NatureScot

NatureScot Scotland’s nature agency. We work to protect and improve our natural environment. Buidheann nàdair na h-Alba.

Ag obair airson ar n-àrainneachd nàdarra a dhìon is a thoirt am feabhas. Formerly known as Scottish Natural Heritage, NatureScot is the only organisation that looks after all aspects of nature in Scotland, across all parts of Scotland (land and sea) on behalf of everyone who lives in or visits Scotland. Our role is to:

- care for nature and landscapes in Scotland
- help deliver health and well-be

ing for people living in or visiting Scotland
- look after a vital natural asset that supports the Scottish economy
- help address climate change and biodiversity loss

OUR SOCIAL MEDIA COMMUNITY GUIDELINES

As a responsible public organisation we adhere to a fair Site Use Policy. All conversations and posts should be constructive, respectful, and contain language that is appropriate for all groups and ages. We reserve the right to disallow comments that:

• are obscene, indecent, profane, aggressive or vulgar
• contain threats or personal attacks of any kind
• contain offensive terms directed at protected characteristic groups
• are defamatory, libellous or contain ad hominem attacks
• promote or endorse a product or service without prior agreement with NatureScot
• are excessively repetitive or constitute spam
• contain content which constitutes invasion of a third-party’s privacy. Comments that do not adhere to the above guidelines will, without exception, be removed. We reserve the right to block users who breach the site use policy.



’S e NàdarAlba, air an robh Dualchas Nàdair na h-Alba cheana, an aon bhuidheann a tha a’ gabhail cùram ris a h-uile taobh de nàdar ann an Alba, air feadh na dùthcha (air tìr agus aig muir) às leth a h-uile duine a tha a’ fuireach ann an Alba no a’ tadhal oirre.

’S e ar dreuchd:

- cùram a ghabhail ri nàdar is cruthan-tìre na h-Alba
- cuideachadh ri slàinte is sunnd a bhrosnachadh do dhaoine a tha a’ fuireach ann an Alba no a’ tadhal oirre
- cùram a ghabhail ri fìor bhuannachd nàdarra a chumas taic ri eaconomaidh na h-Alba
- cuideachadh ri bhith a’ dèiligeadh ri atharrachadh na gnàth-shìde agus call bith-iomadachd


AR STIÙIREADH DO CHOIMHEARSNACHD NAM MEADHANAN SÒISEALTA AGAINN

Mar buidheann phoblach chunntasach bidh sinn a’ cumail ri Poileasaidh Cleachdadh na Làraich a tha reusanta. Bu chòir dhan a h-uile còmhradh is post a bhith cuideachail, modhail is a’ cleachdadh cainnt a tha freagarrach dhan a h-uile buidheann is aois. Tha sinn a’ glèidheadh na còrach bacadh a chur air beachdan:

• a tha drabastach, mì-iomchaidh, mì-naomha, ionnsaigheach no gràisgeil
• anns a bheil bagairt no ionnsaigh pearsanta de sheòrsa sam bith
• anns a bheil briathran mì-thaitneach mu bhuidhnean fheartan glèidhte
• a tha cliù-mhìllteach no anns a bheil ionnsaighean pearsanta
• a bhios a’ sanasachadh bathar no seirbheis gun aonta ro-làimhe ri NàdarAlba
• anns a bheil cus ath-aithris no spama
• anns a bheil fiosrachadh a bhriseas a-steach air prìobhaideachd treas phàrtaidhean. Bheir sinn air falbh gach beachd nach cùm ris an stiùireadh gu h-àrd. Tha sinn a’ glèidheadh na còrach casg a chur air luchd-cleachdaidh a bhriseas am poileasaidh cleachdaidh.

01/06/2026

The new licensing scheme for muirburn in Scotland will be launched soon, ahead of the expected start of licensing from 15 September 2026.

When the new legislation comes into effect it will be an offence to carry out muirburn without a licence.

We’re encouraging everyone to start preparing for the change as early as possible. Watch our short video summarising what applicants can do to prepare for the changes, and see our website for more (link in the comments)👇

Lantra Scotland Scottish Fire and Rescue Service ScotGov Rural NFU Scotland Scottish Land & Estates Scottish Gamekeepers Association SGA Scottish Crofting Federation Scotland's Farm Advisory Service - FAS

Gulls are as much a part of the seaside as fish and chips.🐟 🍟 But did you know that human food is bad for gulls? And fee...
31/05/2026

Gulls are as much a part of the seaside as fish and chips.🐟 🍟

But did you know that human food is bad for gulls? And feeding encourages them to link people with food.

Help gulls and your local community - caring means not sharing 😊

Bidh leughadairean gu leòr eòlach air an fhacal sìthean agus mar a bhios daoine a’ dèanamh ceangal eadar sin agus na sìt...
30/05/2026

Bidh leughadairean gu leòr eòlach air an fhacal sìthean agus mar a bhios daoine a’ dèanamh ceangal eadar sin agus na sìthichean, a thathar a’ cumail a-mach a tha a’ fuireach annta. Gu h-iongantach, math dh’fhaodte, tha meanbh-riochd an fhacail, sìthean, fada nas cumanta air aghaidh na tìre na sìth fhèin.

ʼS e an sìth as ainmeile ann an Alba a’ bheinn drùidhteach ann an Siorrachd Pheairt ris an canar Schiehallion ann am Beurla. Tha e na dhreach de Sìth Chailleann a dh’eadar-theangaich an t-Àrd-oll. MacBhàtair mar ‘fairy hill of the Caledonians’.

Tha a’ bheinn seo, air a bheil luchd-coiseachd nam beann air leth measail, faisg air meadhan tìr na h-Alba. Tha i cuideachd suidhichte ann an dùthaich a tha làn beul-aithris mu shìthichean is iomadach creutair ‘macmeanmnach’ eile.

Ionnsaich tuilleadh mu shìthean na Gàidhealtachd anns a’ bhloga dhà-chànanach seo a sgrìobh Ruairidh MacIlleathain san Iuchar 2022: https://orlo.uk/m8Tdw

You may know that the Gaelic word sìthean is often interpreted as ‘fairy knoll’. The word is a diminutive, formed by add...
30/05/2026

You may know that the Gaelic word sìthean is often interpreted as ‘fairy knoll’. The word is a diminutive, formed by adding -an to the word sìth in the same way that a lochan is a small loch. So, if a sìthean is a fairy knoll, is a sìth a fairy mountain? Well, yes, actually …

At least, that is the consensus regarding the most famous example – the iconic mountain in Perthshire called Schiehallion in English. This is an anglicisation of Sìth Chailleann, interpreted by place name expert Professor W.J. Watson as ‘fairy hill of the Caledonians’.

The mountain, beloved of hillwalkers, lies close to the geographical centre of Scotland. It is also situated in an area famous for its folklore, particularly for tales of sìthichean ‘fairies’.

Find out more about 'fairy mountains' in Roddy Maclean’s bilingual blog from July 2022: https://orlo.uk/eofDU

That perfect spot? Let's keep it our little secret ... by making it look like you were never there.Remember to:🔥 Check f...
30/05/2026

That perfect spot? Let's keep it our little secret ... by making it look like you were never there.

Remember to:

🔥 Check fire warnings before camping – use a stove, rather than light a fire.
💩 Leave no trace of your toilet visits – bury waste 30cm deep, away from water.
⛺ Keep campsites small and discreet.
🚮 Remove all traces of your campsite before leaving.

For more top camping tips, visit the link in the comments 👇



📷 VisitScotland / Luigi Di Pasquale

📢 Are you a young nature lover ready to make a difference?🌎Offering up to £5K to support your ideas, the Future Routes f...
29/05/2026

📢 Are you a young nature lover ready to make a difference?🌎

Offering up to £5K to support your ideas, the Future Routes for Nature Fund is designed by young people for young people.

If you're aged 11-26 (or work with that age group), based in Scotland and passionate about the environment then apply now to turn your ideas into great projects.

Previous recipients include community gardens, nature camps and junior ranger groups just for starters..

Let's shape a sustainable future together.💚



https://orlo.uk/FutureRoutesForNatureFund_rPr5A

"Scotland might not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of rainforests – but it should be. Along the ru...
28/05/2026

"Scotland might not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of rainforests – but it should be. Along the rugged west coast lies one of our most overlooked natural treasures."

In today’s blog, Wildlife Management Officer, Nathan Berrie, shines the spotlight on work that’s helping to restore Scotland’s precious rainforests by reducing deer grazing pressures 🌳 🦌

📖 👉 https://orlo.uk/EHRgv

27/05/2026

A group of enthusiastic volunteers recently helped to restore some of Scotland’s rarest mountain plants to Ben Lui Nature Reserve.

With their help we've been planting out hundreds of woolly and downy willow saplings in a remote area of cliff and crag near the popular Munro in the southern Highlands.

These hardy native willows are specially adapted to survive at higher altitudes and once would have been widespread as part of the habitat known as montane scrub.

But historical grazing pressure means that these low shrubs have been declining for decades and are now largely limited to the hardest to reach trees on inaccessible crags and steep burns.

Watch our short video to find out more about the project – and huge thanks to the volunteers from Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park who came along to help – we couldn’t have done it without you!

Ben Lui Nature Reserve is owned by NatureScot and the planting is part of the Wild Strathfillan project which is run by Trustinthepark and funded by the Net Zero Scotland

Drivers are being warned to watch out for roe deer on the roads at this higher-risk time of year for collisions between ...
26/05/2026

Drivers are being warned to watch out for roe deer on the roads at this higher-risk time of year for collisions between deer and vehicles.

Our spring road safety campaign is now underway with Transport Scotland and Traffic Scotland.

Collisions between deer and vehicles typically increase in late May and early June as young roe deer spread out to look for their own territories, with dusk the period of highest risk.

Until 19 June, alerts on electronic variable message signs (VMS) will remind drivers of the risk of deer on the road this spring.

Find out more via the link in the comments 👇

A new licence for muirburn is being introduced in Scotland after the Scottish Parliament passed a law to regulate the pr...
26/05/2026

A new licence for muirburn is being introduced in Scotland after the Scottish Parliament passed a law to regulate the practice in 2024.

The aim of the licence is to help ensure that muirburn is carried out safely and appropriately.

We expect that licences will be required from 15 September 2026 and we’ve published guidance on our website to help guide people through the process.

Follow the link in the comments to find out more about how to prepare 👇

Lantra Scotland Scottish Fire and Rescue Service ScotGov Rural NFU Scotland Scottish Land & Estates Scottish Gamekeepers Association SGA Scottish Crofting Federation Scotland's Farm Advisory Service - FAS BASC Scotland

Address

Great Glen House, Leachkin Road
Inverness
IV38NW

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 5pm
Thursday 8:30am - 5pm
Friday 8:30am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+441463725000

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when NatureScot posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Share