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Helping Wildlife Recover From The Harshest Winter In Years – The Role Local Farmers Can Play

SAC News Release Ref. No: 10N18
Published: 05 Mar 2010

Scotland’s wildlife has been devastated by the snow and ice of recent months. When the snows finally melt away we will see just how badly populations of species like corn buntings or wild bees have been affected. The role farmers and land managers can play in creating the habitats in which these species and many others can recover has seldom been more important.

On Wednesday 10th March, at a meeting in the Banff Springs Hotel organised by SAC, experts outlined the funds and schemes available to help this happen. Under the Scottish Government's Rural Development Programme, rural priorities schemes, there are grants to help farmers deliver a variety of benefits the public value such as improved habitats, increased woodland and better countryside management. The government wants to see a quarter of Scotland covered in trees so the planting of woodlands is receiving special attention.

However the application process for the schemes is complicated. Those attending the Banff meeting learned how best to apply and score the points needed to access the funds needed to make any environmental improvements. Amongst the speakers was Paul Chapman SAC, Hywel Maggs of RSPB Scotland and Eva Sparreboom of the Forestry Commission.

In the afternoon, after lunch, there was the opportunity to learn from the experience of Ordens Farms with a farm walk to see the wetlands created, the hedges planted and habitats nurtured.  

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News Release Issued By

Mr Ken Rundle
Senior Communications Officer
SAC (Scottish Agricultural College) Work SAC, King's Buildings, West Mains Road,
Edinburgh
EH9 3JG
TelWork 0131 535 4196

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