Partnership working in the Outer Hebrides 🤝

By Emma Stobart, Species on the Edge Outer Hebrides Project Officer, Bumblebee Conservation Trust

If you’re lucky enough to have visited the Outer Hebrides you’ll know that it consists of a stunning chain of islands covering over 3,000 km2 and is home to some of Scotland’s rarest habitats and species. For Species on the Edge in the Outer Hebrides, this means that we have a lot of ground to cover and species to look after, so, for us, partnership work is essential to achieving our aims for the project. This summer (2024) I’ve been really lucky to work with colleagues from many of our partner organisations.  

In May and June I was joined by Sally, the project officer from Buglife, in Uist and Barra, surveying for short-necked oil beetles, affectionately known as SNOBs, and Northern Colletes, a very sweet looking mining bee. Sally and I met up with Matt from NatureScot at Eoiligarry in Barra for a full day of surveys for bumblebees, SNOBs and we even managed to survey for burnet moth caterpillars, which the Outer Hebrides Biological recording group were focusing on this year. Later in the season, Matt was also there to show Sarah, Species on the Edge Plantlife Officer for the North Coast, sites where Irish Ladies tresses have been recorded. The combination of expertise from partner organisations and the local knowledge of individuals working in the area resulted in a very efficient surveying season, covering more ground and surveying more species than I would have managed without this cooperation.

This year I was also able to support the local RSPB team survey for little terns. These surveys are done under licence, as little terns are highly susceptible to disturbance, which can lead to them abandoning nesting sites. Having the expertise of RSPB staff along with the support of other surveyors meant that we were able to achieve good counts, whilst causing minimal disturbance. The Outer Hebrides holds a significant percentage of Scotland’s little tern population which is why monitoring numbers here is so important.  

This year has also seen the establishment of the Outer Hebrides Bat Group – a collaboration of Species on the Edge Youth Panellist, Gus, and the Bat Conservation Trust. Gus has been leading bat walks and conducting surveys and I’ve been delighted to help him put out acoustic sensors in strategic locations to increase the record of bats in the Outer Hebrides, of which there is currently very few.

These are just some examples of collaborations that have taken place this year in the Outer Hebrides. These examples clearly demonstrate that, by working together, we can share knowledge, expertise and resources and, importantly, that we can learn from each other. For those working in the conservation sector, we can often find ourselves stretched, because there is always so much to do. Through its uniquely collaborative approach to conservation in Scotland, Species on the Edge is providing us with opportunities to work towards shared goals and help the species and habitats that most need it, together. Over the winter we’ll be continuing to work together, doing practical habitat management, running local events and much more. If you live in the Outer Hebrides and want to know more or get involved, get in touch.