New owner of tiny Scottish island and his plan to help save Scotland's seabirds
Càrn Deas in the Summer Isles has a new owner with a grand plan.
A businessman who fulfilled a “lifelong dream” by buying a Scottish island wants to set up a centre on its shores to help save Scotland’s seabirds.
Robert Graham, of Moffat in the Borders, now owns Càrn Deas in the Summer Isles, which spans just 22 acres.
Mr Graham, who is understood to have headed up an IT company, has applied to Highland Council to create a bird observatory and education centre on the island far from the “constantly connected world”.
It would be home to his new charity, the Summer Isles Organisation for Avian Restoration.
However he is facing opposition to the plans from NatureScot, which is concerned about the potential impact on storm petrels.
Mr Graham, in an earlier report to planners, spoke of his love of nature forged in childhood and the role Càrn Deas will play in helping children and adults make similar connections with the natural world.
He said: “It is extremely difficult in today’s constantly connected world that we live in, to get a sense of separation to build a relationship with our natural environment.
“In many cases the relationship an individual has with the natural environment is borne from childhood experiences, leading to an interest and a need to regain those nostalgic feelings of excitement and wonder with the natural world around us.
“As we have progressed into a more technology connected environment,the opportunity to establish that connection has become more difficult to achieve.
“In many cases the default position of a child or young adult is in front of a device unaware of the environment in their immediate vicinity.
“The purpose of the Càrn Deas Trust will be to offer that opportunity for children and adults alike to establish a connection with nature that will hopefully accompany them throughout their life, as it has myself.”
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It is proposed that the centre becomes a hub for seabird habitat preservation and restoration which can be accessed by local people, visitors and academics.
The Summer Isles is home to a number of fragile species of seabirds, including the Storm Petrel which breeds on neighbouring Priest Isle. A 79 per cent loss in numbers of the species nationwide was reported by RSPB Scotland last year amid a “devastating decline” in seabird populations overall.
Mr Graham said he will use community engagement, scientific research and conservation efforts to “ensure a thriving future for avian species and the ecosystems that depend on them”.
Key aims of the SIOAR include habitat restoration to improve and protect critical nesting and feeding sites for marine birds.
Invasive species will be controlled and removed, where possible, with native vegetation planted to support bird populations, which will be monitored at the observatory.
Information will be gathered on population trends, migration patterns and environmental threats, with data used to support populations of threatened marine birds and the development of new policy.
Mr Graham has been in talks with NatureScot over his plans. This week, the government agency objected to his proposals given the impact the development of the observatory and education centre could have on the population of Storm Petrels on Priest Island, a Special Protected Area (SPA ) for the species.
Storm Petrels also breed on Càrn Deas and the populations on both islands are likely to be connected.
A letter from NatureScot to planners said: “The proposed development has connectivity with an SPA of international importance for European Storm Petrel.
“The proposal could affect internationally important natural heritage interests and we therefore object to this proposal.”
The Scotsman has approached Mr Graham for comment.
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