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The Scottish Government is currently responding to a multitude of grand and complex environmental challenges, such as biodiversity loss and climate change. But how do we know if these responses, or the money spent on delivering them, are having the desired effect? Having a robust suite of environmental quantitative measures, or indicators, is vital when trying to deliver key policy targets. Our work has focussed in particular on two sets of indicators, Ecosystem Health Indicators and the Natural Capital Asset Index. For the former, we have used bryophytes (i.e. mosses and liverworts) to
"To achieve the overall objectives of the Right to Buy Land to Further Sustainable Development, the required specifications should be designed to be flexible throughout the application process, and community bodies offered professional support where appropriate" The definition of ‘sustainable development’ and ‘community’, as described in the draft Right to Buy Land to Further Sustainable Development (Eligible Land, Specified Types of Area and Restrictions on Transfers, Assignations and Dealing) (Scotland) Regulations 2020, were discussed during a session of the Environment, Climate Change and
The opportunities for woodland creation within one of Scotland’s two national parks will be explored as part of a new fellowship. The Scottish Government-funded fellowship will independently examine the opportunities and constraints for expanding woodland in Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park in order to meet climate and biodiversity priorities. Despite a clear emphasis on woodland expansion from the Scottish and UK Governments, and planting opportunities and incentives being on offer within the National Park, uptake of these by land managers has been limited. Fellow Rob McMorran, from
Dr Silvia Gratz from the University of Aberdeen Rowett Institute will be swapping a lab coat for legislation this week when she visits Ms Elizabeth Downes at the Houses of Parliament and Whitehall for a week in Westminster.
“The RSE fellowship has a unique breadth of experience in academic disciplines, the arts and business and fellows contribute to contemporary issues to benefit Scotland and beyond. I look forward to helping to further its aims and objectives” Professor Lesley Torrance, Director of Science at the James Hutton Institute, has been made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE), a body which contributes to the social, cultural and economic wellbeing of Scotland through the advancement of learning and useful knowledge. More information from: Bernardo Rodriguez-Salcedo, Media Manager, James
In this project we looked at what makes people care about peatland restoration. Peatbogs are important because of their ability to store carbon, regulate water flows and provide a home for rare species of plants and animals. Nevertheless, peatbogs are often described as a hard-to-love ‘Cinderella habitat’. Focusing on care can add further insights into why people care, support and do peatland restoration. Our results (paper currently in review) highlight the importance of personal experiences and relationships with peatbogs to develop an appreciation for peatbogs. The results also point to
"We are trying to build up a pattern of how nodulation evolved in these more primitive and mainly tree relatives of the advanced crops peas and beans in order to see how we might engineer a simple symbiosis into maize" An international effort to develop maize crops that don’t need fertiliser has taken Hutton scientist Euan James to the deepest reaches of the Amazon River, on a quest for samples of root nodules from legume trees to help understand how these plants were able to develop the ability to obtain their own nitrogen from soil – and whether this trait can be transferred to other crops
The event offers a great opportunity for agencies, NGOs, business, researchers, community groups and others to promote their work and to highlight the great amount of collaboration happening across organisations. More information is avaliable here Opportunities include: Conference at RBGE with prominent speakers on the state of Scotland’s nature and exciting work currently underway. – Registration available soon A reception for international dignitaries and with exhibition stands at the John Hope Gateway Centre. – Invite only - SEFARI hope to have an exhibition stand Special tours to celebrate
This conference brings together stakeholders from across the sectors of Horticulture, Forestry, Agriculture and the Natural Environment and is a great opportunity for organisations and individuals to share and discuss their plant health issues and catch up on the latest policies relevant to Scotland. The conference last year was very well received by its 120 delegates and, with 2020 being designated as the International Year of Plant Health, we hope that your participation will help to make next month’s event even more of a success! The draft programme can be found here. Attendance is by