Pupils from Edinburgh primary schools swapped the classroom for beekeeping as they had the chance to visit Fort Kinnaird’s thriving beehives for a day buzzing with educational fun.
During the session, 12 pupils from Niddrie Mill Primary and Castleview Primary learned about the world of bees – including how they are essential to the local environment, how hives function, and what it takes to care for bees first-hand.
The visit was delivered in partnership with Colin Mackie of Fine Scottish Honey Ltd – a local beekeeper who has maintained the centre’s two on-site hives since they were installed in May 2024.
The experience follows a series of in-school sessions delivered by Colin in partnership with Fort Kinnaird as part of the Young Readers Programme, an award-winning initiative between its co-owner British Land and the National Literacy Trust, which aims to encourage children to read and learn outside of the classroom.
More than 230 pupils at Niddrie Mill Primary, Castleview Primary and Brunstane Primary took part in the sessions, which included honey tasting, candle rolling, creative craft activities and an interactive storytelling session. As part of the project, pupils also decorated bird boxes which are due to be installed at Fort Kinnaird.
Liam Smith, Centre Director at Fort Kinnaird, said: “We’re proud to work closely with local schools and community partners to offer educational experiences that are fun, hands-on and genuinely inspiring.
“Opportunities like this give children the chance to learn in a different way – not just by reading about nature, but by seeing it and asking questions in real time.
“It’s been brilliant to see our beehives come to life and thrive over the year to support both the centre and local community biodiversity – this is all part of our sustainability plan which includes zero waste and 98% renewable energy use.”
Funding to help local authorities restore biodiversity
Local authorities will directly receive £10 million to support new, or to enhance existing, approaches to restoring biodiversity through the Nature Restoration Fund (NRF).
More than £55 million has been awarded via the NRF since its launch in 2021 for projects delivering habitat and species restoration, coastal and marine initiatives and control of invasive non-native species.
Acting Minister for Climate Action, Dr Alasdair Allan said: “Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth, and is essential for sustaining the ecosystems that provide us with food, fuel, health, wealth, and other vital services.
“We know there is an urgent need to act decisively to address the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change together.
“Just like climate change, the loss of species and degradation of our natural environment is an existential threat to humanity. We have a vision for a future where Scotland’s natural environment is restored and supports thriving communities and wildlife alike.
“The Nature Restoration Fund is a vital mechanism to support projects across Scotland on land and at sea – that address the twin crises and restore our natural environment and supports a whole-of society approach to achieving these goals.”
The Edinburgh Process strand of the NRF provides funding direct to Local Authorities to deliver nature restoration projects in their communities, sitting alongside the NRF strand administered by NatureScot.
This latest allocation will bring the total allocated to Local Authorities through the Edinburgh Process strand to £32 million, since 2021.
The NRF aims to help local authorities and their partners protect and restore Scotland’s biodiversity on land and sea.
The Fund has five strategic themes that will be delivered across all the funding streams:
Habitat and species restoration: Management for enhancement and connectivity
Freshwater restoration, including restoration of natural flows in rural catchments
Coastal and marine initiatives which promote restoration, recovery, enhancement or resilience
Control of invasive non-native species (INNS) impacting on nature
Urban: Enhancing and connecting nature across, and between, towns and cities
The Edinburgh Process strand seeks to deliver the five strategic priorities through sub-national delivery. This approach can deliver multiple benefits like supporting health and well-being, green jobs, air and water quality improvements in addition to supporting nature recovery.
NatureScot Chair Colin Galbraith said: “The Nature Restoration Fund is helping environmental groups, communities and local authorities across Scotland take vital action for Scotland’s nature now.
“It’s crucial that we do everything we can to respond to the twin crises of nature loss and climate change. With this kind of support, we can make a positive and lasting difference that will put our land, seas and wildlife back on the road to recovery. This is not only good for nature, but good for people too as we all benefit from a healthy and thriving natural world.”
The Scottish Government’s Strategic Framework for biodiversity, including the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy to 2045 and Delivery Plan to 2030, published in November 2024, sets out our ambition and plans to halt the loss of nature by 2030 and make significant progress to restoring nature by 2045.
Holyrood’s Rural Affairs & Islands Committee is seeking views on legislative proposals which aim to help restore nature and protect biodiversity in Scotland.
The Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill would place a duty on Ministers to set the first legally binding nature restoration targets in Scotland, recognising that previous non-statutory approaches have failed to halt nature decline.
The Bill also provides Scottish Ministers with powers to amend environmental impact assessment legislation and habitats regulations; make changes to National Parks legislation to modernise how they are managed; and make detailed changes to wild deer legislation, to modernise how they are managed and respond to the twin climate and nature crises.
The Scottish Government says that “taken together, the provisions in this Bill aim to support the work already being undertaken by land managers, farmers, nature agencies, charities and the stewards of our land, to restore and protect the natural environment on which we all depend.”
Speaking as the inquiry was launched, Committee Convener, Finlay Carson MSP, said; “We depend on nature for the food we eat, the surroundings we live in, and to help mitigate the impacts of climate change. Improving biodiversity and regenerating the natural environment, should be important to us all.
“The focus of our inquiry will be to ensure that the measures proposed in the Bill are appropriate and firmly underpin Scotland’s goals of protecting biodiversity and reducing harmful carbon emissions.
“Casting our net wide, we would like to hear from those with environmental and wildlife interests, planners, national park authorities, regulators, deer management groups, to name only a few.
“Do you think that statutory nature targets are needed in Scotland? Do you agree with the proposed changes to the aims of National Parks or the way wild deer would be managed in Scotland?
“Please get in touch to share your views and help us ensure that this Bill does what it says it will do.”
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The committee will take oral evidence over the coming months before submitting a report to the Scottish Parliament later in the year.
The call for views closes on Friday 9 May 2025 and be accessed here.
Enhancing water and air quality, protecting and restoring vulnerable marine and coastal ecosystems, and establishing a programme of species recovery are all part of a new plan to make significant progress in restoring nature by 2045.
A new Biodiversity Delivery Plan for 2024-2030 contains over 100 actions to accelerate the pace and scale of efforts to address the biodiversity crisis.
It supports the Biodiversity Strategy, which sets out a strategic vision for a nature positive, net zero future where natural environment loss is halted and restored. Statutory targets for nature will be included in a new Natural Environment Bill to be introduced this Parliamentary year.
Delivery plan actions include:
substantially reducing deer densities, protecting 30% of land for nature and developing a nature positive agriculture programme
investing in nature restoration – through the Nature Restoration Fund, more than £65 million over this parliament and investing in woodland creation and peatland restoration
tackling the indirect drivers of biodiversity loss, particularly engaging and strengthening the connection between people and nature
Launching the plan at Bawsinch and Duddingston Reserve, Acting Climate Minister Dr Alasdair Allan said: “The Global Climate Emergency and the Nature Emergency are twin reinforcing crises: the actions we take to address each are fundamental to our wellbeing and survival as a species. We need a partnership approach to delivery – government cannot do it alone.
“This new Biodiversity Delivery Plan sets out clear actions that government, businesses and individuals can take to protect and restore our precious natural environment for future generations to come.
“The whole of society has a role to play but especially the stewards of our land, rivers, lochs and seas such as farmers, gamekeepers and fishers who have the knowledge and skills to drive the transformation that is needed.
“Biodiversity supports these essential industries – food production needs pollinators and healthy soils whilst, fish and fish farming depend on healthy, thriving seas.”
NatureScot Chair Professor Colin Galbraith said: “We all rely on nature for our survival, and it is everyone’s responsibility to care for it. The Scottish Biodiversity Strategy is Scotland’s response to the nature crisis, and it sets out a clear and comprehensive plan, supported by a series of actions that will help restore nature back to a healthy, thriving state.
“To restore nature across Scotland will take a sustained national effort, but in doing so, we will increase our resilience to climate change and reaffirm our connection with the natural world. This will bring many benefits for the people of Scotland, and we urge everyone to stand up and play their part in creating a net-zero and nature positive future for all.”
Jo Pike, Chief Executive of the Scottish Wildlife Trust said: “We are pleased to see the launch of the long-awaited and much-needed Scottish Biodiversity Strategy and Delivery Plans.
“The Scottish Wildlife Trust believes that a huge effort is needed across the whole of society if we are to realistically tackle the climate and nature emergencies. Alongside the strategy, we welcome the Government’s commitment to develop statutory targets for nature’s recovery in the forthcoming Natural Environment Bill.
“Together, they can help us move closer to realising the ambitions of the many people who have fed into this strategy. However, this will require leadership at all levels, increased resources and a recognition that nature is vital to our economy, our wellbeing and our future.”
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.
