Scottish Seabird Centre - Impact Report Edition 6

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August 2023 – January 2024

Image © Mr Smith Aerial (Andy Smith)
IMPACT REPORT Edition 6

Thank you to all those who have made our work possible.

Megan McCubbin

In September, Megan McCubbin joined us as our newest Charity Ambassador. Known for presenting the BBC Springwatch and Animal Park series, Megan is an incredible advocate for wildlife and the importance of restoring biodiversity.

“I am over the moon to be the newest ambassador for the Scottish Seabird Centre. At this critical point in time for our oceans and marine life, it’s vital we love and appreciate our native biodiversity even more than ever. I’m excited to shout about the important conservation and education work the charity conducts, highlighting the need to protect these habitats and species for future generations to come.”

03 Introduction 04 Audiences Engaging individuals and communities throughout Scotland. 06 Conservation Supporting marine conservation in Scotland. 08 Education Connecting people and nature. 10 Communities Collaborating with local communities and scientific partners. 12 Experience Creating inspiring events, activities, and exhibitions. 14 Supporters
CONTENTS
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Image © Megan McCubbin

INTRODUCTION

Thank-you for picking up this 6th edition in our impact report series. I do hope it gives you a good feel for the breadth of activities and impact we had between August 2023 and January 2024.

Our team is united behind our overarching vision of ‘healthy seas that are wildlife-rich, valued and enjoyed by all’. In the face of challenges such as the twin climate and nature loss crises we can as individuals, communities and businesses feel disempowered from the decision-making processes that lead to change. We may also feel that the need for urgent action is not being grasped by those decision-makers. We believe that we can help people to feel more empowered through our engagement and education activities by supporting them to learn more about the marine world and the steps that can be taken to protect it. These activities stimulate interest and action to care for our precious natural resources at different levels – contributing to a much stronger collective voice and community-inspired action.

I am exceptionally proud of the way in which our team continue to grow our conservation, education and community impacts whilst also developing our visitor attraction offer. We believe we are stronger through partnerships. We collaborate with other eNGOs to jointly advocate for policy change, with the science community to ensure the evidence we present continues to be scientifically sound and with communitybased groups to extend our reach.

As you read this report, we are entering our 2024 activity year. I am excited by the many opportunities this will bring for us to continue our seabird conservation and seagrass restoration activities, extending our education offer from primary to secondary years by building on our junior marine science initiative and taking more creative approaches that help people to connect to our coasts and marine life. There will be challenges to face too. With your continued support we can all contribute to that vision of healthy and wildlife-rich seas that bring value and benefit to us all.

Donate to support our work to protect Scotland’s spectacular marine wildlife and habitats:

Scan here

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AUDIENCES

Engaging individuals and communities throughout Scotland

Our Summer and Autumn season offered a variety of opportunities for people to engage with us through participation in events, workshops, learning activities and visits to our Discovery Experience. We opened our doors for a range of communitybased events for all ages including live music, craft workshops, science events and community-led projects.

Events and activities were carefully curated to reach out to wider audiences and welcome both regular visitors and newcomers to our Centre.

We also encourage people to take advantage of the wonderful coastal environment that surrounds us. Our digital offer has also allowed us to reach further afield and find new audiences through online Meet the Scientist events whilst Restoration Forth has brought together various community groups to engage them with seed processing activities and seagrass monitoring sessions.

After our busy summer season with 215 wildlife experience boat trips to the Islands in the Firth of Forth, the boat office was transformed to play host to the 100 Species Exhibition curated and presented by Edinburgh Shoreline. With the aim of forging new connections between local communities and the sea, this exhibition showcased the work of many local schools and community groups who had created arts and

crafts to celebrate the biodiversity of the Firth of Forth on our coast and beneath our waves.

Working with Scottish Environment Link and individual eNGOs we have contributed expert advice on a range of environmental issues including effective protection for nationally and internationally important Marine Protected Areas, Tackling the Nature Emergency - Scottish biodiversity strategy to 2045, and the Berwick Bank offshore windfarm development proposal. To support our advocacy work, we created an information stand in the welcome walkway of our Centre which provided an opportunity to engage visitors directly on topics such as the Scottish Government’s proposal to close sandeel fisheries.

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Image © Jamie McDermaid

Continuing with our consultation theme, as part of our Bioblitz Festival, we created an inspirational Gannet Pledge Wall for people to share their thoughts, promises and hopes for nature. With over 80 pledges collected it was heart-warming to see the commitment and passion of people of all ages for protecting and caring for nature.

Our audience reach continues to grow through existing and new partnerships which allow us to reach out across Scotland, and is amplified by the power of digital opportunities.

Image © Emily Burton Image © RJ Lilley

CONSERVATION

Supporting marine conservation in Scotland

Restoration Forth

Restoration Forth activities were delivered at pace during this period. Much of the work was preparatory for the planting season ahead, with a successful seed harvesting trip to Orkney in August where the team and skilled volunteers collected the seeds that will be used to restore seagrass meadows around the Firth of Forth. In addition, local volunteers in East Lothian were engaged with a range of seagrass restoration activities including seed processing and seagrass monitoring at Belhaven Bay. We were also able to see the beginnings of success, as ongoing monitoring of

9 Restoration Forth seed processing activities

3 Restoration Forth outdoor monitoring sessions with 113 engagements

1 drone flight undertaken

seagrass restoration sites across the Firth of Forth revealed germination and survival of seagrass at the trial planting sites around the Firth of Forth.

Bass Rock Gannet Colony

During the autumn, our conservation team were immersed in an important research project, undertaking a colony count of the Northern gannets on Bass Rock in the wake of a devastating outbreak of avian flu during 2022. We worked in close collaboration with the School of Geosciences & Airborne Research and Innovation Facility at the University of Edinburgh, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH),

4 HPAI checks carried out across the Islands

3 Research collaborations on the local islands

270 Shorewatches carried out

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Image credit © Raymond Besant

Project Feedback

“Hannah had a brilliant few days and came away very inspired. Thank you very much!”

Parent Feedback, Holiday Club

“It was great to see how much she had learnt and how confident she was in telling us about it.”

Parent Feedback, Junior Marine Scientist

“Best of all it was FUN which made learning and remembering easier”

Participant Feedback, Junior Marine Scientist

“The session was fantastic, it allowed each child to gain a better understanding of sea life and all aspects suited the needs of each year group. The presenters were great with the children, and this allowed for the session to be engaging.”

Teacher, Hope Community School on Marine Superstars Workshop.

“My daughter absolutely loved it, she loved being a junior scientist with a certificate to prove it-she has the certificate on her bedroom wall!”

Parent Feedback ,Junior Marine Scientist

Image credit © Jamie McDermaid
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Image credit © Marie Seraphim, Scottish Seabird Centre

COMMUNITIES

Collaborating with local communities and scientific partners

It was a very good time of year for our beach clean work with over 121 engagements over 21 beach cleans. We also saw an increase in self-led clean-ups with at least 126 people inspired to borrow kits and conduct their own clean-ups. In keeping with the clean-up theme and inspiring people to become involved, our ‘New to Nature’ Conservation Assistant has been working with Keep Scotland Beautiful and Scottish Coastal Cleanup planning a team-up event in Musselburgh to highlight the impact of inland litter on marine pollution via our waterways. This will contribute to Keep Scotland Beautiful’s litter surveys which are used to campaign for upstream changes. Towards our goal of widening our reach and inspiring more people to take action, new connections are being forged with Fisherrow Harbour and Seafront Association, a volunteer run charity in Musselburgh. We will be using our experience of beach cleans and volunteer focused activities to support more events in Musselburgh.

1005 people visited our drop in stands at Bioblitz by the Sea and Orkney Science Festival and at the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Festival

Meet the Scientist events were well attended as we offered opportunities for people to join us and hear about Tracking the Bass Rock Gannets, Discovering Scotland’s Underwater Meadows, and Making Space for Sharks in our Busy Ocean. These events provide an opportunity for us to bring experts and audiences together to find out more and debate specialist topics.

Summer Festivals also provided us with the opportunity to meet and chat with many people through our ‘drop in stands.’ These events are a great opportunity to share expertise, spread our marine conservation message and signpost people to information and activities.

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47 people attended rockpool rambles at Fringe by The Sea Festival

100 engagements at 2 volunteer events

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Image credits (all on this page) © Jamie McDermaid engagements at 21 group beach cleans

Feedback from our Meet the Scientist Talks

“A really fascinating talk.”

“Favourite Part - Speakers passion for the subject. Brilliant talk. Really interesting subject. Learned a lot. Really excellent and brilliant talk.”

“Well done! It was a highly informative evening.”

“Great presenter, good up to date science and conservation.”

126 people inspired to take action and borrow kits for self-led clean-ups

67 engagements at 4 guided walks/talks for care homes, day centres, societies, and community groups.

135 participants attended 3 Meet the Scientist events

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Image credit © Dora Roden Image credits from top © Katty Baird, Jamie McDermaid A crisp packet from 1968 found on a beach clean Meetings With Moths: Katty Baird Meet the Scientist

SUPPORTERS

Thank you to all those who have made our work possible

We are grateful to all the loyal supporters, companies, Trusts and Foundations who make our work possible. Our particular thanks go to this year’s supporters (2023 -24) including:

• AEB Charitable Trust

• Awards for All

• Avian Flu Appeal donors

• Aviva Community Fund

• Baillie Gifford

• Benevity

• Big Give Christmas Challenge Donors

• Big Give Green Match Fund

• Cirrus Logic International UK

• Cray Trust

• Cruden Foundation

• East Lothian Educational Trust

• Enterprise Holdings Foundation

• Forth Ports

• Foyle Foundation

• Garfield Weston Foundation

• Gordon Fraser Charitable Trust

• Graham and Henrietta Somervell’s Wildlife Trust

• Hamish and Doris Crichton Charitable Trust

• Horace and Helen Gillman Trusts

• Hugh Fraser Foundation

• Inchcape Foundation

• Jardine Charitable Trust

• John Lewis Plc

• KPE4 Charitable Trust

• Legacy Mr Alexander Grant Gordon

• Lothian Employees Fund

• Mackintosh Foundation

• Marjorie Coote Animal Charity Trust

• MEB Charitable Trust

• Mindsets and Missions

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Image © Jamie McDermaid

• Mrs J B Wood’s Charitable Trust

• Nimar Charitable Trust

• New Park Educational Trust

• North Berwick Trust

• Puffin Kitchen

• Sandra Charitable Trust

• Scottish Enterprise

• Scottish Marine Environmental Enhancement Fund

• Scottish Seabird Centre Core Volunteer Group

• Sea-Changers

• Stafford Trust

• Swire Charitable Trust

• Sylvia Aitkin Charitable Trust

• Tay Charitable Trust

• TD Paton Trust

• Tesco’s Community Grants

• The Frognal Trust

• The Geoffrey Clarke Charitable Trust

• The J And JR Wilson Trust

• The National Lottery Community Fund – Platinum Jubilee Grant

• The Path Trust

• The Rotary Club of Romsey Test

• The Slater Foundation

• The Whitley Animal Protection Trust

• Thistledown Trust

• Treasure Charitable Trust

• Visions of Scotland

• Walker 597 Trust

• William Dean Countryside and Educational Trust

• William Grant Foundation

• William Haddon Charitable Trust

• Zoological Society of Hertfordshire

Many more individuals and groups have supported us financially, as well as through their time, expertise and gifts in kind. While it is not possible to list the many generous people who have given, we are extremely grateful.

seabird.org
Image © Jamie McDermaid
Registered Charity SC025837

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