Finechty Men’s Shed climb on board raft project to help combat mink menace
Finechty Men’s Shed have been doing their bit to help control the mink population across the north-east.
A trip to Forres for a men’s shed network meeting was to provide the inspiration for a most unusual project - building rafts to help detect the presence of mink on local rivers.
The rafts, on which are paced plasticine or clay mats, are situated in rivers and waterways and, if a mink walks across it, will leave its pawprints.
The main areas set to be targeted are the Spey and Deveron rivers.
Wild mink are considered a pest in the UK due to their negative impact on the environment. As they have no natural predators, their numbers are thriving. Among other things, they eat a lot of birds’ eggs and fish.
Finechty Men’s Shed chairman Allan Gargan said: “At the meeting we learned that other men’s sheds were making rafts so after the meeting we got in touch with the Scottish Invasive Species Initiative and said we’d like to get involved.
“We got the raw materials to build some rafts from the Scottish Invasive Species Initiative and they will be placed in the Spey and the Deveron. These are checked regularly by volunteers and if it’s ascertained that there are mink in the area humane traps will be set to try and catch them.
“These are monitored every day in case an animal other than a mink gets accidentally caught in them. Any minks found will be removed and humanely dispatched.”
In concert with other men’s sheds across the country, Finechty Men’s Shed are making a total of 20 rafts, with the aim of forming a widespread network of rafts and traps.
Each of the rafts have a lifespan of about a year.
In general, Findechty Men’s Shed is flourishing.
Mr Gargan continued: “We’re doing really well, we’ve got a good group of guys here.
“If we see a job needing done about the place we just get on and do it.
“We’ve got an average of 15 guys coming down here regularly with a total membership of 43.”
Among many other projects, the men’s shed are now involved in helping put up Findochty’s Christmas lights.
They also do regular talks about the men’s shed at the Oaks palliative care unit which deals with people living with cancer and non-malignant conditions.
The men’s shed, which is situated near the village’s east beach, is open 10am-2pm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and from 6pm to 9pm on Tuesday.
For more details and news about Finechty Men’s Shed, follow their Facebook page.
