Find SNH press releases  about the Loch Lomond NNR.

Wild Goose Trail event - Sunday 22nd January

Would you like to know more about the geese that visit during the winter months? Well, why not come along on the Wild Goose Trail which is being run by Scottish Natural Heritage and the National Park - where you can explore part of the Loch Lomond National Nature Reserve and surrounding area to look for, and find out about the 4 species of geese that come here. If we're lucky we may even be able to track down some of the local, Loch Lomond flock of Greenland white fronted geese.

The event is in two parts and you can take part in either or both:

Session 1: 1:30 - 3:00pm - looking for geese in the local area with the mini bus, Session

2: 4:00 - 5:00 - watching geese coming in to roost from a local vantage point, which can be pretty spectacular.

Booking is essential: please contact Steve Longster on 01786 450362 or email STIRLINGNNRS@snh.gov.uk

Greenland white fronted geese return to fields near to the Gartocharn Millennium Hall

After an absence of nearly 2 years, Gartocharn locals were very happy to see the Loch Lomond flock of Greenland white fronted geese return to the fields just to the south of the Gartocharn Millennium hall. On Monday 12th December, 170 geese were counted on the fields and we know that they used it the day before and the day after. Prior to this, we hadn't recorded the whitefront using this location since Jan uary 2010 although of course they may have used them when we weren't around!. It's great to see them using these fields again - as it is probably the easiest location for people to view them. White fronts are extremely sensitive to disturbance but they seem happy enough to use this location with the current level of human activity - although you will usually see them waddling away from you when see them.

Tim Jacobs 14th Dec 2011

So what's the grass cutting all about?

While walking along the shore wood path recently I have been asked several times why we've cut the grassy vegetation just before the Net Bay view point. Well if you'd like to know the answer please read on.............................

Since fencing off the loch shore, so that we could upgrade the path in 2004, the vegetation has developed in to a really nice piece of diverse meadow at this location. You may have noticed the variety of flowers and you may have even noticed the small if small copper butterflies in the summer? Although we would like to take the credit for creating this meadow, it was unplanned but a very pleasant bonus! But if we don't remove the growth after the flowering season, i.e. at the end of the summer, it will gradually become ranker and dominated by the more aggressive grass species, and then scrub. By cutting and removing the vegetation we are keeping the fertility down which should ensure that we keep the lovely wee meadow that has developed.

As well as cutting the vegetation, we removed the cut material earlier this week and I have attached a couple of photos showing before and after our work.

Please note that although Nick may be in both photos - I also took part in the raking as well as taking the photos!  Enjoy the meadow next year! Tim

Management for water voles and dragonflies

The reserve was given a boost recently when a party of National Park volunteers came along and undertook some habitat management with us, on the Aber bogs - at the Endrick Mouth. They helped to recreate open water by removing floating vegetation that gradually builds up. By doing this they have helped dragonflies and water voles that depend on open water. In fact, volunteers on the previous volunteer event on the Aber bogs were lucky enough to see a water vole and an eel. The accompanying photo shows some of the volunteers hard at work. And it is pretty strenuous work dragging out wet vegetation - but worth it when you get to see some of the wildlife that you're helping!

Tim Jacobs 11/11/2011