Welcome

Welcome to the Highland Biodiversity website.

Here you can find information on biodiversity and Local Biodiversity Action Plans, as well as projects to raise awareness and help wildlife in Highland.

This is the website of the Highland Biodiversity Partnership, and it will be updated on a weekly basis by the Highland Council Biodiversity Officers Jonathan Willet and Janet Bromham (contact details below).

Since the Highland Biodiversity Project was started in 2002, over £700,000 of new funding has been spent on biodiversity action and planning in Highland. Over two thirds of this money was targeted towards local biodiversity projects. Seven Local Biodiversity Action Plans have been produced, over 130 projects delivered and over 250 awareness-raising events held across the seven LBAP areas.

Of larger strategic biodiversity issues, we have had the most success in delivering or initiating projects to tackle Invasive Non-native Species. We have mapped Priority Species and projects to control Giant Hogweed and Highland Rhododendron are underway, representing a spend of over £60,000 to date.

Here is a summary of our site:

What is Biodiversity?

This section contains background information on biodiversity, biodiversity action planning and biological recording, as well as downloadable copies of the Highland Biodiversity Action Plan and the eight Local Biodiversity Action Plans in Highland.

What’s Going On?

This part of our site has an events calendar and information on the Highland Council Ranger-led events.  It is where we put news stories, and updates on our on-going projects (eg our work to tackle Invasive Species, Nature Detectives primary school project).  You can also find information on funding, and on projects we have undertaken in the past ten years.

Who Are We?

You will find information here on the work of the Highland Biodiversity Partnership and its members, as well as agendas and minutes of our annual conference and other meetings and events, contact details and links to other sites.

Seashore

This page introduces you to the Highland Seashore Project, which has funding from 2013 to 2015. The project will be coordinating the delivery of Seashore Life Identification workshops around the coast, establish and maintain a Seashore Surveyors Network and organise events and activities to encourage communities to learn about and appreciate more about their local shores.

We are trying to make our work more accessible and keep this website as useful and up-to-date as possible.  If you have any comments or suggestions as to how to improve it, or any events or news items you’d like publicised here, please pass them on to Jonathan or Janet at the contact details below.

Photos: Charlie Phillips, Iain Sarjeant, Ken Crossan, Sue Scott, Mary Legg, Ken Butler, Martin Hind, Angus Corby, Jonathan Willet, Janet Bromham, James Merryweather, Janet Ullman, The Caithness Biodiversity Collection, The Sutherland Partnership Image Library