Communities

Collaborating with local communities and scientific partners

“It’s within our power, because most of the problems are created by us, and we can solve them or should be able to solve them … Break down those walls and get people talking about it who wouldn’t otherwise meet.” Sir David Attenborough, naturalist, TV presenter, writer and campaigner

There are few opportunities for the public to engage with and learn about our marine environment. The majority is hidden and inaccessible to most people. Lack of understanding is a risk – people need to understand the problem to find the solution. Making science accessible helps build awareness of issues and how to address them. As a Charity our goal is to ensure that people, through having a positive engagement with our work, are motivated to help conserve Scotland’s seabirds and marine environment. We do this by working in partnership with local groups and the scientific community to provide resources and activities that enable people to enjoy, increase understanding of and contribute towards practical conservation projects.

200+

people interacted with experts in the field via 4 Meet the Scientist events

225

attendees across 7 guided wildlife walks as part of North Berwick’s Coastal Walking Festival

60%

of Seabird Social attendees had never visited before; 100% said they would consider visiting as a result of the event

88%

of attendees to the Bryan Nelson Memorial Lecture agreed the event highlighted the importance of protecting the marine environment

Feedback from our partnerships:

“So good to have a family-friendly event to come along to on our doorstep.” “Great fun, more events please!” “It’s my first time in the Centre in years. I’ll definitely revisit the Discovery Centre to see what’s new.” Feedback from attendees of Wildlife Walks

“Our guide was amazing, so lovely and knowledgeable” “Very informative and interesting” “Emily was a fantastic host and the walk was very informative – a great first birdwatching experience!” “Thank you again for the lovely walks, everyone seemed to really enjoy it. All of the initiatives you are working on sounded incredible.” Feedback from Edinburgh University Ocean Advocates group