A look back at 2018

Anne McCall takes a look back at our successes of 2018, and considers the challenges ahead

A look back at 2018

It is traditional that at the end of the year we should cast an eye over the successes that have been achieved, and thank those that have helped us achieve them, as well as acknowledging the challenges that lie ahead.

Often in conservation it can seem that the obstacles to preserving and restoring our natural heritage are huge, and that our objectives are sometimes thwarted in favour of others’ short-term interests.

But progress has been made in 2018. And it has been made in spite of growing uncertainty – afflicting environment and conservation like so many other sectors of civic society.

Recently the clarion bell of UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change rang loud, with estimates that humanity has only a dozen years remaining to ensure global warming is kept to a maximum of 1.5 centigrade temperature increase, beyond which a multitude of extremes of negative environmental impacts will be realised, added to this the pervasive uncertainty of Brexit has sometimes been fairly discouraging.

Thankfully here are very real and genuine reasons for hope and optimism, too. I’d like to mention some of those, and thank all our partners that have made them a reality.

In July, the Scottish Islands Bill entered the statutes. This piece of primary legislation could be a game changing milestone, as it is the first ever Scottish legislation focused exclusively on islands. As well as empowering those island communities, it also reflects the massive significance of Scottish islands for nature and our country’s wider environmental wellbeing. Scotland’s islands are some of the most important places for wildlife in Europe, and this exemplary natural heritage and environmental wellbeing now feature explicitly in the final Act, with the inclusion of specific action on biosecurity and action to prevent invasive non-native species establishment. This could drive real, positive and collaborative change, and we are excited to be part of that.

We’re optimistic about the Government review focusing on the sustainability of driven-grouse moors, to which we have provided evidence. Overseen by Professor Alan Werrity, this was set up in response to milestone research commissioned by SNH which showed that almost a third of golden eagles being tracked by satellite died in suspicious circumstances, and the majority of those cases on land that is intensively managed for driven grouse shooting. We also published our own peer reviewed research together with the Centre of Ecology and Hydrology in August which revealed that mountain hare numbers on moorland managed for red grouse have declined to less than one per cent of their initial levels. RSPB Scotland has long campaigned for legal compliance, sustainable management and reform of our upland shooting areas, and we are hopeful that Professor Werrity’s evidence-based approach will lead to licensed regulation of such activities, and penalties for non-compliance.

Controversial proposals to build a golf course that would destroy a unique natural coastal dune system in East Sutherland called Coul Links have a strong whiff of déjà vu about them. Together with a coalition of objectors, we have run a strong campaign to protect this precious site, which is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and an international Special Protection Area (SPA) Ramsar site. I am pleased that the Scottish Government agreed with the coalition’s collective opinion that the site is of such national importance that they decided to call in this planning application for further examination by an independent reporter at a detailed public inquiry. However, it’s still all to play for!

Caledonian Forest silhouetted at sunset, Abernethy RSPB nature reserve. Credit: Andy Hay (rspb-images.com)

RSPB Scotland has been fortunate to secure some major partnership projects in 2018 that will bring multiple benefits for wildlife. In October it was announced that a new grant-making programme established by the Arcadia fund called the Endangered Landscapes Programme will support the Cairngorms Connect project – the largest landscape scale restoration in the UK to bring back and improve 60,000 hectares of Caledonian Pine forest. The Orkney Native Wildlife Project – a partnership between RSPB Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage and Orkney Islands Council, has received National Lottery and EU LIFE Programme funding, and this will safeguard Orkney’s internationally important native wildlife from invasive non-native species. It is the largest project of its kind in the world. A new biosecurity partnership project to safeguard the UK’s internationally important seabird islands has also been awarded EU LIFE funding in addition to a number of our statutory nature conservation agencies providing significant contributions. This is a fine example of UK cross border jurisdictional co-operation to benefit nature.

We have received support from Peatland Action through Scottish Natural Heritage for restoration of peatland across four sites, including at Forsinard Flows, and the Scottish Power Foundation have given generously for our Dolphinwatch public engagement project in Aberdeen Harbour. 2018 also marked the 10-year anniversary of working with the Famous Grouse which has delivered over £650k of income for black grouse conservation, and elsewhere the generous support of many additional charitable trusts, private donors, and our members continues to enable us to protect and conserve Scotland’s nature. I am deeply grateful for this support.

Challenges still lie ahead. The future of Scotland’s environment remains at a pivotal crossroads in terms of how our land will be managed, farmed and funded, and especially concerning the post-Brexit legislative framework in which it operates. Nothing is yet determined, and all is still to play for on this front. I hope that genuine leadership and progressive reform will ensure that our internationally important natural heritage, so vital to all of us and to the very identity of Scotland, is protected and enhanced by the ambition of the statutory frameworks and structures our Scottish Government will set up. The big game hasn’t yet kicked off, and it will be interesting to be writing a similar retrospective in twelve months’ time looking back on how the landscape has changed.

Being optimistic isn’t always easy but our ‘Let Glasgow Flourish’ conference, designed and delivered by young people to create a vision for the greenspaces of Glasgow over the next 30 years gave everyone involved ample reason to be confident about the future. As the Year of Young People draws to a close the passion and knowledge of those involved offers a wonderful springboard for the future.

Attendees of ‘Let Glasgow Flourish’ celebrate nature 

I am grateful that we have made progress over this busy year, and ensured that many aspects of Scotland’s nature are secure for the future.

I’d like to express thanks for all the support RSPB Scotland has been given throughout the year from our members, supporters, donors and partners, and wish everyone and peaceful and happy festive season.

Anne McCall

Director, RSPB Scotland