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Scottish Mink Initiative is a partnership led by the Rivers and Fisheries Trusts of Scotland (RAFTS) on behalf of the Scottish Wildlife Trust, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), the University of Aberdeen, the Cairngorms National Park Authority and 15 other organisations.
The Initiative is the result of a £920,000 investment in native wildlife conservation from organisations including; SNH, Tubney Charitable Trust and the Scottish Government LEADER 2007 - 2013 Programme.
The Initiative is building on the success of previous mink control projects in the Cairngorms National Park, Highlands and north east Scotland.
The aim is to secure multiple adjacent river catchments as areas free of breeding mink, protecting native wildlife, such as water voles, ground nesting birds and economically important populations of game fish and birds, to help protect local economic stability for the benefit of local communities.
This will be achieved by working to:
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Eradicate breeding mink from the Initiative area |
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Ensure the long term sustainability of mink control in the project areas through the coordinated and resourced transfer of responsibility for on-going mink management to local organisations |
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Share our methods and data with researchers which will raise awareness of the benefits of the community-based and adaptive management approach to invasive non-native species management. |
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Jamie Urquhart (C) |
Scottish Mink Initiative's work area covers a massive 20,000square km of north Scotland, from north Tayside, across Aberdeenshire, Moray, the Cairngorms and the Highlands. This incorporates the areas covered by previous projects.
There are five full time members of staff - four locally based Mink Control Officers who recruit and coordinate volunteer effort and a Coordinator who oversees the day to day running of the project. Details of how to contact Initiative staff can be found on the Contact Us page
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