Future-Proofing Caerlaverock: Wilder, Wetter, Working Together
Join us at the Solway Coast to explore how collaboration is creating climate resilience on Scotland's dynamic coastline.David Pickett from the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) Caerlaverock Wetland Centre and Anna Austin from Caerlaverock Estate share how they're reconnecting fragmented landscapes. With backing from the Scottish Government's Nature Restoration Fund, they're turning drains into wetlands, pastures into corridors, and local ambition into climate-ready results.Discover the practical side of restoration: cutting drains, looping burns, and carving ponds that invite lapwing, teal, and golden plover to return. Learn how grasslands and hedgerows weave through productive farms, connecting peatland, saltmarsh, and meadows into resilient networks.Partnership drives this transformation. Neighbouring landowners work together to create thriving habitats where vulnerable species, such as natterjack toads, can flourish as the climate changes. From winter skies crowded with barnacle geese to summer meadows alive with dragonflies, this is nature restoration that works for people and place.Ready to connect habitats in your area? Listen for tips on creating wildlife corridors and building partnerships that benefit both nature and communities.Information:Nature Restoration FundWWT Caerlaverock Wetland CentreCaerlaverock Estate
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21:09
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21:09
Forecasting the Future: From Changing Weather to Changing Habitats, with the Met Office
The natural world is speaking to us through shifting species patterns, and Graham Madge from the Met Office is helping us translate. As both a climate communicator and lifelong wildlife observer, Graham brings a unique perspective to understanding how Scotland's changing climate is reshaping our beloved landscapes and wildlife.Climate change isn't just about distant polar bears - profound transformations are already underway right here in Scotland. The Scottish crossbill, a finch found nowhere else on Earth, faces an uncertain future as warming pushes its suitable habitat northward, whilst Mediterranean species like little egrets and spoonbills are becoming increasingly common visitors to our shores.Graham explores how extreme weather events accelerate these impacts, and how nature serves as both victim and potential saviour in our climate crisis. Scotland's peatlands and forests play crucial roles in carbon storage, while natural coastal defences help communities adapt to rising seas. Most importantly, he reveals how we can all help by creating connected habitats and recording the wildlife around us - turning every nature walk into vital climate science.Information:NatureScot – Climate ChangeMet Office – Climate Change in the UKMet Office – Effects of Climate Change
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30:14
Zero Waste Scotland: how small changes create big wins for people and wildlife
Our everyday plastic and waste choices ripple through Scotland's entire ecosystem, affecting our landscapes and wildlife.Andrew Pankhurst from Zero Waste Scotland explains how rethinking waste can transform our environment and economy. Discover Scotland's circular economy – an innovative approach where products stay in high-value use for generations, not moments.Learn from the carrier bag charge success story that achieved an 80% reduction in use and fewer bags on beaches through simple policy changes.While Plastic Free July drives environmental action, Zero Waste Scotland focuses on reducing all single-use items. Surprisingly, food waste and textiles cause greater environmental harm than plastic, scoring highest for carbon emissions, biodiversity loss, land use, and water consumption.Understanding these impacts helps us prioritise the most effective solutions. Explore innovative programmes like Stirling's Ditching Disposables initiative and Glasgow's Borrow Cup scheme that make sustainable choices convenient.Andrew offers a refreshingly non-judgmental approach: "Whatever you can do is fine." The simple reduce, reuse, recycle framework gives everyone an accessible pathway to better choices, without overwhelming guilt.Ready to join Scotland's waste-free future? Listen for practical tips and ways to protect our wild places and wildlife, while creating a healthier world for everyone.Information:Zero Waste ScotlandPlastic Free July
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45:24
Scotland's Sea Eagles: Balancing Conservation and Farming
Fifty years since their reintroduction, Scotland now hosts around 200 breeding pairs of white-tailed eagles (also known as sea eagles), representing both a remarkable conservation success and a challenge for some farmers and crofters. This podcast explores the relationship between these magnificent birds and farming communities through conversations with NatureScot's Andrew Kent and Appin-based sheep farmer David Colthart.We hear how eagle predation impacts sheep flocks and how the recently expanded Sea Eagle Management Scheme supports farmers with deterrence and adaptation strategies. The discussion reveals emerging collaborative approaches, including enhanced shepherding and research to track predation patterns.From extinction to reintroduction, conservation success to agricultural concerns - this episode examines the multifaceted story of Scotland's sea eagles and the ongoing efforts to balance wildlife conservation with the needs of rural livelihoods.
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26:19
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26:19
Beyond Hospital Walls: Green Spaces, Healing Places
Green Health Week spotlights NHS Ayrshire and Arran's pioneering approach to transforming hospital grounds into therapeutic spaces for patients, staff, and the wider community.Public Health Programme Lead Elaine Caldow shares the journey from a small demonstration project to a comprehensive approach that treats nature as medicine. Assistant Director of Estates and Support Services Helen Gemmell reveals how initial management concerns about risk have evolved into widespread staff enthusiasm for these restorative environments.We visit the Kyle Chemotherapy Unit with Deputy Charge Nurse Wendy Ruiz de Pascal to see how the garden spaces are supporting patients during treatment, and discover The Conservation Volunteers' innovative 'green gyms', Acorn Garden, and guided nature walks with Lindsay Twilley.This episode showcases Scotland's pioneering integration of nature into healthcare settings—creating spaces for calm, hope and healing while simultaneously advancing sustainability goals and demonstrating that when hospitals make space for nature, remarkable healing happens.
NatureScot presents podcasts that celebrate Scotland's nature and landscapes. In each episode you'll find numerous ways to connect with - and protect - our amazing natural world. We want to inspire everyone to join the fight against climate change and reverse nature loss. Immerse yourself and #MakeSpaceForNature in your life. www.nature.scot
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