Wildlife champions across the north and north-east were honoured last night in an extravagant awards ceremony held by the RSPB.
Butterflies, seabirds and peatland restoration were just some of the inspiring projects to take home top prizes during the event at the Sheraton Grand Hotel.
Schemes in Aberdeenshire and the Highlands scooped three out of eight of last night’s awards hosted by Springwatch presenter Iolo Williams.
The Fishing for Litter Scotland group, which encourages fishermen in the North Sea to bring ashore rubbish they find for processing and recently took its 200th tonne of waste into Peterhead, won the Marine Conservation Award.
Tom Prescott, of Butterfly Conservation, collected the RSPB Species Champion Award for his project: Delivering advice to benefit Marsh Fritillary in Scotland.
The initiative worked with farmers and landowners on over 200 sites in the Highlands to create and manage habitats that benefit this type of butterfly.
Meanwhile, Cairngorms National Park Authority picked up the Innovation Award for making one-fifth of the park blanket bog.
Mr Williams said: “Scotland is a country that I love and visit regularly, so it’s fantastic to see such passionate people dedicated to protecting its wildlife and wild places.
“That’s exactly what these awards are about – recognising and celebrating the efforts of those working hard to safeguard nature for future generations.”
Minister for environment, climate change and land reform, Dr Aileen McLeod, said: “Scotland is renowned for its great diversity of wonderful landscapes, habitats and wildlife, which have helped to shape Scotland’s identity throughout the world.”
Stuart Housden, Director of RSPB Scotland, said: “From the bottom of our seas to the tops of our mountains, indeed in every corner of Scotland, nature needs our help and these are the people dedicated to doing just that.
“I left the event feeling humbled by all of the hard work going on to give Scotland’s precious wildlife a home. I am looking forward to following the progress of the great projects recognised by these awards in the future.”
The awards were attended by more than 200 industry professionals, community groups, politicians and conservationists.