2/3/2016

A busy February in Scotland

by Irene Johnston, GWCT Scotland

GWCT Scotland TeamThe GWCT Scotland team

February may be the shortest month of the year but we've certainly packed in a lot up here in the GWCT Scotland office. Take a quick look at what we've been up to: 

Advisory

  • Undertook an Advisory visit for a new client in Fife with the primary focus on wild grey partridge management.
  • Conducted an Advisory visit in Perthshire for a new client wishing to improve game woodlands to help arrest and reverse declining pheasant returns.
  • Visited a new client in Aberdeenshire wanting to expand existing pheasant shoot.
  • Lead a farm and shoot walk in East Lothian attended by Glasgow University students.
  • Booked 92 people into March/April rodenticide courses (4 out of 5 venues fully booked).
  • Announced March dates for corvid control/tunnel trapping and muirburn/lamping courses.
  • Organised and attended GWCT Farmland Bird ID day in Kinross-shire.
  • Gave on-site management advice to our Scottish Grey Partridge Recovery Project farms in Midlothian.

Fundraising & Events

  • Delivered a presentation at a fundraising dinner in aid of grey partridge research in Fife.
  • Chaired the GWCT Scottish Game Fair Committee meeting
  • Were delighted by the Scottish Auction committee’s progress in getting exciting sporting lots for the Prestonfield Auction in May.
  • Planned the delivery of the Grass to Grouse display for the Scottish Game Fair.

Policy & Research

  • Attended the Edinburgh Agricultural Economics Discussion Circle Seminar on grouse moor management.
  • Attended the Ochil Hill Wild Mammal Group meeting.
  • Provided the Scottish Parliament Rural Affairs, Environment and Climate Change Committee with a briefing on Sporting Rates for stage 2 of the Land Reform Bill.
  • Held a grey partridge conservation policy meeting.
  • Attended farmers’ meeting in Borders to discuss cover crops and Greening options in the arable rotation.
  • Briefed local Deeside councillors on moorland management in Aboyne.
  • Attended the launch of the Understanding Predation report.
  • Attended a meeting in Brussels to finalise details of a bid for European funding for a major new Grey Partridge project.
  • Discussed a new project investigating Grey Partridge population genetics with the Zoological Society of Scotland.
  • Contributed to the SNH-led discussions over site access for national bird monitoring surveys.
  • Planned our engagement with Hen Harrier Brood Management Scheme and Translocation Committees.
  • Discussed the establishment of a new Partridge Group in Scotland.
  • Began exploring the potential for a new collaboration with Napier University, Edinburgh.

Communications

  • Wrote a letter to The Courier responding to an article on Beavers.
  • Wrote an article for Friends of the Scotsman on flooding management.
  • Wrote an article for Farming Scotland on flooding management.
  • Responded to the Land Use Strategy Consultation.Planned a future Land Business Scotland magazine article on the new Scottish Demontsration Farm.
  • Met the new Editor of Press & Journal Agriculture Section at our Scottish Demonstration Farm.
  • Started preparing a major report on the first five years of our work with Whitburgh Farms.

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