JOURNAL for Stronger Wild Land Protection 28 Why Wild Lawyers Believe That 63 AUTUMN 2017 Nature Should Have Legal Rights
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JOHN MUIR TRUST 18 The awe-inspiring symbol of Scotland’s wild and lonely places 22 The social and economic case JOURNAL for stronger wild land protection 28 Why Wild Lawyers believe that 63 AUTUMN 2017 nature should have legal rights Hands on 21 years of the John Muir Award CONTENTS 03 REGULARS 05 Chief Executive’s welcome 06 News (including two-page pathwork update) 30 Wild moments Artist David Bellamy travels with huskies and sketching gear across the frozen wilderness of Eastern Greenland 32 Books A Sweet and Wild Note, Richard Smyth; 18 Poacher’s Pilgrimage, Alastair McIntosh 34 Interview Kevin Lelland in conversation with award- winning novelist and outdoors writer Linda 30 Cracknell FEATURES 12 Turning 21 On the eve of its 21st birthday celebrations, Richard Rowe talks to some of the key figures behind the success of the John Muir Award 18 Spirit of the mountains Romany Garnett explores the mesmerising appeal of the golden eagle 20 Deer under the spotlight After centuries of deer damage to Scotland’s uplands, Mike Daniels sees promising signs that change could be coming 21 Lost words Rob Bushby welcomes a new ‘book for all age groups’ by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris that seeks to recover dying language 22 Contested ground As the Trust launches its campaign to ‘Keep it Wild’, David Lintern looks at the social and 07 economic benefits of nature and landscape 21 26 In tune with nature PHOTOGRAPHS CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: MARK HAMBLIN; DAVID BELLAMY; CHRIS PUDDEPHAT The Trust’s new Chief Executive talks to COVER: JOHN MUIR AWARD PROVIDERS GATHERING IN GLASGOW’S BOTANIC GARDENS, PHOTOGRAPH: KATRINA MARTIN Alan McCombes about his own background and how he sees the future of nature conservation JOURNAL 63, AUTUMN 2017 28 Does Ben Nevis have a personality? Wild Law expert Colin Robertson sets out the Editor: case for mountains and rivers to have legal Alan McCombes [email protected] rights in line with limited companies. Design and production: Neil Braidwood Connect Communications connectcommunications.co.uk HEAD OFFICE John Muir Trust t. 01796 470 080 This journal is printed on Cocoon 100 If you would rather receive uncoated stock, a recycled grade publications from the John Muir Tower House w. johnmuirtrust.org paper containing 100% post-consumer Trust electronically, please email Station Road waste and manufactured at a mill [email protected] accredited with ISO 14001 Pitlochry Follow us on: environmental management standard. The John Muir Trust is a The pulp used in this product is Scottish charitable company limited Perthshire PH16 5AN @JohnMuirTrust bleached using an Elemental Chlorine by guarantee. Registered office: Free (ECF) process. We use a Scottish Tower House, Station Road, Pitlochry printer, J Thomson Colour, which has PH16 5AN excellent environmental credentials, achieving environmental standard Charity No. SC002061 ISO4001 plus FSC and PEFC standards Company No. SCO81620 Sign up for our monthly enewsletter at all in 2006. johnmuirtrust.org/newsletter Keep up-to-date with events and local activities at johnmuirtrust.org ‘As long as I live, I’ll hear waterfalls and birds and winds sing… I’ll acquaint myself with the glaciers and wild gardens, and get as near the heart of the world as I can.’ John Muir Show your lifelong connection to wild places. Becoming a Life Member of the John Muir Trust helps strengthen our ability to care for the places we all love. Together we can give wild places a voice for ever. Find out more johnmuirtrust.org/lifelongconnection WELCOME 055 From the Chief Executive WELCOME to the autumn edition of the Journal. Amid all this political and campaigning activity, I’ll start by saying what a privilege it is to be working we still have our muddy boots planted firmly on the with the John Muir Trust, an organisation I have ground. As we report on pages 6 and 7, we have long admired. I was delighted to be offered this role made fantastic progress with path restoration work and relish the challenges that lie ahead. on Skye and in Assynt, while equipping young The diverse range of articles in this issue of the people with essential pathwork skills and training. Journal underlines the fact that our work is not just And we are also able to report that, following about a few special places or key species. It is about much hard work by our Schiehallion property the way we connect with the world around us. manager Liz Auty, the Heart of Scotland Forest In our frenzied, hi-tech, 24-hour society, we Partnership has been officially launched. We are need wild nature more than ever. now working with neighbouring landowners from Even people who rarely, if ever, get the the charity, public and private sectors to expand chance to visit wild places want to know that and join up existing woodlands across a large area sanctuaries of solitude – places with the power in the geographical centre of Scotland. to stir our souls – will always exist. Meanwhile, we continue to make progress That need is reflected in the overwhelming towards taking on a three-year lease of Glenridding support that people express for the protection Common, with just a few legal details to be ironed of wild land. As we report in the news pages, out before we make an official announcement. This, this summer we commissioned a Scotland- we hope, will develop into a long-term involvement wide YouGov Poll which showed 80 per cent of in a dramatic part of the Lake District that includes people support continued protection of Scotland’s the famed Helvellyn mountain. Wild Land Areas with just five per cent opposed. If there is one theme that runs through the stories And while 55 per cent ‘strongly agree’ with wild in this issue of the Journal, and the other work land protection, the proportion who ‘strongly I have been involved in recently, it is that the future disagree’ registered zero per cent. of wild places depends on people. Over the last 20 I’m sure these same people also support cleaner years, the Trust has been working with hundreds of energy and a low carbon future. I believe the thousands of people of all ages through the John message we need to convey strongly is that with Muir Award to encourage and reinforce our sensible planning, we can deliver our ambitious connection with wild nature. carbon reduction targets while at the same time I’m a firm believer in making sure that everyone protecting our finest landscapes and providing has the opportunity to experience nature – and not nature with the space to flourish. just for the sake of their own health and well-being. Campaigning for wild places inevitably brings us If people can delight in the wonders of nature then into the political sphere. Over the summer months it follows that they will do more to ensure that it is we have had a number of formal and informal conserved, by reducing their own carbon footprint meetings with MSPs and MPs from across the and helping ensure that wise decisions are made political spectrum. This isn’t just lobbying, it is about the land and the wild places around us. about offering advice and information as requested, and ensuring decision makers are well informed. Andrew Bachell Andrew speaking at the ‘Heart of Scotland’ launch PHOTOGRAPH: KEVIN LELLAND KEVIN PHOTOGRAPH: 06 NEWS JOHN MUIR TRUST JOURNAL AUTUMN 2017 Skye high: upland path project reaches one-year milestone The ‘Skye Wild Ways’ programme has hit during phase one, the workers benefited the halfway mark following a successful 12 from an unusually mild and dry winter to months of work and training around Glen complete 415m of footpath construction Sligachan. well on schedule. The two-year project set out to train Restoration work also involved 970 local young (and older) people – and some square metres of landscaping to help from further afield – in essential pathwork revegetate a scar up to 6m wide in places skills by getting them involved in key and getting broader by the year. restoration work. The second half of the Skye Wild Ways During the first 12-month phase, 22 path project will see major contract work trainees and a number of volunteers have on a loop path at Allt Daraich, a scenic worked alongside Trust staff and gorge on the route between Sligachan and professional contractors to help upgrade Glamaig, which should be completed by access routes into some of Skye’s most February 2018. In addition, we aim to spectacular landscapes. complete the third and final phase of work In November, the students from the on the Druim Hain path, and carry out Crofting and Countryside Skills Course at some smaller repairs on Bla Bheinn. the West Highland College of the Sarah Lewis, the Trust’s Conservation University of the Highlands and Islands Ranger on Skye, said: “The students from (UHI) carried out work at Glen Sligachan, both UHI and SRUC enjoyed themselves which included rebuilding cross drains and will be returning to get more training and a water bar, and raising the path and experience next year and perhaps higher to avoid flooding from the river even further into the future. We’re really On a separate section of the glen, pleased that we’ve struck up two valuable students from the Elmwood campus of partnerships with these colleges. Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) spent a “We’re delighted that, thanks to the sunny week in May rebuilding an 80m Heritage Lottery Fund, we’ve been able to stretch of the path as part of their provide such useful training and work Conservation and Countryside experience within this magical Management Course.