17th January -SMI seminar presentation at the James Hutton Insitute, Aberdeen.

24th February -SMI presents for Perth Scottish Widlife Trust Members, Luncarty (SWT Member only).

28th February - Riparian Mammals Seminar 7pm Locus Centre, Aberfeldy - open to all with no charge but booking essential contact Ann-Marie MacMaster.

29th February - SMI presents to National Trust for Scotland Conservation Volunteers, Aberdeen (NTS CV only), location to be confirmed.

7th March - SMI presents to BASC's Gamekeepers Day, Scone, Perth (Invitation only).

10th March - Illustrated presentation and workshop "How to monitor for mink" training day, Loch of the Lowes, 10am-2pm. Open to all, no charge booking essential contact Ann-Marie MacMaster.

13th April - SMI presents to Tarves Heritage Trust, Aberdeenshire. Details to be confirmed.

Patagonian grebes are under threat from American mink in Argentina. Aves Argentina (BirdLife Argentina) are working to help the endgangered grebes.

Read the story on the BirdLife website

Glamis Countryside Fair
We’re going to have a stall at Glamis Fair so please come and find us and say hello!  More information about the fair can be found on their website

New Flickr group opened for volunteers to upload their photos
We have opened a Flickr group so that our volunteers can share their photographs of mink, mink raft prints and the sights they see when out checking rafts.  If you would like to join the group, please go to http://www.flickr.com/groups/scottishmink

Non-native plant training session a success!
Sarah held a non-native plant training session which helped volunteers identify non-native plants along the River Ythan and around the North East.

February 2012 NEW! The Cairngorms Water Vole Conservation Project has been nomintated for an RSPB Nature of Scotland award! See the full nomination list on the RSPB website, the winner will be announced on March 1st 2012.

Since the launch of the Initiative, we have been working hard to promote our work and encourage members of the community to volunteer.  Here is a selection of articles and news items which have been published

12th May 2011: American mink 'safe have' project underway

Other Non-native Species Work in the News

As well as our own work hitting the headlines, there are many other non-native species projects raising the profile of the issue.  Here is a selection of articles we have found interesting but if you find one you’d like to share, please let us know.

21st September 2011: Mink Project: Evidence wild bird populations showing some signs of recovery

6th August 2011: ‘Killer’ shrimps worst alien invader of waterways

15th Decemeber 2010: Non-native species cost ‘British economy £1.7bn’