Sunday's sunny afternoon provided perfect conditions for the north coast launch of a conservation programme involving eight project partners at Dunnet Community Forest.

The multi-species conservation programme, Species on the Edge, kicked off its activity in Caithness and Sutherland with a launch event that included information on reversing the decline of 37 priority species across Scotland’s coasts and islands.

Garance Warburton, the Dunnet Forestry Trust development officer, was helping coordinate the event locally and said: "Today is the launch of the Species on the Edge project which is running along the north coast of Sutherland and Caithness for the next four years.

"It's a group of conservation trusts, such as the RSPB, Bumblebee Conservation and Plantlife, which have come together as we have a number of rare species along this north coast stretch – Scottish primrose, medicinal leeches, the small blue butterfly and the vetch that it lives on. The project is about raising awareness to develop and conserve but also to propagate new plants and protect species that we have."

Sarah Bird is senior project officer, for the north coast section of the Species on the Edge programme and said that the event had been a great success with almost 100 visitors turning up to find out about local wildlife and plants and ways to help conserve these.

"Visitors helped with recording local wildlife, making bird feeders, and pond dipping. We handed out kidney vetch seeds with instructions for people to grow, and children made some lovely artwork at the event too," said Sarah. "We couldn't have asked for more. It's been a fantastic day and the sun's been shining. Everyone's been really enthusiastic."

The Species on the Edge partnership consists of Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, the Bat Conservation Trust, Buglife, the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, Butterfly Conservation, NatureScot, Plantlife and RSPB Scotland. Together the eight organisations will be delivering a four-and-a-half-year programme of action, working closely with local communities to help them tackle the impacts of environmental change on wildlife, to benefit both nature and people. The programme has a cost of over £6.5 million, with £4m of funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Sarah made a speech in which she laid out the plans for the programme and said that it intends to "build lasting partnerships working with and supporting local people, and existing groups". She said there will be many volunteering and training opportunities throughout its four-and-a-half-year tenure and local people can learn about improving habitats for wildlife such as managing meadows, clearing scrub, removing invasive species, sowing and growing plants including food plants for vulnerable species like the small blue butterfly.

The small blue butterfly actually made an appearance on the day to the delight of all who saw the elusive creature. "It was really, really good to see it," said Sarah. "It was in the grassland here and around some wild flowers." There are now plans to grow its favourite food, kidney vetch, at sites in Dunnet forest. Various areas around Castletown where the plant is now established already attract the small blues.

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Louise Senior is the people engagement officer for the project and said it was "wonderful to get all the community involved". She added: "There have been so many young folk out chatting to people and it's just amazing to see the different generations interacting and talking about the importance of north coast biodiversity."

Louise added that Sunday was just the north coast launch, which stretches from Durness to Dunnet, and that on June 3 there will be a national event for Scotland.

Species on the Edge has a Facebook page at www.facebook.com/SpeciesontheEdge and further info can be found at this link www.nature.scot/scotlands-biodiversity/species-edge-sote/species-edge-about-programme. There is also a Twitter page @SpeciesEdge.

The email contacts for Sarah and Louise are: Sarah.bird@plantlife.org.uk and Louise.senior@plantlife.org.uk

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