Prestigious win for Hebridean Whale Trail
There were celebrations all around the Hebrides on the evening of Wednesday 25th November as the winners of this year’s Nature of Scotland awards were announced. We are delighted that the Hebridean Whale Trail was named winner of the Coasts and Waters award. The Hebridean Whale Trail encourages accessible, low-impact whale-watching from land, at over 30 sites, showcasing the abundant wildlife and spectacular scenery across Scotland’s west coast. It was an honour to be recognised alongside some fantastic people and projects that were also shortlisted for the awards.
“We’re thrilled to have won this prestigious award, and hope this success will further promote the Hebridean Whale Trail, which has really caught people’s imagination since its launch last year. By promoting low-impact marine wildlife watching from land, the trail is championing the importance of protecting the Hebrides’ wonderful and globally important marine wildlife. Collaboration was key in forging the trail, and its success is testament to the people and communities who have come together to create this exciting initiative.”
The Nature of Scotland awards are led by conservation charity RSPB, and co-sponsored by national agency NatureScot. This year’s ceremony was held online and was hosted by BAFTA-winning naturalist Steve Backshall, and Euan McIlwraith who is a presenter on BBC’s Landward. HWDT staff celebrated the win over zoom with a wee glass of bubbly and a few tears of joy.
After a tough year for everyone the win comes as welcome news - there has never been a more important time to reconnect with nature. Visit whaletrail.org to start exploring the wild west coast and immerse yourself in the spectacular natural and cultural heritage that make this trail so special.
The Hebridean Whale Trail was established thanks to a grant from the Coastal Communities Fund. The Nature of Scotland awards, led by RSPB Scotland and co-sponsored by national agency NatureScot, are the country’s most prestigious annual environmental awards. The Coasts and Waters Award was sponsored by Scottish Water.