Beavers are back in the wild in Scotland for the first time in 400 years. Following a period of controversy, which saw the project vetoed by Scottish Ministers in 2005, two beaver families have finally been released into the wild in the Knapdale Forest, Argyll. A final family will be released tomorrow by Roseanna Cunningham, Scottish Government Environment Minister.

The beavers will be carefully monitored over the coming months, as will their impact on, amongst other things, water plants, river habitats, woodland, dragonflies and freshwater fish.

The project initially met resistance from landowners and the salmon fishing industry, concerned that beavers’ dams could block access by fish to their spawning grounds and could flood economically valuable woodland.

Speaking in advance of the release of the beavers, Roseanna Cunningham said: “Welcoming beavers back to Scotland marks a historic day for conservation. These charismatic creatures are not only likely to create interest in Scotland from further afield but crucially can play a key role in providing good habitat for a wide range of wetland species”. By thinning the forst canopy and creating lagoons next to watercourses, beavers can help to create wetland habitat.

Wales and England are planning beaver introductions within the next few years. Natural England began a consultation on suitable sites for beaver release in March this year, whilst Wales hopes to reintroduce beavers to the wild in two to three years time.

The Scottish Government this morning launched a Marine Bill for Scotland’s seas, setting out measures to restrict damaging activities in the interests of marine conservation and preserving ecosystem services in Scotland’s inshore waters.

The measures, which conservationists view as more stringent than those set out in the UK Marine Bill, currently progressing through the House of Lords, include potential restrictions on fishing, salmon farming, dregding and the development of oil pipelines up to 12 nautical miles from Scotland’s costs. This area accounts for 60% of the UK’s inshore waters, and includes rich fishing grounds.

Launching the Bill, the Scottish Environment Secretary, Richard Lochead, said: “Scotland holds a quarter of Europe’s total tidal and offshore wind resource and 10 per cent of its potential in wave power. Our seas generate more than £2.2 billion for the Scottish economy. We have huge potential to increase economic growth from our seas but need to do so in a sustainable way.” A network of Marine Protected Areas will be created in Scotland’s seas.

Under the proposals, damaging activities would be permitted within Marine Protected Areas only if two or more MPAs consist of identical habitats. This differs from the UK legislation, which focuses on finding a balance between nature conservation and socioeconomic concerns within Marine Conservation Zones. This difference raises the prospect of clashes between the Scottish and UK Governments over the legislation and over enforcement.

See the full press release on the Scottish Government website

Applications are now welcome for the 2009 BES Parliamentary Shadowing Scheme.

The scheme is now in its third year. Since 2007 our ecologists have had the opportunity to shadow two Parliamentary Under-Secretaries (Barry Gardiner MP and Joan Ruddock MP) at Defra, two MEPs (John Bowis MEP and Linda McAvan MP), plus officials from the devolved administrations. Those members of the BES who have taken part have commented on the value of this experience to them; gaining an unprecedented opportunity to gain first-hand experience of how science is used to inform policy-making. Ecologists spend one-two days with the parliamentarian, before spending another day or so with civil servants and policy-advisors.

The full list of Ministers, MEPs and Officials who have agreed to participate in the 2009 scheme has yet to be finalised. However, we are delighted to confirm that the following have so far agreed to take part:

• Jane Davidson AM, Minister for the Environment, Sustainability and Housing at the Welsh Assembly Government
• Professor Maggie Gill, Chief Scientific Advisor for Rural Affairs and the Environment, Scottish Government
• Linda McAvan MEP, Labour Spokesperson on the Environment, European Parliament
  Expenses

If you are a member of the BES and an early-career researcher (no more than eight years since finishing PhD) interested in the science-policy interface, then consider applying. The BES will cover all reasonable expenses you incur whilst on the scheme.

Find out more at the BES website.
Closing date: 27 February

A new freshwater mussel colony has been established at a secret location in the Scottish Highlands. The re-introduction by ecologists offers a chance to address the precipitous decline in the species. The success of the introduction will not been known until the slow-growing mussels become established; in 20 years or so.

Only 150 rivers throughout the world currently support freshwater mussel populations, over half of them in Scotland. Mussels remain threatened in the UK by indiscriminate killing by thieves, keen to find freshwater pearls which can change hands for hundreds of pounds. Speaking to the BBC, ecologist and mussel expert Peter Cosgrove said that his team had discovered a site with 800 mussel kills; the average age of each mussel 80 years: “If you do the maths that’s 64,000 years of mussel growth, just ripped from a river and destroyed. The rivers just cannot sustain that”. Mussels play a very important role in river ecology, filtering up to 50 litres of water per day.

Killing freshwater mussels has been illegal since 1998, with hefty fines of up to £10,000 for anyone guilty of killing even a single mussel. However, it is thought that no-one has ever been convicted. The police are now working on raising awareness amongst those in the Highlands about the high penalties for those committing such a crime, in the hope that this may prohibit thieves and cause witnesses to come forward.

See more on this story at the BBC News Website

The Scottish Government aims to create a ‘zero waste’ society, and the supermarket chain Tesco are set to helping them to achieve this aim.

Scottish Tesco stores are set to pioneer a ‘reverse vending machine’ whereby customers are rewarded for returning packing and recyclable products in in-store machines. The machine is capable of identifying and sorting items, and it is believed many vehicle journeys will be saved as the machine compresses and shreds the waste on site.

At the recent waste conference in Glasgow, Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead said:

“I am delighted to see that Tesco shares my vision of a ‘Zero Waste Scotland’ and is seeking to introduce reverse vending in Scotland. Reverse vending has terrific potential to improve our rates of recycling and evidence from Scandinavia and Canada shows that it has reaped real rewards.”

The Scottish Government remains committed to cutting growth of municipal waste by 2010.

Plans to build one of Europe’s largest on-shore windfarms, on Lewis in the Scottish Hebrides, have been rejected after Scottish Ministers ruled that the farm would have “significant adverse impacts” on rare and endangered birds living on the peatlands. The Lewis windfarm would have generated enough energy to meet 10% of Scotland’s energy needs. Jim Mather, the Scottish Energy Minister denied that the rejection of the scheme undermined Scotland’s commitment to green energy, stating that 13 schemes had been approved by the Scottish National Party since May 2006, with further schemes planned.

Link to original article; The Guardian “Endangered birds come first: Scottish ministers say no to huge wind farm on Lewis peatland“

This week is Scottish Environment Week, with numerous events in the Scottish Parliament focussing around the theme of the event, ‘A Climate for Change: Ensuring Sustainable Livlihoods’. Now in its third year, Scottish Environment Week provides an opportunity to focus on the environment and the value it brings to the society and economy of Scotland. Scottish MSPs will take part in, amongst other events, site visits to environmental initiatives across their constituencies and have the opportunity to see the first showing of a three-minute film on the Scottish marine environment, as part of a discussion on the Scottish Marine Bill.

The Scottish Parliament has launched a consultation on proposals for a Scottish Climate Change Bill. Key features include a statutory target to reduce Scottish carbon dioxide emissions by 80% by 2050, an annual measure of progress against targets and a framework of carbon budgets to act as milestones towards the core target.

The consultation closes on 23 April. It is hoped that a draft Bill can appear before the Scottish Parliament before the end of 2008.

The Forestry Commission’s Woodfuel Task Force today presented a report to the Scottish environment minister, Michael Russell, outlining 26 recommendations by which Scotland can exploit its woody biomass in the generation of energy.

The Task Force has identified 7 million dry tonnes of new woody material which would be suitable for use in the bioenergy sector, including from waste wood, short rotation coppicing and short rotation forestry.

Recommendations include the development of new branch wood and branch recovery grant to encourage growers to bring wood to the market and carry out greater thinning in their forests and woodland.

The Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) has today launched a new inquiry into climate change and local, regional and devolved government. With a vital role to play in reducing emissions , all levels of government should work to mitigate the effects of, and generate strategies to adapt to, climate change. Recent evidence to the Committee suggests a lack of cohesion between the various levels of government in the UK with respect to engagement in this area. Written evidence to the Committee from organisations and members of the public is invited by 3 January 2008.