SEBG members are committed to representing the interests of land-based businesses and rural communities.

---

• Overview
• Code of Practice

SEBG is active across a wide range of issues relevant to rural Scotland.

---

• Sustainable Rural Development
  • - Enterprise
  • - Agriculture
  • - Renewable Energy
• Environment
  • - Natural Heritage
  • - Access
  • - Leisure & Tourism
  • - Enjoy Estates Initiative
• Communities
  • - Housing
  • - Community Facilities
  • - Education
• Built Heritage

• Affordable Housing
• Atholl Glens Organic Beef and Lamb
• Community Involvement - Langholm Initiative
• Deer Management
• Enjoy Estates
• Farm to Fork Project - Douglas and Angus Estates
• Langholm Moor Demonstration Project
• Letting of Land to New Entrants - A Roxburghe Estate View
• COTE: Working Together to Sustain Rural Communities
• Climate Change - The Role of Estates
• Creating Opportunities for New Entrants
• Focus on Forestry and Timber
• Food for Thought
• Role of Fishing in Scotland's Rural Economy
• Rural Renewable Energy Conference & Exhibition
• Wildlife Conservation – the Role of Estates

Articles, news releases and publications relevant to SEBG.

---

• SEBG News
• SEBG News Archive
• SEBG Publications
• SEBG Publications Archive

If you would like to know more about the Scottish Estates Business Group there are several ways you can contact us.

---

• Scotland Map Showing Regional SEBG Contacts

SEBG News

Land owners are vital in future success of Scotland’s birds of prey

4th May 2008

Keith Arbuthnott, Chairman, The Scottish Rural Property and Business Association (SRPBA) and Sir Alastair Gordon Cumming, Chairman, the Scottish Estates Business Group (SEBG) have today issued a joint statement to reinforce and encourage the important role played by both private and public sector land managers in supporting, through diverse initiatives, bird of prey populations on their land.

They have also called for land owners to step up their vigilance over wildlife crime and, following last month’s Thematic Review, are urging their members:

• to report any suspicious incidents - using CRIMESTOPPERS if they wish to do this anonymously
• to support wildlife crime initiatives in their area
• to work closely with designated senior Police and local Wildlife Crime Officers in each region

In addition, SRPBA and SEBG are asking all land owners to inform them of projects involving birds of prey on their land so that a comprehensive ‘BIRDS OF PREY INITIATIVE INDEX’ for Scotland can be assembled, This will demonstrate the breadth of work in which land owners are involved with a view to a launch of the INDEX in 2009 or sooner.

The joint statement says:

“Land owners and land managers across the vast majority of Scotland’s estates recognise that the future success of some of our most iconic bird species, and in particular birds of prey, lies in their hands.”

“Many of our members, and indeed many outside our membership, have absolute respect for these wonderful creatures. Scotland’s Special Protection Areas (SPAs) have been designated to support rare and vulnerable birds and their habitats as classified under the EC Wild Birds Directive. Our members are responsible for management of many of those sites specifically for birds of prey species.

“They are involved in numerous initiatives the length and breadth of Scotland. These include surveys and monitoring, providing suitable habitat for red kite reintroductions, fostering and tracking ospreys, managing ground for golden eagles, or creating ‘wild tourism’ opportunities to give the public greater insight into how these birds live. These have all been embraced by land owners, often in partnership with other organisations, Government agencies or NGOs.

“SRPBA and SEBG recognise that a small number of ‘rogue’ owners and their contractors continue to flout the law, but that there is overriding acknowledgement across the private sector that birds of prey are a tremendous asset, and that their protection and future prosperity, to a significant degree, lies in our hands.

“SEBG and SRPBA joined with all Scotland’s land management organisations last year in condemning unlawful practice and illegal poisoning, and assured Scottish Ministers that there was no place in any of our organisations for individuals or estates found guilty of breaking the law. We stand by that.”

Examples of land owners/managers with bird of prey initiatives include:

• Dippen & Tarrisdale Sporting Club, Argyllshire - Golden Eagles
• Atholl Estates, Perthshire - Golden Eagle viewing initiative
• Glenfeshie Estate - Golden Eagle radio tracking
• Moray Estates, Doune - Red Kite release area
• Airds, Castle Douglas, Dumfries & Galloway - Red Kite release area
• Strathspey Estates, Moray - only breeding pair of Hobbys in Scotland
• Invermark Estate – Merlin monitoring project
• Buccleuch Estates - Langholm II Hen Harrier project
• Arran Moor, Dougarie (North Ayrshire SPA) - Hen Harriers
• Glenlivet Estate (Ladder Hills) - Hen Harriers
• Logie Estate, Morayshire - Osprey tracking
• Rothiemurchus Estate - Osprey programme and public viewing

For media contacts and more information see below:

Keith Arbuthnott, Chairman, SRPBA
Tel: 01561 320417
M: 07815 862564

David Johnstone, Vice Chairman, SRPBA
Tel: 01576 470317
M: 07775 837368

Luke Borwick, Chairman elect, SRPBA
Tel: 01294 833100
M: 07711 241935

Alasdair Laing, Logie Estate
Tel: 01667 458900
M: 07831 363241

Issued for SRPBA by:
Dick Playfair
Playfair Walker
Tel: 0131 445 5570

Issued for SEBG by:
Ramsay Smith
Media House
Tel: 0141 220 6040

Polly McPherson, SEBG
pollymcpherson@sebg.org
Tel: 07810891831

<< Back