Wild, free and coming back?
The return of key species to Scotland
...What? Where? How?
Hosted by the Wildland Network and Trees for Life
Findhorn, Forres, nr Inverness, 16 & 17 September 2008
This two day conference will examine the action required to achieve further reintroductions of key species to Scotland. The event will feature presentations, workshops, a debate, photographic exhibition, story telling and will be followed
by optional field trips to:
Exhibition of photographs by Tooth & Claw present throughout the event.
Food during the event will include wild harvest and wild boar produce.
Programme:
Booking
You can download a printable booking form (pdf, 400kb) or book by telephone 01309 691292.
If you wish, you can pay online using our general donations form. NB that
your conference payment will be described as a donation to an appeal in some of the pages on the website - this is nothing to worry about!
Please note that the rooms provided will not be not en suite.
Travel
If you would like to share, or can offer, a lift to/from the conference, here is a list of
travel offers and wants.
Full Programme
15 September
19.30 Pub meal for participants arriving on 15th. Details available upon booking.
16 September
9.45 – 10.30 Arrival, drinks, registration, workshop choices
10.30 Welcome and introductions
Alan Watson Featherstone (Trees for Life), Steve Carver (Wildland Network)
Facilitators: Alison Parfitt, Rick Minter (Nature with Attitude)
Session 1: Reintroductions in Scotland
the nation’s state of mind
10.40 Bird reintroductions in the British Isles
Lessons from recent experience
Roy Dennis (Highland Foundation for Wildlife)
11.10 Beaver reintroduction in Scotland
Progress and prospects
Iain Valentine Head of Animals,Education and Conservation, The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland
11.30 Beaver reintroduction in England and Wales
Derek Gow (Derek Gow Associates)
12.00 Facing the predator – are we ready?
Peter Cairns (Tooth and Claw)
12.20 Participants’ follow up points to morning presentations
12.40 LUNCH
13.40 Scotland’s missing mammals – Targets and visions for their return
Alan Watson Featherstone (Trees for Life)
14.15 Scotland’s missing mammals
Discussion on the targets presented by Alan Watson Featherstone
14.45 Workshops
Each workshop will be set up by a facilitator
Participants select one of the following (from species or issues):
|
Workshop options - species
Participants discuss ‘What? Where? How?’ For the respective topic
- Beaver
- Lynx
- Wolf
- Herbivores
- Birds
Workshop options - issues
Participants will address three key questions proposed for each topic
- Perceptions of predators
- Livelihoods from reintroductions
- Farming and forestry issues
- Game issues
- Community-based reintroduction projects
- Ecosystem restoration – how reintroduced species can drive it
|
16.00 Workshops prepare for report back to ‘visitors’
16.10 Break
16.30 Participants visit and discuss findings of another workshop
16.50 Main messages from Species workshops – Reports and discussion
17.20 Main messages from issues workshops – Reports and discussion
17.50 End of day one
18.00 Evening meal
Evening programme:
20.15 – 21.15 ‘Where the Wild things Were’
Tales of creatures wild free and coming back?
Margot Henderson Storyteller
21.30 – 22.00 Screening of wild boar documentary:
‘Return of the Prodigal Pig’ by Wildwood Productions
17 September
9.30 The lore of Fauna Celtica – old and new
Kenny Taylor
10.00 Returning creatures – the new folklore
Participants’ discussion on folklore, art, poetry, and nature writing:
- When are myths and folklore enriching, helping us to engage meaningfully with nature, and when are they possibly damaging, perpetuating misconceptions about certain species?
- How does folklore influence current attitudes to certain species? Can/should anything be done about that?
- Is it contrived and Orwellian to tinker with our folklore?
- How can we nurture a cultural and artistic appreciation of returning wildlife?
10.40 Restoring whole ecosystems - What’s happening in Scotland?
Key issues from 3 examples...
- Alladale: Hugh Fullerton-Smith, Manager, Alladale Wilderness Reserve
- Carrifran: Philip Ashmole Co-ordinator Hugh Chalmers, Project Officer, Carrifran Wildwood Project
- Glen Affric: Steve Smith, FC District Manager and Liz Balharry, coordinator of wild boar grazing project
11.40 Break
12.00 What’s happening in Scotland?
Participants’ questions and discussion
12.40 LUNCH
13.30 Workshops
Participants attend a different workshop from day one, and decide which workshop reports to visit afterwards...
Workshops
Each workshop will be set up by a facilitator
Participants select one of the following (from Species or Issues):
|
Workshop options - species
Participants discuss ‘What? Where? How?’ For the respective topic
- Beaver
- Lynx
- Wolf
- Herbivores
- Birds
Workshop options - Issues
Participants will review and build upon outcomes of the 16 September workshops on these topics
- Perceptions of predators
- Livelihoods from reintroductions
- Farming and forestry issues
- Game issues
- Community-based reintroduction projects
- Ecosystem restoration – how reintroduced species can drive it
|
14.40 Workshops prepare their conclusions for feedback
14.50 Break
15.10 Main messages from Issues workshops – Reports and discussion
16.00 Main messages from Species workshops – Reports and discussion
16.45 What, Where, and How for Scotland?
Proposals for discussion by: Peter Taylor, Dan Puplett
17.00 Collective discussion on What? Where? and How?
17.40 Close of day two
18.00 Evening meal for those staying for field trips
Evening programme:
20.00 – 21.15 Debate:
‘The return of the wolf – is Scotland’s psyche ready?’
18 September
Field trip to Alladale
19 September
Field trip to Glen Affric
20 September
Field trip to Carrifran Wildwood
Return to Missing Species of the Caledonian Forest.
Related Pages
Sites associated with this conference
