So sorry that it has been so long since the last post. I can assure you that this is not because we
have not been doing anything – rather to the contrary really. It is due to the fact that we are having IT
problems in the office.
So, what has been going on since July I hear you cry! Well, we had a couple of groups of volunteers
out fighting the good fight against creeping thistles on our grasslands. A group of NTS Conservation Volunteers (or
CVs as they are affectionately known - pictured right) came down from Edinburgh, and a group of
Berwick Academy students who are working towards getting their John Muir Award.
Also, out on the grasslands one of the Trust’s Nature
Conservation Advisors, Lindsay Mackinlay, came and spent a few days monitoring
our grasslands – all part of our new grassland management plan that we have
instigated this year. This has also
included us replacing nearly 2.5 km of fence to make sure that we can graze
areas when we want to, but exclude stock at other times.
In August, Jack and Dave spent a couple of days working with
the Trust’s in-house Footpath Team up at Ben Lawers. The Footpath Team are experts in using a
variety of techniques to repair footpaths, making the paths more comfortable to
walk on, and so, in turn, protecting the habitat through which they pass. Because if a path is uncomfortable to walk
on, people will take a route that they find easier, forming more and more
paths, and spreading erosion across the surrounding area. Although the weather was far from balmy (see pic of Dave in the mist, left), Jack
and Dave really enjoyed their time at Ben Lawers and learnt an awful lot. This week, they have been putting their new
skills to use on the path around the Mire Loch, improving drainage and
surfacing, and putting in some steps.
We had yet another wedding on the reserve last week - Anita
and John got married on the clifftops above Petticowick (picture left). A bright and breezy
day, but that only enhanced the already fantastic back drop, by adding in white
caps on the dark blue sea and scudding clouds in the bright blue sky!
Also last week, we got a brand new 4WD for the reserve. We have been having terrible trouble with
vehicles over the last 3 months. Our old
4WD died without warning in June, which rather left us in the lurch. Luckily, our colleagues from Glencoe had a
land rover that they could spare, and they were kind enough to lend it to us for
a number of weeks. It was a bit of an
old banger, but better than nothing, but I must admit to being very relieved
when I was told our new vehicle was ready to be picked up. The land rover obviously didn’t want to go
though, as it had two punctures in 24 hours, so delaying me being able to pick
up the new vehicle by a number of days!
