Leading Conservationist speaks out on deer management

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Written by Gus Jones
Category: Debates
Published: 20 April 2015

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Dick Balharry who attended the very first meeting of BSCG in 1975 deserves warm congratulations for the award of the prestigious Patrick Geddes medal for his outstanding contribution to conservation.

Presenting the award at a ceremony at Glen Feshie the Chief Executive of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society described Dick as “a relentless and passionate advocate for improving and protecting Scotland's natural landscapes" who "has influenced, advised, inspired and encouraged so many people and organisations".

The Sunday Herald (19 April 2015) reports on the award and mentions that Dr Adam Watson who spoke at BSCG’s inaugural meeting recalled vital work in Wester Ross undertaken by Dick on the poisoning of golden eagles that contributed to the banning of some persistent organochlorines pesticides in the 1970’s and 1980’s. BSCG members will also recall Dick’s important contribution to the establishment of Creag Meagaidh National Nature Reserve.

Referring to his speech the paper reports that Dick Balharry criticised landowners for erecting fences to protect native woodlands from marauding deer and commented this damaged the landscape, inhibited public access and deprived deer of shelter. The report is followed by an editorial headed 'Cairngorms talk highlights need for land reform'. This echos Dick’s views and comments "What's now crucial is that ministers introduce measures that oblige landowners to manage their estates for the public, good, rather than private gain."

See the article here: http://www.robedwards.com/2015/04/landowners-under-fire-for-selfish-greed-from-leading-conservationist.html

Environmental Hustings: Friday 3rd April 7pm in Aviemore

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Written by Gus Jones
Category: Meetings
Published: 26 March 2015

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Photo: 16 April 2010 Environmental Hustings.

Come along to Aviemore Community Centre on Friday 3rd April 7.00 – 9.00 pm to meet the candidates for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch & Strathspey and put your questions on the environment to them.

All 7 candidates competing for the seat held by Danny Alexander have been invited to the environmental hustings organised by the Badenoch & Strathspey Conservation Group.

Everyone is welcome to attend. Admission is free with donations welcome.

BSCG is hosting this environmental hustings in Aviemore to enable the public to put their questions on any aspect of the environment to prospective candidates in the Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch & Strathspey seat for the Westminster General Election on 7th May. This seat is currently held by Lib Dem Danny Alexander.

Candidates:

Liberal Democrat Danny Alexander 
Scottish Christian Donald Boyd 
UKIP Arthur Durance 
SNP Drew Hendry 
Conservative Edward Mountain 
Scottish Green Isla O'Reilly 
Labour Mike Robb


We are most grateful to Bill Sadler, Coordinator of the Grantown 250 Anniversary celebrations, who will be chairing the meeting.
We anticipate this will be a valuable opportunity to find out more about how different candidates stand on caring for our environment.

The Scottish Environment LINK's 'Manifesto for the Westminster General Election 2015' has been prepared for use by all political parties and candidates seeking election to the House of Commons in May 2015. BSCG is a member of Scottish Environment LINK which is an umbrella body for environmental groups across Scotland.

We are also following all the candidates that have twitters on our BSCG twitter.

Location: Aviemore Community Centre, Muirton, Aviemore, PH22 1SF.

GE2015 Candidate Statement - Drew Hendry SNP

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Written by Gus Jones
Category: Debates
Published: 03 April 2015

I first came to the Highlands as an 8 year-old boy on holiday and even then I knew that this was where I wanted to live. My wife Jackie and I moved with our kids to the Highlands many years ago. We uprooted our business and moved that here as well. This region is one of the most beautiful places in the world and we love living here.
 
It’s pleasing to say that I fulfilled that boyhood ambition when I moved here many years ago with my wife Jackie and our kids, uprooting our business and replanting it here, in the Highlands.

Serving my ward, Aird and Loch Ness, which is in this constituency, along with my work on the Cairngorms National Park Authority, has ensured I am constantly reminded of what is exceptional about where we work and live.

Most days I get to walk to work as the Leader of the Highland Council, crossing the bridge over the lovely River Ness on the way. My kids can walk to school, even when it’s raining. My ward of Aird and Loch Ness, which is the equivalent size of Luxembourg, has many wonderful sights to see as I crisscross it, visiting constituents and communities.
 
The reason I’m telling you all of this because the environment is very important to me. I think it is to everyone living in the Highlands. In my experience, most of us feel lucky to be living here. So the local environment and our wider responsibilities for the planet must be seen as a priority for us all.
 
I am grateful to be invited to the hustings organised by the Badenoch & Strathspey Conservation Group and thank them for this opportunity to focus on the environment. I like the view that we have two ears and one mouth, and we should use them in the same proportion. So I will be pleased to talk about my campaign policies, the Scottish Government’s progress on the environment, and my own initiatives, but I will be listening at the hustings and hoping to hear from the people how we can do more at all levels of government.
 
Of course, I will also be keen to discuss the Scottish Environment LINK’s Manifesto for the Westminster General Election.
 
It is important to say though, that I certainly believe politicians can and must do more on the environment. My Carbon Clever programme for example, which I initiated at Highland Council, focuses on the economy, energy, land use and resources, transport and engagement strategy. It is a growing success and proof that even in these tough times of austerity progressive policies can be delivered.

Follow @Carbon_CLEVER on Twitter for more information. In the meantime I look forward to meeting with all those who will be at the hustings and discussing such a vital campaign issue.
 
Drew Hendry
SNP
@drewhendrySNP
www.facebook.com/DrewHendrySNP2015
That’s why I initiated Carbon Clever

GE2015 Candidate Statement - Isla O'Reilly, Scottish Greens

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Written by Gus Jones
Category: Debates
Published: 01 April 2015
"I have read through the Scottish Environment LINK’s Manifesto for the Westminster General Election.  It is an excellent piece of work and I can say we wholeheartedly support the ideas and aims.
 
I come from Organic farming stock so my heart lies in permaculture and food production.  The food system has a profound effect on nature, human health and equality.  We need to ensure that we create and protect sustainable practices that make good food affordable and accessible to all.
 
The Scottish Green Party policies are the best way to integrate the social, ecological and economic issues, facing our country, instead of playing them off against each other. 
 
Climate change is a huge problem but I believe it is a symptom of the real issue.  Capitalism is the biggest problem we face.  There is widespread consensus that economic activity is putting life on earth at risk.  We need to reject right wing individualism ideology and work together to create a compassionate society and a healthy environment. 
 
Preserving the rich biodiversity of life on this planet is a core aim of the greens.  To combat the deepening ecological crisis and decline in species, our policies aim to conserve, protect and restore land marine and freshwater habitats. 
 
We are committed to halting biodiversity loss and aim to introduce measures to ensure that protected areas promote biodiversity growth and planning decisions fully consider impacts upon the natural environment and introduce mitigation measures where appropriate. 
 
I am very much looking forward to hearing lots of ideas from the Badenoch and Strathspey conservation group on these and many other issues."

GE2015 Candidate Statement - Mike Robb, Labour

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Written by Gus Jones
Category: Debates
Published: 01 April 2015

Mike Robb is the Scottish Labour Party Candidate for this Constituency.

He has a degree in Physics from Edinburgh University and has worked in the software and electronics industry for most of his professional career. Mike runs his own UK-wide IT Consultancy Business from Inverness. Mike lives in Muir of Ord, with his wife Gwen who is a nurse. They have two grown up sons. His priorities are jobs for young people, getting more houses built, protecting the NHS and building an economy that's works for us all, not just bankers.

Our environment is a precious thing. For all of us wherever we live but especially here in the Highlands. Protecting that environment against factors local, national and global is vital.

We all have a role to play in that, whether as environmental activists, single issue campaigners, community groups or politicians, elected or aspiring!

I believe that climate change is happening and that we need to intervene at many levels to avoid its worst effects. In responding, we need to be led by science and not by vested interests or dogma.

On energy, we need policies that are science based and that provide safe, secure and reliable sources. Energy needs to be affordable and reliable as well as renewable.

We need to do much more to tackle the use of energy in terms of how we use it as much as how we produce it. Home insulation projects, innovative area heating schemes and getting people out of cars and onto energy efficient public transport are key.

Wind farms have a place in the mix. But I am steadily coming to the conclusion that the scale and pace of industrial wind farm developments is much more about the benefits to landowners and international energy companies than it is to the environment or to local communities and consumers. Like so many things in our society, the benefits are for the few whilst the costs are picked up by many ordinary families.

Fuel poverty is a real issue in the Highlands. We need sources of energy which don’t damage the planet but which allow the most vulnerable in our communities to heat their homes without fear.

On transport, we need a better balance to cut fuel-based emissions. The use of a car will never be any more than an essential in most parts of the Highlands, but there is so much we can do to ensure there are environmentally positive alternatives in as many places as possible. Train and bus timetables that join up; frequent, affordable rural bus services that recognise the value of providing an alternative to cars. The private sector may not be ready to provide this and we should be ready to look at public ownership again. We need to dual the A9, but we also need to invest in the rail link to Inverness to make it an attractive alternative to driving cars and lorries up and down the A9. And as a cyclist, I’d like us to invest in making it “safe and easy” to cycle to work in as many places as possible.

Sustainable farming, fracking, green procurement, getting the balance right in the Cairngorms between environment and tourism are all topical issues which I look forward to debating

Mike Robb
March 2015