We’re really pleased that Joe FitzPatrick MSP has agreed to become our Nature Champion of Community Greenspaces and with his support look forward to further advocating the importance of community spaces and the nature that is found in them.

📣 Nature Champions News! 📣

Joe FitzPatrick MSP is the new #NatureChampion for Community Green Space!

Joe will be working with Scottish Environment LINK member Keep Scotland Beautiful to champion these important places for people and nature in Scottish Parliament.

Find out more:
scotlink.org/species/commun…

Invasive species are a major problem for Scottish watercourses. #INNSweek

Giant hogweed, Japanese knotweed and Himalayan balsam dominate many river banks where they outcompete native species and reduce biodiversity. 🌱

Riparian woodlands are #NatureChampioned by Rachael Hamilton MSP Scottish Borders

Invasive species aren't just on land, they pose significant threats to our freshwater & marine environments. #INNSweek

Cord-grasses, for example, threaten our native seagrass meadows, which are important nursery grounds for commercial fish.

#NatureChampioned by David Torrance MSP

Importance of nature for our economy was starkly underlined recently by @GFI_greenwho revealed that impact of nature degradation in the coming years will, at minimum, surpass the economic fallout of the Global Financial Crisis with a 6% hit on UK GDP & potentially as much as 12%

Recent research suggests that oyster bed restoration could double biodiversity in a 10-year period!

#RestorationForth & volunteers have returned nearly 20,000 oysters into the Forth so far, aiming to provide thriving habitats for a wide range of marine life. 💙

#BiodiversityDay

Red squirrels are the UK's native species, whereas invasive grey squirrels were introduced by the Victorians from North America. #INNSWeek

Saving Scotland's Red Squirrels is working to monitor & limit the spread of grey squirrels in Scotland.

#NatureChampioned by Alex Burnett MSP with Scottish Wildlife Trust

This #INNSWeek we’re talking #Rhododendron ponticum – an invasive non-native species that is one of THE biggest threats to native woodland in Scotland, especially #ScotlandsRainforest . Alliance for Scotland's Rainforest
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Scotland's Rainforest is threatened by #InvasiveSpecies , Rhododendron ponticum, which is present in over 1/2 of the rainforest area.

Rhododendron can colonise the rainforest, shading out important flora and outcompeting native trees.

#INNSWeek

#NatureChampioned by Jenni Minto MSP

Help #ScotlandsRainforest this #INNSWeek ! Spread the word about the problem of Rhododendron ponticum, and make sure you’re not spreading it yourself! Don’t buy it, and if you see it for sale, tell your garden centre why it’s such a threat.
📷 Gordon Rothero

“Many invasive plants, such as Rhododendron Ponticum & Himalayan Balsam are now having a dire impact...particularly in vulnerable temperate rainforests.'

Plantlife's Erin Shott discusses threats to UK rainforests during Invasive Species Week #INNSWeek
👉bit.ly/3WNUl46

🌿 New report 🌿

Today, we are launching a new report on Invasive Non-Native Species (INNS) in Scotland. INNS are a major threat to biodiversity globally and in Scotland, bringing significant economic impacts too.

Read the report: scotlink.org/publication/in…

#INNSweek 🧵

Wishing the Nature Champions #BeeTeam a happy #WorldBeeDay !

🐝 Alasdair Allan - Great Yellow Bumblebee
🐝 Mark Ruskell - Moss Carder Bee
🐝 Graham Simpson - Bilberry Bumblebee
🐝 Patrick Harvie 🇪🇺🌈 - Red Mason Bee

Hosted by Bumblebee Conservation Trust & Buglife.

scotlink.org/link-campaigns…

📣 Nature Champions News! 📣

Douglas Lumsden MSP is the new #NatureChampion for the Golden Plover!

Douglas will be working with Scottish Environment LINK member RSPB Scotland to champion these shy, yet regal waders in Scottish Parliament.

Find out more:
scotlink.org/species/golden…

Invasive Species Week starts today - learn more about this global threat to biodiversity, costing Scotland £246m a year. Join NatureScot's Stan Whitaker tomorrow for a webinar on how Scotland monitors & responds to non-native species threats orlo.uk/vUarg #INNSWeek