Search Results: scotland

NatureScot and the Icelandic Institute of Natural History are collaborating on a project to more accurately map greylag populations and migration locations.  People in Orkney and north-east Scotland are being asked to look out for the 80 geese that have been fitted with special GPS collars to aid this research.  Icelandic greylags are shot to…

The rural “land rush” in Scotland is slowing down, according to financial experts. Financial Times reported that the high purchase prices for Scottish estates, which have characterised the past few years, will continue to fall as the “bubble for natural capital bursts”.  Prices have risen over the past decade, initially due to demand for estates…

There won’t be much red grouse shooting on the moors this season, after unseasonal spells of cold and wet weather impacted chick survival rates. For Scottish moors lucky enough to be able to harvest a sustainable surplus of red grouse, shooting will only be permitted on landholdings covered by a red grouse shooting licence issued…

Scotland’s Net Zero Secretary Màiri McAllan says the Scottish government “will build on the current Cairngorms Deer Pilot to develop a national scheme which incentivises increased management and investment in the venison supply chain”. The pilot started in 2023 and offers local residents the opportunity to learn vital skills. When locals are fully trained and…

Police have arrested two men over alleged breaches of Scotland’s new foxhunting legislation. The arrests followed video surveillance and complaints submitted by anti-hunt groups in the Scottish Borders. Officers have investigated six reports of illegal foxhunting since the new law was introduced last October.  Police Scotland confirmed that two men, aged 29 and 55, were…

Deer managers are being forced to let injured deer die slowly due to a policy from Scotland’s forestry body in the wake of the Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Bill.  Best practice training says stalkers working in public forests should take a tracking dog to locate deer injured during culling. Wounded deer can run off into…

Stalkers and gamedealers united to secure the future of the Scottish vension market in November. The Scottish Venison Summit saw about 100 members of the sector gather to discuss the challenges facing the market and plans to move it forward.  Venison has been subject to a range of external influences over the past five years,…

On 24 October, the Heather Trust AGM was staged at the Tarras Valley Nature Reserve near Langholm – one of Scotland’s most enterprising rewilding projects. The nature reserve was in the press last year after it doubled in size following one of the most ambitious community fundraising campaigns ever seen. This was the result of…

Last week, the Scottish parliament voted on government proposals to abolish the close season for male deer in Scotland. Despite having been rejected by the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee, parliament voted to accept the government proposal. This means that from 21 October 2023, there will be no close season for male deer of any…

Scottish cabinet secretary for rural affairs Mairi Gougeon visited Uist in the Outer Hebrides on 7 September to announce over £500,000 of funding to support the protection and recovery of wild salmon populations. The recreational fishing sector is worth £79.9m to the Scottish economy and supports 4,300 jobs. This year, despite heavy rain in July,…