Cashback for Sports Facilities

The Scottish Government have announced that the CashBack for Communities scheme can now be used to fund the development of sports facilities.

The announcement suggests that this will primarily be done via football and the SFA.

Protection for Bean Geese

The designation of the Slamannan Plateau as a Special Protection Area under the EC Birds Directive will provide additional safeguards for Scotland's only population of Taiga bean geese.

The Slamannan Plateau lies between Falkirk and Cumbernauld, around the headwaters of the River Avon, and consists of areas of peatland, wetland and rough and improved grassland. This important mosaic of habitat provides suitable feeding and roosting areas for the geese during their winter residency in Scotland.

Bean geese were first identified in the area during the 1980s, and their numbers and distribution have been monitored annually since the early 1990s. Over that time, the population has grown to over 200 birds.

More...