South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth was honoured to accept his award for Scottish Environment Link’s MSP Nature Champion of the Year 2024.
The local MSP is the Scottish Parliament’s Nature Champion for the Badger and was announced as the 2024 MSP Nature Champion of the Year at Scottish Environment LINK’s Annual Reception in Edinburgh back in December.
The Nature Champions initiative, led by Scottish Environment LINK, encourages Members of the Scottish Parliament to champion threatened and iconic species and habitats, raising awareness and promoting action to protect and restore Scotland’s environment.
On Friday, Colin Smyth joined Scottish Badgers Secretary Dr. Elspeth Stirling and Programme Manager Elaine Rainey in Dumfries to check on badger road death hot spots in the town. During this event, Colin was presented with his MSP Nature Champion of the Year 2024 award.
Colin Smyth said: “It was great to meet with Elspeth and Elaine in Dumfries last week and get an update on the fantastic ongoing work being done by Scottish Badgers.
“The charity and their volunteers work tirelessly across the country, monitoring badger levels and looking at ways of ensuring badgers can live in harmony with the rest of countryside without facing threats from appalling practises such as badger baiting, the destruction of setts and an increasing level of road kills.
“It is fantastic that as part of my role as Nature Champion, I am able to get out and meet with groups like this who are doing amazing conservation work and raising awareness of issues facing our native creatures like the badger. People can have strong views on badgers, not always positive, but my role is to work with groups to make sure that the approach taken to any species is based on evidence not myths.
“We all need to become nature champions if we’re to ensure that some of the amazing creatures and places that we love are still around for our children and grandchildren.”
Speaking of the Nature Champion award, Colin Smyth continued: “I was honoured to be awarded 2024 MSP Nature Champion of the Year, and it is testimony to hard work and dedication of the charity Scottish Badgers.
“This award is very much dedicated to Eddie Palmer, who helped found Scottish Badgers but who sadly passed away in November. Eddie was an enormous guide to me in my role, but I know everyone at Scottish Badgers is committed to continuing Eddie’s work.
“Right across Scotland, everyday volunteers fight to protect and enhance Scotland’s wonderful wildlife and beautiful natural environment and they are the real nature champions.”
Elaine Rainey, Programme Manager for Scottish Badgers, says: “We are delighted to see Colin’s achievements recognised with this award. During his 10+ years as the Scottish Parliament’s Nature Champion for the Badger, Colin was never failed to stand up for badgers. He’s always been willing to get his hands dirty while out on site visits with our team, meeting our membership and listening to our concerns. We are extremely grateful for the support he has shown to our cause over the years and for his skilled input into the legislative changes affecting badgers.”
