FLS helping reintroduce species across the UK
Forestry and Land Scotland’s environment team is celebrating their role in yet another successful species reintroduction programme.
Working in support of the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation, FLS assisted in the sourcing and capture of one of the seven white tailed sea eagle chicks that Roy and his team re-homed in the Isle of Wight.
The young bird - collected under a Scottish Natural Heritage licence – is amongst the first to be returned to southern England after an absence of sea eagles of over 240 years. The reintroduction is a five-year programme to restore this lost species led by Forestry England and the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation.
FLS Wildlife Ecologist, Kenny Kortland, said;
“This is the latest in a succession of reintroductions that we’ve been involved with. We’ve worked with Roy before to get ospreys returned to parts of England, and we’ve also helped the Vincent Wildlife Trust in a two year programme to return pine martens to Wales and to The Forest of Dean.
“We’re very lucky in Scotland to have populations of these species. But in some parts of the UK, urbanisation, habitat loss and persecution have had a pretty devastating impact on some species.
“We’re only too happy to help and to know that the sea eagles have taken to their new home and are thriving is great news. It’s one of those things that makes the job really worthwhile.”
This latest programme joins a long list of reintroduction programmes that have seen the involvement of FLS, or its predecessor Forest Enterprise Scotland.
As well as taking part in the RSPB-led programme to reintroduce sea eagles to Scotland’s east coast, FLS has also brought water voles back to the Trossachs, is hosting the RZSS-led Knapdale beaver trial and has helped to return red squirrels to privately owned forests on the west coast.
Notes to editors
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Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) manages forests and land owned by Scottish Ministers in a way that supports and enables economically sustainable forestry; conserves and enhances the environment; delivers benefits for people and nature; and supports Scottish Ministers in their stewardship of Scotland's national forests and land.
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Media enquiries to Paul Munro, Media Manager, Forestry and Land Scotland Media Office 0131 370 5059 or paul.munro@forestryandland.gov.scot