Thrill Of The Hill – Details, episodes & analysis

Thrill of the Hill returns for season 5, with an exciting line-up on new and returning guest speakers and specialists in their fields and on their hills.

With COP26 in Glasgow well in the rearview mirror and 2030 on the horizon, serious, measurable change has to be made in the fight against climate change. With Scottish Climate Week coming up, in this podcast we hear from Senior Carbon & Sustainability Consultant and returning guest to the podcast, Seamus Murphy on the progress made by Scottish farming to address climate change. We discuss changing perceptions on climate change in the industry, the reliability of carbon markets, the need for, not just individual action but a collective led campaign to keep global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius and talk candidly about the likely impacts of not doing so. 

Want to get in touch with Seamus, he can be contacted at SAC Consulting on 01292 525 145 or via email at seamus.murphy@sac.co.uk.

Related FAS Resources

Climate Change resources for farmers from Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)

Thrill of the Hill returns for season 5, with an exciting line-up on new and returning guest speakers and specialists in their fields and on their hills.

Life as a cow is difficult and complicated, on the one hand there is a general acceptance that their non-selective grazing, trampling and dunging can contribute to diverse grassland swards, ideal habitat for ground-nesting birds etc. and promote healthy soils. On the other hand, the production of methane and relatively high carbon footprints in comparison to other enterprises can leave cattle exposed to climate criticism. In this episode we talk with conservation consultant Helen Bibby and host of the Stock Talk podcast and returning guest Robert Ramsay for a broad discussion on cattle, cattle grazing and what makes them Scotland's preferred grazing animal. 

Want to get in touch with Helen, she can be contacted at SAC Consulting Oban on 01631 563 093 or via email at Helen.Bibby@sac.co.uk. Alternatively, you can contact Robert at SAC Consulting Ayr on 01292 525 171 or via email at Robert.Ramsay@sac.co.uk. 

Related Materials

https://www.fas.scot/downloads/tn686-conservation-grazing-semi-natural-habitats/ 

https://www.fas.scot/downloads/grazing-for-profit-and-biodiversity-grazing-strategies/ 

THRILL OF THE HILL | Farmland covers the Scottish landscape, between 70% and 80% of it, but farmers are not the only stakeholders in the countryside. Increasingly, the general public is interacting with farming and land management, encouraged by the prospects of adventure, points of interest, leisure, health, and well-being. The Scottish Outdoor Access Code (SOAC) makes provisions for responsible access to land and by and large that is achieved. In this episode, Bridget Jones, NatureScot, joins the podcast to discuss promoting sustainable, responsible access to the countryside, we discuss hidden gems, where people go and what they do when they get there, and mediating conflicts where they arise.    

Hosted by Alexander Pirie, Edited by Malcolm MacDonald, Produced by Beth Errington, Executive Producer Kerry Hammond, in association with The Scottish Government.

Related FAS Materials

https://www.fas.scot/publication/stock-talk-livestock-worrying-keeping-yourself-right-with-the-sheep-game/

THRILL OF THE HILL | When people think of Scotland, at some point visions of a red deer ranging across an open hill must enter the mind. Deer have become synonymous with the farmed upland environment in Scotland, bringing huge interest and benefits, but these are not without their challenges. In Scotland's pursuit of a green, low carbon, high nature value future, deer have proven themselves obstacles to be overcome and without active management, the uplands cannot flourish. In this episode, Michael Skelly, Highland Habitats takes us through the considerations when determining if you have a deer problem and the appropriate actions required to promote a sustainable upland environment.

Hosted by Alexander Pirie, Edited by Malcom MacDonald, Produced by Beth Errington, Executive Producer Kerry Hammond, in association with The Scottish Government.

Linked FAS Resources

Alternative Livestock Factsheet

Stock Talk: Deer Farming – what you need to know | Information helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)

Podcast: The Thrill of The Hill - Deer Farming & Management | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)

Linked Other Resources

Practical land management for the future - Highland HabitatsHighland Habitats | Practical land management for the future

Scotland’s wild venison sector launches ‘statement of intent’ on greenhouse gas emissions in response to climate emergency | Scottish Venison (scottish-venison.info)

scottish-biodiversity-strategy-2045-tackling-nature-emergency-scotland.pdf (www.gov.scot)

THRILL OF THE HILL | Agroforestry is an increasingly popular prospect for many in Scotland and across the UK, allowing farmers and crofters the opportunity to increase carbon sequestration, nature value and allowing for the continuation and enhancement of productive activity. In this episode, Ben Raskin, Head of Horticulture and Agroforestry for the @Soil Association joins us for a broad discussion on the benefits of agroforestry, insights from their own trial farm and to promote the upcoming Agroforestry Show, the UK's first agroforestry show taking place this upcoming September. 

Hosted by Alexander Pirie, Edited by Cameron Waugh, Produced by Beth Errington, Executive Producer Kerry Hammond, in association with The Scottish Government.

Related FAS Materials

https://www.fas.scot/downloads/soil-association-scotlands-agroforestry-in-action-knowledge-transfer-programme/

https://www.fas.scot/publication/agroforestry-in-scotland/

https://www.fas.scot/article/agroforestry-farming-with-trees/

Related External Materials

Home | Agroforestry show

Agroforestry On Your Farm (soilassociation.org)

THRILL OF THE HILL | An invasive species and a cause for concern among farmers and policymakers, bracken is a hot topic in the farmed upland environment. While the species has some habitat value and its presence can be indicative of land suitable for woodland regeneration, the plant can quickly spread, taking over areas of upland grass pasture and heather, cutting the area of land that can be utilised for farming. In this episode, Simon Thorp, coordinator for the Bracken Control Group shares his opinion on Scottish Government's recent decision on the use of Asulam, as well as discussing what he thinks the impact of a total ban will be and the alternatives to chemical control of bracken.  

The Scottish Government notes that the Health and Safety Executive advice to all four nations of the UK was not to authorise the emergency use of Asulox because of the risk it poses human, animal and environmental health. Independent advice from the SG Chief Scientific Adviser for Environment and Rural Affairs, and the Expert Committee on Pesticides supported this conclusion, and Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland consented to the HSE recommendation. The Scottish Government is committed to science based decision making, and have followed the same, well established and evidence based process we always follow for the authorisation of pesticides. The following link contains the Scottish Government Press Release on the decision, a Q&A document, an evidence review of the implications of not controlling bracken with asulam in Scotland commissioned by the SG, the advice from the SG CSA ENRA and from the ECP, and the HSE letter sent to the applicant outlining the reasons for refusal of the application. Use of Asulox for bracken control in Scotland in 2023 | SASA (Science & Advice for Scottish Agriculture)

Hosted by Alexander Pirie, Edited by Malcolm MacDonald, Produced by Beth Errington, Executive Producer Kerry Hammond, in association with The Scottish Government.

Related Materials

https://www.brackencontrol.co.uk/

Use of Asulox for bracken control in Scotland in 2023 | SASA (Science & Advice for Scottish Agriculture)

For more information, visit www.FAS.scot

Twitter: @FASScot

Facebook: @FASScot

National Advice Hub

Phone: 0300 323 0161

Email: advice@fas.scot

THRILL OF THE HILL | Sheep are synonymous with the farmed upland environment in Scotland but in times of change and with external and policy pressures now on it, the sector cannot sit idle. Last season we discussed what the cow of the future looks like and now sheep get their time in the spotlight as we try and unpick some of the complexities in improving flock performance with help from returning guest speaker and SAC Consulting sheep specialist Kirsten Williams as we talk maximising productivity, cutting waste, a place for wool and advocate for grazing livestock in Scotland's changing landscape.   

Hosted by Alexander Pirie, Edited by Malcom MacDonald, Produced by Beth Errington, Executive Producer Kerry Hammond, in association with The Scottish Government.

Related FAS Links

Podcast: Thrill of The Hill - Flock Resilience | Information helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)

THRILL OF THE HILL | With a lack of apex predators in Scotland, human intervention is often required to maintain a balance of nature, whether that is at the species, habitat or landscape scale. Predator control is an often unpleasant and more so important aspect of maintain equilibrium across different interests and in this episode, Paul Chapman, SAC Consulting sets out what the different options are for predator control, what species can be targeted, what protections exist and for what species and the non-lethal options available to protect vulnerable national priority species, as well as much more.

Hosted by Alexander Pirie, Edited by Malcom MacDonald, Produced by Alistair Trail, Executive Producer Kerry Hammond, in association with The Scottish Government.

Related FAS Resources

Technical Note (TN742): Predator Control for Conservation | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)

Predator Control For the Conservation of Ground-Nesting Birds | Information helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)

Other Related Resources

Codes of Practice - BASC

Predation control and conservation - Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (gwct.org.uk)

Farmers are custodians of the landscape in Scotland, and the farmed environment accounts for roughly 75% of all land in the country, but farmers need not take all that responsibility themselves. Agriculture adjacent, the game bird sector has a huge role to play in supporting the farmed upland environment and in this episode, Ross Macleod, Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust lays that all out, discussing the interplay between farming and the upland sectors, how we can work collaboratively, the role of gamekeeping, predator control and Muirburn, and crucially, the need for data driven decision making to deal effectively with biodiversity decline and climate change.

Hosted by Alexander Pirie, Edited by Malcolm MacDonald, Produced by Kerry Hammond, Executive Producer Kerry Hammond, in association with The Scottish Government.

Related Materials

https://www.fas.scot/environment/biodiversity/habitat-impact-assesment-best-practice-guidance-on-the-management-of-wild-deer-in-scotland/

https://www.fas.scot/environment/biodiversity/how-to-provide-for-wading-birds/surveying-farmland-wading-birds/

https://www.fas.scot/environment/biodiversity/muirburn-code/

https://www.gwct.org.uk/

https://www.bfbc.org.uk/

For more information, visit www.FAS.scot

Twitter: @FASScot

Facebook: @FASScot

National Advice Hub

Phone: 0300 323 0161

Email: advice@fas.scot

Episode #12 – A Damming Conclusion? Beavers are a keystone species and their presence in Scotland could go a long way to achieving land landscape scale nature restoration that Scottish Government want to achieve. They are, like humans, ecosystem engineers and the natural processes they encourage can bolster other vulnerable habitats and species. But beavers come with challenges, they will naturally be inclined to block ditches and watercourses, burrow into productive agricultural fields and will by design, leave areas flooded. Obviously there are places in Scotland where this could be and has been highly disruptive. After hundreds of years without them, can farming and beavers find common ground?

If you would like to see any of the press releases, journals, or further information that Euan referred to, please contact the FAS advice line who can provide you with this information.