Project Update, June 2017

Background

This initiative, which is being supported by Scotland’s Moorland Forum, has been established to develop the concepts established during the Understanding Predation project that was completed in May 2016.

The aim is to establish a programme of action that will enhance the work that is already taking place for waders, and encourage the development of new initiatives. The scope of the programme of action may include providing advice about practical management techniques for waders, establishing a common monitoring protocol, so that the results obtained will be comparable, and providing access to the latest research.

Stakeholders are developing the programme of action, and facilitation is being provided by a consortium of organisations that includes: BTO, SNH, SRUC, JHI and Scotland’s Moorland Forum.

Workshops

To promote an understanding of this initiative and collect views about the concept, two workshops were held during May. A broad range of delegates attended and a summary report from the workshops will be available shortly.

The workshops have confirmed there is a consensus developing around the form that this initiative should take. A third workshop in July was considered, but as there is already a clear consensus, this additional workshop would serve little purpose. The intention is to use the time to develop the details of the programme of action and to consider holding a further meeting or workshop, later in the year.

Scottish Government

To ensure that there is support for this initiative in government, the summary report from the workshops will be sent under a covering letter to Roseanna Cunningham MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change & Land Reform. This letter will be copied to a wide range of organisations, and the feedback to the letter will be used to further develop the programme of action.

Information about Wader Initiatives

To be effective, the programme of action should be linked to all the initiatives that are already in progress or planned. A form has been circulated to gather details of such initiatives and this is available to download. Anyone who is already ‘Working for Waders’, or who is planning an initiative with a focus on waders, is asked to use this form to provide the programme of action with details of the work.

Updates

Further updates will be added to this blog as the programme of action develops. Any comments will be welcome, and you can use the comments facility below to submit these. If you wish to submit your comments in private, please use the Contact Form on the Moorland Forum’s website.