A major boost for dragonflies is taking shape in Scotland thanks to a new five-year partnership.
The British Dragonfly Society and Forestry and Land Scotland have joined forces to protect and restore habitats for some of the country’s most threatened species.
The renewed agreement builds on earlier work that created and enhanced dragonfly habitats in forests across the country.
This effort supports the wider goals of Scotland’s Biodiversity Strategy to 2030, with a clear focus on ecosystem restoration.
Under the new partnership, the two organisations will restore and create ponds on publicly managed forest land.
This work is vital for increasing breeding populations of rare dragonflies like the Northern Damselfly and the White-faced Darter.
The Northern Damselfly, which is only found in the north-east Highlands, is listed as Endangered on the UK Red List.
Scotland Conservation Officer Jen Davidson described the partnership as a practical way to make forestry work more biodiverse.
She said the aim is to combine good forestry with targeted conservation that will create new opportunities for dragonflies.
Raising awareness, sharing best practices and managing land with a biodiversity focus are all central to the plan.
The White-faced Darter is already benefiting from work carried out under the previous agreement.
At Devilla Forest in Fife, an official dragonfly hotspot, a new interpretation board was installed in 2022 to help visitors spot different species.
New ponds in Mabie Forest in Dumfries and Galloway have supported species such as the Common Hawker, now listed as Endangered on the European Red List.
Other dragonflies like the Emperor and Broad-bodied Chaser have also been recorded as moving north into Scotland from England.
Surveys also detected the Variable Damselfly and Hairy Dragonfly in southern parts of the country.
FLS Environment Manager Colin Edwards said the renewed partnership would give staff access to vital training and expert advice.
He said the partnership helps FLS include dragonfly conservation in forest management and practical day-to-day decisions.
This means habitat creation and maintenance can happen where it will have the most impact, especially for rare species.
The work also ties into the BDS Dragonflies on the Bog project, which focuses on rare peatland species.
That project is restoring breeding grounds for dragonflies like the Azure Hawker, Northern Emerald and White-faced Darter.
NatureScot’s Nature Restoration Fund is supporting that work, which is focused in the north-west Highlands.
Some of the rare species supported by the project are already found near FLS-managed sites such as Glen Affric.
By coordinating efforts, the organisations hope to protect dragonfly species on a landscape scale across Scotland.
