Back in February this year Trees for Life, charity seeking to rewild large areas of the Scottish Highlands, initiated a judicial review of Nature Scot’s (formerly Scottish Natural Heritage) issuing of licenses to cull beavers on the River Tay.

Yesterday in a written judgment, Lady Carmichael said: “The first respondent (NatureScot) has a general practice of issuing licences without giving reasons for doing so.

“In approaching matters on the basis that it has no duty to give reasons for granting a licence, the first respondent has erred in law

“The contention is that the licences should have been reviewed and revoked because they should never have been issued in the first place.”

The court ruled NatureScot must set out openly and fully the reasons why it believes any future licence to kill beavers should be granted.

The reaction to this from Nature Scot’s Director of Sustainable Growth Robbie Kernahan, the man who is directly responsible for the licensing policy was remarkable. He is quoted in The Herald newspaper as saying that the judgement “vindicated” Nature Scot’s policy. Wow that’s some vindication Robbie! Some are calling for Robbie to go. We are calling for him to buy a dictionary and use it.