New environment laws a stage closer


The principles of the Wildlife and Natural Environment Bill have been backed by the Scottish Parliament, bringing a new era for the management of the countryside a stage closer.

Environment Minister Roseanna Cunningham presented the legislation which is designed to maintain the high quality of the natural environment. It will make sure that the laws governing wildlife are responsive to the needs of economic and social development in Scotland.

Ms Cunningham said:

"These proposals take into account the many demands we put on the countryside, whether we are land managers, conservationists, deer stalkers or walkers. The Bill is designed to balance all of those needs, make sure that the law recognises them and applies balance in dealing with them.

"The impact of the Bill is wide ranging, from measures to crackdown on wildlife crime to plans to update deer management, but the overall aim is to protect the high quality of our natural environment and its biodiversity.

"The Scottish Parliament has shown its support by backing the principles of the Bill and we have taken the first step in ensuring that the countryside continues to be one of our most valuable and natural assets."

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2010/12/03074705

Was reading about the Caledonian Forest recently and here's a list of the animals we have lost in the last 600 years or so:

European beaver (Castor fiber)

Wild boar (Sus scrofa)

Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx)

Elk or moose (Alces alces)

Brown bear (Ursus arctos)

Wolf (Canis lupus)

Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus)

Aurochs or wild ox (Bos primigenius)

^^ I didn't know we use to have Moose or Brown bears. I wonder how the reintroduction of beavers back into the wild is going on.

wtf happened that caused NL to be banned?

wtf happened that caused NL to be banned?

Banned didn't see that coming. Also notice let forever be is also banned.:ohno:

LFB's been banned for a while. He lost his head big-style in this (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=57843575#post57843575) thread, and kept digging the hole deeper even when given the opportunity to surrender the shovel.

I can't imagine why NL would have been banned.

Yikes! I had no idea NL got banned either! Unless he's just written BANNED as many people do on their wee tagline?

I've just written 'BANNED' as my user title, exactly as it appears under NL's name, and it comes out as a row of asterisks. So NL's ban may be genuine. Or he's fiendishly managed to make a German Eszett (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%9F) look exactly like a Latin B...

I'm still here folks :happy:

I used the Greek N instead of the Latin N :bowtie: I've become quite the joker this festive season.

haha, nice one!
I was fooled like the chump I am.

Fishing quotas

The Scottish Government is preparing for an expanded catch quota scheme for 2011 and will provide up to £400,000 to cover the cost of acquiring onboard monitoring equipment.

Unlike traditional quotas, where vessels have a set limit on the fish they can land and are forced to throw excess fish back in the sea dead, catch quotas allow for all fish caught to be landed. By stopping wasteful discards, this means fewer fish are taken from the sea yet more can be landed by fishermen.

To ensure there are no discards, the fishing practices of participating vessels is fully documented through on-board cameras. The £400,000 will be used for the purchase and installation of the monitoring equipment.

Fisheries Secretary, Richard Lochhead said:

"The practice of discarding fish back into the sea, dead, is enforced on our fishermen through the EU's flawed Common Fisheries Policy. This is an abhorrent practice that fishermen dislike, and flies in the face of our attempts to manage fish stocks sustainably.

"Catch quotas alone will not provide the solution to all the difficulties facing our fleets and fundamental changes to the European fisheries policy are needed. However, what our catch quota scheme achieves is to combine environmental responsibility with income opportunities. Extra quota is available to those taking part in the scheme, which removes the need to discard viable fish.

"We will continue to work with the industry to monitor this scheme as it is expanded in 2011 and get it working at its best. The future of Scotland's fishing industry can only be secured through the continued co-operation of government and industry, with a shared determination to find solutions that sustain fish stocks yet keep the industry viable in these tough economic times."

On December 3, the annual EU-Norway bilateral included agreement for Scotland's catch quota scheme to more than double the 17 vessels currently involved in the trial to land, rather than be forced to discard, an extra amount equal to 12 per cent of the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for cod.

The Scottish Government has written to skippers to invite applications to participate in the catch quota scheme for 2011, with a full subscription expected.

In 2009, 60,000 tonnes of North Sea whitefish worth £68 million were landed in Scotland, while the total catches were 88,000 tonnes worth an estimated £101 million. This means that last year Scottish vessels were forced by the Common Fisheries Policy to discard almost 28,000 tonnes of fish, valued at £33 million.

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2010/12/17103811

I am not for building a bypass more urban sprawl on green land ?.:ohno:

Aberdeen bypass legal challenge begins

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/50734000/jpg/_50734924_aberdeen_bypass_bigger.jpg


A campaign group's legal challenge against Aberdeen's controversial bypass has begun.

The £400m road was given the go-ahead by Scottish ministers in December 2009 following a lengthy public inquiry.

However, the start of work was delayed when legal objections were lodged at the Court of Session in Edinburgh.

Opponents criticise the cost and environmental impact of the plan, which is aimed at creating a fast link to the north, west and south of Aberdeen.

Many business leaders support the project.

Campaign group Road Sense challenged the lawfulness of approving the bypass.

It was agreed at the start of the case that it will continue in the name of one man, Road Sense chairman William Walton.

The campaigners secured a court victory over costs in the case last month.

A judge limited to £40,000 the contribution Road Sense could be asked to pay Scottish government lawyers if the case goes against them.

The group had argued that rules governing public participation in such decision-making gave them the right to pursue their objections without risking financial ruin.

The court agreed on Tuesday that the Protective Expense Order would apply to Mr Walton himself.

The Aberdeen City and Shire's Strategic Development Planning Authority (SDPA) previously called for a swift conclusion to the legal action.

The SDPA said other improvements to the road network were dependent on the bypass moving ahead.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-12522720

Snare row as wildlife bill passed by MSPs

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/51497000/jpg/_51497471__48702716_livebadger-1.jpg

A new wildlife bill which includes stricter regulations on animal snares has been passed by MSPs.

A controversial amendment which sought a ban on snares was voted down in favour of tougher rules on their use.

The Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill also imposes tougher penalties on employers if their staff illegally poison birds.

There is a new criminal vicarious liability offence for those who turn a blind eye to bird persecution.

The bill also includes improvements in approachs to dealing with invasive non-native species and changes to deer management.

Supporters of a ban on snares said animals such as badgers and mountain hares were suffering horrible injures and death after being caught in them.

However, opponents said an effective method to control predators, such as foxes, was vital.

Labour MSP Irene Oldfather, who tabled the amendment on banning snares, argued that, even when they are used legally, "animal suffering cannot be avoided".

She said: "Scotland should treat its beautiful wild animals with respect and accept once and for all that killing them in wire nooses is a technique which must be consigned to the dustbin of history."

Environment Minister Roseanna Cunningham said: "Crofters, gamekeepers and farmers all over Scotland need to be able to protect their crops and livestock."

She added that if the amendment was agreed they would have "no other option than lamping and shooting".

The decision to vote down the ban on snares was condemned by animal rights charities the League Against Cruel Sports and The Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT).

The League's Scottish spokeswoman Louise Robertson said: "The overwhelming will of the public has been ignored here today and animals will continue to suffer in their thousands as a result."

SWT head of policy Tony King said their use was "indiscriminate and therefore against European conservation law".

However, the continued use of snares was welcomed by the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) and the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC).

GWCT Scottish director Dr Adam Smith said the new legislation "will make the practice of snaring in the future for the control of pest species more
effective and more humane".



Hen harrier decline sparks row over Scottish estates

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/50003000/jpg/_50003747_003024175-1.jpg

The numbers of one of Scotland's rarest birds of prey have fallen by more than a fifth, according to new research.

RSPB Scotland blamed the decline in hen harriers on illegal persecution on managed grouse moors.

But estate managers said the were being unfairly blamed for the killing of birds of prey.

MSPs will vote on the Wildlife and Natural Environment Bill later, which would make it easier to prosecute estates who kill protected birds.

It is thought there are now fewer than 500 pairs of hen harriers in Scotland, while the species is close to extinction in England.

The research from RSPB Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage estimates hen harrier numbers in Scotland have dropped to 489 pairs, from 633 pairs in 2004.

'Systematic persecution'

The hen harrier is subject to special conservation measures under European Union and domestic conservation legislation.

Stuart Housden, director of RSPB Scotland, claimed there was "systematic and illegal persecution" in areas associated with managed grouse moor management, notably in the central and eastern Highlands and the Southern Uplands of Scotland.

"The illegal killing of these specially protected species, cannot be an acceptable part of legitimate modern day sporting practices," he added.

The Scottish Parliament is set to debate the Wildlife and Natural Environment Bill before deciding whether to pass it at its final stage.

Mr Housden urged the adoption of amendments designed to remove sporting rights from landowners where there is a history of illegal activity.

"Vicarious liability" would make landowners criminally responsible for the actions of their employees.

But rural and land management organisations accused the conservation groups of scaremongering.

The British Association for Shooting and Conservation (Scotland), the Scottish Countryside Alliance, the Scottish Gamekeepers Association, the Scottish Estates Business Group and the Scottish Rural Property and Business Association claimed the RSPB statistics were flawed.

Spokesman Tim Baynes said: "All of our organisations condemn the illegal killing of any bird of prey.

"However, the causes of hen harrier decline are many and complex and, according to the RSPB's own figures, there has only been one recorded incident of hen harrier persecution in the past six years."

The Wildlife Bill also includes plans to regulate the use of snares, which could see them banned.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-12617877

'"Vicarious liability" would make landowners criminally responsible for the actions of their employees.'

Why on earth should a landowner be responsible for the criminal actions of his employees? If an employer conspires with an employee to commit a criminal act, then it is already a criminal offence. If, however, the landowner had no say in the matter, I don't see any sort of wrongdoing on his part. It's rather like charging a managing director because one of his employees went on a killing spree during office hours.

Because they are employed by the landowner to look after the estate/land and if you get penalties it puts the man in charged under more pressure and may result in sacking any staff caught in illegal activity, if you can't control your employees your not in control.

Warm wind draws tree sparrows to Lewis in the Hebrides


http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/54413000/jpg/_54413710_sparrow_andyhay_464.jpg

The UK tree sparrow population declined between 1970 and 2008

Warm winds are believed to have encouraged tree sparrows to breed on the island of Lewis in the Hebrides for the first time in 25 years.

RSPB Scotland officer Martin Scott came across the birds while carrying out a survey of bees.

Smaller than house sparrows, the species is resident in southern Scotland and in England and Ireland.

Mr Scott said southerly winds in spring may have enticed the sparrows further north than normal.

The UK tree sparrow population suffered a severe decline between 1970 and 2008, according to the RSPB.

However, the charity said recent breeding bird survey data suggested that numbers may have started to increase.

Mr Scott said: "I was doing bee surveys and heard the distinctive 'chup' call of a tree sparrow.

"I looked up and there was an adult feeding a juvenile on the fence in front of me - I couldn't believe my eyes."

He added: "The general lack of trees on the islands hasn't stopped a flock of birds from establishing a small colony."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-14401249

World’s first ‘greenspace’ map launched
Urban Realm 14th September 2011


http://www.urbanrealm.com/images/news/news_3111.jpg


A map which documents all urban greenspace in Scotland is claimed to be the first of its kind anywhere in the world.

Scotland’s Greenspace Map, published today, brings together data from all 32 local authorities in Scotland to locate parks, playing fields, allotments and gardens.

The map reveals that there are currently 1,112sq/km of greenspace within the countries urban centres, an area which (if combined) would encompass an area over 20 times the size of Loch Ness.

Developed by greenspace Scotland the map is intended to serve as a yardstick by which to measure future growth or contraction in these important amenities - as well as as an interactive tool to inform the public.

Julie Procter, Chief Executive of greenspace scotland said:"Scotland's Greenspace Map is a first for the UK and, we believe, a world first. The Map is a significant achievement for Scotland and a powerful demonstration of how effectively national and local Scottish organisations can work together on projects of national importance.

“Nowhere else in the world can people check out their local greenspace at the click of a button. Behind that simple action lies several years of work with local authorities to develop consistent data and collaboration with partners to collate the information and develop ways of making the data widely accessible."

http://www.urbanrealm.com/news/3111/World%E2%80%99s_first_%E2%80%98greenspace%E2%80%99_map_launched.html

Scotland's Greenspace Map (http://www.snh.gov.uk/planning-and-development/advice-for-planners-and-developers/greenspace-and-outdoor-access/open-space-audits-and-strategies/dataset/)

Pylon re-design shortlist unveiled
Urban Realm 15th September 2011

http://www.urbanrealm.com/images/news/newspic_1561.jpg

A competition to redesign the all pervasive British electricity pylon has seen six new entries shortlisted for the £10k prize – and a possibility of being used by the National Grid for future expansion of the network.

Since May architects, engineers, students and designers have been beavering away on a range of aesthetic alternatives to the lumpen grey lattice which presently defile much of our countryside.

Six of their efforts have now been shortlisted for the prize with the winner to be announced shortly after October 5.

Other designs here: http://www.urbanrealm.com/news/3116/Pylon_re-design_shortlist_unveiled_.html

Quite like this one. Simple, geometric, unobtrusive but interesting.

http://www.urbanrealm.com/images/news/newspic_1560.jpg

Dumfries and Galloway police cameras guard bird nests

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/55521000/jpg/_55521348_012650423-1.jpg



Advanced wildlife protection equipment is being deployed by Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary in a bid to safeguard birds of prey.

The force is thought to be one of the first in Scotland to secure funding to install cameras at nesting sites.

The footage can then be monitored from the police control room for any criminal activity.

Wildlife officer, Pc Jim Drysdale, said it could help keep a check on "fairly remote" parts of the region.

"We have set up very covert cameras which are very small and hard to see and they cover the nest site," he said.

"Also, within the nest site, they are ringed by alarm systems.

"We have had problems in the past where alarms would go off and you would have to physically go and check.

"Now when the alarm system goes off we just monitor a screen and see if anything has happened."

If there is evidence of any illegal activity, police officers can be sent to the scene.

However, Pc Drysdale said that, as well as catching criminals, the cameras could act as a significant deterrent.

"It is not all about out detection, it's about prevention," he said.

"If this system prevents people coming into Dumfries and Galloway and stealing nests, eggs, chicks or whatever, that is just as good to us."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-15017174

New electricity pylon design winner revealed

http://db3.stb.s-msn.com/i/6A/84B04225CA96EBD97B58205AB491DA.jpg

Judges have announced the winner of a contest to come up with a new design for Britain's network of electricity pylons. The T-Pylon, by Bystrup, was chosen from a shortlist of six by the Department of Energy & Climate Change, National Grid, and the Royal Institute of British Architects. Bystrup win a prize of £5,000 and will now work with the National Grid to develop their design further. Nick Winser, executive director of the National Grid said: 'In the T-Pylon we have a design that has the potential to be a real improvement on the steel lattice tower. It's shorter, lighter and the simplicity of the design means it would fit into the landscape more easily. In addition, the design of the electrical components is genuinely innovative and exciting.'

http://news.uk.msn.com/new-electricity-pylon-design-winner-revealed#image=1

Marine Science Park commences construction
Urban Realm 28th November 2011

A turf cutting ceremony has been held to mark the start of construction on the £7.5m first phase of the European Marine Science Park at Dunstaffnage, near Oban.

Highlands & Islands Enterprise are bankrolling the 20,000sq/ft laboratory alongside the European Regional Development Fund in the hope it will leverage opportunities within the marine science, marine biotechnology and renewable energy sectors.

Designed by ADF Architects one of the facilities claims to fame is that it will “play host to the largest collection of algae and protozoa in Europe.”

Robertson has been awarded the contract for the build which is situated adjacent to the existing Scottish Association for Marine Science.

Douglas Cowan, Area Manager for HIE, said: "The European Marine Science Park is a landmark project for Argyll and is of national significance. It builds on our strong reputation in marine sciences and will lead to more businesses employing more people in high value jobs, creating greater prosperity for north Argyll and the wider area."

http://www.urbanrealm.com/images/news/newspic_1696.jpg

http://www.urbanrealm.com/images/news/newspic_1697.jpg

More here: http://www.urbanrealm.com/news/3231/Marine_Science_Park_commences_construction.html#comment3191

Excellent project. :)

Fight to save Scotland's red squirrels renewed


http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/53876000/jpg/_53876582_006293080-1.jpg


Funding for a "vital" project to save Scotland's red squirrels will continue for another two years, the Scottish government has announced.

The work, which started in April 2009, focused on boosting red squirrel numbers in the Highlands, north-east Scotland, Argyll and northern Tayside.

The new project will run for two years from April 2012.

There are between 200,000 and 300,000 grey squirrels in Scotland and about 121,000 red squirrels.

Funding for the second phase of Saving Scotland's Red Squirrels (SSRS) has been provided by Scottish Natural Heritage, the Scottish Wildlife Trust and Forestry Commission Scotland.

The new project will also include work being done by the Red Squirrels in South Scotland organisation to fight a deadly squirrel pox affecting animals in the Borders and Dumfries and Galloway.

Environment Minister Stewart Stevenson said red squirrels were one of Scotland's "most recognisable and loved animals".

"In the three years since SSRS was formed, and together with the work being undertaken by Red Squirrels in South Scotland, we have seen some positive results as we work to halt the decline of the red squirrel numbers - in some regions, numbers are actually increasing," he said.

"Today's announcement will ensure that this vital work can continue for at least another two years."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-17192586

Good to see the government backing the beavers. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-17399520



New funds to protect rare Loch Lomond grouse

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/59113000/jpg/_59113967_1005573(creditfcs).jpg

The black grouse population in Loch Lomond and the Trossachs national park is to benefit from funding aimed at boosting conservation.

The population has declined from approximately 50 lekking males in 1999 to around 15 in 2010.

A package worth £720,000 will aim to stabilise and increase the species number.

The measures include moorland management, targeted heath restoration and predator control.

The funding has come from from the Scotland Rural Development Programme and will cover an 8,000 hectare area between Callander and Lochearnhead.

Grant Moir, the national park's director of conservation, welcomed the funding: "Significant effort and investment is required to halt and reverse the dramatic decline of this iconic bird in the national park.

"The funding now enables the land managers we have worked with to implement positive measures that will help black grouse to breed more successfully."

The work this year will include grazing management, bracken spraying, scrub thinning, heather burning, tree planting and fence marking.


Environment minister Stewart Stevenson said: "I warmly welcome the efforts of the land managers in the national park who are collaborating on this project to secure the future of this population of black grouse around Callander and Lochearnhead.

"It shows that with funding from the Scotland Rural Development Programme, we can make significant efforts bringing together public and private sectors to enhance the habitats of our iconic Scottish species."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-17398768

Sting in the tale as native black bees prove fighting fit

http://www.scotsman.com/webimage/1.2239929.1334708638!image/3956917103.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_595/3956917103.jpg

SCOTLAND’S native honeybees are in better shape than had been feared, a new study shows today.

British black – or dark – honey-bees have retained their purity in the face of foreign invaders and appear to be fighting back against the threat of disease.

Research by the Bee Improvement and Bee Breeders’ Association (Bibba) also showed the insects may be holding on in areas of England where they were thought to be extinct. The Co- operative Group, which funded the study, is to provide £10,000 for a breeding programme to further boost numbers.

The three-year study, based on bees being sent in by keepers, found robust populations in Fife and Argyll & Bute.

Other strongholds include Sutherland and the Roseneath peninsula in Argyll – which remains the bee capital of Scotland in part because it has the cool, wet climate the insects prefer.

Honeybees, or Apis mellifera mellifera, have been in Scotland for thousands of years, but total numbers are not known. It was feared that they had suffered a decline in recent years, with fewer sightings reported.

More at http://www.scotsman.com/news/environment/sting-in-the-tale-as-native-black-bees-prove-fighting-fit-1-2239930

BBC Pictures Of Scotland
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-18092323

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/60308000/jpg/_60308000_beach.jpg

Luskentyre Beach, Isle of Harris
Photo by Carol Sinclair

The great myth of urban Britain

By

Mark Easton

BBC News 28th June 2012

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/61217000/jpg/_61217844_61217843.jpg

What proportion of Britain do you reckon is built on? By that I mean covered by buildings, roads, car parks, railways, paths and so on - what people might call "concreted over". Go on - have a guess.

I was prompted to find out the answer to this question after reading this week how woodland is now calculated to cover 12.7% of the UK, the highest proportion since 1924 when records began.

I tweeted the figures after the ONS published them in their UK Environmental Accounts and found I was not the only one surprised. "Do we have a completely mistaken view of what our landscape is like?" I wondered.

The 80% of us who live in towns and cities spend an inordinate amount of time staring at tarmac and brick. On most urban roads, one can be tricked into thinking that the ribbon of grey we see reflects the land use for miles around.

But when you look out of a plane window as you buckle-up ahead of landing at a UK airport, the revelation is how green the country appears.

So what is the answer to my question - have you got a figure in your head?

Until recently, conflicting definitions have made the calculation tricky but fortunately, a huge piece of mapping work was completed last summer - the UK National Ecosystem Assessment (NEA).

Five hundred experts analysed vast quantities of data and produced what they claim is the first coherent body of evidence about the state of Britain's natural environment.

Having looked at all the information, they calculated that "6.8% of the UK's land area is now classified as urban" (a definition that includes rural development and roads, by the way).

The urban landscape accounts for 10.6% of England, 1.9% of Scotland, 3.6% of Northern Ireland and 4.1% of Wales.

Put another way, that means almost 93% of the UK is not urban. But even that isn't the end of the story because urban is not the same as built on.

In urban England, for example, the researchers found that just over half the land (54%) in our towns and cities is greenspace - parks, allotments, sports pitches and so on.

Furthermore, domestic gardens account for another 18% of urban land use; rivers, canals, lakes and reservoirs an additional 6.6%.

Their conclusion?

In England, "78.6% of urban areas is designated as natural rather than built". Since urban only covers a tenth of the country, this means that the proportion of England's landscape which is built on is…

… 2.27%.

Yes. According to the most detailed analysis ever conducted, almost 98% of England is, in their word, natural.

Elsewhere in the UK, the figure rises to more than 99%. It is clear that only a small fraction of Britain has been concreted over.

There will be quibbles. What about the gardens people have paved? The NEA looked at that, noting how in London an estimated 3,200 hectares of front gardens have been covered in concrete, bricks or gravel.

Paving levels are highest, it was found, in the North-East of England and Scotland, where 47% and 31% of front gardens are more than three-quarters paved. The detail in their analysis is impressive.

Quite simply, the figures suggest Britain's mental picture of its landscape is far removed from the reality.

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/61222000/jpg/_61222609_uk_habits_464.jpg

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18623096

The great myth of urban Britain

By

Mark Easton

BBC News 28th June 2012

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/61217000/jpg/_61217844_61217843.jpg

What proportion of Britain do you reckon is built on? By that I mean covered by buildings, roads, car parks, railways, paths and so on - what people might call "concreted over". Go on - have a guess.

I was prompted to find out the answer to this question after reading this week how woodland is now calculated to cover 12.7% of the UK, the highest proportion since 1924 when records began.

I tweeted the figures after the ONS published them in their UK Environmental Accounts and found I was not the only one surprised. "Do we have a completely mistaken view of what our landscape is like?" I wondered.

The 80% of us who live in towns and cities spend an inordinate amount of time staring at tarmac and brick. On most urban roads, one can be tricked into thinking that the ribbon of grey we see reflects the land use for miles around.

But when you look out of a plane window as you buckle-up ahead of landing at a UK airport, the revelation is how green the country appears.

So what is the answer to my question - have you got a figure in your head?

Until recently, conflicting definitions have made the calculation tricky but fortunately, a huge piece of mapping work was completed last summer - the UK National Ecosystem Assessment (NEA).

Five hundred experts analysed vast quantities of data and produced what they claim is the first coherent body of evidence about the state of Britain's natural environment.

Having looked at all the information, they calculated that "6.8% of the UK's land area is now classified as urban" (a definition that includes rural development and roads, by the way).

The urban landscape accounts for 10.6% of England, 1.9% of Scotland, 3.6% of Northern Ireland and 4.1% of Wales.

Put another way, that means almost 93% of the UK is not urban. But even that isn't the end of the story because urban is not the same as built on.

In urban England, for example, the researchers found that just over half the land (54%) in our towns and cities is greenspace - parks, allotments, sports pitches and so on.

Furthermore, domestic gardens account for another 18% of urban land use; rivers, canals, lakes and reservoirs an additional 6.6%.

Their conclusion?

In England, "78.6% of urban areas is designated as natural rather than built". Since urban only covers a tenth of the country, this means that the proportion of England's landscape which is built on is…

… 2.27%.

Yes. According to the most detailed analysis ever conducted, almost 98% of England is, in their word, natural.

Elsewhere in the UK, the figure rises to more than 99%. It is clear that only a small fraction of Britain has been concreted over.

There will be quibbles. What about the gardens people have paved? The NEA looked at that, noting how in London an estimated 3,200 hectares of front gardens have been covered in concrete, bricks or gravel.

Paving levels are highest, it was found, in the North-East of England and Scotland, where 47% and 31% of front gardens are more than three-quarters paved. The detail in their analysis is impressive.

Quite simply, the figures suggest Britain's mental picture of its landscape is far removed from the reality.

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/61222000/jpg/_61222609_uk_habits_464.jpg

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18623096



London is the centre of the universe in the picture at the top of course. I love how the BBC always tilts the image so that Scotland is basically a dot and the South East is a planet in itself. What a stupid article. Although, it's cool seeing how much of Scotland is mountains and moorlands :)

London is the centre of the universe in the picture at the top of course. I love how the BBC always tilts the image so that Scotland is basically a dot and the South East is a planet in itself. What a stupid article. Although, it's cool seeing how much of Scotland is mountains and moorlands :)

Prime example being their weather maps:

http://i45.tinypic.com/2923c4z.jpg

London is the centre of the universe in the picture at the top of course. I love how the BBC always tilts the image so that Scotland is basically a dot and the South East is a planet in itself.

Really? you are implying a anti-Scottish bias because of the tilting of a picture?

Really? you are implying a anti-Scottish bias because of the tilting of a picture?

Nah, it's because the Earth is actually skewed toward making London look bigger than the rest of the world. Look at the top picture, Scotland is fucking invisible in it.

London is the centre of the universe in the picture at the top of course. I love how the BBC always tilts the image so that Scotland is basically a dot and the South East is a planet in itself.
A less painful perspective, Ultima...

http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/635954main_iss030e177670_1600_946-710.jpg

Image courtesy of NASA (http://www.nasa.gov/home/index.html)

^Thats clearly biased towards Eire!

^Thats clearly biased towards Eire!

The difference being one was on the national public broadcaster and the other is on this forum :|

It's a stock photo, get over it, the BBC never took it.

Besides, what other angle would you have to use in order to get the densest UK urban areas into one photo? Bearing in mind this was probably taken by the ISS or an observation satellite on a close to equatorial orbit.

Oh no, physics hates us, boooooo!

We all know you have a rabid hatred for anything that doesn't carry the black ribbon on a pedestal but you don't have to go on about it. Seriously, you're like Rick from The Young Ones, constantly kicking off about the most inconsequential tripe claiming oppression or fascism.

It's a stock photo, get over it, the BBC never took it.

Besides, what other angle would you have to use in order to get the densest UK urban areas into one photo? Bearing in mind this was probably taken by the ISS or an observation satellite on a close to equatorial orbit.

Oh no, physics hates us, boooooo!

We all know you have a rabid hatred for anything that doesn't carry the black ribbon on a pedestal but you don't have to go on about it. Seriously, you're like Rick from The Young Ones, constantly kicking off about the most inconsequential tripe claiming oppression or fascism.

Another typical response full of derogatory personal attacks with no consideration for the point being made. I would have the ENTIRE UK square on to show the view from all areas. Whether the BBC took it or not could not be further from the point *sigh*.

.,,

.,,

Oh dear...:ohno:

I'm not biting, people are sick of this shit.

Prime example being their weather maps:

http://i45.tinypic.com/2923c4z.jpg

That would be fine if we were south hemisphere, but we're north, they just use the satelite image of what the UK looks like upright on the globe.

That would be fine if we were south hemisphere, but we're north, they just use the satelite image of what the UK looks like upright on the globe.

Anything wrong with something more like this?

http://www.electriccarsite.co.uk/files/image/satellite_image.gif

Please stop this.

Ultima, for god's sake! Squirrelking is completely correct here. The shot was taken from the ISS, who's orbit seldom if ever passes over mainland UK, let along the middle or north of it.

Also, why wouldn't the picture focus on London? It's the biggest city on our island, and it's one of the world's financial capitals. It's also one of the world's coolest looking cities from space thanks to the M25. If the photo wasn't focused on London, then it'd be a bad shot.

Get. Over. It.

BBC Pictures Of Scotland

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-18689269

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/61402000/jpg/_61402795_blackisle.jpg

Blackness, Firth of Forth

Photo by Teresa Sumerfield

SafetyNet emergency exits for fish win Dyson award

BBC News 30th August 2012

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/62566000/jpg/_62566143_ringa.jpg

Fishing net "escape rings" that light up to help undersized creatures escape capture have been picked as this year's UK winner in a high-profile design engineering competition.

Dan Watson's project is designed to make fishing more sustainable.

The Glasgow School of Art graduate will now face finalists from 17 other countries for the international James Dyson Award.

He plans to launch the product regardless of the outcome.

SafetyNet is designed to help trawlers capture mature haddock and whiting, and prevent other kinds of smaller fish being thrown back into the sea dead because they are unmarketable

"The devices fit into trawl nets and they cut down on the bycatch of juvenile fish and also the wrong species of fish," Mr Watson told the BBC.

"The rings fit into the 'cod-end' of the net - the part where all the fish are kept - and they basically exploit fish behaviour and their physical size to guide some to safety while keeping the other ones in. They act as kind of emergency escape sign."

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/62566000/jpg/_62566141_netsss.jpg

The rings harvest their own energy from the nets' motion, meaning that once fitted the fishermen do not need to think about changing their batteries or switching them on and off.

The lights are activated once the net sinks to a certain depth, making the rings more visible and also stimulating the fish to swim towards them.

Because the devices are rigid they keep the surrounding net meshes open, preventing the gaps from closing when the equipment is under tension. Fish are often injured when this happens using standard equipment.

The devices are designed to be fitted to existing nets.

Mr Watson said that the average net would need about 20 of the rings costing a total of about £500 - but he added that over time they should pay for themselves.

"There are incentives attached to using sustainable fishing gear," he said

"For instance if it is used the authorities can grant fishermen extra days at sea which allows them to catch more fish. It can also be taken off one net and put onto a new one so it lasts a long time."

Mr Watson has won £1,000 for being picked as the UK champion.

A panel of three judges selected his entry over alternatives including a steam-enhanced scraper used to remove wallpaper; a double-walled mug that keeps liquids hot and fingers cool; and a "flash heater" designed to treat breast milk from HIV positive mothers to prevent them passing on the virus to their babies.

The international award includes £10,000 in cash for both the winner and their university department.

Whatever the outcome, Mr Watson said he planned to use the cash he had already won to further develop his prototypes before presenting them to marine management organisations which he hoped would help launch them as a commercial product.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-19418121

BBC Pictures Of Scotland: Northern Lights

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/63382000/jpg/_63382436_skye_andrew_woodhouse.jpg

'Northern Lights over the Isle of Skye'

Photo by Andrew Woodhouse

More here (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-19883715)

Lottery boost for Flow Country peatland restoration

BBC News 11th October 2012

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/63392000/jpg/_63392754_bog.jpg

Seven square miles of peatlands may be restored in the Highlands after the project passed the first stage of its application for Lottery funding.

If approved, it will provide £4m for the work.

Restoring part of Europe's largest intact expanse of blanket bog will take five years.

The Flow Country in Caithness is one of the last great wildernesses in the UK and has been put forward as a potential Unesco World Heritage Site.

Initial approval will provide the project with £147,000 development funding.

It is hoped the work will improve the habitats for rare plants and species.

The Flow Country's peatlands stemmed from damp and cool conditions that encouraged the growth of sphagnum moss and cotton grasses since the last Ice Age, more than 10,000 years ago.

The partially-decayed plants slowly formed layers of peat many metres deep, with vast amounts of carbon locked in.

An estimated 400 million tonnes of carbon is stored in the peat in the Flow Country which is double the amount of carbon in all the UK's forests.

After remaining largely untouched for millennia, the area underwent huge change in the 1970s and 80s when non-native conifer trees were planted in an effort to make the land more productive.

As a result, huge areas of blanket bog were damaged or eroded.

Bog plants were lost, rare bird species seriously declined, and carbon was now being emitted instead of being absorbed and stored.

An inquiry into UK peatlands by the International Union for Conservation of Nature found that a loss of only 5% of the carbon stored in peat would equate to the UK's total annual greenhouse gas emissions.

The restoration will include a new field centre, which will be located at the RSPB's Forsinard Flows nature reserve.

The reserve, the RSPB's largest, has been at the centre of peatland restoration work for 16 years.

It is hoped the work will improve the habitats for many rare plants and species, including otters, hen harriers and golden plovers.

Colin McLean, head of the Heritage Lottery Fund in Scotland, said: "The Flow Country is an area of exceptional natural heritage merit. Over 8,000 years of the history of plants, weather and people lie preserved in its layers of peat.

"We are delighted to be able to give our initial support to a project which will reverse the damage of earlier forestry planting, while we still can, and make an important contribution to the global climate change agenda."

John Henderson, chairman of the Peatlands Partnership, which is co-ordinating the work, said: "We're delighted that we have cleared this all important first hurdle and that the Heritage Lottery Fund recognises the potential of what can be achieved in this landscape.

"The Flow Country is a truly special area, a valuable store for carbon, a haven for birds and animals and remarkably beautiful.

"Its future protection and conservation is essential if we want to reduce the devastating impacts of climate change."

The Peatlands Partnership comprises RSPB Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage, Forestry Commission Scotland, Highland Council as well as individuals and stakeholders from the local community.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-19883344

Forestry Commission move on site with Kirroughtree visitor centre

Urban Realm 10th December 2012

The Forestry Commission has progressed plans to build a flagship visitor centre at Kirroughtree, Dumfries & Galloway, with the award of a £4.5m contract to Robertson.

Designed by JM Architects the project, which also entails refurbishment of two existing centres at Clatteringshaws and Glentrool within Galloway Forest Park, starts on site this month and aims to give the local tourism economy a much needed shot in the arm.

Built from sustainable materials such as timber and stone the Kirroughtree Visitor Centre will employ under-floor heating and a wood burning stove as well as showers, changing facilities and landscaped gardens.

An existing visitor centre at Kirroughtree will be converted to office space.

Robertson have been contracted to undertake all building work and placing subcontracts for the project.

Keith Muir, Tourism Manager with Forestry Commission Scotland in Galloway said: “The new visitor services we have planned are a major step up in terms of what we will offer visitors in the future. We started planning for the project three years ago and now the hard work to bring it to life begins.”

http://www.urbanrealm.com/images/news/news_3904.jpg

Urban Realm (http://www.urbanrealm.com/news/3904/Forestry_Commission_move_on_site_with_Kirroughtree_visitor_centre.html)

Hawick, Kelvingrove and Paisley park funding secured

BBC News 17th December 2012

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/58054000/jpg/_58054619_1197831_0d2df558-1.jpg

The Heritage Lottery Fund has confirmed more than £3.7m in grants to support plans to transform three parks across Scotland.

The biggest funding packing is more than £2.6m towards improvements at Hawick's Wilton Lodge Park.

There is also in excess of £500,000 for both Kelvingrove bandstand in Glasgow and Paisley's Grand Fountain.

Dean Castle Country Park in Kilmarnock has also been cleared to take forward its £3m improvement bid.

Colin McLean, head of the HLF in Scotland, said: "This has been a difficult time for parks with unrelenting pressure to manage budgets, so we are delighted to be able to bring some festive cheer.

"Our parks, and the historic features within them, are a wonderful legacy from our ancestors which are enjoyed by all ages and are often a community's only green space in which to relax away from the pressures of daily life.

"That's why HLF is committed to protecting these precious places."

The funding comes through its Parks for People programme.

"We continue to champion parks, not just because they are an important part of our heritage, but because they make a huge difference to the quality of life for millions of Scots," said Mr McLean.

Scottish Borders councillor David Paterson said the Wilton Lodge Park had played a "significant role" in the community over the years.

"It is a beautiful park just now but with investment from the HLF and Scottish Borders Council we have the opportunity to restore some of the historic elements to secure their future, as well as introduce new attractions," he said.

"This is a fantastic project for Hawick."

Keith Johnston, from Friends of Wilton Lodge Park, added: "We are delighted that we have been an integral part of this successful project and look forward to work starting in 2013 to improve the park."

BBC News (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-20731131)

At risk Chilean trees to get safe havens in Perthshire

BBC News 3rd January 2012

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/65053000/jpg/_65053149_chileantreesiconic.jpg

Seed collectors are to travel to Chile to collect specimens from endangered trees as part of an initiative creating safe havens for the plants in Perthshire.

The iCONic Project will see samples taken from local conifer populations in an attempt to secure the tree's future.

Seedlings and young plants will then be brought back to Perthshire.

It is hoped they will eventually be used to restore Chile's native conifer stocks.

The project is being led by Tom Christian and Martin Gardner, an expert in conifer conservation from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.

They will work alongside Vanezza Morales from the University of Santiago in Chile to look at developing ways of working with local people to secure the long-term conservation of the country's conifers.

Tom Christian said: "Plans for this expedition have been in the pipeline for some time and this will be an important milestone for The iCONic Project.

"The main aim of the expedition is to collect seed from the threatened Chilean plum yew from a valley which is due to be flooded in 2015 as part of a hydro-electric scheme.

"However, we will also be collecting seeds and cuttings from other species which are facing other environmental threats, before couriering them back to Edinburgh where they will be placed into quarantine by an expert team of horticulturists at RBGE."

The team will visit the valley of San Fabian Alico, the trees there are part of a northern group of conifer populations that are genetically distinct, and several have already been lost due to similar valleys being flooded for modern hydro-electric schemes within Chile.

Martin Gardner said: "One species sadly is highly threatened through hydro-electric schemes; it tends to grow in valleys, by rivers, and is very vulnerable to these new hydro-electric schemes.

"One valley which is going to be flooded in the next couple of years is going to destroy about 200 old growth trees.

"The idea for that that species is that we're going to collect seeds and cuttings and send that material back to the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh."

The seedlings and young plants will be propagated in Edinburgh before being planted at a range of carefully selected sites within Perthshire and will act as a repository for Chile to draw on in the restoration of its native populations in future years.

BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-20898560)

Scots pine put forward as Scottish national tree at Holyrood

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/65146000/jpg/_65146931_pines_black_bridge.jpg

A plea for the Scots pine to be adopted as Scotland's national tree will be considered at Holyrood.

A campaigner has submitted a petition to parliament, arguing that having a national tree for Scotland could be a "valuable symbol" of the commitment to the country's natural environment.

Alex Hamilton has suggested this should be the "iconic" Scots pine.

His petition has the support of a number of environmental organisations including the Scottish Wildlife Trust.

The move also has the backing of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the Woodland Trust Scotland and Trees for Life.

Mr Hamilton and Alan Watson Featherstone, the founder and executive director of Trees for Life, will make the case to MSPs on Holyrood's public petitions committee.

In his petition, Mr Hamilton argues that the Scots pine is an appropriate symbol for the country as its numbers are rising again, after being greatly reduced, making it a "symbol of a resurgent Scotland".

Royal oak
He said: "The Scots pine is known and loved by many Scots and having it as a national symbol will encourage Scottish citizens in assessing, improving and being involved with their environment.

"The United Kingdom - or is it England? - has its Royal oak, it is time for Scotland to have its national tree."

In a letter to MSPs, Mr Watson Featherstone said that as 2013 had been declared the Year of Natural Scotland it was "an entirely fitting and appropriate way to start the year with the establishment of a national tree for our country, and the Scots pine is the ideal and obvious choice for this".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-20945211

Urban Realm - 10th January, 2012 (http://www.urbanrealm.com/news/3932/River_Dee_suspension_bridge_to_create_new_Cairngorm_gateway.html)

http://www.urbanrealm.com/images/news/newspic_2640.jpg

Plans to erect a £1m pedestrian footbridge and cycleway connecting the Highland village of Braemar to the Cairngorm National Park have emerged ahead of a detailed planning application, expected shortly.

Designed by Moxon Architects with Flint & Neill structural engineers for Braemar Community Ltd the new crossing spans the River Dee, introducing a permanent fixed link for the first time.

Grounded in the suspension typology of earlier Victorian footbridges in the area it stretches to 85m in length the new bridge will be suspended within a cable net ‘valley’ of inclined hangers which Moxon attest will provide a unique spatial experience and imbue a high degree of transparency when viewed in elevation.

In their design statement the practice wrote: “The catenary cables are located beyond and out with the line of the bridge at the abutments while meeting the deck at midspan. The inclined geometry provides a degree of lateral restraint to the deck, stiffening the structure and in combination with the pre-cast deck reducing the need for additional dampening in the structural system.

“The ‘raking V’ pylons at either end of the bridge define the geometry of the suspension net, marking the abutments of the bridge and signalling the structure as a gateway to the wilderness area.”

A low-profile deck will be formed from white pre-cast concrete units to ensure simplicity of construction and maintenance.

The bridge is also designed to cater for horseback traversal, necessitating a number of unique design solutions such as harnessing the parapet to provide a solid visual barrier when looking along the bridge or toward the waters surface.

http://www.urbanrealm.com/images/news/newspic_2641.jpg

http://www.urbanrealm.com/images/news/news_3932.jpg

Very happy to see landowners facing the law. :)

Sharp drop in Scottish bird poisoning cases follows new crime legislation

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/66365000/jpg/_66365517_eagle.jpg

New wildlife crime legislation targeting landowners is being linked with a sharp drop in the numbers of birds of prey poisoned in Scotland.

But the RSPB warned that there were still concerns birds could be killed using other methods which are more difficult to detect.

Poisoning incidents fell from 10, involving 16 birds, in 2011 to three in 2012, according to the latest figures.

A new offence of Vicarious Liability came into force in January 2012.

It is designed to deal with landowners and managers who turn a blind eye to employees committing offences against wild birds on their land.

The latest figures, released by the Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime (Paw) Scotland, showed that two buzzards and a golden eagle died through poisoning during the first year of the new legislation being in force.

Paw chairman Paul Wheelhouse, Scotland's environment minister, said: "I very much welcome the significant reduction in the number of birds of prey poisoned, which I hope signals the real change in attitude that is required to end this outdated and cruel practice.

'Major deterrent'
"I believe that new measures brought in by the Scottish government over a year ago - which mean that landowners and managers can no longer turn a blind eye to offences against wild birds on their land - are a major deterrent to those who think they are above the law.

"There has been real progress, but we will not be complacent. I am determined to stamp out these practices once and for all and will remain vigilant to any change in approach being taken by those who seek to persecute raptors."

RSPB Scotland head of species and land management Duncan Orr-Adam told BBC Scotland that it was too soon to say that the practice was close to being eradicated.

"After three years of successive drops, it looks like there has been a general reduction in illegal poisoning," he said.

"But that these are only detected incidents - often by hill-walkers and members of the public - and only of poisoning.

"The concern is that those involved have switched to other methods, such as shooting, trapping and nest disruption, which are more difficult to detect."

A total of 91 birds of prey poisoning incidents have been recorded in Scotland since 2008, with 2011 having witnessed a sharp fall to 16 from a high of 28 the previous year.

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/66377000/jpg/_66377083_scot_bird_poison_624-01.jpg

Wood of Cree tree planting project ends

BBC News 26th April 2013

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/67253000/jpg/_67253996_woodofcree.jpg

A six-year project to join up areas of native woodland in Dumfries and Galloway is set to end this month.

RSPB Scotland said the results of the planting of 200,000 native trees at its Wood of Cree reserve would not be fully visible for 50 years.

It was already the largest section of ancient oak woodland in the area.

Since 2007 volunteers have been planting new trees to "fill the gap" and link about 12 miles of woodland from Newton Stewart to Glentrool.

Andrew Bielinski, RSPB Scotland area reserve manager in Dumfries and Galloway, said: "This has been a monumental project that has involved hundreds of people over the years, and we're excited to see it coming to an end.

"Planting on this scale is going to make a massive difference to the woodland and help to secure the long-term future of vulnerable wildlife.

"We're grateful to everyone who has been involved, both the organisations who have gifted funding and the volunteers who have braved the weather.

"Here's hoping that in 50 to 60 years, when the woodland starts to mature, our children, and our children's children, will be able to come here and appreciate all that hard work."

BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-22307748)