
Species on the Edge - About the Programme

Species on the Edge is a new ground-breaking partnership programme of NatureScot and seven nature conservation charities, all dedicated to improving the fortunes of 37 priority species found along Scotland's coast and islands.
Funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, we are delivering a four and a half year programme of work to tackle the impacts of environmental change on wildlife, to benefit both nature and people. The partnership consists of Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, The Bat Conservation Trust, Buglife, Bumblebee Conservation Trust, Butterfly Conservation, NatureScot, Plantlife, and RSPB Scotland.
Drawing on the knowledge and experience within the partnership, we have identified seven landscape-scale areas around Scotland’s coast and islands where collaboration will provide the greatest benefits. These seven areas are:
Action in these areas includes:
Learn more about our project areas.
We are working with local communities in some of Scotland’s most remote areas to establish projects that provide a vital lifeline for our most nationally and internationally vulnerable coastal and island wildlife. Working together with local communities we aim to:
Infographic - Our priorities for Species on the Edge, identifying project areas, partnership working and species recovery targets.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund confirmed over £4m of funding for the programme in June 2022 (total programme cost of over £6.5m). In addition to the National Lottery players, thanks also go to all eight Species on the Edge partners, the Scottish Government, Esmee Fairbairn, the Dulverton Trust, the John Ellerman Trust, the Banister Trust, SAC Consulting, the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature for their funding and support.
Only in the north-west of Scotland and Ireland do you find the ideal mix of features required for machair to thrive. Some rare species live in machair - the corncrake’s cry is still common, and you might spot a corn bunting. Machair is also the favoured habitat of the great yellow bumblebee.
Please send all enquiries to: [email protected]
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