Call to pay farmers for Highland livestock killed by rewilded lynx
Farmers whose sheep are killed by lynx should be paid for their losses as an incentive to reintroduce the wild cats back into the Scottish Highlands, a report has said.
Hunting and habitat loss drove lynx to extinction in Scotland in the Middle Ages. But rewilding campaigners have pushed for them to be brought back to restore ecosystems, including helping to control Scotland's burgeoning deer population.
The detailed analysis, which sets out what a lynx reintroduction project in Scotland would need to do to ensure the animals and people could coexist, was informed by more than 50 interested parties, including farmer and landowner organisations, gamekeepers, foresters, tourism operators and conservationists.
The National Lynx Discussion — with meetings taking place over nine months — was organised
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
37 minutes ago
- BBC News
Peterborough school head teacher wants to buck low literacy trend
The head teacher of a city junior school said he was on a mission to make "lifelong readers" out of his Augustine's Junior School in Peterborough is located in an area where pupil literacy rates were below the national by the Literacy Trust showed just two-thirds of pupils in the city finished primary school at the expected reading level."We really want to buck that trend as much as possible," said headteacher Sam Brunt. The school has pupils from 32 countries of origin with 35 different languages spoken, which Mr Brunt said posed some challenges but also "presents lots of opportunities"."Looking back, I probably had quite a sheltered upbringing, whereas the good thing about our school is we've got loads of opportunities to share different beliefs and different languages," he at the school encouraged reading with an outdoor book bus in the school's garden, which the children are free to use during break also have a dedicated session each day where a teacher reads a story, which deputy head and English lead Jen Brattan said was "a priority"."We host reading cafes where we get as many parents into school as possible to teach them about the importance of reading," she said."It's easy to think you don't need to read with [older] children anymore, and we send that message that no matter what age your child is, they love to sit down and enjoy a book with an adult." Research by the Literacy Trust shows reading for fun enhances young people's academic performance as well as their wellbeing and said just one in five young people aged between five and 18 read for enjoyment, a figure which was a "concerning" all-time wards in Peterborough were deemed to be in the top 10% of wards in the country with the greatest "literacy need", according to the Augustine's has several pupils who act as reading champions by encouraging their peers to get involved in reading for a year six pupil, said: "I like reading because it makes you feel like you're in your own dream that you can control."Emilija, in year five, said: "When you sit down with your book, you feel nice and relaxed," while Ellie, in the same year group, said: "I like reading because it helps me learn new vocabulary, and helps me to go in different worlds." Peterborough City Council said it was working with families and schools to try and tackle low literacy rates, especially in more deprived Cole, the cabinet member for children's services, said: "There is a challenge, which could be working patterns [or] it could be access to books."She said the council was working with schools where literacy levels were lower to come up with an improvement plan and encourage those doing well to share best practice."Teachers are very good at magpie-ing," said Cole, who has been a teacher for 20 years."They see an initiative that works in one school, take it on board, thinking 'how can I implement that in my own setting?'" Follow Peterborough news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Symbolic tree in Reading used to help recruit foster carers
A tree planted to symbolise keeping children in care rooted in the communities they come from has been decorated with messages from foster parents and young Fostering held an information event at the tree - planted four years ago - in Reading town centre as staff sought to recruit more Capan, who works for the agency, said some children have to be placed outside their hometown because of a lack of foster can foster children from Reading if they have a spare room, are aged over 21 and live within 20 miles of the town. "Due to the lack of fosters carers in the past and even currently, children end up going out of area which we don't want for them," said Ms Capan."We want them to be secure here in Reading so that's what the tree symbolises."Sinead Gibson, who has fostered for nearly 20 years, said she enjoys the difference she can make."I've learned that you can just never predict," she said."You might get a description of the child and the child may have loads of difficulties on paper and then when the child comes to you, you're just a fit and it works." You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Parents 'respect' head's decision to leave Yeadon school
Parents have said they do not blame a headteacher and his staff for deciding to leave a primary school amid uncertainty about its Primary School in Yeadon was due to shut at the end of the school year but the plan was paused after parents launched a legal challenge over the council's decision. Headteacher Mark Duce, who will not return in September, said because of the lack of clarity over the school's future he and other teachers had taken the "incredibly hard decision" to find new jobs. Vicky Lancaster, whose children attended Queensway, said: "The work Mark has done has been amazing, and everybody in that school, we all respect him and just want the best for him." The school, which had already fought off closure in 2023, was due to shut at the end of the summer term due to dwindling pupil numbers and financial specialist education lawyers for Irwin Mitchell successfully challenged the authority's decision based on "significant flaws in the consultation process".Since then, parents and staff said they had been left in limbo over its future while Leeds City Council was working on a report on options for its Lancaster said: "I have the utmost respect for all the teachers, and Mark especially, and I understand they've had to do what's right for them." The 40-year-old said she had already moved her son and daughter to another school."I felt very disloyal doing this but the council has given us no indication what's going to happen, so because of this I decided it was time for them to leave."She said the school community could "hold their heads up high" at what they had parent, Rick Ansell, said parents and teachers had been "backed into a corner where they're forced to choose between paying the mortgage, or staying and praying the school survives".Mr Duce, who has been Queensway's head for four years, said he had "so much guilt" about his decision to leave but had reached a point where the school's future was out of his control."There's so much guilt because we do not want to leave this wonderful school behind."But from a human and personal point of view, it's got to the point where the lack of clarity and the uncertainty continuing going forwards, I've had to make that decision to look elsewhere."He said the board of governors were working hard to find a replacement head and new teachers, but that he would not leave the school in a "weakened position".Leeds City Council said a report on the school was expected to be presented to the council's executive board in July.A spokesperson said: "As a foundation school, it is the governing body which is responsible for employment matters at the school, including the recruitment and retention of teaching staff. "The council continues to seek to provide support and advice to the school and is actively engaged with the head and governing body to ensure the school is appropriately staffed for September 2025." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
