A community project that has transformed seal viewing at the Ythan Estuary has been shortlisted for a prestigious Nature of Scotland Award, and it now needs the support of the North-east public.
DEV4 owner Gail Henderson, who is also a member of Newburgh & Ythan Community Trust, is encouraging fellow Chamber members and people across the region to vote for the Trust’s ‘Heads Up for Seals’ project.
The project is one of five finalists in the Community Initiative category of RSPB Scotland’s 2026 Nature of Scotland Awards. Unlike the other award categories, its winner will be decided by an online public vote.
Heads Up for Seals was developed in response to the disturbance caused by the large number of visitors trying to view the seals from the northern bank of the Ythan Estuary.
Working with NatureScot, VisitScotland, Aberdeenshire Council and other partners, the Trust created enhanced, sustainable viewing facilities on the southern shore. These allow people to enjoy one of the North-east’s most remarkable wildlife spectacles without disturbing the animals.
The first phase of the project delivered a new 76-space car park. This was followed by a 370-metre all-abilities boardwalk, a low-level viewing platform and a new high-level viewpoint.
Together, these facilities have made the area more accessible and enjoyable for residents and visitors while significantly reducing pressure on the seal colony.
The project demonstrates what can be achieved when a community and its partners work together. It protects an important natural habitat, improves the visitor experience and enables people of all abilities to enjoy this special part of the Aberdeenshire coast.
Winning the award would provide well-deserved recognition for the volunteers, organisations and wider community behind the project. It would also help highlight the importance of balancing public access to Scotland’s natural environment with the need to protect vulnerable wildlife.
The Nature of Scotland Awards celebrate individuals and organisations working to protect Scotland’s wildlife and natural environment. Being shortlisted places Heads Up for Seals alongside some of the country’s most inspiring community-led conservation projects.
As the Community Initiative Award is decided entirely by the public, every vote can make a difference.
Voting closes at 11pm on Thursday, September 24, 2026.
To support this important North-east project, vote for Heads Up for Seals using the RSPB’s online voting form which can be accessed through the RSPB site here:
https://www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happening/nature-of-scotland-awards/community-initiative-award