Scotland Beautiful manages several environment-related campaigns and programmes in Scotland. These include Eco-Schools Scotland, Climate Ready Classrooms, Clean Up Scotland, the Green Flag Award, the Beach Awards, Beautiful Scotland, the Climate Challenge Fund, the National Award for Environmental Excellence, Carbon Literacy Training and Heritage projects and Canal College.
- Keep Scotland Beautiful, ksbscotland on youtube.com, added 12:22, 26 October 2023 (UTC)
Open spaces[edit | edit source]
- greenspace scotland, social enterprise supporting communities in many ways through grant funding, information, advice and training ,and working with communities for example via community placemaking projects. added 14:56, 27 November 2023 (UTC)
Rivers[edit | edit source]
- River Dee Trust, community-based charitable company, set up in 1998. added 12:50, 4 December 2023 (UTC)
Trees, woodland and forest[edit | edit source]
Scotland is ideal for tree growth, thanks to its mild winters, plentiful rainfall, fertile soil and hill-sheltered topography. As of 2019 about 18.5% of the country was wooded. Although this figure is well below the European Union (EU) average of 43%, it represents a significant increase compared to the figure of 100 years previously: in 1919 (at the end of the Great War) it was estimated that only 5% of the country's total land area was covered in forest. The Scottish Government's Draft Climate Change Plan has set an aim of increasing coverage to 21% of Scotland by 2032, with the rate of afforestation rising to 15,000 hectares per year by 2024.
Approximately 4,700 km2 of Scotland's forests and woodlands are publicly owned by the Scottish Government via Forestry and Land Scotland, and these are termed the National Forest Estate. As of 2015, forestry contributed almost £1 billion to the Scottish economy, and the industry employed over 25,000 people. W
Wetlands[edit | edit source]
Cairngorms Cranes, scotlandbigpicture.com
Coasts[edit | edit source]
- Coastal Communities Network, "community-led network comprising local groups committed to the preservation and safeguarding of Scotland’s coastal and marine environments." added 14:29, 26 October 2023 (UTC)
- The Scottish Coastal Clean Up, facilitating and assisting with beach cleans across Scotland
Rural sustainability[edit | edit source]
- Scottish Rural Action, "Our vision is for vibrant and connected rural and island communities which have control over their future, and which contribute to building a society that is inclusive, just and sustainable." Video: Scottish Rural Action on youtube.com
- Rural Housing Scotland, national charity supporting community action on rural housing issues, providing practical support for community-led housing initiatives and campaigning to secure more affordable housing in rural Scotland. Community Led Housing, information from ruralhousingscotland.org, added 15:01, 26 October 2023 (UTC)
Scottish rural parliament[edit | edit source]
In March 2012 Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead announced that the Scottish Government was moving ahead with its plans for a Scottish rural parliament, as outlined in Programme for Scotland 2011–2012.
The inaugural Scottish Rural Parliament was held from 6–8 November 2014, in Oban, Argyll & Bute.
An independent organization, Scottish Rural Action, was formed to take forward the proposals. Directors include the chair, John Hutchison of Community Land Scotland, who is a Community Advocate based in the West Highlands. He also chairs the Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust and is former Chairman of the John Muir Trust.
The themes or topics for the Rural Parliament will be decided by people who live and work in rural Scotland using a survey.
- Scottish Rural and Islands Parliament, Video: Scottish Rural and Islands Parliament on youtube.com
News and comment[edit | edit source]
2022
- These Scottish villagers bought a nature reserve - now they are fundraising to double its size, euronews.com (Jun 10, 2022)
2021
Coastal saltmarsh 'engineered' to fight climate change, Nov 11[1]
Vast area of Scottish Highlands to be rewilded in ambitious 30-year project, Sep 24...[2]
See also[edit | edit source]
- Topic overview: Ecological restoration, Biodiversity, Environment quality, Open spaces
- UK context: Ecological restoration UK, Biodiversity UK, Environment quality UK, Open spaces UK, Community river action UK
References
