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THRILL OF THE HILL | A Damming Conclusion: Part II with Davy McCracken
Thrill of the Hill returns for season 5, with an exciting line-up on new and returning guest speakers and specialists in their fields and on their hills.
Beavers and their presence in Scotland continues to divide the agricultural community, for some they generate hope for a more nature-rich Scotland and more dynamic landscape, for others they cause damage and threaten the viability of various farm enterprises. Last year we heard a passionate take on the issue from Euan Walker-Munro who articulated the frustration felt by many in the industry. In this episode we hear from Professor Davy McCracken and cover the positives around beaver reintroduction, the ecology of the species and the opportunities brought by them. We also discuss what to do if the challenges caused by beavers are too much, what his experience was with getting a license and the need for collaboration and knowledge transfer on the issues faced.
Want to get in touch with Davy, he can be contacted at SRUC on 01292 525 299 or via email at [email protected]. Those with questions for NatureScot can make contact via [email protected].
Related FAS Resources
https://www.fas.scot/publication/thrill-of-the-hill-a-damming-conclusion/
https://www.fas.scot/publication/beavers-translocation-ecology-and-mitigation/
https://www.fas.scot/publication/living-alongside-beavers/
https://www.fas.scot/publication/accommodating-beaver-impacts-on-a-farm/
https://www.fas.scot/publication/mitigating-beavers-impacts-on-a-farm/
Related External Resources
https://www.nature.scot/professional-advice/protected-areas-and-species/protected-species/protected-species-z-guide/beaver/beaver-mitigation-scheme
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THRILL OF THE HILL | Farm Business Survey: Part II with Sascha Grierson
Thrill of the Hill returns for season 5, with an exciting line-up on new and returning guest speakers and specialists in their fields and on their hills.
With change on the horizon, being on sure footing can be the difference between having a successful business and not. The Farm Business Survey is Scotland's way of establishing the state of our farming communities, benchmarking business performance and generating the data that drives decision-making at the policy level. It is a free service, not costing anything other than time and provides a participant with a set of management accounts, providing valuable insights into your business, it can also be a useful way of collecting the data for those increasingly important carbon audits! It's a win, win, win for those serious about data and keen to progress their business in an informed, measured way.
For those interested in participating in the survey, or if you have any questions for Sascha and the team, you can get them on 07557 661316 or alternatively you can email [email protected].
Related FAS Resources
Thrill of the Hill - The Farm Business Survey | Information helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)
Whole farm benchmarks | Helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)
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THRILL OF THE HILL | An iconic Scottish species and of high conservation interest, the mountain hare has a lot going for it. Years of hard work to create the managed uplands we know have also contributed to the betterment of the species and a combination of predator control and careful heather management means that it has found a home in our hill expanses. In this episode of the podcast we are joined by Robert Raynor from NatureScot and Scott Newey from the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust for a discussion on the species, its place in the uplands, conservation initiatives and the outlook for the uplands in general.
Related Resources
Protected species: hares | NatureScot
Mountain hares - Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (gwct.org.uk)
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THRILL OF THE HILL | Fire can be an effective management tool in the Scottish uplands, and if controlled and utilised responsibly, can be helpful in rejuvenating our upland heaths. However, fire can also be devastating for many rural businesses and with a number of factors at play, including, climate change, water scarcity, public access and total accidents, wildfires can and do happen, with ever greater intensity. In this episode of the podcast we are joined by Bruce Farquharson from Scottish Fire and Rescue and discuss prevention of wildfires, the role of muirburning and the benefits of having a fire action plan should the worst happen!
Related FAS Materials
Preventing Wildfires on Agricultural Land | Helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)
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THRILL OF THE HILL | In a year two weather extremes the water environment has shot up the agenda for many, drought conditions put a lot of pressure on farmers and nature in the summer and heavy rains push many farmers and riverbanks to breaking point this autumn. While Scotland's rivers generally end up at the sea, they start in the uplands and catchment management with appropriate sensitivity to watercourses and riparian habitats can have huge impacts downstream and across the landscape. With recent developments, it makes sense to bring back some former contributors for a broad discussion on the challenging circumstances some species find themselves and reasons to be optimistic.
In this episode we welcome back Struan Candlish, two years since the Ayrshire Rivers Trust were on the podcast. We discuss the plight of species like Atlantic salmon, get an update on the Wellwood Project and other nature restoration work in Ayrshire.
Hosted by Alexander Pirie, Edited by Malcom MacDonald, Produced by Beth Errington, Executive Producer Kerry Hammond, in association with The Scottish Government.
Related FAS Resources
Thrill of The Hill - Spawning Success | Information helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)
Protecting Atlantic Salmon | Helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)
Water Margins | Helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)
Other Resources
Ayrshire Rivers Trust | working to improve and preserve our rivers
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THRILL OF THE HILL | Carbon and benchmarking carbon are here to stay, firmly embedded in the best practice for the farming community. With COP28 happening now, the need to decarbonise farming has never been clearer but how to do that in a sustainable manner remains a big question for many. Carbon calculators are designed to identify carbon emissions in a business, where they are happening, to provide insights for positive actions. Agrecalc has been one of Scotland's leading calculators and has seen widescale uptake since the days of the Beef Efficiency Scheme, but as the carbon story becomes more important, the ability to get reliable, detailed information on a farm's carbon footprint has never been more important and crucially, having confidence in the data to take steps to improve is hugely important. So regardless of which carbon calculator you are using, the time to count carbon is now.
In this episode, Scott Davies, CEO of Agrecalc discusses the uptake of carbon auditing, the need for a scientific consensus of emissions and how they are calculated, the move to the cloud and the increased functionality that will allow, better, more accurate interpretation of farm results and a clearer pathway forward.
Hosted by Alexander Pirie, Edited by Malcolm MacDonald, Produced by Beth Errington, Executive Producer Kerry Hammond, in association with The Scottish Government.
Related FAS Resources
https://www.fas.scot/publication/thrill-of-the-hill-9-digging-deep-on-soil-carbon/
https://www.fas.scot/article/fundamentals-of-soil-carbon/
https://www.fas.scot/carbon-audits/
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THRILL OF THE HILL | For years now Scotland has sought to address climate change and habitat fragmentation with increased rates of tree planting, but often the end product, timber, is overlooked. Woodlands cover almost 19% of the landscape in Scotland and while not all of them are part of a productive timber rotation a significant chunk is. Timber production enriches our economy from the local to the national level, promotes employment and produces a sustainable, renewable end product. But timber processing can be detached for farming and a broader understanding of what goes on, when it does and how farmers can engage with the process can present opportunities for benefits on all sides.
Hosted by Alexander Pirie, Edited by Malcom MacDonald, Produced by Beth Errington, Executive Producer Kerry Hammond, in association with The Scottish Government.
Related Resources
Technical Note (TN695): Pruning to Improve Timber Quality
Thrill of the Hill - Talking Timber | Information helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)
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THRILL OF THE HILL | Farmland covers the Scottish landscape, between 70% and 80% of it, but farmers are not the only stakeholders in the countryside. Increasingly, the general public is interacting with farming and land management, encouraged by the prospects of adventure, points of interest, leisure, health, and well-being. The Scottish Outdoor Access Code (SOAC) makes provisions for responsible access to land and by and large that is achieved. In this episode, Bridget Jones, NatureScot, joins the podcast to discuss promoting sustainable, responsible access to the countryside, we discuss hidden gems, where people go and what they do when they get there, and mediating conflicts where they arise.
Hosted by Alexander Pirie, Edited by Malcolm MacDonald, Produced by Beth Errington, Executive Producer Kerry Hammond, in association with The Scottish Government.
Related FAS Materials
https://www.fas.scot/publication/stock-talk-livestock-worrying-keeping-yourself-right-with-the-sheep-game/
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THRILL OF THE HILL | When people think of Scotland, at some point visions of a red deer ranging across an open hill must enter the mind. Deer have become synonymous with the farmed upland environment in Scotland, bringing huge interest and benefits, but these are not without their challenges. In Scotland's pursuit of a green, low carbon, high nature value future, deer have proven themselves obstacles to be overcome and without active management, the uplands cannot flourish. In this episode, Michael Skelly, Highland Habitats takes us through the considerations when determining if you have a deer problem and the appropriate actions required to promote a sustainable upland environment.
Hosted by Alexander Pirie, Edited by Malcom MacDonald, Produced by Beth Errington, Executive Producer Kerry Hammond, in association with The Scottish Government.
Linked FAS Resources
Alternative Livestock Factsheet
Stock Talk: Deer Farming – what you need to know | Information helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)
Podcast: The Thrill of The Hill - Deer Farming & Management | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)
Linked Other Resources
Practical land management for the future - Highland HabitatsHighland Habitats | Practical land management for the future
Scotland’s wild venison sector launches ‘statement of intent’ on greenhouse gas emissions in response to climate emergency | Scottish Venison (scottish-venison.info)
scottish-biodiversity-strategy-2045-tackling-nature-emergency-scotland.pdf (www.gov.scot)
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THRILL OF THE HILL | Agroforestry is an increasingly popular prospect for many in Scotland and across the UK, allowing farmers and crofters the opportunity to increase carbon sequestration, nature value and allowing for the continuation and enhancement of productive activity. In this episode, Ben Raskin, Head of Horticulture and Agroforestry for the @Soil Association joins us for a broad discussion on the benefits of agroforestry, insights from their own trial farm and to promote the upcoming Agroforestry Show, the UK's first agroforestry show taking place this upcoming September.
Hosted by Alexander Pirie, Edited by Cameron Waugh, Produced by Beth Errington, Executive Producer Kerry Hammond, in association with The Scottish Government.
Related FAS Materials
https://www.fas.scot/downloads/soil-association-scotlands-agroforestry-in-action-knowledge-transfer-programme/
https://www.fas.scot/publication/agroforestry-in-scotland/
https://www.fas.scot/article/agroforestry-farming-with-trees/
Related External Materials
Home | Agroforestry show
Agroforestry On Your Farm (soilassociation.org)
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THRILL OF THE HILL | An invasive species and a cause for concern among farmers and policymakers, bracken is a hot topic in the farmed upland environment. While the species has some habitat value and its presence can be indicative of land suitable for woodland regeneration, the plant can quickly spread, taking over areas of upland grass pasture and heather, cutting the area of land that can be utilised for farming. In this episode, Simon Thorp, coordinator for the Bracken Control Group shares his opinion on Scottish Government's recent decision on the use of Asulam, as well as discussing what he thinks the impact of a total ban will be and the alternatives to chemical control of bracken.
The Scottish Government notes that the Health and Safety Executive advice to all four nations of the UK was not to authorise the emergency use of Asulox because of the risk it poses human, animal and environmental health. Independent advice from the SG Chief Scientific Adviser for Environment and Rural Affairs, and the Expert Committee on Pesticides supported this conclusion, and Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland consented to the HSE recommendation. The Scottish Government is committed to science based decision making, and have followed the same, well established and evidence based process we always follow for the authorisation of pesticides. The following link contains the Scottish Government Press Release on the decision, a Q&A document, an evidence review of the implications of not controlling bracken with asulam in Scotland commissioned by the SG, the advice from the SG CSA ENRA and from the ECP, and the HSE letter sent to the applicant outlining the reasons for refusal of the application. Use of Asulox for bracken control in Scotland in 2023 | SASA (Science & Advice for Scottish Agriculture)
Hosted by Alexander Pirie, Edited by Malcolm MacDonald, Produced by Beth Errington, Executive Producer Kerry Hammond, in association with The Scottish Government.
Related Materials
https://www.brackencontrol.co.uk/
Use of Asulox for bracken control in Scotland in 2023 | SASA (Science & Advice for Scottish Agriculture)
For more information, visit www.FAS.scot
Twitter: @FASScot
Facebook: @FASScot
National Advice Hub
Phone: 0300 323 0161
Email: [email protected]
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THRILL OF THE HILL | Sheep are synonymous with the farmed upland environment in Scotland but in times of change and with external and policy pressures now on it, the sector cannot sit idle. Last season we discussed what the cow of the future looks like and now sheep get their time in the spotlight as we try and unpick some of the complexities in improving flock performance with help from returning guest speaker and SAC Consulting sheep specialist Kirsten Williams as we talk maximising productivity, cutting waste, a place for wool and advocate for grazing livestock in Scotland's changing landscape.
Hosted by Alexander Pirie, Edited by Malcom MacDonald, Produced by Beth Errington, Executive Producer Kerry Hammond, in association with The Scottish Government.
Related FAS Links
Podcast: Thrill of The Hill - Flock Resilience | Information helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)
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THRILL OF THE HILL | With a lack of apex predators in Scotland, human intervention is often required to maintain a balance of nature, whether that is at the species, habitat or landscape scale. Predator control is an often unpleasant and more so important aspect of maintain equilibrium across different interests and in this episode, Paul Chapman, SAC Consulting sets out what the different options are for predator control, what species can be targeted, what protections exist and for what species and the non-lethal options available to protect vulnerable national priority species, as well as much more.
Hosted by Alexander Pirie, Edited by Malcom MacDonald, Produced by Alistair Trail, Executive Producer Kerry Hammond, in association with The Scottish Government.
Related FAS Resources
Technical Note (TN742): Predator Control for Conservation | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)
Predator Control For the Conservation of Ground-Nesting Birds | Information helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)
Other Related Resources
Codes of Practice - BASC
Predation control and conservation - Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (gwct.org.uk)
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Farmers are custodians of the landscape in Scotland, and the farmed environment accounts for roughly 75% of all land in the country, but farmers need not take all that responsibility themselves. Agriculture adjacent, the game bird sector has a huge role to play in supporting the farmed upland environment and in this episode, Ross Macleod, Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust lays that all out, discussing the interplay between farming and the upland sectors, how we can work collaboratively, the role of gamekeeping, predator control and Muirburn, and crucially, the need for data driven decision making to deal effectively with biodiversity decline and climate change.
Hosted by Alexander Pirie, Edited by Malcolm MacDonald, Produced by Kerry Hammond, Executive Producer Kerry Hammond, in association with The Scottish Government.
Related Materials
https://www.fas.scot/environment/biodiversity/habitat-impact-assesment-best-practice-guidance-on-the-management-of-wild-deer-in-scotland/
https://www.fas.scot/environment/biodiversity/how-to-provide-for-wading-birds/surveying-farmland-wading-birds/
https://www.fas.scot/environment/biodiversity/muirburn-code/
https://www.gwct.org.uk/
https://www.bfbc.org.uk/
For more information, visit www.FAS.scot
Twitter: @FASScot
Facebook: @FASScot
National Advice Hub
Phone: 0300 323 0161
Email: [email protected]
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Episode #12 – A Damming Conclusion? Beavers are a keystone species and their presence in Scotland could go a long way to achieving land landscape scale nature restoration that Scottish Government want to achieve. They are, like humans, ecosystem engineers and the natural processes they encourage can bolster other vulnerable habitats and species. But beavers come with challenges, they will naturally be inclined to block ditches and watercourses, burrow into productive agricultural fields and will by design, leave areas flooded. Obviously there are places in Scotland where this could be and has been highly disruptive. After hundreds of years without them, can farming and beavers find common ground?
If you would like to see any of the press releases, journals, or further information that Euan referred to, please contact the FAS advice line who can provide you with this information.
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Episode #11 - The Farm Business Survey. On the podcast, we take two things more seriously than anything else - hills and thrills. But if there were a third place, that would go to data. Being able to produce figures to make informed decisions and justify your actions is at the heart of farming, more so now than ever. The Scottish Farm Business Survey offers a free, independent assessment of your business, producing a helpful set of management accounts and the all important carbon audit.
Related Materials
https://www.fas.scot/whole-farm-benchmarks/
https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-farm-business-income-annual-estimates-2020-2021/documents/
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Episode #10 – A Cow for the Future. We all think we know a good cow when we see one, but how futureproof is she, and what are the traits the beef industry needs, at an individual cow and herd level to be productive and sustainable? In this episode we hear from agricultural consultant Robert Ramsay about the importance of a range of different features, from tail to temperament, hind legs to horns and how they all come together to form the cow of the future.
The beef sector in Scotland has faced some difficult times in recent years and taking a longer view of history has seen dramatic declines since the 1974 when the head of cattle in the national head reached its all time high at 2.68 million cattle. More recently in 2020, we saw an all time low in cow numbers but looking at the most recent Scottish Agricultural Census results, numbers have increased by less than 1% to 1.72 million cattle. With all this in mind, is the sector on track for resurgence - here's hoping.
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Episode #9 – Digging Deep on Soil Carbon. In this episode we hear from Senior Scientific Lead Rachael Ramsay about the scientific consensus around soil carbon, its impact on farm carbon footprints, options to reduce atmospheric carbon and whether soil is the silver bullet in the fight against climate change.
There is an increasing awareness of the role of soil, grassland, peatland and atmospheric carbon capture in the pursuit of net zero emissions. The Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations suggests that the soil around the world has the capacity to capture 20 gigaton of carbon over a period of 25 years, the equivalent of 10% of global emissions - demonstrating the power of improved soil management and building soil carbon reserves.
Catch up on our previous soils episode with Dr Bill Crooks here https://www.fas.scot/publication/podcast-the-thrill-of-the-hill-renewables/ and for more information on improving soil management, check out Farming for a Better Climate here https://www.farmingforabetterclimate.org/improving-farm-profitability/soils-fertilisers-and-manures/.
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Thrill of the Hill is back! Season 3 #8 – Working for Waders Part II. In this episode we hear from returning guest, Working for Wader's Patrick Laurie, joined this time round by RSPB's Stephen Field, about the importance of our national priority ground nesting wading birds, life through a lense, the importance of predator control and promoting landscape scale conservation efforts.
Increasingly recognised for their conservation importance, Scotland's waders are under threat from all sides. Intensification of agriculture has played its part, yes but looming threats of habitat loss to forestry and destruction of nests and eggs from predators also places immense pressure on the species group. The podcast also sets out the need for data to inform decision making and how looking at small samples can skewed view of what is a more complicated story overall.
Linked FAS Resources
https://www.fas.scot/publication/podcast-thrill-of-the-hill-working-for-waders/
https://www.fas.scot/environment/biodiversity/how-to-provide-for-wading-birds/surveying-farmland-wading-birds/
https://www.fas.scot/environment/biodiversity/how-to-provide-for-wading-birds/farmland-wading-birds-information-note-snipe/
https://www.fas.scot/environment/biodiversity/how-to-provide-for-wading-birds/farmland-wading-birds-information-note-redshank-tringa-totanus/
https://www.fas.scot/environment/biodiversity/how-to-provide-for-wading-birds/farmland-wading-birds-information-note-oystercatcher-haematopus-ostralegus/
https://www.fas.scot/environment/biodiversity/how-to-provide-for-wading-birds/farmland-wading-birds-information-note-curlew-numenius-arquata/
https://www.fas.scot/environment/biodiversity/how-to-provide-for-wading-birds/farmland-wading-birds-information-note-lapwing-vanellus-vanellus/
External Materials
https://www.workingforwaders.com/
https://www.rspb.org.uk/about-the-rspb/at-home-and-abroad/scotland/
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Thrill of the Hill is back! Season 3 #9 – COP26 One Year On. In this episode we hear from SAC Consulting's Seamus Murphy as we take a look back at Scotland's role in COP26 and review some of the highlights, shortcomings, commitments and missed opportunities from the conference. We also discuss the changing mindsets of farmers in Scotland and how to find common ground with climate marchers and protestors.
COP26, or the 26th meeting of the Conference of the Parties, was a watershed moment in international efforts to tackle climate change and its effects. COP26 was, at its time the latest meetings of the parties, meaning nations that had signed up to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which launched in 1992. It is a common phrase, "X is at the frontline of the fight against climate change" but here in Scotland, in the backdrop of one of the hottest summers on record the realities of climate change are becoming increasingly apparent and each year that passes without serious action is time society might not get back. One year on from the conference in Glasgow we take a look at the progress that has been made since.
Related FAS Resources
COP26 – What’s the big deal? (webinar) | Information helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)
Other Related Resources
Farming for a Better Climate - Farming for a Better Climate
For more information, visit www.FAS.scot
Twitter: @FASScot
Facebook: @FASScot
National Advice Hub
Phone: 0300 323 0161
Email: [email protected]
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