18/03/2017
Euan McIlwraith investigates the problem of dog walkers unable to handle large groups of dogs, plus Mark Stephen hears from Stanley Reid, whose business was damaged by flooding.
Euan investigates the growing problem of professional dog walkers being unable to handle a large group of dogs and the potential issues that might cause for farmers with livestock in our countryside.
Mark hears from Stanley Reid whose garage business in Inverurie was badly damaged by flooding last year. The impact on him was not just financial but also emotional.
That impact is something that The James Hutton Institute and School of Geosciences at the University of Aberdeen are researching. They are looking at the concept of "social-ecological resilience", that is the ability of a community to withstand environmental shocks such as flooding. Dr Lorna Philip, Senior Lecturer in geography and environment from Aberdeen University explains more.
Caroline Millar is a farmer with an interesting diversification business. She runs The Hideaway Experience at her Dundee farm which offers couples the chance of romantic getaways in a rural setting. Mark finds out where the idea came from.
Martin Cook is a lifelong bird watcher who has spent the past thirty years in Moray. Mark met him at Spey Bay to see what they could spot and find out more about the flora and fauna of the area.
Next Saturday we bring you a special Out of Doors looking at some of our favourite places in Scotland. To get us in the mood, Euan visited one of his favourite places, Hill of Alvah near Banff.
In the next few days Ospreys will begin to appear at nest sites throughout Scotland after their long trip from Africa. Euan joins the team at the Loch of the Lowes near Dunkeld as the nest there gets its annual check-up. For someone afraid of heights, climbing up to an Osprey nest is no mean feat...
Monday is the vernal equinox. It's a day to celebrate as it means summer is finally on the way. Near the village of Whitehills there's a strange structure built to live in harmony with the Equinox. It's deeply associated with myth and legend and Euan visited to find out more.
And this week's soundscape is the sound of spring, a pond of frogs.