Members' News
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FOR MEMBERS OF THE JOHN MUIR TRUST MEMBERS’ NEWS JULY 2011 Political impacts The next five years is likely to Now, future energy production and most valuable landscapes. The best way determine the long-term future transmission is the policy issue of the to do this is to improve statutory protection of our wild landscapes day, and the consequences of getting this for our landscapes. This will ensure our wrong will have an even more profound best wild land, our nation’s finest assets, Decisions taken by governments across effect on the future of our landscapes. are not squandered but cherished and the UK can have a profound effect on the We need governments to recognise the promoted to benefit us all. future of our wild landscapes and how importance of landscapes and make people engage with them. This includes “We are making this case on behalf of decisions that will protect them for you, our members. I hope you’ll continue relatively small changes in public funding future generations. that can be felt at a landscape level for to show your support and do what you decades to come. “Our landscapes help to define us, can to send this message to our decision providing beautiful scenery that can makers. The next five years will be A prime example was the tax and inspire and nourish, as well as making crucial – they will determine the future incentives regime that supported an essential contribution to our economy,” of our wild landscapes for decades expansion of commercial forestry in the says Stuart Brooks, Trust chief executive. to come.” 1980s. Relatively blunt fiscal instruments “The stakes are high but we mustn’t set seed to huge swathes of countryside We will be delivering our UK petition planted with exotic conifers. Some of repeat the mistakes of the past and calling on statutory protection for wild these forests are now fantastic places for burden future generations with the land to the House of Commons later this people to enjoy the outdoors, and add to obligation to put things right. year. Remember to add your name, and rural economies. But many were planted “We have a choice. We can choose to ask others to add theirs. in the wrong place, such as important accommodate expansion of renewable and > www.jmt.org/wildland-petition.asp peatlands, and have done considerable other energy production in a responsible harm to our native biodiversity. way, which does not compromise our WELCOME the subsequent resettlement of nearby More about this in the News as well as Molinginish would not have happened. updates on our newest property, Glenlude, As I write this welcome, Now this area is part of the thriving John Muir Award achievements and a I am just back from our AGM North Harris Trust, one of our partners. whole host of other Trust-related news. in Cumbria and heading for Our AGM in Cumbria was a huge Please enjoy and share it with others. Harris. success with members and trustees John Hutchison Na Hearadh (Harris) has played an enjoying the mix of business, discussion Chairman important role in my understanding and socialising. Our staff did an excellent, of the struggle faced by fragile rural professional job in setting the correct PHOTOGRAPHER: communities. I was 19 when I first went atmosphere from the outset. Trustees to Reinigeadal as an officer on a Schools’ have sound feedback to reflect on and Hebridean Society expedition. In 1974, we will now be doing so. Next year the RORY SYME I returned leading a group of 20 boys AGM will be in the Glasgow area, so and undertook surveying work to find start planning now. a potential road line to this community I emphasised at the AGM that we are that had only foot access. not an ‘anti’ organisation; we are pro wild Around 15 years later, Comhairle nan land and pro local communities working Eilean Siar built the road in from adjacent to our land. We are pro retaining Maaruig, on my line. Here, although our outstanding landscape and scenery I didn’t understand it at the time, was and will defend it against any threat, the dilemma of land use – wild land resolutely. As Stuart points out (see versus development. There is no easy above), our landscapes help to make answer. Had the road not been built us who we are and are crucial to our then Reinigeadal would have died and wellbeing. John climbs Helvellyn with members of the Trust 02 Some of the species recorded on Glenlude so far include Forward thinking around crossbills, bullfinch, skylark, emperor moth and garden tiger moth caterpillars. A series of ponds created by Sheila Bell Glenlude teem with frogs during the spawning season, and between the forested areas there is damp grassland with valerian, cuckoo Trust considers options for carrying on a flower, and water avens. challenging legacy in the Borders The property also provides excellent cover and food for black Following the late Sheila Bell’s gifting of Glenlude to the Trust, grouse. John Muir Trust Trustee, John Thomas, who lives in the we have now taken on management of this 400 acre property in Borders, has taken part in a Black Grouse survey co-ordinated the Tweed Valley. At the moment, this mostly consists of taking by the Southern Upland Partnership to monitor some of the lek stock and looking at potential ways to increase its natural value. sites on adjacent property to Glenlude. In general it has been “We should be in a position to discuss options in 2012,’ says a good year for Borders black grouse, with over 300 cocks Sandy Maxwell, conservation officer for Glenlude, ‘but in the observed so far. meantime we’re sizing up jobs that need to be done, like “Sheila Bell had an ambitious and admirable vision to try further habitat surveys and dry stone walling. Hopefully, and create a natural woodland in the Scottish Borders,” says we’ll be able to run our first volunteer work party on the Stuart Brooks, Trust chief executive. “By passing on her land property quite soon.” to the John Muir Trust she has set us a challenging legacy but A Phase One vegetation survey has been started to classify we look forward to working hard to bring her vision of a new the various habitats present on the property, which is almost natural habitat to life.” evenly split between plantation forestry and open ground, with The Trust will be launching an appeal for funds towards small emerging areas of planted willow. Some deer control Glenlude’s future in October. Full details will be in the has taken place on the property since native trees planted Autumn Journal. in recent years have suffered from heavy grazing. PHOTOGRAPHER: TRUST STAFF ON A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY Practicing what they preach, seven members of the John Muir LIZ AUTY Trust staff based at Pitlochry are currently pursuing their John Muir Award Discovery award. Taking woodlands as a theme, the group has been exploring the woodlands of Perthshire, with projects including the tracking of bumble bees and fence work on Schiehallion (see page 3). The Award requires a minimum of four days involvement but the group will be pushing beyond that. Next up – an investigation of the rivers of Highland Perthshire (and their riparian habitats) by canoe. AWARD JOINS WITH LAKE DISTRICT NPA Having enjoyed eight successful years hosted by Cumbria Youth Alliance, the John Muir Award in Cumbria is now PHOTOGRAPHER: integrated into the Lake District National Park Authority’s Learning Service. This offers exciting opportunities to work with the Learning Service team, and to highlight the special qualities of the Lake District National Park - the lakes, fells, RORY SYME and woodlands in a truly diverse and beautiful landscape accessible to all Cumbrians. Graham Watson, John Muir Award regional manager for Cumbria can now be contacted at Blencathra Centre, Threlkeld, Keswick CA12 4SG > 01539 792 653 > [email protected] Glenlude represents a vision to bring a new natural habitat to life FIGHTING THE FIRES OF ASSYNT Mike Daniels, the Trust’s head of land PHOTOGRAPHER: and science said: “John Muir Trust land Trust helps to get helicopter wasn’t directly affected but we were happy water drops over the flames to be part of the fire-fighting effort. Now, IAN GORDON More than 7,000 acres of land around we’re working with the other landowners Inverkirkaig, Assynt have been affected to see what ecological impact these fires by a wildfire that tore through the area have had. We’ve also agreed to create a at the start of May. The hottest April on joint plan to ensure we’re well prepared record led to incredibly dry conditions to deal with any wildfires that occur in that caused large fires to break out on Assynt in the future.” open ground across the UK. Many of the landowners who pulled The John Muir Trust, Assynt Foundation, together to raise funds are involved in Eisg Brachaid, Inverpolly estate, Scottish a wider partnership – the Coigach and Natural Heritage and the Scottish Wildlife Assynt Living Landscape project, which Trust all contributed to the costs of was launched in Lochinver on 11 June. fighting the fire within the Coigach and This will be one of the largest ecosystem Assynt area. Together they raised the restoration projects in Britain and aims to £10,000 needed to pay for helicopter bring woodland connectivity, species-rich water drops to control and ultimately flora and fauna, and economic prosperity put out the fires. to the Scottish uplands. The fire-fighting helicopter in action over Assynt PHOTOGRAPHER: A grand weekend PHOTOGRAPHER: 03 RORY SYME get-together MIKE DANIELS From policy discussion and paddling to networking and new trustees, this year’s AGM and Members’ Gathering in Penrith had something for everyone This year’s John Muir Trust AGM & Members’ Gathering in Cumbria took place on the 4th and 5th June at the Rheged Centre in Penrith, Cumbria.