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A group of enthusiastic volunteers recently helped to restore some of Scotland’s rarest mountain plants to Ben Lui Nature Reserve.

With their help we’ve been planting out hundreds of woolly and downy willow saplings in a remote area of cliff and crag near the popular Munro in the southern Highlands.

These hardy native willows are specially adapted to survive at higher altitudes and once would have been widespread as part of the habitat known as montane scrub.

But historical grazing pressure means that these low shrubs have been declining for decades and are now largely limited to the hardest to reach trees on inaccessible crags and steep burns.

Watch our short video to find out more about the project – and huge thanks to the volunteers from @lomondtrossachs who came along to help – we couldn’t have done it without you!

Ben Lui Nature Reserve is owned by NatureScot and the planting is part of the Wild Strathfillan project which is run by @trustinthepark and funded by the @scotgovnetzero #NatureRestorationFund.

NEW EPISODE 🎧⚠️

Wildlife corridors, greener streets, nature-loving young people and community connections are all part of the Nature Networks jigsaw being built across Scotland to help nature thrive and people flourish.

This week’s #MakeSpaceForNature podcast meets two people leading the way for their local areas in Edinburgh and Ayrshire.

Listen on your preferred podcast app by searching Make Space For Nature or click on the link in our bio.

📷 L-R: Fiona and Alexandra at Leith Links, North Ayrshire Council wildlflower meadow, Natue Network interpretation sign at Leith Links, wildflowers at Leith Links.
@edinburgh_council @lovenorthayrshire

NEW EPISODE 🎧⚠️

Wildlife corridors, greener streets, nature-loving young people and community connections are all part of the Nature Networks jigsaw being built across Scotland to help nature thrive and people flourish.

This week’s #MakeSpaceForNature podcast meets two people leading the way for their local areas in Edinburgh and Ayrshire.

Listen on your preferred podcast app by searching Make Space For Nature or click on the link in our bio.

📷 L-R: Fiona and Alexandra at Leith Links, North Ayrshire Council wildlflower meadow, Natue Network interpretation sign at Leith Links, wildflowers at Leith Links.
@edinburgh_council @lovenorthayrshire

NEW EPISODE 🎧⚠️

Wildlife corridors, greener streets, nature-loving young people and community connections are all part of the Nature Networks jigsaw being built across Scotland to help nature thrive and people flourish.

This week’s #MakeSpaceForNature podcast meets two people leading the way for their local areas in Edinburgh and Ayrshire.

Listen on your preferred podcast app by searching Make Space For Nature or click on the link in our bio.

📷 L-R: Fiona and Alexandra at Leith Links, North Ayrshire Council wildlflower meadow, Natue Network interpretation sign at Leith Links, wildflowers at Leith Links.
@edinburgh_council @lovenorthayrshire

NEW EPISODE 🎧⚠️

Wildlife corridors, greener streets, nature-loving young people and community connections are all part of the Nature Networks jigsaw being built across Scotland to help nature thrive and people flourish.

This week’s #MakeSpaceForNature podcast meets two people leading the way for their local areas in Edinburgh and Ayrshire.

Listen on your preferred podcast app by searching Make Space For Nature or click on the link in our bio.

📷 L-R: Fiona and Alexandra at Leith Links, North Ayrshire Council wildlflower meadow, Natue Network interpretation sign at Leith Links, wildflowers at Leith Links.
@edinburgh_council @lovenorthayrshire

Machair is such a special living landscape.🐝 🌱 🌸

Unique to the north-west of Scotland and Ireland, machair is the product of people managing the land for wildlife.

A blend of low-lying coastline, sand, strong winds, just the right amount of rainfall and careful grazing makes this remarkable habitat.

Varied plants encourage a whole host of beasties, including the rare great yellow bumblebee, which in turn attracts birds such as corncrake and corn bunting.

The Uists, Tiree and Barra are great places to spot some of the best examples.

Machair is such a special living landscape.🐝 🌱 🌸

Unique to the north-west of Scotland and Ireland, machair is the product of people managing the land for wildlife.

A blend of low-lying coastline, sand, strong winds, just the right amount of rainfall and careful grazing makes this remarkable habitat.

Varied plants encourage a whole host of beasties, including the rare great yellow bumblebee, which in turn attracts birds such as corncrake and corn bunting.

The Uists, Tiree and Barra are great places to spot some of the best examples.

Machair is such a special living landscape.🐝 🌱 🌸

Unique to the north-west of Scotland and Ireland, machair is the product of people managing the land for wildlife.

A blend of low-lying coastline, sand, strong winds, just the right amount of rainfall and careful grazing makes this remarkable habitat.

Varied plants encourage a whole host of beasties, including the rare great yellow bumblebee, which in turn attracts birds such as corncrake and corn bunting.

The Uists, Tiree and Barra are great places to spot some of the best examples.

Machair is such a special living landscape.🐝 🌱 🌸

Unique to the north-west of Scotland and Ireland, machair is the product of people managing the land for wildlife.

A blend of low-lying coastline, sand, strong winds, just the right amount of rainfall and careful grazing makes this remarkable habitat.

Varied plants encourage a whole host of beasties, including the rare great yellow bumblebee, which in turn attracts birds such as corncrake and corn bunting.

The Uists, Tiree and Barra are great places to spot some of the best examples.

This #EuropeanDayOfParks we’re celebrating our brilliant National Nature Reserves (NNRs) across Scotland.

The theme this year is ‘connected by nature’, and there’s nowhere better to connect with nature than at a NNR, where you can enjoy and be inspired by the very best of Scotland’s landscapes, habitats and species.

From Munro summits to shifting sand dunes, seabird cities to peatland paradises, find your nearest at https://orlo.uk/SZdD3

Can you guess which of our NNRs these wonderful images were taken at?

This #EuropeanDayOfParks we’re celebrating our brilliant National Nature Reserves (NNRs) across Scotland.

The theme this year is ‘connected by nature’, and there’s nowhere better to connect with nature than at a NNR, where you can enjoy and be inspired by the very best of Scotland’s landscapes, habitats and species.

From Munro summits to shifting sand dunes, seabird cities to peatland paradises, find your nearest at https://orlo.uk/SZdD3

Can you guess which of our NNRs these wonderful images were taken at?

This #EuropeanDayOfParks we’re celebrating our brilliant National Nature Reserves (NNRs) across Scotland.

The theme this year is ‘connected by nature’, and there’s nowhere better to connect with nature than at a NNR, where you can enjoy and be inspired by the very best of Scotland’s landscapes, habitats and species.

From Munro summits to shifting sand dunes, seabird cities to peatland paradises, find your nearest at https://orlo.uk/SZdD3

Can you guess which of our NNRs these wonderful images were taken at?

Gulls ruffling your feathers?

Gulls are drawn to food waste, but human food is bad for them.

Food scraps encourage gulls to stay around, and that can sometime cause problems in our towns and cities.

Help gulls and your local community - don't drop litter and secure your bins 👍

This Wader Week (18-24 May) we’re encouraging everyone to do their bit to help our much-loved but struggling wading birds.

As ground nesting birds, the nests and young of species like curlew, oystercatcher and lapwing are particularly vulnerable to disturbance.

Most wildlife disturbance happens by accident when we are exploring outdoors. The good news is that we can all help to prevent it by following these top tips:

🥚 Even a well-trained dog can frighten wildlife by being curious when exploring. So, it’s safest to keep your four-legged friend in sight (so you can see what it is doing) - or on a lead - when you’re unsure if there are birds nearby.

🥚 Always watch wildlife from a respectful distance and learn to spot the signs of disturbance so you know when your presence has a negative impact.

🥚 Use paths wherever possible - to prevent damage in more sensitive natural habitats and to avoid disturbing birds and nests hidden in long grass.

🥚 Follow any locally available advice or signage about avoiding disturbance to wildlife. You may also find information on how to spot more elusive species on these signs, so it’s always worth pausing to read them.

For more tips, search for the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.

📷 : Oystercatcher nest and chick ©Lorne Gill/NatureScot

#KnowTheCode #RespectProtectEnjoy

This Wader Week (18-24 May) we’re celebrating our much-loved wading birds as well as highlighting the threats they face and some of the vital work happening across Scotland to help.

With its splendid crest and black and white plumage the lapwing is a distinctive farmland and wetland bird. In spring look out for the tumbling and wheeling display flight of the males as they seek out a mate and defend their territories.A common name for the lapwing - ‘peewit’ – comes from the sound of their piercing call.

Lapwing numbers in Scotland declined by 63% between 1995 and 2024. Like many of our wading bird species, these birds are struggling as a result of land use changes and increased predation.

The @workingforwaders project brings farmers, conservationists, gamekeepers and birdwatchers together to help tackle the decline of lapwings and other wading birds in Scotland.

📹 : Rhiannon Law

This Wader Week (18-24 May) we’re celebrating our much-loved wading birds as well as highlighting the threats they face and some of the vital work happening across Scotland to help.

The curlew is our largest wading bird, easily distinguished by its elegant, long, curved bill, which they use to pick prey out of the mud. During their breeding season from April to late June, you'll find curlews in open country, nesting on upland farmland and moorland. At other times of year though, they retreat mainly to coastal areas where they can eat invertebrates in the wet mud, exposed as the tides retreat.

Curlew numbers crashed by 62% between 1995 and 2024. Like many of our wading bird species, these birds are struggling as a result of land use changes and increased predation. The @workingforwaders project brings farmers, conservationists, gamekeepers and birdwatchers together to help tackle the decline of curlews and other wading birds in Scotland.

With thanks to our @lochlevennnr team for this lovely footage from their camera traps.

Work is underway on a new approach to help save Scotland’s threatened wading birds.

To mark this year’s Wader Week (18-24 May), NatureScot and partners in the @workingforwaders initiative are consulting farmers, gamekeepers and other conservationists on 14 proposed Wader Recovery Areas.

The areas, which stretch from Shetland to the Central Belt, have been identified as hotspots for wader recovery – key landscapes where populations are healthy and where conditions are suitable for supporting multiple wader species.

Scotland holds internationally important populations of some breeding waders, like the Eurasian curlew, but almost all species are in serious decline.

Curlew numbers crashed by 62% between 1995 and 2024, while the decline in lapwings and oystercatchers is 63% and 41% respectively.

The aim of Wader Recovery Areas, each of which would cover thousands of hectares of suitable habitat, will be to concentrate efforts and resources in those parts of Scotland where waders can do well and where targeted conservation action can make the most difference.

Find out more via the link in our stories.

Work is underway on a new approach to help save Scotland’s threatened wading birds.

To mark this year’s Wader Week (18-24 May), NatureScot and partners in the @workingforwaders initiative are consulting farmers, gamekeepers and other conservationists on 14 proposed Wader Recovery Areas.

The areas, which stretch from Shetland to the Central Belt, have been identified as hotspots for wader recovery – key landscapes where populations are healthy and where conditions are suitable for supporting multiple wader species.

Scotland holds internationally important populations of some breeding waders, like the Eurasian curlew, but almost all species are in serious decline.

Curlew numbers crashed by 62% between 1995 and 2024, while the decline in lapwings and oystercatchers is 63% and 41% respectively.

The aim of Wader Recovery Areas, each of which would cover thousands of hectares of suitable habitat, will be to concentrate efforts and resources in those parts of Scotland where waders can do well and where targeted conservation action can make the most difference.

Find out more via the link in our stories.

Work is underway on a new approach to help save Scotland’s threatened wading birds.

To mark this year’s Wader Week (18-24 May), NatureScot and partners in the @workingforwaders initiative are consulting farmers, gamekeepers and other conservationists on 14 proposed Wader Recovery Areas.

The areas, which stretch from Shetland to the Central Belt, have been identified as hotspots for wader recovery – key landscapes where populations are healthy and where conditions are suitable for supporting multiple wader species.

Scotland holds internationally important populations of some breeding waders, like the Eurasian curlew, but almost all species are in serious decline.

Curlew numbers crashed by 62% between 1995 and 2024, while the decline in lapwings and oystercatchers is 63% and 41% respectively.

The aim of Wader Recovery Areas, each of which would cover thousands of hectares of suitable habitat, will be to concentrate efforts and resources in those parts of Scotland where waders can do well and where targeted conservation action can make the most difference.

Find out more via the link in our stories.

Work is underway on a new approach to help save Scotland’s threatened wading birds.

To mark this year’s Wader Week (18-24 May), NatureScot and partners in the @workingforwaders initiative are consulting farmers, gamekeepers and other conservationists on 14 proposed Wader Recovery Areas.

The areas, which stretch from Shetland to the Central Belt, have been identified as hotspots for wader recovery – key landscapes where populations are healthy and where conditions are suitable for supporting multiple wader species.

Scotland holds internationally important populations of some breeding waders, like the Eurasian curlew, but almost all species are in serious decline.

Curlew numbers crashed by 62% between 1995 and 2024, while the decline in lapwings and oystercatchers is 63% and 41% respectively.

The aim of Wader Recovery Areas, each of which would cover thousands of hectares of suitable habitat, will be to concentrate efforts and resources in those parts of Scotland where waders can do well and where targeted conservation action can make the most difference.

Find out more via the link in our stories.

Today marks the start of Wader Week (18-24 May) when we celebrate our much-loved wading birds, highlight the threats they face and some of the vital work happening across Scotland to help wader species.

First up is the oystercatcher, with its distinctive black and white plumage and bright orange bill. This adult and very cute chicks were caught on camera at our @lochlevennnr - watch to the end for oystercatcher ballet!

Often heard before it’s seen, the oystercatcher’s distinctive call of ‘bi glic, bi glic’ translates in Gaelic as ‘be wise, be wise’. As the name suggests these birds traditionally live and breed on our coasts, however many are now spotted inland. They feed on shellfish on the coast and mainly worms inland.

Oystercatcher numbers declined by 41% between 1995 and 2024. Like many of our wading bird species, they are struggling as a result of land use changes and increased predation.

The@workingforwaders project is bringing farmers, conservationists, gamekeepers and birdwatchers together to help tackle the decline of oystercatchers and other wading birds in Scotland.

This close-up of the feeding crown of a peacock worm shows how it can filter floating food particles that pass by it. It lives in a slim tube either buried in mud or attached to rocks and stones, withdrawing it tentacles quickly if threatened, leaving the worm safe inside the tube.

Peacock worms often live in large groups with their tubes providing habitat for other species, including sponges, seaweeds and sea squirts.

Picture taken in Loch Carron © Ben James/NatureScot

Don’t miss our @lochlevennnr on @bbccountryfile this Sunday, with reserve staff Jeremy and Sally introducing presenter Joe Cowley and the team to the amazing birdlife on the loch, including a visit to the very special St Serfs Island in search of nesting gulls and mallards.

The reserve is featured as part of a wider story about the River Leven catchment which also includes the Leven River Park, where a network of wildlife habitats is being restored and connected alongside active travel routes. This exciting project is bringing people and nature together and is supported by the Scottish Government's Nature Restoration Fund, managed by NatureScot.

Tune in at 6:15pm on Sunday, 17 May.

Don’t miss our @lochlevennnr on @bbccountryfile this Sunday, with reserve staff Jeremy and Sally introducing presenter Joe Cowley and the team to the amazing birdlife on the loch, including a visit to the very special St Serfs Island in search of nesting gulls and mallards.

The reserve is featured as part of a wider story about the River Leven catchment which also includes the Leven River Park, where a network of wildlife habitats is being restored and connected alongside active travel routes. This exciting project is bringing people and nature together and is supported by the Scottish Government's Nature Restoration Fund, managed by NatureScot.

Tune in at 6:15pm on Sunday, 17 May.

Don’t miss our @lochlevennnr on @bbccountryfile this Sunday, with reserve staff Jeremy and Sally introducing presenter Joe Cowley and the team to the amazing birdlife on the loch, including a visit to the very special St Serfs Island in search of nesting gulls and mallards.

The reserve is featured as part of a wider story about the River Leven catchment which also includes the Leven River Park, where a network of wildlife habitats is being restored and connected alongside active travel routes. This exciting project is bringing people and nature together and is supported by the Scottish Government's Nature Restoration Fund, managed by NatureScot.

Tune in at 6:15pm on Sunday, 17 May.

Don’t miss our @lochlevennnr on @bbccountryfile this Sunday, with reserve staff Jeremy and Sally introducing presenter Joe Cowley and the team to the amazing birdlife on the loch, including a visit to the very special St Serfs Island in search of nesting gulls and mallards.

The reserve is featured as part of a wider story about the River Leven catchment which also includes the Leven River Park, where a network of wildlife habitats is being restored and connected alongside active travel routes. This exciting project is bringing people and nature together and is supported by the Scottish Government's Nature Restoration Fund, managed by NatureScot.

Tune in at 6:15pm on Sunday, 17 May.

Don’t miss our @lochlevennnr on @bbccountryfile this Sunday, with reserve staff Jeremy and Sally introducing presenter Joe Cowley and the team to the amazing birdlife on the loch, including a visit to the very special St Serfs Island in search of nesting gulls and mallards.

The reserve is featured as part of a wider story about the River Leven catchment which also includes the Leven River Park, where a network of wildlife habitats is being restored and connected alongside active travel routes. This exciting project is bringing people and nature together and is supported by the Scottish Government's Nature Restoration Fund, managed by NatureScot.

Tune in at 6:15pm on Sunday, 17 May.

Don’t miss our @lochlevennnr on @bbccountryfile this Sunday, with reserve staff Jeremy and Sally introducing presenter Joe Cowley and the team to the amazing birdlife on the loch, including a visit to the very special St Serfs Island in search of nesting gulls and mallards.

The reserve is featured as part of a wider story about the River Leven catchment which also includes the Leven River Park, where a network of wildlife habitats is being restored and connected alongside active travel routes. This exciting project is bringing people and nature together and is supported by the Scottish Government's Nature Restoration Fund, managed by NatureScot.

Tune in at 6:15pm on Sunday, 17 May.