From The Editor

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ONE of the noticeably welcome changes of the last year has been a resurgence of wildlife.

With reduced levels of traffic (and pollution) and perhaps with more people outdoors for vital exercise and noticing changes, wildlife has flourished and thrived in some places.

My home office for the last year has been in a room at the front of our house with a sprawling pink rose bush marking the change of seasons. Regular visitors for berries and insects have been coal tits, blue tits and a great tit. A rowan tree to the front of the house was the preserve of a song thrush for some weeks in early winter as he jealously guarded the last berries, fending off sparrows seeking their fair share.

On local walks it has been a delight to witness the appearance of tufted ducks at a local pond – and from one initial pair last summer there are now at least three pairs. A heron was an occasional visitor and a ringed plover another welcome sight.

Bullfinches and chaffinches are now regular (rather than occasional) sights amid the sparrow and blue tit families residing in nearby trees and hedgerows. Deer are sighted regularly in local fields. During the snows of February, my elderly mother looked out of a window at 3am and found two young deer nibbling her urban hedge. My daughter and I were also delighted to spot a young stag pausing on a nearby street (normally filled with parked cars) before heading into a nearby wood. These were things that may not have happened or been noticed if it had not been for the coronavirus pandemic.

Studies have also shown that air is a little cleaner in most (but not all) pollution hotspots across Scotland. Enforced change has made a difference to our environment and my personal hope is that some of the changes which have contributed to this reduction can at least be partially retained as our world opens up again to a very different ‘normal’.

“It is important to remember that we are both stewards and guardians of the resources gifted to us by God.

For as the season changes to warmer days and a summer of delight at being allowed to mingle again (albeit in a limited way and with some restrictions likely to continue), it is important to remember that we are both stewards and guardians of the resources gifted to us by God.

As Christians we are called to care for creation and do what we can (and the smallest adjustments can contribute to the biggest differences) and creating positive change for our environment would surely be a welcome positive legacy of the global pandemic. ¤

Lynne McNeil Editor