Galloway Fisheries Trust Meeting

It was great to catch up with the work of the Galloway Fisheries Trust at their recent open meeting held in Gatehouse of Fleet. Heather Trust Project Manager Patrick Laurie attended an afternoon of discussion and presentations looking at some of the Trust's work over the last twelve months.

Much of the afternoon was focussed on monitoring local populations of salmon, sparling and (unfortunately) american signal crayfish, but there are some big areas of crossover between the Galloway Fisheries Trust and the Heather Trust.

An increasing emphasis on water quality, flood prevention and riparian habitats all link back to healthy uplands, and it's useful for the Heather Trust to keep in touch with the work being carried out in these areas by fisheries at a catchment scale. During the afternoon, one of the GFT presentations specifically described peatland restoration projects in areas of commercial forestry, and another looked at mitigating the impact that industrial development for forestry and renewable energy can have on water quality and biodiversity. This is music to our ears at the Heather Trust, integrating a full range of interests and balancing them so that we can get the best out of our uplands.

Galloway Fisheries Trust are a small charity punching well above their weight, and it's easy to keep in touch with them given that they are also based in southwest Scotland. At the same time, GFT concerns overlap with wider issues across the UK, and it would be good to develop ties with similar local organisations up and down the country.

A New Director

This week sees a change of Director at The Heather Trust, as Anne Gray takes over the reins from outgoing Director, Simon Thorp.

Anne is from a farming family in Berwickshire and has worked in the rural land use sector for the last ten years with Scottish Land & Estates, latterly leading on their Land Use & Environment portfolio.  She has a first class honour degree in Environmental Science and has a particular interest in the emerging natural capital agenda.

Commenting on her new role Anne said: 

“I’m incredibly pleased to be taking up this role.  I was attracted to the Heather Trust because I instinctively felt we were a great match.  It is about integrated land management, so finding the right balance between living and working on the land and ensuring the natural world thrives.  This is something I’m very keen on. 

I’m taking over from Simon Thorp who has built the reputation of The Heather Trust over the last 16 years.  It is recognised throughout the UK for the role it plays in consensus building and in demonstrating good practice.  It sits in the space between a number of different land use interests, and uses objectivity and science to help broker a way forward.  I am very happy with that and I want to build on the excellent foundations Simon has created.  We are not saying goodbye just yet to Simon, he will for a time continue with Scotland’s Moorland Forum and will complete one or two other projects for the Trust that he has been an integral part of.” 

“This is a very uncertain time for the UK’s moorlands and uplands.  Michael Gove last week launched DEFRA’s consultation on the future of farming policy.  His proposals signal change, but he is listening to calls for the uplands to be given particular consideration.  His desire to see public money deliver for the environment may well be a good thing for the uplands since they have a large role to play in delivering things like natural flood management, carbon storage and improved biodiversity.  However, as yet we just don’t have enough detail to know whether this will be the case.  I intend for the Heather Trust to be fully involved in demonstrating the case for the UK’s uplands and moorlands not just to DEFRA but in all relevant arenas.”      

The Heather Trust’s heather beetle summary 2017

In 2017, we received 38 reports from across the UK about locations where heather beetle outbreaks had been occurred or beetle damage discovered.

The collection of data for this survey started in 2006, and we would like to thank all those who responded to our requests for information during 2017.  Their support has allowed this unique information resource to develop further.  

The 38 locations have been plotted on a map (below) and show a large sweep of outbreaks across Northern England and the Eastern Highlands of Scotland, running from Llanthony Valley on the Welsh Marches to Langwell Estate in Caithness.

The surveys record damage to approximately 10,000 acres of heather. This is comparable to 2012 and 2013, but considerably less than 2011 when we recorded 28,500 acres of beetle damage and 2014, which produced records of 20,000 acres of damage.

In general terms, damage was equally distributed between young and old heather. Particular clusters are identifiable in the Trough of Bowland, Central Perthshire and the North Pennines, with other outbreaks grouped in Powys and the Peak District.

After several years of heather beetle damage in the West Country, there were no returns at all in 2017. This might be interpreted as a failure to record damage, but three survey returns recorded ”no damage” in 2017, and follow up phone calls to contacts on Dartmoor suggest that beetle was either absent or present at an imperceptibly low level.

Another notable absence includes the North York Moors. In previous years, the North York Moors have been a significant location for beetle (a small area of the NYMs suffered 15% of all recorded damage in the UK in 2014).

In 2017, the survey form was expanded to include questions regarding heather beetle in relation to wet ground, in an effort to establish whether or not there was any link between heather beetle outbreaks and areas where re-wetting was in progress as part of peatland restoration. While some of the survey returns recorded beetle damage on ground that had been re-wetted, there was no obvious trend linking the two. It will be useful to remain in touch with the estates with beetle outbreaks that area also involved with re-wetting programmes to find how/if wetter ground has an impact on heather regeneration in subsequent growing seasons.

Although it is not exclusively the case, the survey forms suggest that heather requires active management in order to recover fully from heather beetle damage, even if this is simply a continuation of existing heather management plans.

The best way to regenerate heather after a heather beetle attack is the subject of two trials that we will be reporting on in about 12 months time.  The work at Langholm is complete, but the final habitat survey, as part of the trial in the Peak District, takes place next summer.  We plan to report on the findings from both trials and incorporate the results of the survey. 2018 will be the last year of the beetle survey, and we hope to publish all of our findings early in 2019.

Heather Beetle - the story so far

Thanks to ongoing support from Heather Trust members and supporters, we've now received thirty seven returns for this year's heather beetle survey, covering a combined total of more than 10,000 acres of damaged heather from Caithness to Powys. All the signs seem to suggest that this has been a seriously bad year for beetle, and several of the outbreaks have been devastating, particularly in Wales. Damage has been found in all kinds of places, from the biggest Yorkshire grouse moor to the  marginal scraps of lowland heath by the Solway Firth. Patterns emerged in Perthshire and the Pennines, with clusters of damage which become obvious when seen on our MAP.

This information feeds into our wider research about heather beetle, and we are extremely grateful to everyone who has taken the time to respond, either by survey form or by phone. Working closely with the Moorland Association, we were interested in the additional information provided by the expanded survey return form, which sought another level of detail on some outbreaks in Northern England.

The expanded survey form looked at several aspects of heather beetle damage, but there was a particular focus on re-wetting and signs that beetle outbreaks might worsened by wetter moors. It was very interesting to explore this theme with some active case studies, and intriguing to find that there was no obvious link between wetter ground and the distribution of beetle damage. Some of the worst outbreaks took place on dry ground this year, and it is hard to correlate indications of wetness with severity of damage. Of course wet conditions may have a direct impact on the rate and quality of heather regeneration in the aftermath of an outbreak, and we are keen to monitor this in the coming months.

In the meantime, if you have found signs of heather beetle damage on your ground this year, please let the Heather Trust know by downloading the Survey Form - we cannot carry out this work without your help, so all survey forms are extremely important to us!

Heather Beetle 2017

Heather beetle grubs feeding on heather

With heather now growing fast and plants beginning to show the first signs of budding flowers, now is the time to look out for beetle damage. If you notice signs of ill-looking or tatty heather over the next few weeks, you may have been the victim of heather beetle. Look out for patches or swathes of reddish heather, and keep an eye on areas which do not come into flower - heather beetles damage heather plants and dehydrate them, leading to a red discolouration which is often the easiest way to spot the areas where they have been most active. View our guide to identifying beetle damage for more detail.

By the time you notice damaged heather, most of the harm has already been done. Heather beetle larvae feed voraciously on growing heather stems, and their activity peaks in June and July. It is quite possible to suffer from extensive beetle damage without ever seeing a beetle or a larvae, and the little creatures can be hard to find without a trained eye. By the time that heather turns red, many of the culprits will have dropped off the heather plants to pupate in the moss underlayer, and heather beetle is often misdiagnosed because there are no obvious signs of the beetles or grubs themselves. The Heather Trust can usually confirm heather beetle damage from photographs, so if you see damaged heather and would like to find out more, let us know!

The Heather Trust has been leading the way on heather beetle in Britain over the past ten years. Our Heather Beetle Survey is the only one of its kind, gathering information on outbreaks and remedial work from Cornwall to Caithness. We're always interested to hear if you think you have been affected by heather beetle, so why not visit our dedicated heather beetle info page and download a survey form. We have received hundreds of survey returns over the past decade, and we're now starting to see trends and patterns in how outbreaks work, but the picture is still incomplete and requires further support and input.

Heather beetle damage will often restore itself - after all, heather beetles are part of a natural mechanism and have been eating heather for thousands of years. We are interested in these pests because we believe that there is increasingly evidence to show that recurring, cyclical outbreaks can destroy heather across massive areas, and the follow-up management which takes place after heather has been damaged can have a significant impact on how successful regeneration will be. Grazing patterns and heather management techniques can all have a part to play in restoring damaged heather, and this is where our research has been based in unique studies at Langholm Moor and in the Derbyshire Peak District.

To find out more about our work on heather beetle, why not browse our online resources or get in touch with us direct?

Golden Plover Winners 2017!

Fearann Eilean Iarmain on the Isle of Skye is winner of 2017 Golden Plover Award

(left to right) Adam Smith (GWCT Director Scotland), Simon Thorp (Heather Trust Director), Scott MacKenzie and Craig Jackson (FEI Gamekeepers) and Michael Yellowlees (Head of Rural Services, Lindsays)

Golden Plover Award 2017 winners Fearann Eilean Iarmain were celebrated at a special event laid on by Lindsays at the Scottish Game Fair on Friday. The Skye estate saw off tough competition from two other finalists to win the award, which is jointly run by The Heather Trust, Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) Scotland.

The Golden Plover Award is held each year to celebrate the very best of progressive, innovative upland management in Scotland, with a particular emphasis on balance and integration. Now in its fifth year, the Award was given a geographical theme in 2017, and applicants were sought from across the north Highlands and West Coast, including the Hebrides. There was a good level of interest from across the Gàidhealtachd, and the judges honed down the applicants to a final shortlist of three, with site visits carried out earlier in June.

Ferrann Eilean Iarmain (pronounced “Ferran Ellen Ear-man”), extends through the parishes of Sleat and Strath  in the southern part of Skye and is based around a network of crofts, farms and hill ground with extensive areas of regenerated and native woodland. It is home to a wide variety of birdlife including breeding populations of hen harrier, greenshank, curlew, golden plover and white tailed as well as golden eagles, and work is actively undertaken to promote the conservation of many ground nesting bird species.​

Tenant farmers and crofters maintain numbers of hill sheep and conduct muirburn in a co-operative arrangement designed to benefit all stakeholders. Cutting heather has been put forward as an alternative to burning where appropriate, particularly in the areas where blanket bog could be sensitive to burning. In keeping with Sir Iain Noble’s vision when he arrived on Skye in 1972, Fearann Eilean Iarmain is committed to supporting and growing the local economy and in particular the Gaelic community through the provision of year round employment and career opportunities as well as continuing Sir Iain’s projects to develop affordable housing. A whisky company with international distribution, two small hotels of character and an art gallery are also part of Fearann Eilean Iarmain, with a new gin distillation project currently being developed, providing further new jobs.  Fearann Eilean Iarmain continues with further business initiatives as well as developing a range of sustainable enterprises, which balance and complement one another.

The competition was extremely close and both runners-up were highly commended. Reay Forest in Sutherland is a traditional deer stalking estate that has made major investments and progress in renewable energy. The judges were impressed with the wealth of knowledge on the estate, and were encouraged by future plans for peatland management being considered as part of a Carbon Action Plan. Meanwhile, Ardnamurchan Estate on the West Coast has established a reputation for innovative deer management, and has been closely involved in the development of wildlife tourism in the area.

Having been presented with a print by the celebrated wildlife artist Colin Woolf, Fearann Eilean Iarmain gamekeeper Scott McKenzie commented on how important the award was to the estate. “It’s a real recognition of all our hard work”, he said. “We’ve got a great set-up at Eilean Iarmain, and we’re always trying new things. This award goes to show what can be achieved when you work together, and we hope the Golden Plover will help to really put us on the map for the future”. 

THE GOLDEN PLOVER AWARD 2017

THE GOLDEN PLOVER AWARD 2017

The Heather Trust and Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) have announced the finalists for 2017’s Golden Plover Award for Moorland Management, sponsored by Lindsays.

The Award is presented annually to recognise progressive, practical and sustainable moorland management in Scotland, and the process is open to estates, farms, individuals and syndicates who have “gone the extra mile” for our hills

This year, the award has focused on the north and west of Scotland, appealing to landholdings that have shown a dedicated level of commitment to integrated land use, and this has taken the award into new and exciting terrain. After several years in the eastern Highlands, 2017’s applicants embraced diverse issues such as upland fisheries, rural employment, conservation, peatland, deer management and crofting.

There was a great deal of interest in 2017’s award, but the judges have identified three finalists who will now progress to the next stage. Ardnamurchan is a ten thousand hectare sporting estate on the west coast with a balanced approach to deer management, agriculture and tourism, while Reay Forest lies in Sutherland and has established a strong reputation for carefully integrated work between interests such as conservation, deer stalking and renewable energy. The third finalist is Fearann Eilean Iarmain, a stunning estate on the Isle of Skye which links traditional land management with crofting, a distillery and support for a thriving gaelic culture.

Speaking about the next stage of 2017's Golden Plover Award, Heather Trust Director Simon Thorp said “We had some really positive interest in the Award this year from estates and projects in the north highlands and up and down the west coast. We believe we've chosen a strong, diverse spread of applicants to go forward as finalists, and we look forward to learning more about their work in the next few weeks".

Head of Rural Services at Lindsays Michael Yellowlees added: “We are delighted to be supporting the Golden Plover Award again this year and to see such progressive work being recognized on estates across this area.

“We are particularly interested in the focus of this years’ award given our longstanding relationships with clients in the Highlands and Islands.  Before the Second World War Lindsays acted as factors and solicitors for numerous landed estate clients in that area and in the post-war era served these clients through the West Highlands Estates Office in Fort William.  The firm continues to provide legal services to many of the same estates.”

Site visits will take place in May and June, and judge Adam Smith, Director Scotland, Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust added was looking forward to heading out on the road. He said “All those on the shortlist have a strong case to be the Golden Plover winner this year, but there can only be one that takes the prize. This award continues to go from strength to strength and we look forward to announcing the result for 2017 on 30 June”.

The 2016 Award was won by the Hopes Estate in the Lammermuir Hills, and previous winners have included Finzean Estate near Banchory, Mar near Braemar and Edinglassie on Donside.