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Chris Wernham Head of BTO Scotland (with notes)

Our achievements together in Scotland. Chris Wernham Head of BTO Scotland (with notes). Sound support from the start …. Thanks for getting us off to a great start!. To Jeremy Greenwood , (then BTO Director), BTO Management Team and BTO Council for strong and continuing support

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Chris Wernham Head of BTO Scotland (with notes)

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  1. Our achievements together in Scotland Chris Wernham Head of BTO Scotland (with notes)

  2. Sound support from the start …

  3. Thanks for getting us off to a great start! To Jeremy Greenwood, (then BTO Director), BTO Management Team and BTO Council for strong and continuing support To the Esmée Fairburn Foundation for essential start-up funding To the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club- for a warm welcome and continuing superb support To Alan Lauder (first Head of BTO Scotland) - for setting us on a sound path, and for twisting my arm to take over… To Professor David Bryant, then Head of the School of Biological Sciences at Stirling University – for establishing us at a great location – and Kirsty Park for all her support at Stirling

  4. Management of our uplands and moorlands

  5. Research into moorland management Particular thanks to Phil Rayson & Andre Thiel (Scottish Coal) for their supportive working relationship Thanks to all BTO/JNCC/RSPB Breeding Bird Survey volunteers and BBS Regional Organisers for providing strong reference data sets Thanks to Scottish Natural Heritage and Forestry Commission Scotland for funding and support for moorland fringe management research Thanks to all the landowners and managers who welcome us onto their estates and facilitate our research

  6. Scrub, woodland & forestry management

  7. Research into scrub, woodland & forestry management Particular thanks to Mike Smith and others at Forest Research for productive collaborations and funding Thanks to Forestry Commission Scotland & Highland Birchwoods for additional funding Particular thanks to the J & JR Wilson Trust for recent funding for independent reviewing of findings

  8. Species-focused research

  9. Intensive research on autecology and movements Neil Morrison Derek Robertson Rob Campbell Tom Dougall Mike McDowell Tay Ringing Group Lothian Ringing Group Thanks to those individuals and Ringing Groups that have given so much of their time and part-funded projects: Thanks to those who have funded these intensive projects: Scottish Natural Heritage AEB Trust Dulverton Trust Robertson Trust J & JR Wilson Trust SOC Biotrack

  10. Raptor research

  11. Thanks for making the Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme a success ... To all members of the Scottish Raptor Study Groups who submit most of the records Particular thanks to representatives of the partner organisations of the SRMS: Des Thompson, Andrew Stevenson & Simon Foster (SNH) Patrick Stirling-Aird, Alan Heavisides, Wendy Mattingley & David Jardine (SRSGs) Gordon Riddle (SOC) Mark Holling (RBBP) David Stroud (JNCC) Staffan Roos & Jerry Wilson (RSPB Scotland) Kenny Kortland & Gordon Patterson (FCS) Helen Riley (SRMG Secretariat) and to Brian Etheridge, ever enthusiastic Raptor Monitoring Officer!

  12. Getting more volunteers involved in long-term monitoring in Scotland

  13. Thanks for so many successful activities to involve more volunteers To all BTO volunteers, Regional Reps, BBS Organisers, WeBS Local Organisers, Bird Atlas Organisers, GBW Ambassador, SOC Local Bird Recorders & SOC branches – all have supported us in so many ways! To a huge number of partners who have spread the word or collaborated on training events – Atholl Estates, BASC Scotland, Dunecht Estates, Glasgow City Council, GWCT, John Muir Trust, LLTNP, Mountaineering Council of Scotland, Munro Society, NTS, RSPB Scotland, Scottish Land & Estates, SCA, SGA, SNH, SWT To SNH & particularly Andy Douse, for funding and huge support To the Gillman Trusts, the AEB Trust, the Robertson Trust, the Scottish Mountaineering Trust & the Scottish Government for additional funding To all Bird Atlas sponsors and supporters in Scotland

  14. Looking to the future … Introducing some BTO staff members & future research aspirations

  15. Understanding the seasonal movements and provenance of Short-eared Owls John Calladine – Senior Research Ecologist (BTO Scotland) • How do we build on the research already carried out to increase our understanding of ecological needs and improve interpretation of monitoring information? • Need to better understand seasonal movements, fine-scale habitat requirements, population mixing and the influences of prey and predators on breeding success and behaviour • Knowledge is currently inadequate to allow effective conservation management

  16. How are recent environmental changes affecting Scotland’s birds? Rob Fuller – Science Director (Ecological Change) • Bird Atlas 2007-11 – unique in scope and scale • How have birds responded to climate change during the last 20 years? • The value of predicting and testing future changes

  17. Benefits of scrub and woodland management for Scotland’s birds James Bray – Fieldwork & Training Coordinator (BTO Scotland) • How does bird species composition and abundance vary in scrub and woodland of different age, composition, structure and geographical area? • How can we make best use of existing studies and volunteer enthusiasm and skills to improve the evidence base? • The value of integrating studies to improve advice on the impacts of future land-use changes

  18. Ph D studentships – the ecology of breeding Dunlin in Scotland Andy Dobson – Research Ecologist (BTO Scotland) • A fascinating species that may be in decline across Scotland • An opportunity to use a combination of traditional field-craft and modern technologies to better understand the species and provide excellent student training • A way of BTO scientists passing on their skills to the next generation and students learning about the BTO • Just one example of a range of possible PhDs

  19. Engaging young people with long-term monitoring of birds Ieuan Evans – Head of Membership & Volunteering • How can we complement the work of other biodiversity organisations that inspire and engage young people? • How can we introduce them to long-term recording of birds and get them engaged with our monitoring schemes? • We can develop young people as ‘recording ambassadors’ whilst providing them with essential life skills and fun

  20. Surveys of inland-breeding seabirds and the next national seabird census Liz Humphreys – Research Ecologist (BTO Scotland) • How can we best support JNCC and the other partners to provide a 4th comprehensive census? • The value of Bird Atlas 2007-11 data for inland- and urban-breeding species in particular • Using BTO’s expertise and volunteer networks to best effect to enhance the coverage of previous censuses

  21. Help us by sharing your ideas . . . 1. Why do you find this research area attractive? 2. Why is it important for the birds and people of Scotland? 3. Who might be interested in funding such work and what are the major selling points? If you have any suggestions for strengthening the ideas or for other priority areas of work, please write them on ‘post-its’ and stick these onto the poster boards

  22. Thanks to all the photographers!

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