Championing the protection of threatened species in the Highlands

Highland Council has welcomed the uptake by members to a relaunched programme which champions the protection of species that are “currently struggling to survive”.

A total of 21 members volunteered to represent hugely varied species with council convener Bill Lobban supporting the mountain hare; John Bruce sticking up for capercaillie, Inverness councillors Alasdair Christie taking the adder, Alex Graham championing the red squirrel while council leader Margaret Davidson took the Golden Eagle.

The aim of the programme is for the councillors to promote the well-being of some of the country's most threatened species.

Each councillor is expected to become an advocate for their chosen species to raise the profile of key species identified through the biodiversity action plan “as at risk” from factors like “climate change, habitat loss, persecution, pollution and predation.”

However, it was acknowledged that it was vital to relaunch the programme particularly after Highland Council declared a “climate emergency”.

The local authority also admitted to losing “traction following the loss of the council’s biodiversity officers through voluntary severance” leading to the eventual restart of the campaign in May.

Committee chairman Alan Henderson light-heartedly called on “Mr Bee himself” councillor Craig Fraser to speak as one of the members most in favour of the impact the programme could have.

“I welcome this actually, it seems like I am a lone voice in the wilderness at times keeping to species champion,” Councillor Fraser said.

“What I found from being a species champion and this is what members should consider is that it puts you in touch with the environment.

“And now we have so many applications coming to our area which is predominantly rural and wild it makes you start to consider all other options.

“It makes us sit up and take notice what impact our actions are going to have on the environment which we are so responsible for."

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