Trusted Ad Partner

conservation: Stand Up for Coul Links - Scotland’s Wild Coastline Needs Your Voice

---

8 September 2025 
By James Hamilton

Northern Brown Argus by Jim Asher

​The future of Coul Links – one of Scotland’s most precious wild landscapes – is hanging in the balance. Ministers at Holyrood are set to decide whether this nationally and internationally important site will remain protected, or be sacrificed to make way for a golf course.
​
A coalition of leading conservation groups is urging the public to act now. They are asking people across Scotland and beyond to contact their MSPs and call for the refusal of a development that would cause lasting damage to this irreplaceable habitat.

Why Coul Links Matters
Coul Links, on the East Sutherland coast, is a breathtaking expanse of rolling sand dunes. Its windswept landscape shelters a remarkable variety of plants and animals, some of them found nowhere else in the world.

The site is home to the Fonseca’s Seed Fly (Botanophila fonsecai) – a globally endangered insect – and supports rare butterflies such as the Northern Brown Argus and the elusive Northern Groundling moth. Birdlife thrives here too, making it a haven for wildlife watchers.

This unique environment is so valuable that it carries the highest levels of legal protection. It is part of a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), a Special Protection Area (SPA) for birds, and a Ramsar wetland site recognised internationally.

The Threat Facing Coul Links
Despite these protections, a proposal for an 18-hole golf course was resubmitted in 2023. Although conservation organisations, thousands of members of the public, and even the Government’s own advisers at NatureScot voiced strong objections, the Highland Council voted narrowly in favour.

The case was “called in” by Scottish Ministers, leading to a public inquiry. Now, the decision rests with Ministers – a ruling that could either safeguard Coul Links for generations to come or open the door to its destruction.

Nature Under PressureThis debate comes at a time when Scotland’s wildlife is under severe strain. The latest State of Nature report shows that 43% of species are in decline and one in nine faces extinction. Against the backdrop of a nature and climate emergency, campaigners argue that decisions on planning must support Scotland’s commitments to protect 30% of land and sea for nature by 2030.
​
A United Call to Action
The campaign is backed by a coalition of respected organisations, including Buglife, Butterfly Conservation Scotland, Marine Conservation Society, National Trust for Scotland, Plantlife Scotland, RSPB Scotland and Scottish Wildlife Trust.

​Their message is clear: Coul Links is too important to lose.

• Craig Macadam, Buglife: “If this development goes ahead, it will devastate the unique invertebrate communities of Coul Links. We stopped it once before with the public’s help – and together, we can do it again.”
• Dan Hoare, Butterfly Conservation Scotland: “Butterflies and moths that depend entirely on these dunes will be driven to the brink if the golf course goes ahead.”
• Stuart Brooks, National Trust for Scotland: “We want everyone to enjoy this wild landscape. The Government must protect it from harmful development.”
• Alistair Whyte, Plantlife Scotland: “Coul Links carries three legal protections for a reason. Ministers now have the chance to prove those protections mean something.”
• Anne McCall, RSPB Scotland: “Species recovery depends on protecting the best places for nature. Coul Links is one of those places.”
• Jo Pike, Scottish Wildlife Trust: “Nature depends on us at Coul Links. By holding the Government to account, we can protect this landscape and move towards a nature-positive future.”

​How You Can Help
The fate of Coul Links is not yet sealed. Public pressure made the difference in 2020, when a similar proposal was rejected – and it can again.
By contacting your MSP and asking them to defend Scotland’s wild heritage, you can help ensure Coul Links remains a sanctuary for rare wildlife and a place of wonder for generations to come.

Coul Links by Bea Ayling

---

📚 OTHER POPULAR STORIES TO READ:

​Next article: Five essential tips when choosing a new nest box for your garden
Next article: SWAROVSKI OPTIK release light and compact ATC/STC spotting scopes
Next article: Five of our favourite springtime wildlife sights and sounds
​Next article: Six of the best RSPB nature reserves to watch owls in the UK 
Next article: The best nature reserves to head to in the cold weather
Next article: Endangered tansy beetle hides out at WWT Welney​