Norway: Forest Regeneration and Land Use in Central Norway
64 visits
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Norway: Forest Regeneration and Land Use in Central Norway

This was a trip with many highlights and at first I found it difficult to choose just one but in spite of the incredible landscapes and nature we experienced first-hand, it was in fact the group itself that was the stand out highlight for me. To have a group of people from a range of backgrounds and roles that were all completely on the same page was both exciting and in many ways a relief. Large scale restoration of our landscapes here in Scotland is often a difficult message to promote and it’s easy to feel like a lone voice but it provided great comfort (and indeed many excellent conversations) to know there are others out there with similar passions to help restore what once was.

Finnish With a Bang
64 visits
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Finnish With a Bang

I have a little bit of a different blog for you this time as I have been away on an Erasmus+ Mobility exchange program in Finland to look at and compare their forestry. The project was funded through the  Erasmus+ programme and developed by ARCH and its consortium partners. This course gave me a greater experience of what the Caledonian pine forest could look like and how we are better able to engage people in nature and conservation. I wanted to use this experience to explore my understanding and share what I learned with all of you.

Finland: Nature Exchange 2022
37 visits
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Finland: Nature Exchange 2022

From 30th August to 6th September 2022, I was fortunate to take part in a Nature Exchange in Finland. The visit was funded through the Erasmus+ programme and hosted by staff and students from Tampere University of Applied Sciences.

My role as Head Ranger at Balmoral Estate involves taking practical action on the ground to manage habitats and species as well as visitors and access. I am also involved in providing access and interpretation to visiting members of the public.

Coastal & National Park Management Poland
17 visits
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Coastal & National Park Management Poland

The Polish coast is largely made up of dunes, both those that form active dunes systems moving landward and those that build seaward or along the coast to form sandy barriers creating lagoonal systems between areas of eroding morainic cliffs. This unconsolidated nature has implications for conservation and development. The National Parks in Poland also appear to have greater potential for generating revenue through entrance fees, parking charges and visitor attractions (e.g. bison) – these funds then go directly into park management, including conservation. Development of honeypots for visitors through beach replenish schemes help to take pressure off national parks and more naturalised coastal areas.

Traversing Through Transylvania
10 visits
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Traversing Through Transylvania

Traversing Through Transylvania: Christine Devlin You can download Christine’s report as a PDF here. Romania, and in particular southern Transylvania, is a hugely biodiverse country rooted in traditional culture. We were hosted by Fundatia ADEPT (Agricultural Development and Environmental Protection in Transylvania), a local non-governmental organisation (NGO) which focuses on biodiversity conservation and rural development. […]

Saxon Villages of Transylvania
14 visits
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Saxon Villages of Transylvania

Saxon Villages of Transylvania: Myles Maydew (Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park) Saxon villages of Transylvania The way that the houses are built in a certain area is normally related to the building materials in the locality and the needs of the population. Traditionally in the Saxon villages of Transylvania, these appear to be […]

Bohinj – A Green Oasis for Responsible Tourism
16 visits
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Bohinj – A Green Oasis for Responsible Tourism

I would start by saying it was a wonderful experience. I feel so privileged to have been given the opportunity to take part in this learning journey . I have enjoyed every single minute of it ,learned and exchange vision, ideas and best practice with both our Slovenian partners and hosts but also with my Scottish colleagues – which made the entire experience even more fulfilling .

Estonia: Engagement and Learning
33 visits
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Estonia: Engagement and Learning

The course had a particular focus on interpretation – how we tell our stories and present matters to others – a topic I am truly passionate about and a skill necessary and important to both of my roles. Taking the course in Estonia was a very meaningful experience, rich in content and inspiring on many levels.

Latvia is flat
134 visits
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Latvia is flat

An inspirational and diverse programme of topics and visits was put together for us which included Kemeri and Gauja National Parks, the Lubana wetland complex and Latvia’s only gorge near Sigulda. The themes explored were Forestry, large carnivore management, research and legislation, peat bog and wetland management, nature protection system and practices, cultural and green infrastructure and digital tools in conservation. Cultural visits included a visit to the Nordic Herbal Museum in Cecis, a guided walk and history talk in the old town of Cecis, a visit to the Ligatne Nature Park in Gaujas National Park, the Kalsnavas Arboretum and the Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air Museum in Riga.

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Wetland & Coastal Management in the Odra Delta – a model for Mersehead?

It was a great opportunity to be able to spend a week looking at the various types of parks and reserves in the Odra Delta and seeing the benefits and challenges of each. I think we were all blown away by how rich and diverse the wildlife and landscapes are, not just within the protected areas, but in the general landscape of the region as a whole. The main issues facing protected areas and wildlife in general in Poland seems to be a familiar one, lack of funding, staffing and awareness, which is all too familiar a problem in the UK as well. Due to Poland’s history, many people do not feel a connection to the land and so one of the results is that volunteering is nearly non-existant, which is a shame as this could be a rich source of help that is currently unavailable. It will also be interesting to see how the reserves will cope with climate change; increased pressure from predation and invasive species is tied in to this (as seen at Ujscie Warty NP) and subsequently pressure on staff time and funding for projects to deal with this. Hopefully the diversity of the landscapes means […]

Latvia Report 2019 (and Species List)

A group report covering a range of perspectives and topics from the NET Latvia course 2019. Although a trip focused on understanding the management of nature conservation in Latvia our hosts made sure we received a healthy dose of cultural history to compliment and broaden our understanding of Latvia and its people.

LATVIA: A CULTURAL JOURNEY NOT JUST A NATURAL ONE!

From the wetlands of Kemeri National Park through to the wooded sand stone valley of Gauja National Park the visiting tourist cannot fail to be impressed by the abundance of information signs, play areas, picnic spots, fire pits, boarded walks and walking trails which manage to make you feel welcome without compromising on the natural beauty of the landscape. I think all in the group would agree that we were excited about the accessibility of Latvia to a tourist with return trips already being mapped out.

ĶEMERI NATIONAL PARK – BOGS, WETLANDS, AND RE-MEANDERINGS

An account of the history and restoration works undertaken of one of Latvia’s major peat bogs – and the restoration of an adjoining river and associate flood plains.

Forestry in Latvia

In terms of organisational structure there are strong similarities to Scotland. The Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) develops policy. The State Forest Service sits within the MOA and enforces legislation across the industry whilst providing support and issuing licences/permits for all forests regardless of ownership. Finally, the Latvia State Forests Joint Stock Company operates as a commercial entity and manages all state owned forests. However as Normunds went into more detail and as we visited more forests throughout the week it became clear that organisational structure was where any similarities to forestry in Scotland ended. In terms of forest cover, ownership and management Scotland and Latvia could hardly be more different. It was fascinating to spend time in a country with such a different approach, where forestry seems to be winning out over intensive tree farming. Since being back at work I’ve been looking at my sites differently, wondering how much of what I saw could work here and daydreaming of Wolf , Moose, Lynx and Bear…. Paldies Latvia!

Deer, Moose & Forestry in Latvia

In Latvia deer management is administered centrally by the State Forest Service and there is a national register of hunters who require a license to hunt. However management is devolved to the 2074 hunting districts with cull targets and objective agreed locally. This and the requirement of a minimum land area over which to hunt different species means that there is a more collaborative approach to hunting in Latvia. Cull reporting is more rigorous than in Scotland and hunters are required to record where, when and how many deer they harvest.

Forest Management, Disease & Control: Perspectives from Latvia

Given the extent and value of both Norway and Sitka spruce stands in both Scotland and the wider UK, it is vitally important economically and environmentally as described above to minimize and control any outbreaks of dangerous forest pests in coming years. Lessons learned in Latvia as well as other European countries indicate the importance of early detection through annual monitoring and indeed the important relevant intervention to control outbreaks and minimize losses as well as preventing further spread of infestations.

Institute for Environmental Solutions

It is an impressive set up, with a (for Latvia) diverse staff of 35, who are highly skilled and experienced in their fields of biology, chemistry, electronics, and others. The umbrella vision for IES and the other 11 companies is an ethos of environmental thinking through medicine, art, beauty, and gastronomy. There is a conscious effort to break the barriers between science based knowledge and the experience of people who have gained a deep understanding of the land through years of working and living with it, blending the two to gain a higher level of understanding. This is done through job swaps, careful recruitment, local projects, and shadowing.

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