News - May 2009
Welcome to the second edition of the rebooted SEARS newsletter.
Biosecurity paramount
The SEARS Biosecurity Protocol has now been finalised and signed off by Programme Board.
This guidance was produced in a collaborative fashion by members of the SEARS family and is specifically aimed at SEARS staff that enter rural land including estate land, farms, crofts, woodland, plant nurseries, aquaculture units, lochs and rivers.
Good biosecurity practice refers to a way of working that minimises the risk of contamination and the spread of animal and plant pests and diseases, parasites and non-native species.
The new protocol should become a vital tool in helping prevent outbreaks and the spread of pests and diseases across rural Scotland.
It will be formally launched – along with a handy pocket guide – at this year’s Royal Highland Show.
Highland Show Health
The Royal Highland Show 2009 edges ever closer and this year’s theme is ‘health and wellbeing’. Not only will there be a SEARS presence at the Show, the first annual review of the project will be launched over the weekend. The public sector presence at the Show is also a good example of collaborative working under the SEARS banner.
James McDougall, Promotion and Events manager at the Forestry Commission Scotland –responsible for last year’s launch explains:
“This will be the third year we’ve come together and we now have a steering group that gets on really well.”
“This years event looks like it’s coming together nicely with activities ranging from Puppet shows to Green Screen projections which will hopefully make this years show, which runs from the 25th –28th June, the best yet.”
If you would like further information, please contact James on 0131 314 6372 or visit the Show website: www.royalhighlandshow.org
Programme Board
The SEARS Programme Board had its latest meeting on May 7. Chaired by the Scottish Government’s Rural Director Peter Russell, it was attended by representatives from across the SEARS family, and Historic Scotland – interested in the make-up of SEARS and how it does business – also came to the table.
The productive meeting covered a number of subjects and saw the sign-off of the SEARS annual review, biosecurity protocol and future consultation principles for SEARS partners.
The consultation principles in particular provoked a detailed discussion. The Board was able to agree a system which should reduce the delays rural land managers experience by cutting inefficiencies in how SEARS partners consult and respond to each other in relation to a range of consultations.
The principles will be circulated shortly and the Programme Board will meet again in the autumn.
