by Alex Levontine – Preparations are underway. The sacrifices have been made to the Bog Sprites. The Peat Hags have been complimented. The Sphagnum Gods have been honoured. That’s right — it could only be World Peatlands Day (2nd June).…
by Flavio Winkler Ford – This year has seen lots of hope for the return of wildcats (Felis silvestris) to Scotland. This is a species that, in 2019 was classed as functionally extinct in the UK. Wildcats are in this…
by Calum Urquhart – The Twinflower (Linnaea borealis) is a rare plant in the UK, confined almost entirely to Pinewoods in the Scottish Highlands, where it exists at around 50 sites. Named for its dainty, symmetrical flowers, this beautiful little…
by Flavio Winkler Ford – Bees can be heard buzzing around flowers, such as those of willow in early spring and heathers throughout the summer. At Aigas, we have been delighted to see the first white-tailed bumblebees of the year…
After completing my first week as an Academic Placement student at Aigas, I wanted to make the most of my first day off and explore more of the area I am lucky enough to be spending the next year living…
There’s a saying in Scotland that goes something like this: if you don’t like the weather, just wait five minutes. We experienced this first hand on a recent visit to a local strath, where the changing elements made us feel…
Over the last 3 months, Aigas’ three Academic Placements along with Staff Naturalist, Ben, and Field Officer, Pete, have been surveying the neighbouring Aigas Community Forest (see more about the forest in this previous blog). The main aims of these…
I have always been fascinated by the more unusual and overlooked groups of wildlife; from obscure beetle families, millipedes and slugs, to lichens and bryophytes (mosses and liverworts). So often these understudied organisms can tell us huge amounts about the…
Managing the Aigas Wildcat Conservation Programme is always an exciting affair; each day different to the next, adding new foliage to enclosures, cleaning out den boxes, checking the stealth cameras for mating behaviour can all be components of a standard…
Bordering our Field Centre is an undulating, 260ha community owned patch of woodland – Aigas Community Forest. Bought with the aims of increasing biodiversity in areas of previously poorly managed plantation; it demonstrates sustainable timber sourcing, whilst providing a fantastic…
Our Aigas guests will be familiar with what we call the Early Morning Run (EMR). At the beginning of the season, we offer guests the opportunity to visit a black grouse (Lyrurus tetrix) lek and otters (Lutra lutra) later in…
May 2018 (Before) Now that signs of spring are finally showing themselves around Aigas, we have seen Queen bees buzzing around after being woken up from hibernation by the warmer temperatures. They need to find flowers with nectar to feed…
“Camp out among the grass of glacier meadows. Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. – The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.” John…
A very belated Happy New Year to everyone in the Aigas community! Right now I’m sitting taking in the view over Lake Victoria listening to hundreds of birds and some very noisy chimps – I’m probably sitting in the same…
I am sat writing this blog post after watching the sun set over Lake Victoria. I am fortunate enough to be spending three weeks volunteering for The Chimpanzee Sanctuary and Wildlife Conservation Trust (The Chimpanzee Trust), an NGO based in…
Possibly the most important work that the Aigas Trust funds is that of Naturedays. We provide environmental education to students from nursery to secondary school age. Each year over 5,000 students throughout the Highlands and islands of Scotland and beyond…
Last week Scottish Wildcat Action (SWA) convened at Culloden Battlefield for a forum which we had the privilege to attend. As Aigas Field Centre plays a role in the conservation breeding programme it was a great opportunity for us to…
Everyday we take groups of adult guests and school children out in to the wild Highlands to show them the spectacular scenery, teach them about the habitats we visit and look for wildlife in its natural environment. All too often…
