News and views from around the countryside
OFF THE BEATEN TRACK Nine of Scotland’s leading environmental charities are calling on the Scottish Government to put an end to the unregulated system for hill track construction, which allows landowners to build tracks without any public oversight. Instead, they want hill track construction brought within the planning system. The ‘Track Changes’ report is available at
www.scotlink.org/hilltracks
CANINE HELP FOR CAPERCAILLIE Dog walkers in an area important for capercaillie are keeping their pets under control or on a leash, a survey conducted by Scottish Natural Heritage has revealed. The woods at Boat of Garten in the Cairngorms National Park are a breeding site for the birds, which are sensitive to disturbance by people and dogs. The work was carried out to examine walkers’ behaviour following a campaign to promote responsible dog walking. The survey found there have been some startling changes since the campaign started. Overall, there has been a 66% reduction in the number of visits by people with dogs in the sensitive part of the woods. The proportion of dogs on leads has increased from 17% to 37%, and 71% of dogs are now assessed as being under close control.
North star A new guide to star gazing in the north Highlands of Scotland gives visitors a greater
chance than ever before of seeing the Northern Lights and other astronomical highlights. The skies of the north Highlands are some of the darkest in western Europe making them ideal for spectacular views of the night skies. The new guide, The North Highland Dark Sky Experience, suggests 40 locations across Caithness, Sutherland and Ross-shire to view the skies. The guide can be downloaded from
www.northhighlandsscotland.com
NOTHING TO GROUSE ABOUT
The 2013 grouse season is now offi cially over and Scottish sporting agency, Sporting Lets, has reported one of the strongest shooting seasons for many years. Experts believe this year’s grouse season has generated an estimated £38 million for the Scottish economy, which includes the supplementary boost to rural communities in terms of tourism spending and seasonal employment.
GOLD STANDARD It’s hailed as an icon of wild Scotland and was recently voted the nation’s favourite animal. Now a new campaign is aiming to see the golden eagle named as the country’s national bird. Fronted by wildlife cameraman Gordon Buchanan, RSPB Scotland has submitted a petition urging ministers to formally designate the species as a national symbol, placing it alongside the lion rampant, saltire and Scottish thistle as emblems of the country. To fi nd out more visit www.
scottish.parliament.uk/gettinginvolved/ petitions/goldeneagle
WWW.SCOTTISHFIELD.CO.UK 105
PHOTO: GRAHAM MACKAY
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