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Posted: 27th July 2023

Lapwing conservation project reports early success
"...while farmers are often blamed for the decline of biodiversity on farmland, the truth is that they are part of the solution"- Patrick Laurie.
The project sees conservationists and farmers unite to save the species.

A Scottish conservation project has seen early success in its work to boost the population of lapwings.

Lapwings, also known as peewits, have seen a significant decline in population in Scotland, despite several agri-environmental schemes to save the species.

However a new project, led by SAC Consulting (a part of Scotland’s Rural College), has seen RSPB Scotland, NatureScot and farmers unite in an effort to boost the lapwing population while protecting the livelihoods of local farmers.

The project is already seeing progress, with a nesting management trial, led by the Clyde Valley Wader Group (CVWG) with funding from NatureScot, reporting an increase in successful hatching of nests in their trial fields.

The group saw 75 per cent of nests across their five trial fields hatch successfully, compared to 20 per cent or less in grazed pastures.

Jennifer Struthers, SAC Consulting’s senior consultant and area manager, said: “Farmland is critical for the birds’ future as they nest in a variety of rural habitats including wetlands, grasslands and crops.

“As the birds nest on the ground, they can be prone to predation, disturbance from curious livestock and agricultural operations. The result is they typically experience very low breeding success.

“It is impressive that groups which would normally be seen as being on opposite sides of conservation campaign debates can come together and deliver positive results for one of this country’s best loved birds.”

Patrick Laurie, Galloway farmer, author and part of the national Working for Waders forum, said: “This is a significant piece of work which shows positive results for lapwing breeding success.

“Crucially, it has been designed by farmers to work alongside existing businesses, and it shows that while farmers are often blamed for the decline of biodiversity on farmland, the truth is that they are part of the solution. The farmers involved in the Clyde Valley Wader Group have put a huge amount of time and resources into this project, and their determination to make it work has been hugely encouraging.”

The campaign group will continue its work by expanding the trial to more farms and highlighting measures that can be used in future agri-environment schemes.



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