Wildlife, Spectacular Species and Castles: How sustainable tourism can make the best of Scotland’s Environment

Chair: Louise Batchelor

Speakers:

• Patricia Ferguson MSP, Minister for Tourism
• Bill Wright, Assoc for the Protection of Rural Scotland
• Dave Sexton, monitoring sea eagles on Mull, RSPB Scotland
• Fiona Watson, Centre of History, UHI

Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh

12:30 – 14:00

EDUCATION & ENVIRONMENT

Motivating Young People through Sustainable Development Education

This inspiring session will highlight how sustainable development education is being used to engage and motivate secondary school pupils, building their life skills and encouraging them to stay in education.

Speakers include pupils from Ross High School and Alastair Lavery, Chair of SDE Liaison Group

Please note that this event has limited space.  Please contact coordinator@sdenetwork.org if you would like to reserve a place

Venue: TG20/21

Hosted by Robert Brown MSP

18:00 – 19:30

FLOODING

CLIMATE CHANGE

Sustainable Flood Management – from policy into practice

Flooding is a real issue in Scotland and likely to increase owing to climate change.  This seminar will look at why the ‘traditional’ approach to flood management is not working, and argues that sustainable flood management is the way forward – with best practice examples from Devon and the Scottish Borders.

Speakers:

1. Gerry Aprile, Hawick flood victim
2. Andrea Johnstonova, RSPB Scotland
3. Mike Donaghy WWF / Richard Johnston

Venue: Committee Rm 1

Hosted by Bristow Muldoon MSP

12:00 – 14:00

SCOTTISH COUNTRYSIDEACCESS ISSUES

Lunchtime seminar

Scotland Outdoors: Celebrating the Parliament’s greatest success – giving Scotland a system of access rights that is the envy of the world

The Scottish countryside is a major attraction for tourists who may take outdoor access for granted.  But the rights enshrined in the Land Reform Act are well worth celebrating.  Two years on from the launch of the legislation, this event assesses what has changed, and discusses some of the challenges that lie ahead.

Speakers from Ramblers’ Association and the National Park Authorities.

Venue: TG20/21

Hosted by Stewart Stevenson MSP

17:30 – 19:30

FOOD & ENVIRONMENT

Cross Party Food Group & Scottish Environment LINK Joint Event:

Professor Tim Lang, Chair of the Review of the Scottish Diet Action Plan will be speaking.  Amongst the review’s conclusions is the proposal for a ‘whole life approach’ which links food and health to environmental and sustainable development.  A number of speakers both from the Health and from the Environment perspective will speak about this recommendation.

Venue: TBC

Convenor: Nora Radcliffe MSP

18:30 – 20:30

Main Event

Mid week Reception in the Garden Lobby with a focus on Scottish Food

For an audience including business, community groups and environment NGOs.

Speakers:

• Fred Edwards,  LINK President
• Jack McConnell, First Minister
• Hugh Raven, Sustainable Development Commission

Venue: Garden Lobby

Hosted by Sarah Boyack MSP

12.30 – 14:30

HEALTH & ENVIRONMENT

Lunchtime seminar

Natural Health Service – Better than a prescription!

Scotland is sitting on a health time bomb.  The health of two thirds of Scotland’s population is now at risk from physical inactivity.

This seminar will explore a number of different and innovative approaches to improve the health and well-being of our communities through the quality provision and promotion of the outdoor environment.  Includes interactive quiz!

Speakers:

• Julie Proctor, Greenspace Scotland
• Kenny Steele, Paths to Health
• Angela Douglas, Woodland Trust Scotland

Venue: Committee Rm 1

Hosted by Patrick Harvie MSP

Site Visit

Visit an environmental project in your area

An opportunity for MSPs to visit a project in their constituency. 

Scottish Environment LINK Parliamentary Office:

Tel: 0131 225 4345

There will be a Scottish Environment LINK exhibition during the week, which will include gin tasting and a prize draw.  Please come along and visit!

What’s special about the Cairngorms National Park?

Photo display in the first floor lobby area

Other Events in Scotland

All day

Dumfries
There will be loads happening in Dumfries town centre. Everything will be centred in and around the big red bus which will be in the town centre from 9am. Council officers will be on hand to explain / provide information on the advantages of sustainable transport. There will also be tips and advice on reducing waste for example using real nappies and an exhibit will show not only how compost bins work but the types of bin available.

There will be information on the Southern Upland Way and visitors to the bus could be in with a chance of winning great prizes !

Cyclists are encouraged to bring their bicycles along to the "bike clinic" where a bike mechanic will provide assistance and advice. There will also be demonstrations on making bikes suitable for commuting.

Kids can enjoy activities and find out more about the regions three National Scenic Areas-The Nith Estuary, East Stewartry Coast and the Fleet Valley.

Climate Change – are you concerned?

To coincide with Scottish Environment Week 2007, the City of Edinburgh Council Countryside Ranger Service are giving an informal presentation on climate change. We will be looking at what causes climate change, the impacts and most importantly what you can do to help prevent it. There will also be a climate change quiz to test your knowledge with fantastic energy saving prizes and free tea/coffee for all who attend.

Venue: Hermitage of Braid Visitors Centre, 69a Braid Road, Morningside, Edinburgh

Event is Free – but please book to reserve a seat.

For more information
Email: cecranger@edinburgh.gov.uk

Tree planting, the Mill at Benholm Croft
(as part of  Carbon offsetting project for the Green Diary Aberdeenshire newsletter)

Activities taking place in the croft grounds of a Victorian Heritage Water Mill and adjacent to Benholm Kirk.

There is an optional tour/working demonstration of the mill and the kirk for all participants as well as refreshments in the adjacent Tearoom including soup and cakes. 

For more information

Contact: Colette Hoggmascall
Tel:01561 320 310
Email:
hogg@hoggmascall.freeserve.co.uk

Moth Recorders’ Conference
For people interested in, or involved with Moth recording in the UK

Venue: Perth AK Bell Library

For more information contact:
Elaine Wakelin on email:

10:00 - 17:30

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
SOCIAL JUSTICE & REAL QUALITY OF LIFE

Change The Dream
Full-day event making the links between environment, social justice, and personal, community and global transformation. Includes video clips from Paul Hawken, Desmond Tutu, Thomas Berry and many others, plus leading edge information and interactive group work.

Venue:
Friends' Meeting House,
Victoria Terrace,
Edinburgh EH1 2JL.

Cost:
£ 25 (£20 conc) to cover costs.

For information , directions, ONLINE BOOKING see:
www.changingthedream.org.uk
or contact Jon Ralls
jon@changingthedream.org.uk
0131 226 5668

Please note that this event has very limited space. Advance booking is strongly recommended.

Beach Clean
Help conserve our unique residential population of Bottlenose Dolphins and other marine wildlife in the Moray Firth by joining us at the WDCS (Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society) Wildlife Centre, for an afternoon beach clean and other fun indoor activities. This is a great opportunity for young and old to enjoy the natural beauty of Spey Bay whilst working together to help protect our environment for the future.

People should dress warmly – free tea and coffee will be provided.

Venue:
WDCS Wildlife Centre, Spey Bay, Moray IV32 7PJ

Telephone: 01343 820339

Winter Adopt-a-Beach 2007

Where and when to meet?
At the start of the causeway out to Cramond Island at 10am on Saturday 10th February 2007. 

What to bring?
Suitable clothing (sturdy boots, rain gear (hopefully not needed!))
A clipboard
A pencil
A keen eye for cotton bud sticks and small plastic pieces!!

What will be provided?
Gloves, bags, litter-pickers, clipboards (limited supply), pencils, sharps box

What do we do during Adopt-a-Beach/Beachwatch?
1. I mark off a 100m survey stretch of the beach into 10m sections 

2. We group into pairs or threes of litter-picker(s) and recorder, allocate a group per 10m stretch and scour that stretch for litter items (often small bits of plastic!), pick them up and record them on the data sheet. We only record litter from the 100m stretch between the last high tide mark and the edge of the beach (ie. from the wet strandline to the edge of, but not including, the dune grass) 

3. Once the 100m stretch has been cleaned we put all the recorded litter together and weigh it. 

4. If everyone is still game we commence a clean-up of the remainder of the beach and dune grasses (ie. outwith the survey area) 

5. At the end of it all, I reward everyone with juice and crisps  (wrappers for which safely disposed afterwards of course!) 

The survey usually takes about an hour with up to another hour to do the broader clean-up. Cramond continues as the flagship MCS adopted beach in Scotland 

Venue: Cramond

Contact:
Calum Duncan
Tel:0131 226 6360
Email: Scotland@mcsuk.org