Stevenson to launch New RSPB Strathbeg Facilities

Revamped nature reserve offers great boost for Scottish wildlife tourism
Extensive habitat restoration and refurbished visitor facilities provide unique nature experience in north east Scotland

Extensive upgrades to facilities and major habitat restoration work will feature at special open day and launch event for one of north east Scotland's most impressive nature reserves.

Visitors to RSPB's Loch of Strathbeg this Saturday 29th September will be able to watch up to 40,000 pink footed geese roosting on the stunning restored and diverse habitats surrounding Britain's largest dune loch, all from the refurbished comfort of a completely upgraded visitor centre.

Wildlife enthusiasts or those just curious about nature will also have the opportunity to get involved in multiple activities on the day, including guided walks, wildlife tracking, pond dipping, bird watching, beach clean events and demonstrations by the British Divers Marine Life Rescue charity.

Stewart Stevenson, SNP MSP for Banff and Buchan, will officially launch the new facilities and have a personal tour of the new facilities and habitat improvements at the reserve on the day.

More than £1 million has been spent during the past two years undertaking extensive habitat restoration and improvement works to upgrade the condition of the reserve habitats that play host to a multitude of birds, mammals, insects and plants. Funding for the work has been provided through European Regional Development Fund via ESEP (£480k), the National Lottery through The Heritage Lottery Fund (£367k), Scottish Natural Heritage (£150k), the Gillman Trusts (£20k), the Friends of Strathbeg (£20k) and by Shell UK(£6k) for education projects on the reserve.

Formed in the early 1720s, the 206 hectare loch and surrounding 1,052 hectares of reserve lands are a haven for wildlife, with 260 species of bird having been recorded at the site in addition to mammals such as otters, water voles, waters shrews, insects including more than 18 species of butterfly, 280 species of moth and more than 300 plant species.

However, the freshwater loch system has over the years been progressively collecting silt due to historical water management before RSPB purchased the reserve. This was degrading the ecological condition of the loch, but the works have allowed this to be stopped, along with other measures to rejuvenate the diverse habitats on the reserve and make them more suitable for the many species which live there.

New reed beds have been established, the main feeder burn into the loch has been re-routed to its original course, silt traps have been installed, and water control systems built that will allow reserve staff to maximise the potential of reed and wet grassland habitats for breeding waders and wintering wildfowl, particularly pink footed geese, which can number up to 80,000 on the reserve in winter as they pass through and refuel on their southward migration. Together with whooper swans, ducks including wigeon, teal, shoveler, pintail, and pochard, approximately 40,000 pink footed geese remain at the reserve throughout the winter months, a truly amazing spectacle. The last remaining island on the loch has also been stabilised and another that was lost in the 1970s has been recreated to preserve suitable habitat for breeding terns and gulls in the summer, and 26 hectares of willow scrub has been removed.

In the visitor centre new interpretation boards have been installed revealing fascinating information on the species that can be seen, and a 3x2 metre painting by a local artist Kath Hamper has been hung on the wall. An interactive play area has been created for children, and a camera and TV screen will be installed in the next few weeks to beam live pictures of bustling bird communities on the reserve direct into the comfort of the visitor centre for those cold and wild days when the comfort of an armchair and hot drink are preferred. Two new wildlife observation hides have been built and relocated to optimise wildlife viewing opportunities and cut down visitor journey times between hides, and another existing hide relocated.

Stewart Stevenson MSP said:

"I am delighted that the RSPB has now completed the restoration and upgrades to the habitats and visitor facilities at the Loch of Strathbeg. Inspiring places like this, where Scotland's precious natural heritage is on show and positively promoted to the public, are vital in helping people realise the true benefits that this can bring to the region, both economically and socially. It is a pleasure and a privilege to be able to re-launch Strathbeg nature reserve."

Joanna McFarlane, Loch of Strathbeg's Community Officer, said:

"Together with all the superb habitat restoration works, the upgrade to the visitor facilities here means that the fascinating Loch of Strathbeg experience is accessible to absolutely everyone - and not just the serious bird watcher. Families can come and spend a few hours taking in the unique and boisterous drama of one fifth of the world's population of pink footed geese taking flight in synchronised unison. There are also plenty of other amazing wildlife spectacles to me remembered and treasured for months.

"The Loch of Strathbeg is a truly inspirational slice of natural heritage that would surely be close to the top of any national league table. We just hope that people all over Scotland, but particularly in the north east, will now come and visit and that we can help them to realise the incredible value of our natural heritage and their right to enjoy, cherish and protect it."

Ends.


For more information/interviews/images, please contact RSPB Scotland’s Head of Media James Reynolds on 0131 311 6500 / 07725065186.

Notes:
RSPB's Loch of Strathbeg nature reserve is roughly ten miles north of Peterhead, near Crimmond, just off the A90.
The Loch of Strathbeg formed in 1720 following a storm blowing a sand bar across the channel feeding into the sea. At 206 hectares it is the largest dune loch in the UK. It has a shallow depth range between 0.75 and 1.25 metres, although in times of drought or flood can vary.
With 260 species of birds, 280 species of moths, more than 300 different species of plants, 18 butterflies and more than 20 species of mammal, the reserve is a haven for wildlife and a spectacular place to watch nature at all times.
Historically the freshwater loch water was crystal clear, with leaping brown trout and rich beds of stonewort. However, this changed in the late 1970s and 80s when local agricultural systems intensified, leading to excess fertiliser nutrients running off from surrounding farmland. This 'diffuse pollution' caused eutrophication in the loch system, leading to massive algae blooms turning the loch a soupy green. As a result the stonewort beds and brown trout disappeared. The project works were the first phase of action to redress this issue by cleaning water from the Savoch Burn - the main stream in-flow to the loch system - before it reaches the Loch. This has involved planting a reed filter system and a silt trap. The Savoch Burn has also been 'naturalised' - returning it to its original 1.8km meander rather than a 1.2km canal route to the loch, and significantly slowing the flow rate into the loch from 2-3 hours to 2-3 days. This should reduce the diffuse pollution. At times of flood the burn will over-top along its whole length and spread through the newly-created 23 hectare reed bed combined with the silt trap which will allow suspended material to settle out prior to entering the loch system. In addition a network of water control structures have also been established that allow control of water levels within the Savoch Burn area, reed bed and adjacent wet grassland to maximise their potential for breeding waders and wintering wildfowl, particularly pink footed geese. 26 hectares of mainly scrub willow has been removed from an area of open wet fen that was in an unfavourable condition due to the encroaching woody vegetation. The last remaining island on the loch has been stabilised, and an island that disappeared in the 1970s has been re-established to provide suitable habitat for breeding seabirds, notably common terns.
The loch is presently classed by SNH as in unfavourable condition due to the water quality aspect of the habitat which the completed works are aimed at redressing. RSPB has commissioned a Loch Assessment that will investigate the situation with the nutrient rich silt in the loch and its in-flows, producing a range of options to remedy the problem. Being a shallow loch, any strong winds churn up the loch bed and re-mobilise the silts, allowing a fresh dose of nutrients to become active again. The assessment will produce a range of costed options from the do-nothing option to the full scale silt removal option via dredging etc. If we can start the process of whole-scale restoration we can, over time, return the loch not only to favourable condition, but to bring back the classic description of a system with crystal clear water with a sandy loch bed covered with beds of stonewort and leaping brown trout.
2006's hugely successful Goosewatch programme of guided walks and talks will return in 2007. Join staff one hour before sunrise throughout October and November to experience one of North East Scotland's most impressive wildlife spectacles. Hear about and witness the lives of tens of thousands of pink footed geese as they lift off into the skies above the reserve. Dates for 2007 are: Wed 17th Oct, Sun 21st Oct, ?Wed 24th Oct, Sun 28th Oct, Wed 31st Oct, Sun 4th Nov, Wed 14th Nov, Sun 18th Nov, Wed 21st Nov.
Official public events at the Open day on the 29th September begin at 11am. The Reserve launch with Stewart Stevenson MSP and other VIPs will begin at 10.30am. Events will include:
Children's pond dipping/mini beast hunts/games - 11am -5pm

Adopt-a-beach (Marine Conservation Society) beach clean initiative. 10am, St Combs Beach below Tufted Duck hotel.

Guided beach walk with British Divers Marine Life Rescue seal and dolphin stranding demonstration (please note there will be no live animals). 11.30am and 12.30pm.

Wildlife Tracks and Signs guided walk. (30 mins) A hands on activity for all the family to learn useful tips about identifying the signs indicating what wildlife passed by before you. 12.30, 2 and 3.30 pm.

Farmland Birds under threat. (30 minutes). A guided walk to search for, identify and learn about some of our most threatened farmland song birds and waders. 12pm and 1.30pm.

Guided birdwatching in Tower Pool hide. 11am to 3pm. Observe the reserves thousands of geese, water birds, raptors and other species with staff on hand to help identify and spot the more elusive birds and wildlife.

To book a place on any of the walks or for more information on the forthcoming Goosewatch, please contact Joanna McFarlane on 01346532234 or email jo.mcfarlane@rspb.org.uk. For Goosewatch, members are free. Adults £2. Children £1. Places are limited, so book early.