Search results

  • Understanding what curlew need to survive and thrive beyond World Curlew Day

    The curlew is a magnificent bird. Few species herald the arrival of spring on Scotland’s marginal upland and hill-edge farmland in quite the same way, with its unique bubbling call announcing their presence. No wonder they have a day dedicated to them each year. But curlew are in dire straits. Th...

  • The new GWSDF Auchnerran education and visitor centre is now complete!

    The main education/visitor centre is shown in the centre, with the lab area and storage space in the buildings to the left. The renovation has managed to keep all the original stonework. By Dave Parish, GWCT Head of Scottish Lowland Research Readers may recall that just over a year ago Merlin Be...

  • Tree ID and Carbon Auditing at Auchnerran

    With all the challenges raised by the current Covid-19 pandemic, there are fewer tasks which could have involved less human contact than identifying all the different tree species that inhabit the 506ha Auchnerran Farm! With our Supervisor and Research Assistant, Marlies, on part-time furlough, i...

  • Deep-rooting grass cultivars could contribute to flood risk management

    Introducing grass leys into arable rotations has the potential to improve soil structure and organic matter. This has benefits to the arable rotation, but can also increase water infiltration rates during storms, with resulting benefits in terms of flood risk management at the catchment scale. Re...

  • Managing headwater catchments to reduce downstream flood risk

    There is increasing concern about flood risk associated with climate change, and an interest in means of addressing this that complement traditional flood defence measures in flood-prone areas.  Since 2016, we have been installing permeable timber dams in the Eye Brook headwater within our Water ...

  • Government stands firm against call to ban woodcock shooting

    Earlier this week, Defra gave its response to a petition launched last year arguing that ‘only a proper ban’ will ensure the future of woodcock. “Recent population trends for woodcock are likely to be influenced by the extent and quality of habitat rather than shooting. There are no plans for a b...

  • Investigating the effect of survey time on bird counts

    By Liam Thompson, Uplands Research Assistant One of the first tasks when I started my role as Uplands Research Assistant was to investigate if there was a relationship between the start time of a transect and the number of sightings of meadow pipit, the most common insectivorous moorland bird and...

  • Cornish Woodcock

    3 Minute Read Written by Dr. Christopher J. Heward, Acting Head of Wetlands Bird-ringing still presents a very valuable tool for ornithologists, particularly for the study of survival and population dynamics. The GWCT’s Wetland research team runs two long-term woodcock ringing studies, one in Ha...

  • Remembering Nick Williams

    Nick Williams OBE very sadly died on 17th April 2022 aged 74. He was a committed GWCT trustee since July 2016 and also our first chairman in Wales. Below colleagues and friends share their fond memories of Nick: Whilst the passing of anyone is sad it is especially so when they had so much still ...

  • Get lost in a new book

    Choose from a great selection of books on conservation, wildlife, game cookery and shooting, including GWCT titles. Woodlands for Pheasants and Wildlife - Order Now > Farming with the Environment - Order Now > For the Love of the Land II - Order Now > Land Healer - Order Now >

Get the Latest News & Advice
Join over 100,000 subscribers and stay updated on our latest advice, research, news and offers.
*You may change your mind any time. For more information, see our Privacy Policy.







Search Filters

Not what you're looking for?
Search our scientific publications