Public body protecting Scotland’s natural heritage and biodiversity
Campaigners call for talks with Hebridean communities to phase out the infant gannet hunt on Ness, citing welfare concerns and conservation data. Opponents accuse recent tactics of entrenching views; supporters stress tradition and subsistence. Licensing decisions by NatureScot loom as seabird numbers trend downward.
Conservation groups say Scotland’s marine protected areas are recovering when properly shielded from dredging and trawling. The Wester Ross MPA has shown early signs of life returning after illegal disturbance, while groups press for faster, broader protections across inshore waters.
The National Trust says a sapling from the Sycamore Gap tree, planted in Wray Castle, Cumbria, has been stolen between 9 and 16 June. The theft follows the 2023 felling of the original iconic tree and the sentencing of two men. Police are investigating and appeal for information. The sapling was part of a UK-wide restoration effort.
NatureScot plans an online register for Scotland’s ancient woodlands, recording location and conditioning. The system, due to live in 2027, will include conifer forests, recently planted woodlands and even ‘ghost’ woods, with a PIN procurement launching 2026–27.
NatureScot has refused a licence for Scotland’s last remaining guga hunt on Sula Sgeir, citing concerns that harvesting 500–2,000 young gannets could affect the gannet population and site integrity. Campaigners celebrate as activists urge Parliament to permanently ban the exemption that allows the hunt.
Australia faces H5N1 spread among wildlife as Baudin Rocks mass mortality events are confirmed. Victoria and South Australia report dead and sick crested terns; New Zealand begins vaccination research to protect native birds; farmers strengthen biosecurity while communities assist with surveillance.
Wildfires have spread across moorlands and forests in the UK and Europe amid record heat and prolonged dry periods. Authorities warn that climate change is worsening fire risk, prompting new muirburn licensing rules in Scotland and debates over prevention vs. regulation. Communities brace for economic and environmental costs as prevention, response capacity, and resilience measures are mobilised.