Scottish Natural Heritage Re-wilding Scotland: The Past and Future of Conservation Translocations Martin Gaywood – Scottish Natural Heritage

Scottish Natural Heritage

Re-wilding Scotland: The Past and Future of Conservation Translocations

Martin Gaywood – Scottish Natural Heritage



— Some background and examples of translocations— Case study – European beaver— A way forward

This talk will cover:


White-tailed eagle – a national reintroduction

Vendace – a national reintroduction

Woolly willow– a local reintroduction and reinforcement

Pine hoverfly – a local reintroduction and reinforcement

www.snh.gov.uk/speciesactionframework

http://www.snh.gov.uk/speciesactionframework

Scottish Natural HeritageOther recent conservation translocations have included… water vole, freshwater pearl mussel and small cow-wheat.

www.snh.gov.uk/speciesactionframework

http://www.snh.gov.uk/speciesactionframework


Osprey reintroduction to Spain

• 12 Scottish ospreys have just been released on the North Spanish coast for the first time

• Follows on from an earlier reintroduction to Andalusia in southern Spain where there are now 13 breeding pairs

The Golden Eagle Reintroduction Project in Ireland.

• First releases in 2001 using Scottish eagles,

• 75 chicks over ten year period – from nests with twins, none from ‘Special Protection Areas’

…and Scotland as a donor for reintroductions


Extinct around 16th century

1995 - SNH started work to assess feasibility and desirability of beaver reintroduction.

A licence required from the Minister before any release into the wild (address IUCN Reintroduction Guidelines)

Case study – European beaver


Distribution of potential beaver habitat in mainland Scotland.

Red areas – Potential habitat networks which may be of sufficient size to support viable populations.

Green areas – Potential habitat networks, but may be of insufficient size to support viable populations.


Research led by SNH:See www.snh.org.uk/scottishbeavertrial — Review of historical evidence in Scotland— Comparative morphology + potential donor

populations — Development of beaver habitat survey protocols— Review of dam-building and hydrology— Review of beavers and fish/fisheries— Review of beavers and woodland habitats— Identification of potential beaver habitat in Scotland— Predictive models of a future beaver population


— A national public consultation was undertaken in 1998.

Is it ‘desirable’ to reintroduce beaver to Scotland?


National consultation ‘passive public’

2,141 responses




In summary – Most people in favour of a reintroduction but some interest groups had concerns.

A trial reintroduction was therefore proposed.


Animals released in 2009

Approved by the Scottish Government Managed by 2 NGOs - SWT and RZSS on FCS land

Main purpose of the project is to undertake a scientific trial in order to monitor the beavers and the effects of the beavers (by SNH and partners)

The Scottish Beaver Trial (SBT) – What’s it for?





Recent history

1990s-early 00s - Range of studies looking at beaver reintroduction issues + European experience1998 - National consultation2000 – Plans for a trial reintroduction 2005 - First licence application rejected by SG2008 - Second licence application approved by SG2009 - First beavers released for the Trial at Knapdale2010 – Beaver-Salmonid Working Group established2012 - Ministerial announcement on Tayside beavers2015 – Minister receives reports on beaver reintroduction


— Preparation and addressing the IUCN Guidelines

— A national debate played out in a range of fora, including the media, a range of real and perceived issues

(the issue of ‘human-wildlife conflicts’)

Why so long…or so quick ?!


Why reintroduce the beaver ? - the supporters’ views

— European law— Moral grounds— Public desire— A keystone species – biodiversity— A symbol for wider habitat restoration (‘beaver lever’!)— Provider of ecosystem services— Socio-economic, including eco-tourism, education and

interpretation


Why reintroduce the beaver ? - the opponents’ views

— Public health— Detrimental to biodiversity— Equivalent to introduction of invasive non-natives— Precedent for other species reintroductions— Exit strategy not realistic — Cost - diverted from other conservation projects— Cost - from damage (burrowing, grazing,

flooding):• Fisheries (salmonids)• Forestry• Agriculture• ‘Infrastructure’


Human-wildlife conflicts

— Arise when parties with different, strongly held views clash over species management and when one party tries to assert their interests at the expense of the other

—The aim of conflict management is to bring those parties involved in a dispute together to seek shared solutions within a legislative framework

—Conflicts are fundamentally about people – need to build trust, link science and local knowledge, understand variation in attitudes across conflicts, build partnerships and constructive media relations

Milner, J.M. & Redpath, S.M. 2013. Building an evidence base for managing species conflict in Scotland. SNH Commissioned Report No. 611.


FULL MEMBERS• Association of Salmon Fishery Boards• British Association of Shooting and Conservation• Buglife (*on behalf of all 3 invert NGOs)• Cairngorms NP (**on behalf of both NPs)• Confederation of Forest Industries• Forestry Commission Scotland• Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust• Highland Wildlife Foundation• National Farmers Union Scotland• Royal Botanic Garden (Edinburgh)• Royal Society for the Protection of Birds• Royal Zoological Society of Scotland• Scottish Countryside Alliance• Scottish Government• Scottish Gamekeepers Association• Scottish Environment Protection Agency• Scottish Land and Estates• Scottish Natural Heritage• Scottish Wildlife Trust

National Species Reintroduction Forum

• Formed 2009• Chaired by SNH• 25 member organisations• All types of conservation

translocation

CORRESPONDING MEMBERS • British Waterways • *Butterfly Conservation Scotland• *Bumblebee Conservation Trust • **Loch Lomond & Trossachs NP• Plantlife• Scottish Ornithologist’s Club • Scottish Water


Role: To contribute to broad scale, strategic issues relating to conservation translocations in Scotland.

Including:• To contribute to the decision-making process for any new national

reintroduction projects.

• To seek to form a collective view based on sound evidence.

• To encourage and stimulate the development of best practice in conservation translocation work, and to support the application of the IUCN Guidelines.

• To identify the risks, consequences, benefits and gaps in information (including legal aspects) necessary to plan, assess, or implement translocations.



• Beaver-Salmonid Working Group – outputs due in 2014



• SNH report on the use of derogations for reintroduced species in Europe 2012 (Pillai, A. et al.)



• The Scottish Code for Conservation Translocations and associated best practice guidance (due for publication 2014)

• Linked to the IUCN Guidelines, with a Scottish focus• Provides advice and guidance on what to consider when

proposing, planning or doing a translocation• Emphasis on socio-economic issues – people !• The identification and management of risks, and

opportunities• Produced in collaboration with all NSRF members



• Some high profile projects are continuing (e.g. beaver), and the issue of post-release management will become increasingly important

• New proposals – ‘aspirational list’ of species

• The predator debate – bears, wolves and lynx

• Anticipate that conservation translocations will be an increasingly used tool – including assisted colonisations ?

What next?


Scottish Government 2013• “Develop a strategic programme for

re-establishing species lost locally or nationally, or threatened by climate change and other pressures and take this forward through the National Species Reintroduction Forum”

SNH 2012• “Consider translocation of species in

circumstances where assessments indicate the likely loss of a species despite new management measures, and where there are suitable areas for nature to adapt”

Assisted colonisation


Where should we put things?• Can we predict where to put a species now ?• If climate is a strong driver of the species’ distribution, can we then

predict where it will be “climate proof” ?

A field trial – An alpine lichen species Flavocetraria nivalis• Model built from 5 survey ‘training sites’• Model applied to recipient sites• BUT so far the model has no predictive power ! Work continues

until 2015

Assisted colonisation

Information/images courtesy of Rob Brooker, Antonia Eastwood, Andrea Britton, Alessandro Gimona (JHI) Chris Ellis (RBGE), David Genney (SNH).


• A continuing need to devise ways to improve translocation success where it happens, not only through the application of biological sciences, but also through reducing conflict where necessary

• The involvement and support of people is vital in ensuring eventual success and the restoration of viable and self-sustaining populations.

What next?

Scottish Natural HeritageThank you.

Documents

Scottish Natural Heritage Re-wilding Scotland: The Past and Future of Conservation Translocations Martin Gaywood – Scottish Natural Heritage