I’ve recently found myself reflecting on how the conservation movement ─ created, funded and underpinned by the actions of extraordinary individuals has delivered huge benefits in terms of the common public good and wider environmental progress. The deep connections between the people of Scotland and its wildlife have inspired them to dig deep in their pockets and support transformative actions. However, despite enabling ours and other’s hard work, the challenges for wildlife grow daily, and habitats continue to decline due to changes in land use, development and invasive species.
If we are to hand our awe-inspiring landscapes and wildlife on in good health to future generations, they require investment. Delivering conservation depends on money, but cuts in public funding, changing government priorities and the anticipated impacts of Brexit all mean that there is less cash available to address these challenges. In light of this, we are always looking for new, innovative ways of funding the necessary work.
That is why I’m pleased to introduce RSPB Scotland Patrons, an exciting new initiative which launched on 12 April at the Surgeons’ Hall in Edinburgh. Through an annual subscription you can make an ongoing financial commitment to protecting Scotland's wildlife. The RSPB has a proven track record of conservation success, with Abernethy just voted nature reserve of the year by BBC Countryfile Magazine awards. The patrons will help us do more excellent work, establishing and managing reserves, defending special sites and researching the problems birds and other wildlife face. In return for your valuable help, we can offer you detailed insights into this work, and invite you to exclusive events and talks.
As our own Dr Paul Walton, Head of Habitats and Species, said at the launch: “The donations from Patrons gives us the freedom we need to respond quickly and effectively to the issues affecting Scottish wildlife. It might be a new development proposal that requires close scrutiny, a scientific knowledge gap that we must fill, or a threatened species that needs emergency action. This kind of support is crucial – and underpins the future of nature conservation.”
We’re very pleased to welcome renowned landscape photographer Colin Prior on board as an Ambassador for RSPB Scotland Patrons. Colin has spent the past three decades documenting wild places both in Scotland and across the globe and over the past 10 years has worked on a variety of documentaries featuring photography, mountains and travel. These experiences have instilled in him a deep respect for the natural world, which he’s passionate about conserving as he details below.
Colin Prior at the launch of RSPB Scotland Patrons
A note from Colin Prior:
I was born with an innate curiosity of the natural world which I became aware of around the age of eight. Living on the outskirts of Glasgow, I was fortunate to have close access to farm and woodland where my passion for birds developed. Three decades of photographing landscapes have instilled in me an even deeper respect for the natural world and I am passionate about conserving it. During this time, I have witnessed many changes in the landscape - the most significant being the demise of wild bird populations, many of which are now noticeably absent from the land. Lapwing, curlew, rook, partridge and kestrel to name but a few have literally vanished from their former habitats, leaving behind a tangible sterility. Changes in farming practices and in land use, urbanisation and climate change have all contributed to their demise.
Notwithstanding this, there have been some notable conservation successes where RSPB Scotland’s intervention has reversed this negative trend. Red kites and white tailed eagles have made a comeback following reintroduction projects and corncrake numbers in the Western Isles are now at their highest since population monitoring began. So, there is good evidence that we can reverse the decline of our wild bird populations so long as there is a collective will. Sustainable land management and the restoration of habitats is entirely doable – once again we may hear lapwings’ wheel and scream above farmland or the curlew’s haunting call from the birthplace of its ancestors. Reforestation with native species can also be the catalyst that ignites an entire ecosystem, from the smallest micro-organism in the understory to the nimble flight of a sparrowhawk in hot pursuit of a chaffinch.
I believe that birds are the embodiment of nature and reversing their decline is the first pillar to our reunification with the natural world. Becoming a Patron puts you at the forefront of efforts to safeguard Scotland's natural treasures.
To find out more about RSPB Scotland Patrons, click here.