Scotland is home to more than 1500 species of lichen, more than 85% of the total species found in the UK, and is recognized for its clean air quality and abundance of lichens.
Despite this prevalence, lichens are far less likely to be identified and surveyed by members of the public and citizen science initiatives than vascular plants.
This project seeks to increase awareness around lichen biology and ecology, uncovering the environmental importance of lichen species.
Join Lichen Biodiversity Scientist Dr Rebecca Yahr and researcher Toby Mills on a walk around Granton’s Eastern Breakwater to explore the abundant community of marine lichen species at the site.
The walk is accompanied by the creation of a new interactive digital guide. The interactive guide also forms part of the Art Walk’s UnderCurrent Exhibition at the Art Walk Porty Festival Hub (7/8 & 14/15 September).
As part of their sustainability and biodiversity initiative, Multrees Walk is home to four thriving beehives hosting over 250,000 honeybees.
Urban beekeeping, as it’s known, aims to address the decline in bee populations while encouraging environmental regeneration within city setting communities. Multrees Walk, alongside Scottish sustainable honey business, Webster Honey, is not only contributing to this bee conservation but also creating educational opportunities for schools to learn more about the importance of urban bee keeping.
Leigh Aitchison, Centre Manager from Multrees Walksaid: “We are obviously well known for being home to some of the world’s most famous designer brands, but we are also proud to be home to over 250,000 honeybees.
Perched high on the roof, Multrees Walk provides the perfect setting and a safe environment for the bees. The bees can fly up to three miles, with Princes Street Gardens, Holyrood Park, Inverleith Park and the Meadows all easily accessible from the roof of Multrees Walk.”
To celebrate World Bee Day, (today, 20 May) Multrees Walk invited pupils from nearby Leith Walk Primary School to find out more about urban bee keeping from Webster Honey. The school children started with a short talk about the importance of bees to our ecology, the threats they face, their life cycle and a bit about how beekeepers care for them.
The pupils then donned beekeeping suits to get up and close personal to the bees, trying to spot the queen bee and learning how much work a worker bee has to do to make one jar of honey.
Meik Molitor, Head Beekeeper at Webster Honeysaid: “I absolutely love getting to teach children about honeybees – how important they are to our ecology and how much we need them for our food.
“But the best thing is seeing their reaction when I open the hive and how they get really engaged and involved with actually tending the hive.
“Bees thrive in a number of areas and do just as well in urban settings as they do in rural locations. By integrating rooftop apiaries into our shopping centres, we are building a deeper connection between people and the natural world.”
Honey from the hives is collected once or twice a year (after the summer months) to make delicious jars of honey.
Each hive can produce on average 20-25kg of honey (90 – 110 jars) each year but Webster Honey nly take the extra honey, leaving enough to feed the bees through the winter months.
For further information on Multrees Walk retailers, please visit:
Additional £5 million from Nature Restoration Fund to enhance biodiversity
Scotland’s councils will invest £5 million this year to develop Nature Networks across the country to help tackle the nature and climate crises.
The funding from the Scottish Government will allow local authorities to develop new woodlands, hedgerows, wildflower meadows and ponds, as well as restoring and joining together existing natural habitats that are important for wild plants and animals. Nature Networks provide the opportunity to create and improve active travel spaces, mitigate against flood risk, and give spaces for people and communities to enjoy the natural environment.
The Scottish Government has committed to ensuring every local authority has a thriving Nature Network. Using practical guidance, local authorities and communities can put in place projects that best meet their priorities for nature and climate change.
Local Government Empowerment and Planning Minister Joe FitzPatrick said: “We are facing twin climate and nature crises, and we have a responsibility to protect our natural environment for future generations.
“Local authorities have a key role to play through their engagement with communities to identify shared priorities and the projects that will best allow these to be met.
“The additional £5 million from the Nature Restoration Fund will allow councils to develop Nature Networks and build on the good work already delivered through support from the fund to support new, or to enhance existing, approaches to restoring biodiversity.
“One of the key drivers of biodiversity loss is changes to how land is used, causing habitats to be lost and/or broken up. Remaining habitats are often isolated and less resilient, meaning they struggle to support healthy plant and animal populations in the way they once did. If we are to reverse declines in biodiversity, it is vital to address this by developing robust networks for nature across Scotland.”
Jo Pike, Chief Executive, Scottish Wildlife Trust, said: “The Scottish Government has recognised that nature is in crisis and that concerted action will be required to tackle the twin crises of nature loss and climate change.
“We welcome the focus on nature networks as a way of stepping up our approach to bringing about nature’s recovery.
“Since 2019, the Scottish Wildlife Trust has been working with the City of Edinburgh Council, with input from a host of community organisations, to develop the Edinburgh Nature Network, which is the first of its kind.
“Every local authority is different but we hope that the methodology, which focuses strongly on local circumstances, will provide a sound foundation for work across Scotland.”
Team Ithaca, the all-female crew rowing around Great Britain is now over halfway around. They’re currently making strong progress past the Isle of Mull and have less than 1,000 miles to go.
Team Ithaca includes six extraordinary women taking part in the GB Row Challenge, a 2,000 mile row around Britain’s coastline. They’ve been rowing for the last 21 days and if they finish within 50, they’ll break a Guinness World record for the first female team of six to have ever completed the feat.
Skipper Emma Wolstenholme (above) said: “We’re now in Scotland and the famous Corryvreckan marked the halfway point. We have been in constant rain and side winds creating side-on waves day and night, so although it’s awesome to be halfway, we are all very wet and hoping for some Scottish sunshine.”
The team have said that highs have included beautiful sunsets and sunrises, seeing dolphins, minke whales, puffins and shooting stars. Lows have included sleep deprivation, seasickness and rowing in torrential rain.
One of the rowers, Sandra Gates, said: “It feels great to be over halfway round. The highs for me are rowing with dolphins, being under the milky way and seeing shooting stars and sea sickness finally going!
“The whole experience is huge for me. I can’t wait to see Scotland from a different angle and appreciate our beautiful coastline while ticking the miles off and heading home. I’m not sure I will ever get used to the graveyard shift and I’m pretty sure I will never want to hear a mobile alarm for some time. I miss my family and dogs so much but I’m loving the experience.”
While rowing, they’re making an enormous contribution to an ocean pollution map of UK waters as they collect data on microplastics, temperature, noise pollution, and biodiversity.
So far they have collected 25 samples of Environmental DNA (eDNA) using an automatic pumping system, which will provide data on biodiversity.
Dr Kat Bruce, Founder Director of biodiversity company Naturemetrics, who completed the GB Row Challenge last year, said: “Animals are constantly shedding tiny traces into the environment – including dead skin cells, mucous, saliva, urine and faeces.
“These tiny traces contain the DNA of the animal, which means we can record hundreds of species without necessarily ever seeing them.
“The rowers are making this incredible journey around the coast and they’ll be awed by the beauty and diversity of this island we live on. When I rowed last year, we had many encounters with wildlife, including dolphins, porpoises, seals and seabird colonies.
“But most of the biodiversity is under the water and the rowers will have no idea what different species their data will capture! The eDNA from a single litre of water can reveal hundreds of species, from invertebrates to blue whales. It’s this vital data that is helping to build a picture of our nation’s precious biodiversity so that we can better protect it.”
The rowers are also collecting data on microplastics, thanks to an innovative collaboration between University of Portsmouth scientists and engineers from Harwin and Porvair Filtration Group.
Experts have worked together to design and build a microplastics sampling system, developed to both survive the harsh environment at sea and work around the limited physical space and power available on the boats.
The rowers have collected 14 samples of microplastics so far, building on the data collected during last year’s race, which will allow scientists to see any changes happening year on year.
Dr Fay Couceiro, expert in biogeochemistry and environmental pollution at the University of Portsmouth, said: “We’re so grateful to this amazing team of women who are rowing continuously, two hours on and two hours off in sun, strong winds and heavy rain.
“Their efforts are helping to produce an annual map of ocean pollution and biodiversity, which will give a clearer picture of the environmental damage and long term impact of these pollutants on our seas.”
Their boat Challenger is also taking continuous recordings of underwater sound using an RS Aqua noise recorder integrated into the rudder as well as collecting data on salinity and temperature.
Communities across Scotland are being asked to consider whether their local area could be designated as the country’s newest national park.
Individuals, groups or organisations considering making a proposal can now register early interest.
Nominations will officially open later this year, once the appraisal framework has been finalised. The government has committed to designating at least one new national park in Scotland by Spring 2026.
Visiting Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity Lorna Slater said: “I look forward to engaging with communities and learning more about their proposals, and I encourage everyone to get involved as we move closer to naming Scotland’s next national park.
“Our existing national parks play an important role in tackling the biodiversity and climate crises, whilst also supporting local communities, businesses and visitors.
“Last year we consulted widely on the future of national parks in Scotland, and there was broad support for our commitment to create at least one new park by 2026.”
Chief Executive of Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority Gordon Watson said: “National Parks have a vital role to play in securing a more sustainable future for Scotland. They are unique places where we can maximise the benefits that can be provided for nature, climate and people.
“Scotland has set ambitious targets to reach Net Zero and to restore biodiversity by 2045.
“If we are to reach those targets, urgent, bold action is required and Scotland’s existing – and any new – National Parks can make a substantial contribution.
“Through scaling up our efforts to lock-in carbon in the landscape, restore nature at scale and enable a greener low-emission economy, we can, together, help Scotland make significant progress towards these commitments.”
The Scottish Government is already aware of several communities or groups that are interested in putting their area forward for national park status. Our appraisal framework will help to ensure the nomination process is fair, transparent and inclusive.
Registration opened yesterday (Thursday 11 May 2023). There is no requirement to register interest in order to submit a nomination. Nor does registration commit a group or organisation to submitting a nomination.
Registration will allow the Scottish Government to update interested parties with any important information, key dates and communications throughout the process.
All state funded primary schools in England will be sent wildflower seeds, inspired by His Majesty The King’s love of nature
UK Government has joined forces with the Eden Project to offer all state funded primary schools the opportunity to plant wildflowers to celebrate His Majesty The King’s commitment to fighting climate change
Planting wildflowers aims to inspire children to learn about nature and boost the biodiversity of the school estate, building on the plans to create a National Education Nature Park
Resources for schools also launched to help young people understand the historical significance of the Coronation
To mark the Coronation all state funded primary schools will be sent wildflower seeds that will empower children across the country to discover the joys of nature.
The government-funded project was inspired by His Majesty The King’s love of nature and aims to encourage children to learn about and improve the biodiversity of school’s green spaces, while making them nicer places to work and learn. Improving children’s connection to nature and spending time outdoors will also help to support their mental and physical wellbeing.
In a collaboration between the Department for Education and the Eden Project, over 200,000 seeds packets will be sent to schools, representing 40 hectares of new wildflower areas being planted up across England to support our pollinators. If planted together that would create around 40 rugby pitch sized wildflowers meadows – a small but vital step in boosting biodiversity.
To support schools to celebrate the Coronation, the Department for Education has also commissioned a series of lesson plans and other teaching materials for primary and secondary schools to explain the significance of this historical moment.
The charity Living Paintings has also designed, created and published a pack of tactile and audio resources that will enable blind and partially sighted children to learn about the Coronation, and the Eden Project has also created free lesson resources for schools and families to learn how to make eco-decorations for their Coronation celebrations using natural objects found in their surrounding green spaces.
Schools and other education providers can continue to improve biodiversity in the months and years to come through the National Education Nature Park – which brings together schools, colleges and other education settings into a vast virtual park.
It enables children and young people to get involved in taking practical action to improve the biodiversity of their green spaces, then mapping it online to see over time how the virtual park changes. The National Education Nature Park and Climate Action Award are open for registration from 18 May 2023.
Schools minister Nick Gibb said: “Giving children the opportunity to plant wildflowers will not only make school grounds more attractive, it will also help the next generation understand the importance of improving our biodiversity, while celebrating His Majesty The King’s love of nature.
“To help young people understand the historical significance of the Coronation, we have also asked two history teachers and curriculum experts to produce lesson plans and other materials about the coronation and the history of the monarchy, which we are sending to schools.”
Dan James, Development Director for the Eden Project said: “It is crucial that we replenish our biodiversity across the UK – and even small steps can make a difference.
“Through the work of National Wildflower Centre, Eden Project works with organisations across the UK with projects to make new wildflower habitats that support wildlife and connect people to the natural world. This is a fantastic opportunity for the next generation to see the impact that wildflowers can have, even in small spaces.
“By encouraging our children to plant wildflower seeds we can work towards reversing the decline of pollinators that we are seeing across the UK which is so important for our future.”
The packets of seeds include native annual wildflower species; cornflower, corn poppy, corn chamomile, corncockle, corn marigold and night-flowering catchfly, which if sown this Spring, will be in bloom this Summer.
The wildflowers will provide food for a wide range of insects including bees, butterflies and other pollinators in school grounds across England. Each seed packet covers around 2square metres of blue, white, purple, red and yellow flowers that can be planted in pots, beds or borders to boost colour and biodiversity in school grounds across England.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has commissioned a film for primary school-aged children, explaining the history and significance of the Coronation.
This can be played in classrooms or assemblies and gives children the opportunity to discover the history and importance of the Coronation, the role of His Majesty The King, and the significance of the Monarchy around the world.
The National Education Nature Park is just one of many initiatives in the DfE’s strategy for Sustainability and Climate Change that will provide learners with the resources to live, learn, work and participate in a contemporary global society.
Through climate education, green skills and careers, the Department is helping to create a sustainable future through education, developing the skills needed for a green economy, and supporting our sectors to reach net zero targets.
Sea cadets have installed a sea hive to benefit local marine life and biodiversity at the Sea Cadets Port Edgar Boat Station in South Queensferry.
Over the weekend, on a cold and overcast Saturday, eight junior cadets – all aged between 10 and 12 from nearby Methil and Queensferry Sea Cadets units – gathered at the Firth of the Forth against the backdrop of the iconic three bridges, first to assemble and then to install the sea hive, under the guidance of Mr David Francis of SeaHives Ltd.
“I measured the bolts used to fit the sea hive together,” one of the cadets, Jae (10) proudly announced. “I put the shackles on, which were used to attach the sea hive to the pontoon,” said Addie (11).
The sea cadets themselves have taken ownership of the exciting initiative, and not only with their hands-on approach in building and setting up the hive. The young people will be monitoring the variety and quantity of marine life that settles into their newly-installed hive over the coming months.
“We will be taking photos with an underwater camera once a week to see which marine life has moved in,” explains sea cadet Edward (10).
“I am excited because it will bring in new marine life,” said Ella (11), with Jude (10) adding that he is hoping that plenty of fish and barnacles (sticky little crustaceans related to crabs, lobsters and shrimp) will decide to make the sea hive their home.
Sea hives are artificial reefs designed to resemble the marine environment, providing surfaces for marine to settle on. Among the marine life that could decide to ‘move in’ are octopus, prawns, rock-dwelling fish and tube worms.
“We are really excited to be working with SeaHives Ltd on this venture, which started six months ago for us,” said Adam Ranklin, Boat Station Manager at the Sea Cadets Port Edgar Boat Station.
“It was great to see how fully engaged the cadets were in the set up and installation of the sea hives. They were very hands-on throughout, using drills and tools as well as taking charge in making decisions about the sea hives. It was a new and very positive experience for our junior sea cadets.”
David Francis of SeaHives Ltd said: ‘What a great bunch of Sea Cadets there were at Port Edgar! They really know how to work as a team to get the job done.
“Their boat station is an ideal location for a sea hive as it provides access to the plankton and nutrient rich waters of the North Sea, in an environment protected from extreme tidal and wave action.
“The sea hive will also provide shelter from predators for small fish and invertebrates like crabs and octopus to grow and breed.
“Sea hives are manufactured partly from processed and recycled fishing nets, an excellent example of how plastic can be re-used with a positive purpose.”
The sea hives project follows local and national forums among the cadets, called Cadet Voice, where the young people decide on the issues closest to their hearts to action. Being more environmentally responsible emerged as one of the young people’s top priorities.
Installation of sea hives will also take place next week at the Sea Cadets Thrapston Boat Station in Northamptonshire, with an eye to installing more sea hives at other Sea Cadets boat stations across the country.
As sea cadet Remy (11) says, “Sea cadets spend many hours on the water – so it’s only right that we should look after our marine environment.”
More than 4,000 locals have been involved in the first full year of a major marine restoration project – part-funded by the ScottishPower Foundation – to bring back seagrass habitats and native oyster populations to the Firth of Forth.
The ‘Restoration Forth’ project is supported by up to £600,000 over three years from the Foundation’s Marine Biodiversity Fund, which was set up to help provide a lasting legacy from the UN’s COP26 climate change conference held in Glasgow in 2021.
Restoration Forth is managed by WWF, the leading independent conservation organisation, in partnership with local communities and organisations and seeks to restore seagrass which provides an important habitat for marine life and an incredible tool in the fight against climate change.
Oyster reefs – which once flourished in the Forth – remove pollutants and provide sanctuary for a vast array of marine life.
The ScottishPower Foundation funding helped support a packed first year of activity, with the Restoration Forth team working with thousands of people to lay the foundations for the important restoration work.
As part of the process, 40,000 seagrass seeds have been prepped for planting, with the project team visiting Orkney and working with the local community there to collect the seeds for replanting in the Forth. Care was taken to ensure that the east coast variant was collected to avoid non-native species being planted in the Firth of Forth. The seeds are expected to be planted in March 2023.
Over a period of six months, the team also engaged more than 4,000 people of all ages from the communities surrounding the Firth of Forth. School pupils, university students, researchers, fishing communities and an array of local groups have learned about the plans and how they can get involved. More than 100 events from walks and talks to seed processing days and school assemblies have taken place.
An appointed team of citizen scientists have also been working in partnership with Seawilding on the west coast of Scotland to establish processes to source native oysters for Restoration Forth. Working in line with NatureScot and Marine Scotland’s guidelines, the team has been studying and scrubbing oysters to ensure the biosecurity of any oysters that will be relocated.
A large part of this year’s work has also focused on establishing the best locations within the Firth of Forth for the restoration to take place to ensure the best opportunities for community engagement and ecological conditions. The locations for planting need to be suitable for growth and accessible for members of the local community, so they can engage with the project and eventually take it forward in the long-term.
Melanie Hill, Executive Officer and Trustee of the ScottishPower Foundation, said: “It’s so exciting to see the progress across the year of our first-ever Marine Biodiversity Fund project.
“Restoration Forth is supported by the biggest-ever grant awarded by the ScottishPower Foundation, and is a shining example of how we can take action now to tackle the climate emergency.
“Thriving marine environments are vital if we’re to have any chance of addressing the biodiversity and climate crises we all face. Restoration Forth helps to do this and more, by engaging with the local community to educate them on the importance of these habitats to the wider ecosystem and our future.
“This collaborative approach can help provide the blueprint for further marine restoration projects across the country, with ScottishPower Foundation funding supporting future generations for years to come. I can’t wait to see what comes next.”
ScottishPower Foundation’s grant was the first funding contribution towards the £2.4 million total cost of the project, which aims to restore up to four hectares of seagrass and 10,000 oysters per year by the end of 2024.
Naomi Arnold, Restoration Forth Project Manager at WWF, said: ‘The level of interest and engagement in just the first year of Restoration Forth has been inspiring.
“The enthusiasm of our partners and funders but also, crucially, from members of the many communities that line the Forth showcases how a project like this can work for both the marine environment and the people who live by it.
“Restoring the seagrass meadows and oyster beds of the Forth brings a whole host of benefits, from improved water quality and increased biodiversity, to storing carbon and reduced coastal erosion.
“After a year of hard work and preparation, we are excited that this spring will see the start of seagrass planting and oyster deployment. A start that will help breathe new life back into the Forth.”
Partners delivering Restoration Forth alongside WWF include Edinburgh Shoreline Project, Fife Coast & Countryside Trust, Heriot Watt University, Marine Conservation Society, Project Seagrass, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Scottish Seabird Centre, The Ecology Centre and The Heart of Newhaven Community.
The ScottishPower Foundation was established in 2013 to make a significant and lasting contribution to society, enhancing the lives of people living in communities throughout the UK. It provides funding to help support the advancement of education, environmental protection, arts and culture and citizenship. It also supports charities who aim to provide relief from poverty, disability, or other disadvantages.
Further information on Restoration Forth is available at:
£271,320 of £500k target raised, so far from 239 (98 Scots) investors, with 10 weeks still to go
Halfway point comes as COP15 30×30 agreement reached to safeguard world’s ecosystems
Highlands Rewilding, Scotland’s 2,000-acre project focused on combating biodiversity collapse and climate meltdown, has raised over 50% of its £500,000 target in less than three weeks.
The crowdfund for mass ownership of the company Launched on 1st December and runs until the end of February. Exactly £271,320 (54.26%) has been raised from 239 investors, 98 of which are Scottish, so far.
The crowdfund’s milestone comes as the historic 30×30 deal at COP15 has been agreed, with 196 countries agreeing to the deal which aims to conserve 30% of the land, freshwater and ocean globally by 2030.
The Highlands Rewilding project intends to serve as an example of how citizen projects can help support the Scottish government reach their ambitious climate and biodiversity targets which are set on reversing nature loss by 2030 and substantially restoring and regenerating biodiversity by 2045.
Dr Jeremy Leggett, Founder and CEO of Highlands Rewilding, said: “We have been blown away and so encouraged by the support we have received from the nation’s citizen rewilders so far and thank every single investor for their support.Every pound really does count in enabling us to grow and expand the Highlands Rewilding model. We hope many more Scots will choose to join us in our quest.
“There has never been a more pivotal time for the nation to consider how nature recovery can support our world’s future, especially as the thirty-by-thirty deal has been reached at COP15 which makes a giant leap in conserving our land, freshwater and ocean globally. It acts as a hopeful exemplar of how grassroots projects, like Highlands Rewilding, can help governments meet their targets to safeguard vital ecosystems by the end of the decade.”
The ambitious Highlands Rewilding project, which stretches over 2,000 acres across two estates in the Scottish Highlands – Bunloit Estate in Inverness and Beldorney Estate in Aberdeenshire, – is pursuing a business model to scale nature recovery like no other.
As the project’s crowdfund and fundraising efforts continue, the Highlands Rewilding science team have released their second Natural Capital Report which uses cutting-edge methods, from satellites, to drone-based and ground-based sensors, eDNA analysis, and detailed observational work by ecologists, to assess biodiversity habitats and carbon stocks.
The results give an unprecedented insight into the Bunloit and Beldorney estates, and the methods that can be used to maximise benefits for the environment and the planet’s future prosperity.
Dr Jeremy Leggett added “Our Natural Capital Report provides us with a rich source of natural capital data which covers a variety of habitats so that we can better understand where efforts should be concentrated to harness and maximise carbon sources.
“In our continued efforts of producing high-quality, evidence-based data on natural capital quantification, our hope is that our work will begin to feed into the ongoing policymaking process in government to generate the best possible outcomes to support our nation’s long-term climate goals.
“After two and a half years of operations in our start phase, we have a strong and growing team, deep roots in our local communities, and a rapidly expanding core of cutting-edge science. Our intention is to become a world-class open laboratory for natural-capital verification science and demonstrate that natural capital can be grown verifiably for planet, people, and profit, both in wildland and actively managed land.”
It is hoped that £500,000 will be raised through the crowdfund by ‘citizen rewilders’. Investments are also expected from equity investors and financial institutions. No funding limit has been set for the entirety of the Highlands Rewilding fundraiser, but the organisation is aiming to raise at least eight million plus.
As with any investment, we encourage those interested in our project to make sure they fully understand the process, what their investment means and the potential risks of investing.
Find out more about the Highlands Rewilding and the crowdfund here:
