HEART OF ARGYLL WILDLIFE ORGANISATION
The Heart of Argyll Wildlife Organisation (HAWO), based in Argyll’s Knapdale Forest, is a charitable social enterprise founded to educate and inspire people of all ages about the ecological significance and rich biodiversity of this unique part of Scotland.
Education
Conservation
Citizen Science
Community Engagement
What we do
HAWO provides education sessions to schools and community groups across Argyll on ecology and environmental science, engages visitors and local people in conservation issues and provides opportunities for people to understand and care for the wildlife around them.
We work with other charities, stakeholders and agencies on a range of projects focused on conservation and community engagement.
Education
We visit schools, nurseries, and community groups of all ages and sizes throughout the year to share inspiring stories and activity sessions about the wonderful wildlife of Argyll. From soil sampling and pond dipping to designing wildlife-friendly outdoor spaces, our goal is to inspire curiosity and enthusiasm through hands-on learning.
We can adapt these sessions to meet particular interests or curriculum requirements, and can also host outdoor learning here at the Argyll Beaver Centre. If you're a teacher or group leader, don't hesitate to get in touch to discuss our options! Alternatively, take a look at some of our learning resources here.
Current Projects
Restoring Native Oysters
Oysters were once pivotal to people's lives and were a fundamental part of Scotland's marine ecosystem. As filter-feeders, they play a crucial role in cleaning algae and organic matter from the sea and improving water quality. Over time oysters amalgamate in reefs, which shelter juvenile fish and other sea creatures. Sadly, our native oysters (Ostrea edulis) have been depleted by over-exploitation, dredging and pollution: 95% of the UK's populations have disappeared since the mid-1800s. But they're on their way back! Seawilding, a neighbouring community organisation and partner of HAWO, is returning 900,000 oysters to Loch Craignish in a national lottery-funded reintroduction project.
HAWO is delivering the citizen science arm of the project, working with primary school and other groups to record the progress of the oysters' return. Find out more on Seawilding's website.
The project has designed and developed the Oyster Hoister to hang under the Ardfern Yacht Centre marina pontoons. Each suspended Oyster Hoister houses thirty mature oysters which will help clean up the marina's water and release spat: juvenile oysters.
Sponsor an Oyster Hoister here! By sponsoring an Oyster Hoister you become an active stakeholder in our community project, helping to further our aims. Each Oyster Hoister costs £150 in the first year and an annual service charge of £60 thereafter. We can inscribe your name or that of your boat on an Oyster Hoister nameplate.
Water Voles
Water vole populations in mid-Argyll have been virtually wiped out in recent decades, with numbers falling nationally by over 90% since 1950. These photogenic furry animals are important ecosystem engineers, contributing to the health and biodiversity of riparian habitats. Their burrows help to dry out soils, enhancing nutrients, increasing microbial activity and nitrate availability, which in turn leads to an increase in plant numbers and variety. For such a small animal, water voles have proven to be very resilient, coping with pollution, habitat changes and urbanisation. One thing they can't adapt to is over-predation. The most significant reason for their decline is the spread of non-native invasive American mink (Neovison vison), whose presence since the late 20th century has had a devastating impact on both water voles and ground-nesting birds.
HAWO is working towards restoring water voles to Knapdale, where reintroduced wild beavers have helped to create ideal habitat for their fellow rodents.
We have used funding from the Highlands and Islands Environment Foundation to carry out feasibility studies and to identify the best methods of restoring these endangered mammals.
Beavers
HAWO wouldn't exist without beavers. Both of our founding members were involved in the Scottish Beaver Trial and set up the Argyll Beaver Centre in 2017 to build on its success and legacy. Since then we have monitored, promoted and advocated for the wild beavers of Knapdale, observing their positive impact on the landscape as they have expanded wetland habitats and benefitted dozens of other species. Our guided beaver walk brings us up close to the animals each week, and we continue to monitor the entire population with field signs surveys and camera traps. Follow us on Facebook to see the latest footage from the field.
Citizen Science
One of HAWO's aims is to get as many people as possible involved in nature. A great way to do this is by taking part in citizen science surveys and species monitoring. We run moth mornings, bat walks, and joint sessions with the BTO and WeBS to record wetland bird species on the Add estuary.
We are taking part in Buglife Scotland's Guardians of our Rivers project, part of the Riverfly Partnership, which trains groups in how to survey their local rivers for freshwater invertebrates and learn about the health of Scotland's waterways.
Our
Facebook group
is a place to share sightings of local wildlife, ask questions and get advice on how to help protect it.
We also recommend logging your sightings on iRecord, the more data there is about what's here, the better placed we'll be to protect it.
Heart of Argyll Wildlife Organisation (HAWO) is a registered Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation | Charity No: SC047167