The Scottish Wildlife Trust is calling on the public to take action and help prevent European nature laws from being weakened.
Across Europe, including here in Scotland, vital laws protect our most precious wildlife and wild places. The conservation of Scotland’s most iconic species such as golden eagle, Atlantic salmon, dolphin and Scottish wildcat depend on these laws and we do too, for cleaner rivers, vital habitat for pollinating insects and natural places that we can enjoy and spend time in.
Without these European laws to protect the rarest and best of nature, Scotland and the World would be a poorer place.
Right now the European Commission is reviewing these laws – the 'Nature Directives' – and asking people to give their opinion on them. So it's vital that as many of us as possible say that we feel strongly about this and don't want to see these laws weakened.
Across Europe all countries share two main nature laws – the Habitats Directive, which protects a range of important habitats and species, and the Birds Directive, which protects European wild birds. There is also a network of protected wild places – called Natura 2000 – stretching across Europe.
In Scotland, over 390 places are part of this network including Scottish Wildlife Trust Reserves such as Handa Island, Montrose Basin, Rahoy Hills, Carstramon Wood, and Loch Fleet and other special places such as the Firth of Forth, Caithness and Sutherland peatlands, Black Wood of Rannoch, River Tay and Moray Firth.
The Natura 2000 Network, in Scotland and across Europe needs all the protection it can get.
How you can help
The European Commission is asking for the opinion of people across Europe through an online consultation – so you can make your voice heard.
The Scottish Wildlife Trust, as part of The Wildlife Trusts is joining 100 other charities and environmental organisations across Europe to provide suggested responses to the consultation in support of the Nature Directives.
This will send a clear message to the European Commission that people feel strongly about this, wherever they live.