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Argyll, the Isles, Stirling and the Trossachs
Latest news from Argyll, the Isles, Stirling and the Trossachs
White tail eagle chick arrives
Mull gets its first white-tailed eagle chick of the year, with a second hoped for in the next couple of days, after the adult birds have incubated the eggs for the past 38 days.
Energy research skills and Tiree
As the issue of disturbing impacts on local climate of the proposed Tiree Array is raised, the UK's Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) appoints Professor Jim Skea as Strategy Fellow for the Research Councils UK (RCUK) Energy Programme. Suitably, a founder member of the Committee on Climate Change, he will over the first year of his 5-year fellowship, lead a scientist team to develop a new roadmap of research, skills & training needs across an entire energy landscape. It is to be ardently hoped that this will also see applications in conserving the existing fragile earth against some highly damaging renewable energy proposals.
Western Scotland exhibits
Both Glasgow and Auchindrain are exhibiting currently with a very different approach.
Silent spring: neonicotinoids destroys bees
Back in January, two years of research in Indianna had US scientists identifying one factor to cause bee deaths being the extensive use of neo-nicotinoid insecticides on growing crops. Now new research at the University of Stirling, published in the top journal "Science", focused on bumblebee nests, sheds absolute confirmatory light on one global cause of bee declines.
Petition: Be Thankful for the A83
The A83, that fragile and beautifully located road to Rest and Be Thankful is subject of a petition to government for investment to provide a solution to the landslide history that regularly closes this arterial access trunk road into and through mainland Argyll.
Scotland needs ETV tugs
The Emergency Towing Vessel (ETV) tug support for The Minch, the west coast and the Western Isles was withdrawn from service on cost grounds by the UK government. But ForArgyll records that a cargo boat grounded 10.45pm on 19th March on an island off North Uist highlights the very urgent need for ETV protection to be reinstated.
The wind that woos landowners.
A £1bn investment in wind farm projects across Scotland led by renewable energy developer Burcote Wind could create almost 600 jobs and power over half a million homes.
Islay and Fair Isle quakes
It's an uneasy sensation when the earth moves beneath your feet. 2012 leap year day was memorable for whisky famous Islay, when a 2.8-magnitude quake struck the north of the southernmost island of the Inner Hebrides, at 9.14am, followed by a 2.1-magnitude quake at 9.25am. It was the latest of six to hit the Hebridean island in February, according to the British Geological Survey (BGS).
Prof Lorne Crerar chairs H&IE
Professor Crerar is a founding partner and chairman of Scottish commercial law firm Harper Macleod LLP, offices in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Inverness and held the part-time Chair of Banking Law at Glasgow University since 1997.He was formerly deputy chairman of Scottish Enterprise Glasgow and one of three chairmen of the Housing Improvement Task Force which in 2002 completed its work.
Bitter opposition to key wind farms
As Donald Trump with his Balmenie course development violently contests the plan for an offshore 11-turbine test farm in view of the Menie resort, saying private assurances were made that it would not get permission, the stooshie is being spread by Tiree Array campaigners desperately protesting "death by 180 to 300 turbines" for Tiree, and drawing the proposed Methil site into the action with some (below) turbine height graphics
Kilcreggan ferry drops Helensburgh
The Kilcreggan ferry between Helensburgh and Gourock is to have one of its stops withdran from April to save nearly £200,000 in operation costs following a dramatic drop in use.
Can 2012 undersea Scotland beat 2011 rarities?
A rare species of fish described as “faceless and brainless” was among the unusual finds made by marine scientists off Britain’s coast during 2011, according to a recent Scottish government report. Amphioxuus is a prehistoric species, reaching two inches length and with no fins, recorded off Orkney.
Tug collision & technical failures
The Westminster government recently extended by three months the temporary contract for the two coastguard tugs stationed in the Western and Northern Isle, reports ForArgyll. It did so, while announcing from the end of this contract that the oil and gas industry agreed to provide coverage from its own ‘vessels’
Save Seil Sound
As Gaberlunzie doesn't get to exercise his boots up the West coast as often as he yearns to, he makes do, by living vicariously through For Argyll and its interesting stories, not to mention its frequent call to arms.
Treshnish wins RSPB award
The Charringtons from Mull become the first ever Scottish winners of a prestigious national farming competition the RSPB Telegraph Nature of Farming Award, in conjunction with Butterfly Conservation Scotland and Plantlife Scotland, celebrates wildlife friendly farming and those who take the time to improve and preserve important habitats for nature.
Call for ETVs to remain
Reprieve of the coastguard stations at Stornoway in the Western Isles and Kirkwall in Orkney has not reprieved the tugs - the Emergency Towing Vessels (ETVs) based in those waters and due to be axed at the end of the month.
Ridgewind to make third Stacain appeal
RSPB Scotland which in July welcomed the Scottish Government’s decision to refuse consent for a 14-turbine wind-farm at Stacain, near Inveraray in Argyll, noted it as the second time ministers have turned down the project, following a six-year planning process involving two formal Public Local Inquiries. Now the developers are to appeal the second ruling refusing consent for the windfarm.
Dart goes Scottish fracking
The Singapore head-quartered, Australian listed Dart Energy Europe believes its initial independent reserve certification by Netherland Sewell & Associates for Midland Valley (PEDL 133) in Scotland is the most sizeable coal seam gas reserves certification in Europe promising 43bn cu. feet (proved & probable) and 81bn cu.ft (proved probable & possible.)
Argyll slate islands exhibition
Two of Argyll's slate islands – Belnahua and Luing are the focus of an exhibition at Cullipool Hall on Luing from 5-7 August.
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