Winter 2013 -14 The GeographerThe newsletter of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society Zoonoses In This Edition... Reservoirs, reasons and the role of viruses • RSGS’s First ‘Explorer-in- Residence’ • Zoonotic Geographies – A Multi-Faceted Issue • Viruses, Evolution & Spillover • Living Patterns, Vaccines & Vermin • A Syrian Refugee Camp & The Philippines After Haiyan • Villages of Hope • RSGS Education – A Year of Success! • Reader Offer: Life: A Journey Through Time “Intrepid disease ecologists are hiking into forests, climbing through caves,… and sleuthing the mysteries of reservoir host and spillover.” plus other news, David Quammen comments, books... RSGS: helping to make the connections between people, places & the planet The Geographerzoonoses oonoses are much more than just a good Tivy Education Medal word in Scrabble: the term derives from Alan Parkinson was awarded the Tivy Education Medal, together Z‘zoo’ meaning ‘of animals’, and the Greek with Fellowship of the RSGS, at the ‘nosos’ meaning ‘disease’, and refers to those Scottish Association of Geography diseases which can be passed from animals to Teachers conference in Perth in October. The award was given in humans. Many people anticipate that if there is to recognition of his work developing be a major outbreak of a new disease, it will most online educational resources for RSGS President Prof Iain Stewart presents the Medal to Alan Parkinson. likely be a zoonosis. schoolteachers. In 2001, Alan developed the then-revolutionary About 60% of current infectious diseases are thought to be Geography Pages website. He went on to become a zoonotic in origin. For example, all influenza stems from diseases prolific blogger, better known to some for his online of water birds such as ducks; even swine flu comes from birds, but persona ‘GeoBlogs’, and he now runs eight blogs on its appearance in pigs simply increased the likelihood of ‘spillover’ various aspects of geographical education. He previously into humans. Many readers will remember the ‘bird flu’ (or H5N1) worked for the Geographical Association, and is a founder scare in Scotland back in 2006, and the consequent concerns it member of the Geography Collective / Explorer HQ, generated. Flu is a particular worry, in part because of its incredible creators of the Mission:Explore books and website. He now works part-time as a geography teacher at King’s Ely. adaptability – there are 18 known types of haemagglutinin (H) and ten known types of neuraminidase (N), so, in theory, 180 different Delighted to have received the Medal, Alan remarked, “What was equally important to me was to read and hear combinations of these proteins are possible. the comments of others who were there, who appreciated Zoonotic diseases lurk in some of our more ancient species, such the work that I’ve created and shared over the years.” as bats, rodents and birds, and other hosts who have developed immunity but carry the virus. In fact, these viruses have almost John Rae Bicentenary Conference certainly influenced the evolution of these animals in the process. Dr Andrew Cook, a member of the RSGS’s Collections But with a growing human population, increased deforestation and Team, visited Orkney to speak on behalf of the RSGS encroachment into natural areas, more travel, more urbanisation, at the John Rae Bicentenary Conference in September. and an indiscriminate demand for meat, the opportunity for Dr Cook presented on the Goodsir Papers, a record of spillover to humans is greater than ever. It is a classic geographical correspondence between conundrum – a multi-faceted combination of environmental members of the Goodsir change, lifestyle change, and changing patterns of connectivity. family, which forms part of the RSGS’s archive. There are thousands of people on the front line of zoonotic Harry Goodsir was surgeon exploration. Where do these diseases come from? Where have on the ill-fated Franklin they been hiding? Why are they appearing? How do they spread? Arctic Expedition. A young And what do we need to know to prevent them spreading? In naturalist in Edinburgh, this edition of The Geographer, we aim to shed some light on this he realised his ambition for Arctic exploration when he fascinating area of research, with the help of veterinarians and was appointed Acting Assistant Surgeon, HMS Erebus, in virologists, journalists and geographers. March 1845. I am grateful to Professor Jo Sharp, Dr Jo Halliday and Professor Sarah Cleaveland from the University of Glasgow for their help in RSGS Perth Train trip no more producing this magazine. Group please Sadly, we have not been able to Mike Robinson, Chief Executive Our Perth local develop our plans for a 130th group is keen to help anniversary train trip, due to RSGS, Lord John Murray House, hear from anyone a lack of sufficient interest. 15-19 North Port, Perth, PH1 5LU who would be able to assist Thank you to those members tel: 01738 455050 with some of the basic but who did express enthusiasm, email: [email protected] critical tasks associated but unfortunately the costs of www.rsgs.org with running our public train hire are too prohibitive talks. If you feel you could to allow us to proceed without Charity registered in Scotland no SC015599 help, please contact RSGS a much higher take-up than The views expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily those of the RSGS. has been evident. We will keep Cover image: © Mike Robinson HQ. Masthead image: © www.iStockphoto.com trying other ideas in future editions. RSGS: helping to make the connections between people, places & the planet The Geographer 1 Winter 2013 -14 NEWS People • Places • Planet Chairman’s thoughts RSGS AGM Barrie Brown Monday 24th March 2014 will see the next RSGS AGM, in Perth Concert Hall, which we plan to follow with a public talk given by As I approach the end of my term as our President, Professor Iain Stewart. More details will be sent to Chair, I hope you will indulge me for members in February. sharing these thoughts with you all. Amongst other items on the agenda for the AGM, we will be seeking to In any charity, faith in what you introduce a new constitution (tidying up the 2009 constitution which exist for is essential. In this is now somewhat dated in places), and to appoint new members context, I am happy to assure you of Board (Trustees). Two members of Board have recently stepped all that the members, and staff, of down, including the longest-standing member, Stuart Frame, who the Society are at least as convinced of the rights of had served as Treasurer for more than 20 years. We are grateful to what Stuart for all his efforts over the past two decades, and to Trustee we are doing as our founder members would have been Keith Griffiths for his more recent input, in particular to the new in 1884. And that assurance is strengthened by our ability constitution. to communicate more effectively through our exhibition To replace them, the Board would particularly welcome people with centre in the Fair Maid’s House, and in particular through good financial skills, and those with the time to commit to help the use of our collections. move the Society further along in the months and years ahead. I was told some years ago that the Society could not Board roles are normally held for a maximum of two terms each exist without its volunteers and I completely endorse of three years, and there are five half-day Board meetings a year, that statement. Our CEO has regularly calculated the usually in Perth, plus the AGM. Anyone wishing to put themselves total contribution made by all our volunteers and it forward for nomination as a potential Board member must be an totals the equivalent of several staff years. It would be RSGS member, and will need a Proposer and a Seconder (also both impossible to keep open the Fair Maid’s House without RSGS members). If you are interested, then please send a short the dedicated team of volunteers, and our collections, too, biography, detailing the experience you would bring to Board and how you can help, to RSGS HQ, addressed ‘Board nomination’. have benefited from the work of a team of volunteers, Please contact RSGS HQ if you would like further details. most of whom have a background in that type of work. It would be impossible to run our local groups without the commitment of the local committees who are often RSGS Chairman the first point of contact with our members, visitors, and After six years as Chairman of the RSGS, Barrie potential members. Brown announced in November that he would All charities need benefactors, and by that I mean people step down in the New Year. Keen to ensure that there would be a smooth transition, he who support their work by gifts of money. We have invited the Board to nominate a successor, and effected many economies in our running costs in the past Professor Rogers Crofts CBE few years, but despite that, we still have great difficulty was duly unanimously elected. in making ends meet. I read recently that some large Professor Crofts is a charities benefit by receiving “millions of pounds in legacies Barrie Brown geographer by training, each year, often from people who are not even members”. profession and inclination. He has used his These people simply approve of what the organisation is geographical skills in many senior roles in doing and may even use legacies to make sure that nothing government, and has been a Board member of goes to the taxman when the final tally is made. Despite international, UK and Scottish bodies. He has a our longevity as a vibrant Scottish charity, we have only particular interest in Scotland’s Earth history, Professor Crofts occasional support of this type, and I would ask you to Iceland’s environmental protection, energy, and please consider helping the Society in this way if you can.