Nature boss hits out at ‘deeply disturbing’ attack on headquarters

An attack on the headquarters of Scotland’s nature agency has been branded “deeply disturbing” by the organisation’s chief executive.

Nick Halfhide, of NatureScot, also hit back at critics of his organisation, insisting some of their remarks had “crossed a line”.

He accepted that some decisions made by the public body, which advises ministers on issues such as biodiversity, could sometimes go against “what is perceived as popular opinion”.

Mr Halfhide said that “at times there appears to be a lack of understanding of our role and responsibilities”.

NatureScot came under fire from animal welfare campaigners last year when it granted a licence cull for hundreds of gannet chicks for the first time in four years.

Opposition to this cull, which takes place on the island of Sula Sgeir in the Outer Hebrides, led to slogans against the hunt being daubed on NatureScot’s Inverness headquarters

Mr Halfhide told MSPs on Holyrood’s Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee that “just this week our headquarters in Inverness has been attacked and vandalised for the second time, and that is deeply disturbing”.

He also told how staff had been reduced to tears by what he insisted were “baseless comments” about the organisation.

NatureScot was also criticised by conservationists last year for delaying a decision on plans to release beavers in a Highland glen.

Meanwhile, during a debate over whether there should be a new national park established in Galloway, he said members of the public had been “abusive to my members of staff” in a local supermarket.

Mr Halfhide said there could be a “strong response amongst some in the general public and in this Parliament” to decisions made by his organisation, adding this had “led to comments which in our view have crossed a line.

He said: “I haven’t got the words to hand, but they are on public record, some individuals calling our organisation ‘the worst in the western world’ and those individuals questioning the competence of some of our staff.

“The reason I raise that is because obviously I refute that. I have had staff in tears saying ‘I have dedicated my life to this work’ so to be denigrated in public, from my personal position it just crosses a line.

“I have to look after the welfare of my staff, I have not only a legal duty to do that but a personal duty, so I take those comments very seriously and, of course, I react when I hear people making those baseless comments.”