Rivers and Fisheries Trusts of Scotland: Collaborative Working Using examples from current projects Fiona McKenna GB NNSS LAGS Workshop 22nd January 2014 1

Hello!

AGENDA Collaborative working: Example 1: Scottish Mink Initiative Example 2: INNPS projects Summary American mink and kittiwake chick (Terje Koolas) 3

Four Levels of Partnership Working: Formal Project Partnership: RAFTS (lead partner), SNH, SWT, Cairngorms N.P.A. and Aberdeen University. Management Partnership: RAFTS (lead partner), ten of our member trusts: West Sutherland; Wester Ross; Cromarty Firth; Ness & Beauly; Findhorn, Nairn and Lossie; Spey, Deveron, Don, Dee and Esks. Partnership with other Organisations: eg. FCS, RSPB, SWT, Sporting Estates, etc. Partnership with and between volunteers: from various LAGS, NGOs and members of the local communities. Give overview of SMI main aims= eradication of American mink , ensuring long term sustainability of mink control, awareness raising for community based and adaptive management approach to INNS control. Built on previous projects: North East Scotland Water Vole Conservation Project, Cairngorms Water Vole Conservation Project and North Scotland Mink Project Funders are listed along the bottom Photo: John McAvoy 4

What has been achieved? Actual area covered grew due to inclusion of NW Scotland after mink sightings in these areas – formerly thought to be mink free. Steering group decided to include the area as a rapid response to the sightings. © Sarah Atkinson © Helen Gray 5

Scottish mink initiative >95% of rafts monitored by volunteer> 500 “Citizen conservationists” Cairngorms and NE Scotland water vole conservation project Scottish mink initiative 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

90% of mink were caught and dispatched by trained volunteers Cairngorms and NE Scotland water vole conservation project Scottish mink initiative Total volunteers Number of mink 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Mink App – Automating Volunteer Feedback To Retain Interest 9

Generation of NLG (Natural Language Generation) feedback… Acknowledgement Meaning of observation Action to be taken You work this up to affective NLG Advaith? Contextualisation, spatial Contextualisation temporal Contextualisation spatio-temporal 10

Example 2: INNPS Projects Biosecurity planning process identified the issues and partnerships to be made. Current projects involving our member trusts: Controlling priority invasive non native riparian plants and restoring native biodiversity (CIRB) – 4 member trusts involved. Invasive Non Native Plant Species Control Phases 2,3 and 4 – 13 member trusts involved and Tweed Forum. In 2008 biosecurity planning process began. CIRB lead partner is Queens University Belfast. The two projects address legislative requirements, namely of WFD. Habitats Directive and LBAPS – filters down from CBD. Reason for working with Ireland: similar problems faced, opportunity for sharing best practice and learning lessons. 11

6 trusts & tweed forum linked to the reporting site 6 trusts & tweed forum linked to the reporting site. Argyll, Galloway, Esk Rivers and Cromarty Firth Fisheries Trusts, Ayrshire Rivers Trust, The River Forth Fisheries Trust and Tweed Forum. Public can go on it directly, and trusts use PDAs to synch with it directly. Early days for this programme, still developing the software and ironing out issues along the way.

Summary Different layers of collaboration: RAFTS – Gov’t Agencies – Other NGOs – Universities- Funders (strategy) RAFTS – local trusts & organisations (management) Trusts – volunteers - contractors to implement work (implementation) Factors in building the partnerships were: Identifying a common interest Responsible empowerment (legal, effective methods, strategy & support) Communication & feedback of results Clearly defined roles & responsibilities Challenges Communication Sustainability 13

Thank you for listening! ©Peter Denness