The Geographer: Challenging Upland Futures (Autumn 2020)

The

Geographer Autumn 2020

The newsletter of

the Royal Scottish Geographical Society

Challenging Upland Futures

Partnerships to Tackle Landscape-Scale Change • UHI’s 20 Years of Mountain Studies • Travels in Tibet, Tajikistan and Transnistria • Black Lives Matter • COVID-19: A Geographer’s View • Bethany Hamilton, Child of the Ocean • Fixing Cement • Moorlands Mapping and Managing Landscapes • Reader Offer: A Journey in Landscape Restoration

“Any river is really the summation of the whole valley. To think of it as nothing but water is to ignore the greater part.”

Hal Borland

p lus news, books, and more…

The

Geographer

uplands

W

e hope you are all continuing to stay safe and well, and that life is getting easier with the gradual ‘unlocking’ of COVID-19 restrictions.

This has not been an easy time for many of us, and there still remains a great deal of uncertainty over the next few weeks and months. We are pleased therefore to be providing another bumper issue, full of articles and interest, from the uplands of Scotland to the surf of Hawaii, and from the Trossachs to Tibet, plus many other insights which we hope will inform and inspire in equal measure.

This edition of The Geographer focuses on Scotland’s uplands, which include our highest places, characterised by specific ecosystems, though their lower limit is not so easy to define.

Articles look particularly at partnership working, and address topics to be explored at the forum Challenging Upland Futures. This was scheduled to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Centre for Mountain Studies at Perth College UHI in August 2020 but, because of COVID-19, has been postponed until 19th-20th January 2021. We would especially like to thank the Scottish Consortium for Rural Research (SCRR) and Perth College Development Trust for their support.

We are very grateful to Desmond Dugan for his superb photography which appears throughout this edition, to Jo Woolf for another wonderful interview piece, to Bethany Hamilton for agreeing to be interviewed, and to all the many contributors.

And as ever to underline the relevance of geography to our lives, we are pleased to feature a geographer’s perspective on COVID-19 and an important voice from the US on the Black Lives Matter movement.

Mike Robinson, Chief Executive, RSGS Professor Martin Price FRSE, Director, Centre for Mountain Studies RSGS, Lord John Murray House, 15-19 North Port, Perth, PH1 5LU tel: 01738 455050 email: enquiries@rsgs.org www.rsgs.org

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Charity registered in Scotland no SC015599 The views expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily those of the RSGS. Cover image: Autumn. © Desmond Dugan Masthead image: Bethany Hamilton. © Rip Curl

RSGS: a better way to see the world

A Perfect Planet A new, five-part natural history series for BBC One, narrated by Sir David Attenborough with scientific expertise from Professor Stephen Lewis and Dr Philip Wheeler of The Open University, explains why the Earth is just right for life. The programmes describe forces of nature, such as sunlight, weather, oceans and volcanoes; each of these can be harmful, yet the combination is vital, making Earth the only planet that we know harbours life. The fifth programme centres on humans, a force for recent and rapid changes to the complex Earth system.

But life on Earth is not stable and unchanging. The past has seen several mass extinctions as the environment has altered.

The new threat from human activity is clear. But there are positive actions that we can all take to protect our precious home.

Professor Lewis said, “Working on this series was a fantastic opportunity to see some beautiful and dramatic images and to tell an important scientific story. The Earth has a breathable, protective atmosphere with water and dry land at the surface, which is rich in nutrients. Solar energy provides the power for weather and life itself. All the sciences combined tell the story of our perfect planet.”

Scottish education Mike Robinson, RSGS Chief Executive I am beginning to worry that the commonly-held view that Scottish education is some of the best in the world perpetuates a conceit that makes us less responsive when issues do come to light. Long before the COVID-19 pandemic came along, we had real concerns about the delivery of the curriculum in Scottish schools – mostly through the over-strict interpretation of how the necessary hours of each subject should be taught in secondary school, leading to a constraint on the number of courses that pupils could be offered.

When Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) was introduced, it was an ambitious overhaul of the previous system. However, any change, especially one so fundamental, requires time, money and training to embed. Unfortunately, when CfE was finally launched it was hurried and poorly funded, making the first years of this change stressful, confusing and inconsistent.

One of the biggest concerns is the lack of subject choice at Nat5.

If you begin a course at the beginning of S4, you can only easily fit six or seven subjects into the time available. Schools who begin studying Nat5 content in S3 are much more relaxed and can offer more subjects. Every independent school in Scotland falls into this category, and these schools report far lower stress and anxiety about the changes. So why don’t they all simply adopt this longer timescale?

The first three years of secondary are meant to be Broad General Education (BGE), and don’t necessarily correlate with the upper stages of secondary. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, I firmly believed all schools should be starting exam course content in S3, easing the time pressure and increasing the options for pupils beyond the BGE phase. However, we now have the fallout from the pandemic. It was almost impossible to cover all the exam content before the pandemic. It is utterly impractical to expect teachers and pupils to do so now. A relaxing of the rules to ensure appropriate content is being taught throughout S3 was advisable before any of this hit. Now it needs to be made mandatory.

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Climate Emergency Summits Over recent weeks, we have hosted two important Climate Emergency Summits – policy meetings for experts in sustainability to offer ideas and solutions to the climate emergency. Held virtually on Zoom and sponsored by Zero Waste Scotland, these meetings have focused on issues of construction, and on the importance of a green recovery post-COVID-19.

The reports from these events have been submitted to government to help inform policy, and are hosted on our website at rsgs.org/informing-policy.

Climate Solutions discount We are currently offering an early bird discount for signups to our innovative Climate Solutions course, which can be completed entirely at home, and offers a simple way to gain significant understanding of one of the most important issues of our generation. Places are £300 per participant until December 2020, which represents a 33% reduction. For more information visit rsgs.org/climate-solutions.

33% discount

Office and visitor centre After what has been a difficult few months, things are starting to slowly return to a new normal at RSGS, while the safety of our members, volunteers, staff, speakers and public is of primary concern. Our staff are now coming into the office on a rota basis, meaning that our phones will be manned as usual, 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday. But we are not yet able to extend this access to volunteers and visitors.

Given the current restrictions on tourist attractions, and our reliance on volunteers to run the Fair Maid’s House visitor centre, we have decided that we will not be able to open this season.

We are sorry for any disappointment this may cause. We hope to return at some point in 2021, kicking-off with our Craft the RSGS exhibition.

Inspiring People talks 2020-21 Faced with the huge uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, we took a view back in April to try to prepare a complete talks programme for the 2020-21 season, despite the risk of some events not going ahead, as it was impossible to know how the situation would evolve, and we couldn’t construct a programme at short notice.

We are pleased to say that we have managed to prepare a programme, and have secured some excellent speakers. However, at the time of going to print, much uncertainty remains. There are still many issues, including government and other guidelines relating to COVID-19, confirmation of the availability of venues, and the essential contribution of our local volunteers, which can make live hosting of the events impractical.

We have already been forced to cancel all face-to-face talks up until the end of 2020, but we will endeavour to replace these with an online talk with live Q&A wherever possible. We hope the situation will improve after Christmas, and will be keeping this under review.

Please bear with us during this difficult time, and please keep an eye on our website for updates, or sign up for our email newsletter.

Inspiring People at Home Our collection of Inspiring People at Home videos is continuing to grow, with now an exciting roster of communicators and adventurers having taken part in this online series. Since the summer edition of The Geographer, we’ve added videos from Writer-inResidence Jo Woolf, who delves into her favourite items in the RSGS collection; explorer Mark Evans, who looks at what we can learn from some of the great explorers to inform our own psychology during lockdown; and blind adventurer Dean Dunbar, who SUPs his way along the Caledonian Canal.

To keep up-to-date with all the latest publications, visit rsgs.org/videos or Follow us on social follow us on social media.

RSGS COVID-19 update

media

How you can help In spite of the difficulties caused by the pandemic, we have been working hard throughout lockdown to minimise the impact on RSGS and to maintain our charity and our vital work, endeavouring always to remain positive. We have remained busy and productive across 2020, including producing an extra ‘Armchair’ edition of The Geographer and a new video series of Inspiring People at Home talks.

To help us continue to make a difference, we still rely on you, our members and supporters, so please renew your membership or join us if you haven’t already. Thank you.

Craft the RSGS We are continuing to receive some fabulous entries to our Craft the RSGS competition, the most recent of which have included a poem about our Collections Team, a pencil artwork including the names of all of our distinguished medallists, an Antarctic embroidery from a scientist based on the ice sheet, and a cork replica of Thor Heyerdahl’s Kon-Tiki. For further information on how to enter, please visit rsgs.org/opportunities-grants.

2 Autumn 2020

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Severe storms

Online educational support

In August, some of the most dramatic lightning storms in living memory hit eastern Scotland.

Dr Andrew Black, geography lecturer at Dundee University and RSGS President’s Medallist, studied overnight rainfall data from SEPA and said that Perthshire, Clackmannanshire and swathes of Fife were the worst affected areas, as well as Stonehaven which at the height of the storm saw 65mm of rain in just two hours – no doubt a factor in the tragic rail crash.

At this difficult time for schooling, we have been working hard to create and make available a number of online lesson plans and resources for geography learners at home.

He indicated that it was a ‘one in 600 years’ level storm, though he stressed this doesn’t mean it will be another six centuries before a storm of this severity strikes again. “It relates to probabilities and the likelihood of such heavy rainfall in that time period.” In relation to climate change, he continued, “As the atmosphere as a whole is warmed, it has more heat energy, and so it is capable of carrying more moisture, like we saw (in these storms).”

We are grateful to @ConnorMcLarenPhotography for the striking image of lightning over Perth.

Geographer’s Day Russia has officially established a professional holiday, Geographer’s Day, to be celebrated on 18th August. On that date in 1845, the Russian Geographical Society (RGS) was founded. The holiday can be celebrated by both geographers and people from related professions that contribute to the popularization of geography in Russia and abroad, including: • representatives of the scientific and educational community (c65,000 people, and together with students, up to 140,000 people); • specialized employees of federal ministries and departments, regional and municipal authorities (40,000 people); • production and office workers, employees of commercial and non-profit organizations (c30,000 people).

Our President and Chair have written to the RGS to congratulate them on their 175th anniversary.

Five for the Future We are encouraging organisations to ask the same five questions at the end of each event they run ahead of COP26. The Royal Society of Edinburgh, the James Hutton Institute, Scottish Natural Heritage, Young Scot, and Scottish Enterprise have already indicated a willingness to take part.

Five for the Future will help generate a set of answers, which in turn will help to shape an organisation- and society-wide set of key concerns. To find out more about this campaign, or to submit responses, please visit rsgs.org/informing-policy.

With Education Scotland, we provide linked lessons to sit alongside each edition of The Geographer. This allows young students to discover more about a current geographical issue, and read extensively around the subject.

During the summer, we were also delighted to publish Lessons in Resilience, a collaboration with Outward Bound Oman and Mark Evans FRSGS. Based around a documentary film about Mark’s expedition to cross Arabia’s Empty Quarter, it explores themes such as ‘preparing to succeed’, ‘team work’ and, of course, ‘resilience’.

And working with Professor Lorna Dawson of the James Hutton Institute, we are creating an educational pack based around soil science, which includes bespoke virtual presentations connected to the Scottish geography syllabus.

You can find this resource, entitled Soil, Science, Society & Sustainability, at rsgs.org/lesson-plans.

Concrete solutions Cement is the second most traded commodity in the world after water. And it generates 8% of global CO2 emissions. It is therefore vital that more sustainable alternatives to this material are explored as we transition to a greener society.

Geopolymer cements can be 95% more carbon efficient than Portland cement, and can utilise waste products (such as water industry sludge) as core ingredients, making them more sustainable and potentially central planks of a circular economy operating model. In July, RSGS held a special Climate Emergency Summit looking at geopolymer cements, with leading experts including Róisín Hyde, an architect and PhD researcher at Queen’s University Belfast. Sponsored by Zero Waste Scotland, the event brought together researchers, practitioners, builders, waste providers and funders from Scotland (and with expertise from Australia) to help see how adoption could be encouraged. A report of the key findings has been produced and submitted to government.

See pages 14-15 for more information about options for ‘fixing cement’.

A Nature Recovery Plan RSPB Scotland, the Scottish Wildlife Trust and WWF Scotland have launched a major new report setting out 11 high-impact actions that would set Scotland on the pathway to delivering transformative change for nature, people and climate: 1) expand native woodlands; 2) ensure sustainable, low-impact fishing; 3) license driven grouse shooting; 4) manage deer populations effectively; 5) make new developments net positive for nature; 6) link wild places through a Scottish Nature Network; 7) end peatland burning and extraction for horticulture; 8) improve use of nitrogen fertilisers; 9) stop the spread of Invasive NonNative Species; 10) support nature- and climate-friendly farming; 11) protect Scotland’s seas.

Buy an inspiring gift that lasts all year.

RSGS Gift Membership makes an excellent Christmas present for friends or family.

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Elephant deaths in Botswana

COVID-19 The COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact globally, and is continuing to disrupt daily lives for every one of us.

As we go to print, there have been more than 20 million confirmed cases globally, and around 760,000 deaths. The US has reported the most deaths so far, and cases continue to grow here, but the virus has taken a strong hold in many other countries. Objectively we don’t appear to have coped well in the UK, with the highest mortality rate so far of those countries most affected.

It is of course difficult to compare statistics that have been differently compiled, but some patterns and lessons are beginning to emerge. The Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center (coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html) monitors global statistics and analyses key trends, and is a useful source of data. And we are delighted to have received informed commentary from key academics on the global and national position, which we feature on pages 16-19. total deaths

deaths per 100,000 pop’n

UK

46,791

70.37

Spain

28,605

61.22

Italy

35,231

58.30

USA

167,253

51.08

Brazil

105,463

50.35

Mexico

55,293

43.82

Iran

19,331

23.43

Russia

15,467

10.63

India

48,040

3.55

South Korea

305

0.59

New Zealand

22

0.45

Vietnam

21

0.02

The impacts of COVID-19 have varied hugely across the world. This table shows the total number of reported deaths, and the deaths per 100,000 population, for a small selection of countries, including those mentioned in this edition of The Geographer. Data source: Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center (coronavirus.jhu.edu/data/mortality) on 14th August 2020.

A pair of golden eagles has successfully reared a chick in an artificial nest at Trees for Life’s flagship Dundreggan rewilding estate in Glenmoriston, west of Loch Ness, marking the first known return of the spectacular birds of prey to breed at this site in 40 years.

I have been very saddened to hear about the recent deaths of 350 elephants in Botswana since March. From what I understand, the cause of death is still unknown – it could be a disease, or something more disturbing. The tusks have not been © Simon Buxton removed from the bodies of the elephants, which suggests that it was not poachers.

Some of the elephants died falling on their face, which has led conservationists to speculate that they had a sudden death. The authorities are currently doing testing and compiling reports on the fate of the elephants. It is not unusual for locals to leave out poison for the unsuspecting troublemakers, although in this case there have not been examples of scavengers being affected or dying at the carcasses.

Whatever the immediate cause, it highlights once again the issue of land management. Death on this scale ultimately stems from the root cause of human-elephant conflict. Elephants, like people, need to drink water almost every day, and as more and more roads, fields and human facilities mar the landscape, elephants become more and more disconnected from their ancestral migratory routes and forced into ever-increasing contact with villagers.

If we want to protect the elephants of Botswana and African wildlife in general, then we must afford the proper protection to wilderness areas.

Levison explored the issues surrounding elephant conservation in his adventure series Walking With Elephants (Channel 4, All 4). since we built it in 2015, hoping to see evidence that the eagles had returned – and now they have. As golden eagles may use their nesting sites for generations, we’re hoping they are back for the long term.”

Dundreggan Manager Doug Gilbert said, “This is a rewilding success story beyond our wildest dreams. I’ve been checking the eyrie regularly

Trees for Life has been rewilding Dundreggan since its 2008 purchase of the 10,000-acre former deer stalking estate. It is now home to over 4,000 plant and animal species, including some never recorded in the UK before or once feared extinct in Scotland.

uplands

Golden eagle success

Levison Wood FRSGS

Blog spot

Throughout lockdown we have been adding blogs to our website which focus on current geographical issues and share stories from our archive. Highlights have included a two-part blog by Jo Woolf, RSGS Writer-in-Residence, on the Klondike Gold Rush and a Scottish plant collector who followed the prospectors’ trail, and a photographic-led piece by Bruce Gittings about Dunfermline geographer Erskine Beveridge. See www.rsgs.org/blogs/rsgs-blog.

Ordering is easy. Email or phone today!

Simply contact us on enquiries@rsgs.org or 01738 455050.

Please order by 30th November if possible.

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University student funding Anton Muscatelli, Principal & Vice Chancellor, University of Glasgow This is my response to the Scottish Government announcement in July of the need to change the fee status for future EU students.

In many respects this is a sad day for Scotland, an unavoidable consequence of Brexit, and one of the many ways in which the decision to leave the European Union will leave us diminished. Students from across Europe enhance our campuses and our country socially, culturally and economically; and while the legal status of future EU students will soon change, the warm welcome and worldclass education on offer in Scotland will not, and so I’m confident that many EU students will continue to choose to study here.

It is, however, very welcome news that this funding will stay in the higher education sector, and is a real demonstration of the Scottish Government’s recognition of the key role our universities and colleges have to play as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic.

It’s also welcome that all undergraduate EU students who enrolled up to and including 2020-21 will continue to enjoy free higher education for the duration of their studies. And while it is not in the circumstances any of us would have chosen, it is excellent news that we will now be able to accept additional Scottish students to undertake a university education, offering more opportunities for young people across our communities and helping to ensure our labour market is equipped with the skills we need to succeed in an increasingly volatile economy.

Young Geographer III Beth Pearson, Kirsten Leggatt, Kitty Dutton, Meredith Adams, Young Geographer editorial team A small team of young editors are currently working on the third edition of our Young Geographer magazine. Focused on the theme of climate justice, the publication will showcase stories from around the world of people leading climate action.

A cruel irony of climate change is that those who are most impacted and have hands-on experience and solutions, are the least likely to be listened to or be included in decision making. Women, minority ethnic individuals, those in poverty, and young people will all be disproportionately affected.

Together, these groups are experiencing the impacts of climate change first-hand and are the voices we need to listen to most; yet their stories are not being heard. These are the people who are already adapting and know what works and what doesn’t. These are the people who, through an intimate understanding of their environments, have the ideas that are actually going to make a difference.

This edition of the Young Geographer aims to take one small step towards sharing these stories; stories of innovation, hope and change. We hope you enjoy reading it in the new year, as much as we have enjoyed creating it.

Departing the island on ‘the edge of the world’ Kenny Maclean FRSGS Ninety years ago, on 29 August 1930, the last 36 residents of St Kilda were evacuated from the archipelago. Huddled together near the stern of HMS Harebell they were conveyed from Village Bay on Hirta, the largest of the St Kildan islands, on a 17-hour voyage to mainland Scotland. Most of the islanders disembarked at Lochaline in the Morvern peninsula, a Gaelic-speaking area, and, as planned, many worked for the Forestry Commission. The remainder alighted at Oban and dispersed more widely to Inverness, Portree, Culross and Stromeferry.

Though the authorities hoped the evacuation would receive minimal attention, it was inevitable that an exodus from such an iconic island attracted the exuberant media attention as it did. One of the islanders, Lachlan Macdonald, recalled, “There was an awful lot of reporters and journalists there...

As far as I can make out, they were thinking when they were coming from St Kilda that they were odd folk who didn’t know anything, they were more like wild beasts... a curiosity, just as if you were going to the zoo to see some wild beast or something like that.”

Continue reading this article on our blog at www.rsgs.org.

Legacies Tim Ambrose, RSGS Treasurer Throughout its history, the RSGS has received many gifts from its members and supporters; maps, books, photographs and other interesting artefacts, which now form the basis of its wide collections. All such gifts are extremely welcome! But, of course, the most flexible gift is money, which the Society can use in so many ways to promote Geography and help its education aims. Legacies and gifts have saved the Society from very hard times in the past, and it was a very generous legacy which enabled the Society to move from its shared offices in Glasgow to its present historic premises in Perth a decade ago.

Recently, the Society has received a very generous legacy from one of its most loyal members, Ian Hogarth, who served as the Treasurer of the Edinburgh Group for many years, and who was a keen supporter of the Society’s activities, particularly if they were connected with his geological and mining interests. Ian died aged 90 at the end of 2018, and left everything to a variety of charities, including the RSGS. The Board is determined to make the very best use of these welcome funds, to secure as far as possible the longer-term financial future of the Society which has operated with an annual deficit in recent years. In the present uncertain investment climate, with so much still unclear looking ahead, the Board will not rush into investing hastily, but we aim to build up an endowment fund for the future, and will need more to do so.

Do please think of leaving a legacy to the Society, which can make a real difference, and long-term benefit. All legacies to charities are free of Inheritance Tax, which can otherwise take 40% of your Estate, so this is one of the very best forms of tax planning. If you would like any more advice on making a gift or legacy to the RSGS, please contact me via RSGS HQ or on treasurer@rsgs.org.

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Leading from the front Alister Hendrie, RSGS Vice-Chair Our recent Annual General Meeting saw Roger Crofts complete his second three-year term as Chair and finally step down from the role he has fulfilled in such an outstanding manner over the past six years.

Prior to joining the Board of RSGS, Roger had been well known to us as a distinguished academic geographer who had worked with the Scottish Government and as Chief Executive of Scottish Natural Heritage. He also had long-standing connections with the Scottish Association of Geography Teachers, serving for an extended period as one of their Honorary Presidents. From the outset Roger was able to bring all of this wide-ranging experience to bear in helping to focus the Board on a clear set of strategic targets for his term of office. During this time our credibility, profile and financial sustainability have all been significantly enhanced, not least through Roger’s leadership, energy and enthusiasm.

Another of the ways in which Roger has hugely contributed to our corporate targets has been through his networking both within and outwith Scotland. His high-level contacts in the universities, government, NGOs and wider civic society have served RSGS well and greatly helped develop our profile. Over his second three-year term Roger has put a lot of time and effort into developing

a fundraising strategy, including a case for support, in order to ensure the financial future of the Society. While the implementation of this strategy has been put on hold due to the coronavirus epidemic, we are now well placed to progress it at an appropriate time in future.

During his first two years as Chair, Roger visited every one of our 13 Local Groups, and throughout his tenure he delivered as many as 30 talks on our behalf. He also contributed at least 20 articles to The Geographer and used his personal contacts around the world to help commission numerous other articles from a wide variety of different contributors.

Roger co-edited the spring 2020 edition of The Geographer on ‘nature’s solutions’. Yet another aspect of his work has been in building our international links, in particular with the Royal Geographical Society and the Royal Canadian Geographical Society.

Overall RSGS owes a huge debt of gratitude to Roger for his inspirational leadership and contribution to so many facets of our work over the last six years. He has truly led from the front. We are delighted to report that he will continue to serve RSGS in future as a Vice-President of the Society. We wish both Roger and his wife Lindsay well and look forward to their continuing interest, friendship and support in the years to come.

“RSGS owes a huge debt of gratitude to Roger for his inspirational leadership.”

Taking up the reins John Briggs, RSGS Chair I was given the honour of being elected Chair of the RSGS following the virtual AGM in May 2020, something which makes me feel very proud and humble at the same time.

Roger Crofts is going to be a hard act to follow, having led the Board with great skill and wisdom, but I can assure you that I will make every effort to emulate Roger in his leadership.

My background is that of a professional geographer.

Having graduated with a BA (hons) in Geography from the University of London, I completed a PhD at the University of Wales before starting my career as a lecturer in geography.

My first post was at the (then) University of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland based at the Kwaluseni campus in Swaziland, before being appointed Lecturer in Geography at the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. From there, I returned to the UK to a lectureship at the University of Glasgow, where I have been ever since, first as Lecturer, then Senior Lecturer, eventually being promoted to Professor of Geography in 1996. I was head of department for six years and served as a Vice Principal of the University of Glasgow from 2012 until my retirement in 2018.

My research interests throughout my career have focused on people-environment interrelationships, and specifically on people and natural resource use and management in Africa. I have undertaken collaborative research with African colleagues over the last 40 years or so in Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania, Egypt, Malawi, Zambia and South Africa, but I have also spent considerable time elsewhere in Africa, mainly Rwanda, Uganda and Botswana.

More widely, I have served on the Council of the Institute of British Geographers (now the RGS-IBG); I have edited

the Geographical Journal, one of the three house journals of the RGSIBG; I have been a member of the UK Government’s expert Research Advisory Group for the Department of International Development; I was a member of the then Scottish Office’s Higher Still committee and had particular responsibility for the design of the Advanced Higher in Geography; I had a spell as Honorary President of SAGT; and at the University of Glasgow I led the university’s academic partnerships with a select number of universities in Africa.

My personal interests are largely travel (but not at the moment!) and sport, particularly cricket, football and rugby of both codes. Assuming the T20 cricket World Cup in Australia goes ahead later this year, I will be rooting for Scotland to do well and improve on our current world ranking.

As Chair of RSGS, I want to maintain and reinforce the quality of the Inspiring People talks, leading to increased attendances at all RSGS Local Groups; to develop an even closer relationship with the geography teacher community in Scotland, to promote geography even more in the schools sector; to strengthen the relationship with the geography research and teaching community in the higher education sector in Scotland; to enhance further the reputation of the RSGS and its collections in Perth; and to strengthen our financial base to ensure the Society’s long-term sustainability.

“I will make every effort to emulate Roger in his leadership.”

6 Autumn 2020

What future for Scotland’s uplands?

Dr Charles Warren, Senior Lecturer, School of Geography and Sustainable Development, University of St Andrews; Dr Jayne Glass, Research Fellow, Rural Policy Centre, Scotland’s Rural College The Scottish uplands are widely seen as an iconic and valued national asset, yet they are also the focus of long-running and acrimonious tussles over how they should best be managed.

A 2015 issue of The Geographer explored many of these contentious issues, including land ownership, renewable energy, wild land, climate change, and the respective places of farming, forestry, and game sport. These all remain live debates. However, the world has moved on, bringing new perspectives and realities to bear on these long-standing discussions. This article provides a snapshot of this rapidly evolving picture, highlighting some of the salient issues and questions.

Why do the uplands deserve a particular focus within this wider picture? Not only do they comprise almost half of Scotland, but they provide a wide range of important ecosystem services. The hills provide recreation opportunities and drinking water, as well as wind and water power for renewable energy; moorlands contribute to water regulation and support rich biodiversity; woodlands provide raw materials and carbon storage; and all these habitats provide carbon sequestration, notably the peatlands. Moreover, the uplands are the setting for important socio-economic pursuits with wider public benefits such as agriculture, forestry, game sports, recreation and tourism. Finally, of course, for many rural communities the uplands are home.

“Virtually all upland landscapes are managed for a range of purposes: they are multifunctional, cultural landscapes managed by diverse owners who often have different core aims.”

The challenges affecting the uplands operate at a wide range of scales, of both time and space. At the largest scale, addressing climate change remains the great, overarching imperative, its urgency recognised by the Scottish Government’s declaration of a climate emergency in April 2019. But since 2015, Brexit has emerged to dominate the policy horizon, and, from early 2020, the coronavirus pandemic has profoundly rewritten the rules of everyday life, as well as tragically curtailing many lives. In these ways alone, the big picture now looks very different, and the contours of the ‘new normal’ remain extremely hazy. At smaller scales, too, recent years have seen several highly significant developments that are particular to the Scottish context. The Scottish Government (SG) has been focusing on the uplands as never before, commissioning high-profile inquiries into grouse moor management (the Werritty Report, 2019) and deer management (the Deer Working Group Report, 2020), and establishing the Scottish Land Commission (SLC) in 2017. Also in 2017, the SG’s Land Rights and Lapwing, Glen Quaich. © Colin Woolf Responsibilities Statement, a world first, set out principles for balancing private and public interests. The steadily growing trend towards partnerships and collaborative working is being strongly encouraged through the SG’s commitment to develop Regional Land Use Partnerships.

In all these ways, even before the pandemic struck, a ferment of fresh analysis and proposals was swirling around the uplands, questioning established assumptions, priorities, and practices. Now, to an extent, all bets are off, and arguably the most pressing question is how to ‘build back better’, ensuring that the recovery from Covid-19 is as green and future-proofed as possible. Brexit also offers a unique opportunity for fresh thinking. In this unparalleled context, it is hard to argue with the sentiments of Hamish Trench, the Chief Executive of the SLC, that this is a “time to be bold in reforming the way we make decisions about land use change.”

What, then, might a bold, fresh approach to decision making look like in this important, multifaceted setting?

Although everyone’s crystal balls are unusually clouded right now, some future trends are discernible. One is that the long-championed ideals of joined-up thinking and integrated environmental management will finally make the leap to working practices, not least because of the SG’s strong push in this direction.

Another is that tackling climate change will swiftly become established as a central, organising principle, as befits a climate emergency. Despite decades of discussion and calls for radical change, ‘business as usual’ prevails, with only minor, peripheral adjustment. The supertanker has sailed on regardless. But the Covid-19 crisis may finally enable a new course to be charted.

Nevertheless, despite such positive potential, it is a safe bet that deep tensions will persist over the ‘right’ way forward. Virtually all upland landscapes are managed for a range of purposes: they are multifunctional, cultural landscapes managed by diverse owners (private, public, NGO, community) who often have different core aims. The increasingly strong consensus about the climate change imperative does not magically translate into consensus on the ground. For example, the deeply acrimonious raptor debate, between grouse shooting and raptor conservation, has rumbled on for 30 years despite extensive efforts to find a resolution, and it will not evaporate overnight. Nor will controversies surrounding the impacts of large and expanding deer populations. The persistence of such debates is not just due to entrenched vested interests but often because both facts and values are in dispute. Not infrequently, ‘the science’ does not provide an unequivocal steer. Tensions can build when neighbouring landowners with different values pursue conflicting visions – rewilding versus re-peopling, for example: should the uplands be places

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where natural processes are given free rein or places which restore human communities by supporting livelihoods? Can it be both/and, or is it either/or?

In an arena as diverse as the Scottish uplands, it is easy to acknowledge that one size does not fit all, but it is far harder to agree on what does fit in any particular place, and why one positive vision should Ptarmigan. © Desmond Dugan be chosen over another. How should the multiple competing demands be met, especially when so many of them are targeted at the so-called ‘squeezed middle’ – intermediate quality land between prime farmland and open hill? Though such areas are extensive, they cannot simultaneously accommodate all the bold visions for forest expansion, rewilding, wind power, energy crops, agroforestry, high nature value farming, and more that are championed. Difficult choices abound. For example, both tree planting and peatland restoration have strong climate change credentials, but choosing which is the better option here is sometimes far from straightforward.

So how can such tensions and difficulties be addressed?

This brings us back to the importance of making land use management decisions in a more strategic and integrated fashion. The SG’s pioneering Land Use Strategy is a step in this direction but has yet to deliver its strategic potential.

Many advocate collaborative initiatives. While certainly no panacea, they can be very constructive, especially when they draw on local knowledge and expertise to address local

problems in locally appropriate ways. Cairngorms Connect is one such initiative, a partnership of neighbouring land managers committed to a 200-year vision to enhance habitats, species and ecological processes across 10% of the Cairngorms National Park, while the SLC has high hopes that the new Regional Land Use Partnerships will deliver positive change. To be successful, they will need to build regional consensus, and experience suggests that this may be neither easy nor swift. In places, in order to help these and other initiatives fulfil their potential, there may be a need for more targeted financial incentives to enable upland managers to deliver public goods on their land; public support for public goods. This could perhaps be one element of a post-Covid-19, post-Brexit reorientation.

The way in which the uplands are managed will play an important part in delivering Scotland’s ambitious climate targets, and this chimes with SG’s avowed desire for a green post-Covid-19 recovery. Looking ahead, one of the interesting questions is the appropriate mix of top-down and bottom-up decision making. Should land managers align their plans with a national vision for the uplands, or should their future be allowed to emerge from the fusion of place-based initiatives delivered through local and regional collaborations? The scale and locus of decision making will be important determinants of the future of the Scottish uplands.

© Desmond Dugan

8 Autumn 2020

The Centre for Mountain Studies, Perth College UHI Professor Martin Price FRSE, Director, Centre for Mountain Studies

The Centre for Mountain Studies (CMS, www.perth.uhi.ac.uk/ mountainstudies) was established at Perth College UHI in 2000, with the objective of creating a centre of excellence for work in mountain areas within the emerging UHI. Since then, the university has become a reality, in 2011; and the CMS has achieved its initial objective. This article highlights many of our activities over the past 20 years, with a focus on Scotland.

2002 was the International Year of Mountains (IYM), and this provided many opportunities for us to work with a wide range of NGOs from the recreation, tourism and conservation sectors, as well as Scottish Natural Heritage, which provided most of the funding for a project officer and a conference on the mountains of northern Europe.

2004 was an important year of beginnings. First, we launched an online MSc in Sustainable Mountain Development. It has now attracted over 100 students, over half from Scotland, and the others from across the UK and Europe, as well as North America and Africa; it was a key reason for the designation of our UNESCO Chair in Sustainable Mountain Development in 2009. Second, our first PhD student, Rob McMorran, started his research on the forests of the Cairngorms. In 2007, Rob was joined by three more PhD students – Annie McKee, Jayne Glass, and Pippa Wagstaff – in the ‘Sustainable Estates for the 21st Century’ project, funded by the Henry Angest Foundation. The practical relevance of the project was assured by the involvement of an advisory board with representatives of NGOs from the environmental and landowning sectors, the Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA), and the Scottish Government.

The students’ research focused on private estates and their local communities, and a toolkit to foster sustainable estate management. Since the project was completed, its outputs have been widely used in practice and policy, and other CMS projects – on land ownership, game management, and wild land – have built on it. Rob and Jayne have now moved to Scotland’s Rural College and Annie to the James Hutton Institute, and all continue to collaborate with us.

We have also been active in many projects funded by European organisations. We have led two large multi-national projects in northern Europe: on adaptation to climate change

Glen Quaich. © Colin Woolf

(Clim-ATIC, 2008-11), which eventually led to an MSc on this topic in Norway; and on ecotourism in UNESCO biosphere reserves (SHAPE, 2017-20). Both projects included Scottish partners: CNPA in the first, Wester Ross and Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biospheres in the second. Since 2002, we have coordinated four studies of Europe’s mountains, successively increasing the range and depth of knowledge of many of their environmental and socio-economic characteristics. The outcomes of the projects have been widely used for policy making by European institutions, as well as for lobbying by Euromontana, the pre-eminent European mountain NGO, of which UHI is a member. We have also been involved in projects involving Euromontana: on quality mountain foods, the use of the outputs of Europeanfunded projects in mountain areas, and social innovation in marginalised rural areas. Our involvement in the latter was led by Ros Bryce, who joined us in 2014, and also led the SHAPE project.

“The Centre for Mountain Studies was established with the objective of creating a centre of excellence for work in mountain areas within the emerging UHI.”

Knowledge exchange has been a key element of the CMS since the IYM in 2002, when we were involved in meetings convened by 48 different organisations. Since then, working with different partners, we have convened meetings focusing on Scotland’s uplands: on biodiversity, the values of mountain water, and climate and wider environmental change. In addition, working with global organisations, we have organised three major international conferences on global change and sustainable development across the world’s mountains in Perth, in 2005, 2010, and 2015. As well as the vital connections that are a key result of any meeting, these have led to strategies for mountain research and many publications. Twenty years on, over 3,000 people from around the world have attended our meetings – and we are recognised for our activities not only in Scotland, but globally.

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What are Britain’s uplands for?

Anne Gray, Director, The Heather Trust

During 2019, The Heather Trust (www.heathertrust.co.uk) ran a series of events across Great Britain that explored differing perspectives around a central question: “What are Britain’s uplands for?” There are, of course, many perspectives which, loosely speaking, range from those who advocate ‘traditional’ management for farming and sporting interests to those who promote what has become termed ‘rewilding’. There are many stops along this continuum, however, and we also explored topics such as renewables, forestry expansion, wildlife and adventure tourism, and community ownership models, to name but a few.

The reason the Trust wanted to run these events was relatively straightforward. We did not set out to find a definitive answer to the question posed. What we wanted was for people who would not normally find themselves in the same orbit to come together to talk to each other.

The Heather Trust is in essence a reconciliation project.

It was set up to find and promote moorland and upland management techniques that deliver multiple benefits – the sweet spot in the middle between making a living and delivering for nature and people. We believe, therefore, that to get people of differing backgrounds and perspectives together for respectful debate is a valuable starting point to achieving shared understanding and trust. This, in turn, is a stepping stone toward building consensus.

Each event consisted of a morning site visit to explore aspects of existing management particular to the venue, and an afternoon of presentations and a panel-led debate.

The events took place at Lurgan Farm, Perthshire; Invercauld and Mar Lodge, East Cairngorms; The Hopes Estate, The Lammermuirs; Beacon Hill, Powys; Bradfield Moor, The Peak District; Goathland East Moor, North York Moors; and College Valley Estates, Northumberland.

In attendance were academics, government researchers, policy makers, environmental charities, uplands advisers, farmers, gamekeepers, shoot owners, stalkers, rewilders, lobbyists, campaigners, and interested members of the public.

Following each event, the questions raised in the afternoon debates were analysed to identify the key themes. Natural Capital turned out to be the most talked-about topic.

The events brought some useful learning. Firstly, there was good interest in attending (all but one event sold out) and we attracted a worthwhile range of interests. We also found that the site visits were where the really good conversations happened. It became apparent that talking about what is living and growing and being done on a hill or moor is so

much better than a theoretical conversation about an idea of generic hill or moorland. Finally, we found that the factors affecting and influencing management of any site varied a great deal. While we might see farming, game management, carbon, water, waders, raptors, designated sites, community interests, trees, outdoor recreation, and so on, all having a role to play, the relative importance of each varies: there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution to the question of achieving the right balance. However, that doesn’t mean to say there are not principles and approaches that can be applied to help find the right solution for each circumstance.

“The Heather Trust was set up to find and promote moorland and upland management techniques that deliver multiple benefits.”

The Heather Trust plans to take forward work to follow up on these events. We will: 1) explore the approaches and mechanisms that will enable each area of moorland and hill to contribute in the best way it can to achieving regionally and nationally important outcomes. Since each moor is different, a policy framework that will allow enough flexibility for each place to find its own balance will be vital.

2) promote developments in approaches to, and investment in, the delivery of public goods, thus enabling moorland managers to make financially realistic choices to manage for these outcomes.

3) find better ways to ensure neighbouring land uses, as far as possible, complement each other rather than conflict.

4) continue to get people of all perspectives together in the uplands to keep the conversation going.

10 Autumn 2020

Delivering multiple benefits: informing decision-making Professor Alison Hester FRSGS, Senior Scientist and Entrepreneurial Research Fellow, James Hutton Institute

Natural resources provide fundamental life support functions and underpin the global economy. However, across the globe natural resources continue to be harvested and/ or further degraded. Awareness of the fundamental importance of natural resources for survival is increasing as global pressures increase, for example from rising human population/consumption and increased frequencies of extreme climatic events. The consequences of degradation of natural resources, as well as the opportunities for restoration, are thus becoming increasingly publicised, as is the urgency of action.

Set in this global context, land management decision-making at any level has the challenging task of trying to balance multiple interests to achieve environmental, economic and social ‘prosperity’. Reports published in 2019 by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) gave hard-hitting messages about the urgent need for changes in land use and management if we are to avoid worst-case climate warming scenarios and irreversible losses in biodiversity. For the first time, the IPBES report ranked five direct drivers of change in nature in terms of their relative global impact. Top of the list was “changes in land and sea use,” with land degradation quoted as having reduced productivity of 23% of the global land surface; up to US$577 billion in annual global crops at risk from pollinator loss; and 100-300 million people at increased risk of floods and hurricanes because of loss of coastal habitats and protection.

Changes to mitigate such negative impacts, and indeed to meet many other global goals, will need to be rapid and transformative – for integrated production and consumption of energy, food and water; sustainable use; equitable sharing of benefits arising from use; climate adaptation and mitigation; and much more.

located in the uplands, but their combined area covers only 19% of the country. The new national forest strategy, published in April this year, sets out ten- and 50-year plans to drive that percentage up, while acknowledging that, in the 100 years since the creation of the Forestry Commission, it has already climbed from a figure of only 5%. Ambitious forest expansion targets have been set, not just in Scotland but across the UK, and are widely heralded as providing a means of sequestering large amounts of carbon to help in climate change mitigation. But beneath this simple headline lie a plethora of difficult calculations: which tree species (and how future-climate-proof); how can carbon be most effectively sequestered; what happens when the trees are felled; what are the carbon and other implications of expanding forest at the expense of other land uses? One powerful research tool in addressing many of these questions uses spatial modelling of land-use configuration options to achieve multiple benefits, including carbon, biodiversity, ecological connectivity, water quality and flow (including natural flood management), food production, recreation, protection of designated land, and so on. Application of the James Hutton Institute’s multiplebenefits modelling tool to the Cairngorms National Park demonstrates the potential to inform complex land-use tradeoff decisions for a range of different forest expansion targets into the future.

Agriculture is another headline issue across the globe: farming activities directly depend on climatic conditions and are therefore highly exposed to climate change. But agriculture also contributes to climate change through the release of greenhouse gases; for example, agriculture and related land use are thought to be responsible for about a quarter of Scotland’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Agriculture can contribute to climate change mitigation by reducing emissions and sequestering carbon, whilst maintaining Forest expansion and restoration in action at Glen Feshie. © Alison Hester These are all critical areas food production and other requiring fundamental, multiple benefits for nature and society, and producing transformative and translatory research to underpin action. sufficient economic return to maintain ‘viability’ (which is This article highlights some of our relevant current research strongly affected by government subsidy decisions). The informing land-use decision-making for multiple benefits in Scottish Government and the UK Climate Change Committee the uplands, set in the context of Scotland’s ‘net zero’ targets have committed to support the necessary changes in Scottish (addressing the Scottish Government’s target for Scotland to land use that will underpin net zero. This forms another major end its contribution to global climate change by 2045). Much focus for our current research, some at the James Hutton of this research is co-funded by the Scottish Government’s Institute’s upland research farm, Glensaugh, our new centre Strategic Research Programme 2016-21. Two particularly for climate-positive farming. Moving towards this aim requires important spotlights in this respect relate to forest expansion a transformative approach, with innovations in technology and to agriculture. and in ways of working that embrace all the technological Forests provide crucial ecosystem services, supporting the and agro-ecological design elements for a low carbon sustainability of critical resources such as water and soil, economy. Changing the way that agricultural land is managed and play a key role in adaptation and mitigation to climate is a major goal for Scottish policy; this includes delivering change. Scotland’s natural and planted forests are primarily meaningful emissions reductions on farms and supporting

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the promised rapid and sustained increase in the rate of tree planting, as well as peatland restoration.

solutions, products and processes that we can export across the world.”

There is also potential for some of these commitments to be given a There is a highly pertinent potential legislative underpinning by including multiple benefit between the two them in Scotland’s Climate Change examples highlighted here, as there Plan, particularly those commitments is great potential for increasing that relate to the landand integrating tree cover use sector and delivering with livestock and other land multiple benefits for nature, management on farms to give a climate and farmers. A diverse array of added benefits stated intention within the beyond carbon. However, in the Programme for Scotland is UK there is still a prevalent view to commission, at a national that farming and forestry are level, “independent advice on somehow in conflict, and by far options for changing land-use the majority of forest expansion patterns and practices within is spatially separated from Scotland to optimise the farmed land. Given the major role that our rural land use, forest expansion targets that including agriculture and the UK nations have developed, forestry, plays in achieving this is a ripe area for highour national climate change profile, integrated land-use Glensaugh Farm – integrating trees with livestock for multiple benefits. © Donald Barrie targets.” planning and promotion of

“There is great potential for increasing and integrating tree cover with livestock and other land management on farms.”

multiple benefits across landuse sectors.

Combining transformative research and innovation with robust testing and demonstration is essential if land managers, national/international policy makers, international organizations and donors are to be persuaded to make climate-positive, multi-functional land use a priority in the drive to achieve radical change in the way we manage the uplands. The Government’s Programme for Scotland 201920 has made notable commitments to strengthen Scotland’s ambition on climate change, including addressing the climate emergency as the mission of the Scottish National Investment Bank and regional land-use plans. “Scotland has a unique opportunity to be at the forefront of global action, gaining an early foothold in developing new low emissions Beautiful but degraded – some obvious, some less so. © Alison Hester

FURTHER READING

Hester, Baggio, Gimona (2020) Woodland, climate change and the Cairngorms National Park. Invited keynote presentation, Net Zero with Nature conference, Aviemore, March 2020 (cairngorms.co.uk/working-together/the-climateemergency/net-zero-nature) IPBES (2019) Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (ipbes.net/global-assessment) IPCC (2019) Special Report: Climate Change and Land (www.ipcc.ch/srccl) FAO (2016) State of the World’s Forests 2016. Forests and agriculture: land-use challenges and opportunities (www.fao. org/publications/sofo/2016/en)

12 Autumn 2020

Delivering environmental gain at the catchment scale Dr Derek Robeson, Senior Project Officer (Integrated Land & Water Management), Tweed Forum

Tweed Forum is at the heart of land and water management on Tweed. It was formed in 1991 to promote the sustainable use of the entire 5,000km2 Tweed catchment. In partnership with over 25 member organisations, we work to deliver practical projects on the ground, which protect, enhance and restore the rich natural, built and cultural heritage of the River Tweed and its tributaries.

Tweed Forum works with farmers, land managers and community groups, across the Scottish Borders and part of north Northumberland, on diverse conservation projects.

These range from restoring peatland habitats through ditch blocking, re-wetting and hagg re-profiling, to re-meandering canalised watercourses and re-connecting rivers with their floodplains. Targeted native woodland planting, to reduce flooding, forms a key component of our work. We have led on a long-standing invasive non-native species control programme, tackling plants such as giant hogweed and Japanese knotweed.

Priority species conservation for birds such as lapwing and curlew takes place through moorland management plans, grazing management agreements, pond and wetland creation, and wildflower meadow management. This year, Tweed Forum was successful in the first stage of a large National Lottery Heritage Fund bid, to facilitate the creation of a longdistance footpath and associated conservation works, along the 100-mile length of the River Tweed, from source to sea.

Promoting integrated catchment management is at the core of all we do.

this has focused on catchments above the main towns that flood, including Hawick, Selkirk, Peebles, and Galashiels.

These trees will bring many additional benefits, including to priority habitats, such as the River Tweed Special Area of Conservation, and priority species, such as Atlantic salmon and otter. Shading will help prevent over-heating of watercourses. Diffuse pollution will be reduced through the buffering effect of the growth of tall herb vegetation.

It is estimated that trees planted to date will help sequester over 250,000 tonnes of carbon. Scottish forestry grant schemes are fundamental, but the difference between the grants and the costs can sometimes mean the difference between a scheme going ahead or not. Tweed Forum has used additional funding from Woodland Trust Scotland and offset payments from windfarm developers to bridge the gap.

“Targeted native woodland planting, to reduce flooding, forms a key component of our work.”

The landscape of the Border uplands comprises a mix of traditional hill sheep farms, commercial conifer plantations and grouse moors. Native woodlands account for only 7% of all woodland types in the Scottish Borders, with ancient and semi-natural woodlands confined to small pockets in hill cleuchs and on steep slopes. Tweed Forum works to address this, by aiming to plant the right tree, in the right place, and at the right scale, to make a significant difference.

Through initiatives such as our native and riparian woodland planting programme, over 650ha have been planted over the last ten years, mostly in the headwaters of the Tweed and across ten major tributaries including the Teviot, Yarrow, Ettrick, Eddleston, Leader, Gala, Whiteadder and Till. Over one million trees have been planted, mostly comprising oak, rowan, aspen, birch, Scots pine and hazel. A key driver of the woodland planting programme has been to help slow the flow of surface water after heavy rainfall events, so

Upland landscapes hold the key to delivering many ecosystem services and addressing many of our global warming and biodiversity challenges. Working in harmony with the emerging Regional Land Use Partnerships, to deliver integrated catchment management, to the benefit of all, will remain a key element of Tweed Forum’s work in the future.

South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project Stephen Young, Head of Policy, Scottish Land & Estates The pioneering South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project (SSGEP) is a collaborative project between land managers and conservationists working to increase the breeding population and range of golden eagles across Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Borders.

“Golden eagles play a vital role in helping to maintain a healthy local ecosystem.”

The project has been set up to address concerns about low numbers of golden eagles, which play a vital role in helping to maintain a healthy local ecosystem, in the south of Scotland.

Before the project began, there were only between two and four pairs of golden eagles across Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Borders. However, a supporting study by Scottish Natural Heritage shows that the local habitat is suitable for up to 16 pairs. The initiative is a key project under the Scottish Government’s 2020 Challenge for Scottish Biodiversity (which sets out a route map to protect and restore Scotland’s biodiversity).

Project partners include RSPB Scotland, Scottish Land and Estates, Scottish Forestry, Scottish Natural Heritage, and the Southern Uplands Partnership. Funding comes from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, project partners, Scottish Power Renewables, the Scottish Government, and Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway LEADER Programmes.

Expanding riparian woodlands in the Border Hills, to reduce flooding.

The project has identified that the best way of enhancing this fragmented and vulnerable population of golden eagles is through increasing the supply of young eagles, which will

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Shared vision and stronger voice in southern Scotland Pip Tabor, Partnership Manager, The Southern Uplands Partnership

The Southern Uplands Partnership (SUP) was first mooted in 1998, at a time when the first significant wind farms were being proposed, and upland agriculture was becoming increasingly marginal, largely supported by subsidy. Local tourism was low-profile, and rural development was poorly resourced in comparison to the Highlands. Many in the South foresaw a future where the hills and their rich natural and cultural heritage disappeared under industrial wind turbines or industrial forestry.

The founding partners agreed that a more integrated, resilient and sustainable approach was needed, and established the SUP as a charitable limited company in November 1999 with three broad aims: • to bring together those with an interest in the uplands of southern Scotland to develop a shared vision, a more integrated approach and a stronger political voice; • to facilitate discussion between the sectoral ‘silos’ of forestry, farming, shooting, conservation and recreation; • to find models of rural development that might better sustain the rural communities that had grown up around

eventually recruit into the breeding population. Recent satellite tagging work of golden eagles in Scotland has shown that the population in the south of Scotland is isolated from larger populations of this species in the rest of Scotland. The project team is using tried and tested methods to rear and release young golden eagles derived from previous white-tailed eagle and red kite reintroduction projects and knowledge of raptor experts, with vital support from donor estates.

They have collected one eagle chick from broods of two young in the Highlands and raised and released them in an undisclosed location in the Moffat Hills area. For the next two years, the project will bring up to ten young eagles south per year.

Each released golden eagle will be satellite tagged to ensure the project team builds up as much information as they can on the ranging behaviour, survival, and health of the birds.

To date, the project team has successfully translocated four golden eagles from the Scottish Highlands to the south of Scotland. The four birds have settled into their new habitats and are fending for themselves. Support from volunteers, land managers, raptor specialists and other participants plays a pivotal role in helping the iconic species continue to grow in numbers and thrive in the area.

The project partners draw on knowledge and experience from within their organisations to make this a strong and successful project. Collaboration and cooperation are crucial factors to achieving success, and the future of conservation depends on unique partnership initiatives like SSGEP.

traditional land uses and natural resource practices (farming, mining, weaving, forestry and fishing).

The founding partners were Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), Borders Forest Trust, and Buccleuch Estates: a Government agency, a community organisation, and a private company working together. This was seen to be a unique partnership from the start. Along with Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway Councils, Scottish Enterprise, RSPB, and a range of other groups and individuals, the SUP set out to find new ways of doing things.

In 2001, foot-and-mouth disease had a severe impact on much of the Southern Uplands, and highlighted how inter-dependent different sectors were. The closure of much of the countryside had a terrible effect on tourism and other rural enterprises as well as on farming livelihoods. The recovery demonstrated the value of innovative approaches to rural development, exploring local assets (natural or cultural), and ways of adding value to these to sustain employment.

SUP started to develop a range of projects: from exploring the need for local abattoirs and encouraging farm diversification, to promoting naturebased tourism, supporting walking festivals, developing equestrian tourism, promoting small-scale renewable energy, and lobbying for broadband.

“The recovery demonstrated the value of innovative approaches to rural development.”

SUP was closely involved in the establishment of the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere, and played an active role in the exploration of possible national parks. We have lobbied for more to be made of existing National Scenic Areas. We are seeking to make more of the Wild Land Areas which SNH have identified in our region, and we currently host the popular Golden Eagle Project. It is our view that we need to make considered use of the wide range of natural and cultural assets we have. SUP now employs 12 people, including a core team of three: we work by pulling together stakeholders around key issues, and partnership projects often develop from these groupings. Some projects fall to SUP to deliver; these have become vital as a means of generating income for the charity.

The value of our network and our region-wide experience is now recognised and we are regularly invited to contribute to national debates (eg, on the Scottish Land Use Strategy, on forestry expansion, on community development) and we are increasingly approached to undertake consultation or contract work, another source of vital funding.

The need to address climate change and the biodiversity crisis have been major factors in recent years, and the Covid-19 outbreak has further focused minds on the need to develop resilient communities and more sustainable businesses. The adoption of the concept of natural capital in development is increasingly seen as an approach that can improve the way we shape and influence land-use decisions and foster a healthy functioning environment across the Southern Uplands. We aim to play an ongoing role in this with our partners.

14 Autumn 2020

Fixing cement: how can the sector get to net zero?

Jocelyn Timperley, climate and science journalist

Cement has a surprisingly large climate impact, contributing around 8% of global CO2 emissions. To align the sector with the Paris climate goals, big changes will be needed. The sheer scale of these changes can seem tricky, but there are a number of ways emissions could be cut.

Cement and climate change Cement is a binder which is mixed with sand, gravel and water to produce concrete, the most widely used construction material in the world. “Basically, you name some form of infrastructure or building and it’s got some kind of concrete in it,” says Johanne Lehne, co-author of a Chatham House report on low-carbon cement in 2018.

Cement is an essential part of concrete because it acts as the glue that holds it together. Roughly 50% of CO2 emissions from Portland cement, the industry standard, come from calcination, the chemical reaction used to make clinker, a key ingredient. Here, limestone is heated to high temperatures to produce calcium oxide in a reaction that also generates CO2. “This is what makes cement decarbonisation so tricky, but also so fascinating,” says Lehne. “It’s not just about shifting to a different kind of fuel use. You’re really talking about completely transforming the material itself if you’re trying to actually get to completely net zero.”

lasting building will also result in less cement use over the long term.

In some situations it may make sense to replace concrete with sustainably-sourced wood, both avoiding the emissions from cement and potentially turning buildings into carbon sinks.

Reduce fossil energy use Newer cement kilns are more energy efficient than older ones, so replacing them can cut emissions. Chinese and Indian plants are already much lower in carbon emissions than in Europe, because they use newer technology, says Ian Riley, chief executive of the World Cement Association, an industry body.

“Governments could create clean cement purchasing mandates as a way to really stimulate action from the cement industry.”

Of course, the high temperatures needed to heat cement kilns also result in huge amounts of emissions. Around 40% of CO2 from the cement industry is produced in this way, while the remaining 10% comes from mining and transport of the raw material ingredients.

There are several ways these different emissions can be reduced, and a number of policy levers which could be pushed to help this.

Use it less There are a number of ways cement use could be reduced without simply stopping building. Cement is also often ‘overused’ in buildings compared to what is needed to ensure their structural soundness, says Lehne, for example by building thicker walls or using a higher proportion of cement in concrete than needed. Structures can also be optimised to use less cement, for example by using a ‘capillary web’ system, while longer-

Alternative lower carbon fuels can also replace fossil fuels for heating the cement kilns. In Europe, there has already been a strong shift to using waste and biomass instead of coal, which has brought down emissions considerably, says Lehne, although this has caveats when considering the broader shift to a more circular economy. “We definitely don’t want to be locked into a system where we’re just burning our waste.” Meanwhile, US start-up Heliogen is trying to develop a system using concentrated solar energy to generate the high temperatures needed for industrial processes such as cement production.

Finally, electrifying cement production is both technically possible and no more pricey than other options to reduce cement emissions, according to a 2019 feasibility study from the CemZero partnership in Sweden. Electrification is an area where a breakthrough technology would be “incredible” says Lehne, although the technology readiness is currently far away, she says.

Cut the clinker The global ‘clinker-to-cement ratio’ sat at 0.70 in 2018, a slight increase on 2014 levels. Reducing this ratio can shave off emissions. It needs to fall to 0.66 by 2030 to be in line with the International Energy Agency (IEA)’s sustainable development pathway, for example.

Other similar cementitious materials, such as industrial by-products blast furnace slag and fly ash, can be used as a substitute for clinker to

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some extent. Quantities of these are limited, but companies are working on other ways to increase clinker substitution with alternative cementitious materials. LC3, a blended Portland cement developed at the University of Lausanne which recently went into large-scale production in Colombia, cuts the clinker ratio to 0.50 by adding limestone and a lowgrade kaolinite clay, both materials which are widely available.

However, clinker substitution can only ever go so far in cutting emissions by itself: residual emissions will remain so long as conventional Portland clinker is used.

Alternative cements More than 98% of the world’s cement is currently made using Portland clinker, but cements can be made using alternative binders. Some are already in small-scale use, but they largely remain in the realm of breakthrough technologies that “really aren’t necessarily there yet,” says Lehne.

US firm Solidia produces a cement which absorbs CO2, rather than water, as it hardens. A very clean CO2 source is needed and it can only be used for precast moulds, rather than ready-mix concrete which currently makes up the majority of the industry. Scaling up such carbon-cured cements could potentially absorb 1.4 billion tonnes of CO2 per year by 2050, fixing it into cement, according to a paper in Nature last year.

There are a host of other low or zero carbon cements being developed. But building designers need to gain confidence that they are safe, robust and long-lasting, while many are currently far more costly than Portland cement, says Riley.

John Provis, professor of cement materials science at the University of Sheffield, studies alkali-activated cements, sometimes known as geopolymers, another group of cements often seen as promising for cutting carbon. They are made by combining aluminosilicate precursors – a wide range of materials with differing availability, reactivity and cost worldwide – with a small amount of a reactive chemical. “Alkali-activated cements don’t need the high-temperature kiln processing step [of Portland cement] and don’t use limestone, so can potentially have much lower CO2 emissions,” says Provis, noting CO2 reduction is on the scale of 40-80%. DB Group’s Cemfree and Wagners’ Earth Friendly Concrete are two cements of this type already being made in the UK. The biggest drawback of basically all the alternatives is that none is as robust and versatile as Portland cement, says Provis, who argues for a ‘toolkit’ approach to novel cements. “I guess my big pitch is that we need to move away from a one-size-fits-all solution,” he says. For example, different cements could be used for high-rise buildings than for roof tiles.

In all the discussions about climate change, cement rarely gets mentioned, and yet it is accountable for around 8% of global emissions. The industry is hoping for carbon capture and storage, but alternatives like geopolymer cement exist and can be as much as 90% more carbon efficient. Jocelyn Timperley unpacks this issue for us in more detail.

Capture the carbon In order to get the cement industry to net zero, carbon coming out of cement kilns will likely need to be captured and either stored or utilised in some way, such as in ‘carboncured’ cements. “We don’t think that the industry will be able to decarbonise completely without also having carbon capture and usage,” says Riley.

The industry is holding out hope for carbon capture, even if it hasn’t been scalable so far, says Lehne. “I will admit that I don’t really see an alternative for the cement sector,” she says. “If it’s going to be carbon neutral, there has to be some form of carbon capture and storage as well.” However, she notes, the logistics of storing carbon means capture and storage cannot be implemented in all places there are currently cement plants. “Although CCS is taking a long time to scale, that is not a technology readiness problem,” she says. “It is a business model and policy challenge.”

Policy push Policy could play a huge role in pushing cement incumbents and start-ups to explore ways to cut CO2 from cement, and construction firms to start to use these new technologies.

Globally, there has been relatively little policymaking on reducing the climate impact of cement. “It’s no surprise that these industries have been quite slow to move; they haven’t been pushed to move,” says Lehne. In Europe, for example, the cement industry is included in the European Trading System (ETS) but up until now has received free allocation of credits. This could change under an ETS revision next year, however, while the EU Commission is considering the sector for a proposed border carbon adjustment pilot.

Lehne argues a package of policies is needed to push cement to decarbonise. This would include ensuring money is going to research and development and implementing effective carbon pricing, but the biggest lever to get cement to zero emissions may actually be demand side policies, she says. For example, construction firms could be required to use less concrete in buildings or switch to other materials.

Governments could also create clean cement purchasing mandates as a way to really stimulate action from the cement industry. “A massive missing component is simply creating the market for these cleaner industrial products,” says Lehne.

Setting standards which allow novel cements to compete with Portland cement is another crucial step to changing things, adds Provis. “Our current standards give a list of recipes that we’re allowed to follow. We need to be able to specify materials based on performance, not based on recipes.”

The industry may well end up needing all these levers if a climate-compatible cement sector is ever to become a reality.

“For the alternatives to work, the economics have to add up and that’s really difficult,” says Provis. “But it can’t be allowed to be impossible.”

FURTHER READING

Lehne J, Preston F (2018) Making Concrete Change: Innovation in Low-carbon Cement and Concrete (Chatham House, reader.chathamhouse.org/making-concrete-change-innovation-low-carbon-cement-and-concrete) International Energy Agency (2019) World Energy Model: Scenario analysis of future energy trends (www.iea.org/ reports/world-energy-model/sustainable-development-scenario)

16 Autumn 2020

The need for global transformational change Dr Gail Carson, Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, University of Oxford

When an edition of The Geographer was published in 2018 focusing on a transformative approach to society, business, etc, to support the fulfilment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), who would have guessed two years later the world would be faced with the COVID-19 pandemic! The pandemic challenges our global population, where we are forced to consider and acknowledge choices for our shared future equating to transformational change. The most recent warning regarding a lack of global preparedness was launched in September 2019 by the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board. The report was entitled A World at Risk.

valued as, if the preparedness has worked, the impact is hard to measure.

With a population similar to that of Scotland, New Zealand has had a resounding success in containing SARS-CoV-2 to the point of declaring they were ‘virus free’ in June. Indeed, this remained so until August, 102 days later. Currently, Auckland is in lockdown again and the epidemiological investigation is ongoing. Historically, the transmission type for confirmed and probable cases cites that the majority, 68%, was due to imported cases or related cases.

As an island, the decision to go into early lockdown and initial closure of the borders was, perhaps, the answer for them. Whereas South Korea did not close its borders and, for example, managed them by ensuring testing and quarantining of those entering the country, which is in line with the WHO International Health Regulations, 2005.

“Strong leadership informed by science, with an engaged community actively supporting the outbreak response-related decisions, are key themes.”

At the time of writing – approximately six months in from the start of the pandemic, four to five months in from various public measures being implemented in many countries – there appears to have been a difference in effectiveness of response, with the Asian countries apparently faring better than many Western countries. And if so, why? Of course the devil will be in the detail, and not all of that might be available until after action reviews or independent reviews are published.

Snapshot look around the world – any lessons to learn?

Vietnam was one of the earliest countries to have an imported and detected case of SARS-CoV-2, with the first confirmed case on 23rd January 2020. SARS 2003 and scares with avian influenza are probably responsible for the government acting strongly and quickly in March 2020 to SARS-CoV-2 cases. Their ‘new normal’, with less than 500 laboratory confirmed cases and no deaths, suddenly changed in July with a surge of new cases in six cities and provinces.

By 30th April they had centrally quarantined 18,263 contacts.

The current source remains unknown, but with a pandemic raging in other countries it was probably inevitable, and painfully highlights that the de-escalation measures in this interconnected world will have to be constantly re-evaluated until the whole world has SARS-CoV-2 under control. There are quotes in the press regarding less strict consideration to suspect cases and public mask wearing. The role of asymptomatic transmission yet to be fully defined is likely to play a role in the pandemic (see Buitrago-Garcia et al). As Kucharski et al write, a package of measures is likely to be required to bring the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak under control.

WHO have been advocating for this approach throughout.

After their experience with another coronavirus outbreak in 2015 (MERS), South Korea made a number of changes to facilitate a more effective response, which came into play for this pandemic. They managed to ‘flatten the curve’ without implementing a national lockdown. A case study by the Ariadne Labs in Our World in Data studies the response in detail, highlighting a strong public health system, adequate health care coverage, agile use of data, embracing of innovation, and determination to scale up with community buy-in to, for example, public mask use and contact tracing.

Already from a quick look at two Asian country responses, we note how they learned from previous coronavirus outbreaks.

Preparedness for outbreaks works but is often not seen or

Strong leadership informed by science, with an engaged community actively supporting the outbreak response-related decisions, are key themes to those countries that flattened the first ‘wave’ promptly.

A current serious question is what is going on in the low and middle income countries with regard to the pandemic as they appear to be hit after Europe; are some really seeing less severe COVID-19 disease? Brazil is being hard hit, and like many countries who are vulnerable through poverty, the social determinants of health are being laid bare through this outbreak. Despite having lots of experience with epidemics, Zika being the most recent, this country remains plagued by political discontent.

The week of 14th August marked six months since COVID-19 was first detected in Africa. A report the same week from the WHO Regional Office for Africa acknowledges the apparent difference in how the pandemic is spreading across the continent in comparison to other parts of the world. There appears to be no dramatic peak but more of a gradual rise, with transmission patterns differing between countries. What is key to understand is ‘why’?

India, one of the most populated countries in the world, is seeing the fastest growing outbreak, with more rural areas now being affected. The country was put into lockdown without warning on 25th March, which lasted until 1st June, triggering a mass migration of workers from the mega-cities to their homes. With only £2 being spent per person annually pre-COVID on health, what does this mean for the prognosis of the pandemic in India? Probably not a healthy one, and raises the need for strong healthcare systems that are available to all, essentially the raison d’être of the WHO. What do we face in the COVID-19 tarnished future and in the recovery?

We find ourselves in a unique position of responding, recovering and preparing. What is currently clear is that we are seeing resurgence/s in many countries as they ease out of lockdown. Regarding de-escalation strategies, we must learn from each other and be willing to flex depending on the status of transmission and impact.

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The role of WHO and national public health agencies has been clear from the outset. Some have criticised WHO but it is clear that to win the fight against SARS-CoV-2 we must have solidarity – cross-sectoral solidarity as well as across borders, with a leading agency at the helm.

This raises the role of Governments. Populist politics and anti-science have played a detrimental role in some outbreak responses, and are potentially a risk to us all.

The role of communities has been known to be key in any outbreak response for decades if not centuries, but even more so during the tragedy of Ebola in West Africa. The lockdowns only helped limit transmission because the majority of the communities complied.

As expected, a pandemic shows up the weaknesses in systems societal, economic and health. If you depend heavily on a migrant population for the job market, yet house them in crowded dormitories, then you help to create a weakness that the virus will exploit. Singapore is one example. Trust in government and the decision-making process is important to any outbreak response. So now is the time to press the reset button and jointly aim for an all-hazard approach. We need transformational change to help us reach the SDGs, to ensure universal health coverage, to help the world recover from COVID-19 and prepare for the next major threat.

FURTHER READING

Buitrago-Garcia et al (2020) Asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections: a living systematic review and meta-analysis (medRxiv pre-print, doi.org/10.1101/2020.04.25.20079103) Kucharski A et al (2020) Effectiveness of isolation, testing, contact tracing, and physical distancing on reducing transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in different settings: a mathematical modelling study (The Lancet Infectious Diseases, doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(20)30457-6) Ariadne Labs (2020) Emerging COVID-19 success story: South Korea learned the lessons of MERS (ourworldindata.org/ covid-exemplar-south-korea) Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker (covidtracker.bsg.ox.ac.uk) European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/covid-19-pandemic) Michael Marmot, author of The Health Gap (on Twitter @MichaelMarmot)

© Graeme Miller

18 Autumn 2020

Household factors and the effects of COVID-19 Dr Júlia Mikolai, Dr Katherine Keenan, Professor Hill Kulu, School of Geography and Sustainable Development, University of St Andrews, and ESRC Centre for Population Change

Physical distancing measures and lockdowns introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom mean that people spend more time in their households than ever before. Therefore, certain household characteristics have become more important for individuals’ current and future well-being. These characteristics include overcrowding, access to outdoor space, insecure employment, precarious household finances, and access to digital technologies and the internet.

We analysed approximately 19,500 households using data from the UK Household Longitudinal Study (University of Essex Institute for Social and Economic Research, 2019) from 2017-19. This is a nationally representative study of households in the UK which allows us to draw conclusions about the entire UK population.

We found that certain types of households are at particular risk of socio-economic and health problems which are likely to be made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, retirement-age households are the most vulnerable when it comes to health and access to digital technologies. Single-parent households are most likely to face financial and housing precarities, whereas working-age households with children face financial, employment, and housing risks. Workingage households without children are primarily exposed to housing problems but are also likely to experience all other dimensions of vulnerabilities. Although health vulnerabilities are concentrated in retirement-age households, a substantial proportion of multi-generational and working-age households also face these health risks.

“The short- and long-term consequences of the COVID-19 crisis are likely to vary significantly by household type.”

It is expected that different types of households will be differently affected by the COVID-19 crisis, which is likely to have implications not only for individuals’ health but also for their socio-economic wellbeing (eg, employment, finances). In our study, we compared single-parent households, working-age adult households with and without children, retirement-age households, and multigenerational households. We analysed these different types of households’ vulnerability to the health and socio-economic consequences of the COVID-19 crisis. Vulnerability was measured along five dimensions that are critical during the COVID-19 epidemic using summary indicators: • digital: whether the household has access to digital technology (eg, PC/laptop/tablet) and the internet; • financial: whether the household has a low household income and whether the household has payment arrears; • employment: whether someone in the household was unemployed, self-employed, worked part-time, or was employed on a temporary contract; • housing: whether the household lives in a flat, privately rented accommodation, and experiences overcrowding; • health: whether someone in the household has pre-existing health conditions that make them more vulnerable to the health effects of COVID-19.

We also found that there are area-level differences in the distribution of vulnerabilities across the UK. Households in London and Scotland are primarily exposed to digital and housing vulnerabilities, while in Northern Irish households digital and financial vulnerabilities are the most prevalent.

Households in London and the South of England face employment-related precarities, whereas health vulnerabilities are largely evenly distributed across different areas of the UK. Our study highlighted that the short- and long-term consequences of the COVID-19 crisis are likely to vary significantly by household type. Policy measures that aim to mitigate the health and socio-economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic should consider how vulnerabilities cluster and interact across different household types, and how these may exacerbate already existing inequalities.

The study has been published in SSM – Population Health and can be accessed at doi.org/10.1016/j. ssmph.2020.100628.

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Biosocial geographies of COVID-19 Professor Jo Sharp FRSGS, School of Geography and Sustainable Development, University of St Andrews

Inequality itself constitutes our modern plague.

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic there was a sense that the virus was democratic – Hollywood actor Tom Hanks was a prominent early victim, we witnessed a senior Iranian politician sweating at an official event, and then even the UK Prime Minister succumbed to the disease.

Over time, however, clear patterns have emerged at a variety of scales. Some countries have escaped with minimum cases and mortality while others have seen high rates; there are differential rates of infection and mortality within countries; men are significantly more likely to suffer from serious forms of COVID-19 than women; and BAME populations are disproportionally at risk of catching the disease and dying of it.

The emerging geographies of COVID-19 are highlighting an argument that has been gaining traction in global health research in recent years, namely that diseases are not simply matters of biology. Paul Farmer was one of the first scholars to note this. Farmer, a medical doctor, went to Haiti to help treat those with TB and HIV/AIDS, but came to understand the patterns of infection and suffering had more to do with social, political and economic processes than with the more conventional biomedical narrative of epidemiology.

Farmer came to regard TB and HIV/AIDS as ‘biosocial’, an approach that understands inequalities in risks of catching and succumbing to the disease as primarily reflections of socioeconomic inequalities. Quite literally, systemic socio-economic inequalities are experienced by individuals as disease.

those compelled to continue working in the garment factories supplying high street chains. Gibbon and colleagues argue that the co-morbidities amongst BAME communities – those pre-existing health conditions like obesity, diabetes and heart conditions, that are known to result in poorer COVID outcomes – are linked to a history of deprivation, housing and occupations. We also know that the elderly are statistically more vulnerable, but even this is not entirely consistent as “the biological experience of age varies”: older people “are not simply biologically vulnerable to coronavirus but have been made vulnerable to the virus through political and economic processes. For example, the alarming death rates of older adults in care homes from coronavirus must be understood in the context of continued defunding of the social care sector.” As Farmer would no doubt reflect, these patterns are not the result of individual decision making or behaviour. The geographies of COVID here are revealing of existing structural inequalities.

“It is becoming increasingly clear that managing diseases like COVID-19 requires public health, an approach that sees healthcare not just as an individual right but as a social good.”

At a global level, we might anticipate then that wealthier countries would fare better. The pattern is not quite this simple, however, because wealthy countries are not necessarily more equal ones. It is probably unsurprising then, that the countries where austerity politics have made the greatest impact are also those which have seen the highest levels of COVID, highlighting the biosocial nature of the disease. The class lines of COVID in the UK are stark. In May, the National Record of Scotland undertook an analysis that showed that those areas identified as most deprived by the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation had death rates that were twice those in the least deprived. In areas such as Stockbridge in Edinburgh, identified in January of this year as the least deprived area in Scotland, people can work from home, protecting themselves from interactions that render them vulnerable to infection. In contrast, areas where large numbers of people have to go to work on the ‘frontline’ – as delivery drivers, working on public transport, in hospitals and care homes – have not had that luxury and instead face multiple instances of potential infection. In parts of the north of England we have seen high rates where housing is dense (especially where multiple generations inhabit single houses) and particularly high rates in Leicester linked to

It is becoming increasingly clear that managing diseases like COVID-19 requires public health, an approach that sees healthcare not just as an individual right but as a social good. The individualising approach of austerity politics which insists that we are each responsible for our own health – an approach most clearly pursued in the USA where attempts to provide universal health care are routinely shot down as being socialist or communist – cannot cope with the notion of health as a ‘social obligation’, as we see clearly in the way in which wearing a mask (something that protects others rather than the individual, and thus has to be done by all for the benefits to be felt) in the US has become caught up in ‘culture wars’ about individual freedom. And, of course, the clearest evidence of the social meaning of disease will come with the arrival of a vaccine.

Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust and SAGE committee member, warns against ‘vaccine nationalism’, insisting that public health has to be regarded as a global concept. But President Trump has demonstrated already his intention to put America first with his buying up virtually all global stock of the key COVID drug remdesivir, while at the same time announcing the withdrawal of the US from the World Health Organisation. When an effective vaccine does become available, its distribution will likely illustrate the starkest geographies of inequality.

FURTHER READING

Paul Farmer (2001) Infections and Inequalities: The Modern Plagues (California University Press) Gibbon S, Daly L, Parkhurst A, Ryan C, Salali G, Tasker A (2020) Biosocial Medical Anthropology in the Time of Covid-19 (UCL Medical Anthropology)

20 Autumn 2020

The uplands of Speyside All images Š Desmond Dugan

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22 Autumn 2020

Sustainability is evolutionary Natasha Hutchison, Coordinator, Wester Ross Biosphere

Biosphere Reserves (generally known as Biospheres in the UK) are designated under UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme. They are often located in breath-taking landscapes, and so can be confused with statutory designations such as National Scenic Areas, or perhaps the better-known World Heritage Sites.

While conservation of natural and cultural heritage plays an integral role, Biospheres do not draw a hard line between people and nature. Rather, they consider that nature is always surrounded by people, and that people need nature to live. They explore how to connect people, nature and development in sustainable ways.

Beinn Eighe National Nature Reserve (NNR) was designated as a Biosphere Reserve in 1976. It was envisioned as an open-air laboratory, with capacity for long-term monitoring of environmental change and montane ecosystems. Like other ‘first-generation’ Biospheres, all under statutory protection, it focused on building and sharing scientific knowledge at an international level. However, over time, the MAB Programme extended its interdisciplinary approach into the wider context of sustainability. Thus, the criteria expanded, as did the size of Biosphere Reserves around the world.

With more consideration given to human activities, this reterritorialisation quite literally reinforced the significance of “(hu)man” in the MAB Programme.

By 2008, it was clear that if a Biosphere was to be retained in northwest Scotland, it would have to be expanded beyond the boundaries of Beinn Eighe NNR, in order to conform with UNESCO’s criteria. The decision to investigate the feasibility of doing this was taken by Wester Ross Alliance, working with the Centre for Mountain Studies. The resulting report concluded that there was enough geographical scope and interest to apply for renewed designation.

In 2014, the Scottish Government provided funding to test public support and consider the geographic range, in a

“Biospheres do not draw a hard line between people and nature. Rather, they consider that nature is always surrounded by people, and that people need nature to live.”

process coordinated by the social enterprise Assist Social Capital. After a year of consultation, it was agreed that the boundaries would stretch to the Coigach peninsula in the north, Garve in the east, and reach down to Knoydart in the south.

The application to extend the Biosphere Reserve, now 5,300km2 in area (100 times larger than Beinn Eighe NNR) was approved by UNESCO in 2016.

The newly named Wester Ross Biosphere (www.wrb.scot) became one of very few entirely community-led Biosphere Reserves in the international network of over 700 sites.

With a population density of around 1.6 people per square kilometre, the strength in this approach is the credence given to communities in the decision-making process.

It is not perfect, however, as the relative security of public sector funding is lacking. Nevertheless, partnership opportunities presented themselves shortly after designation, when Wester Ross Biosphere was invited to be a partner in Sustainable Heritage Areas: Partnerships for Ecotourism (SHAPE), a three-year project funded through the European Commission’s Northern Periphery and Arctic Programme.

By the end of SHAPE in early 2020, Wester Ross Biosphere had produced the first ever community-led destination management plan in Scotland. The plan was publicly launched in March, but two weeks later, the UK was ‘locked down’ due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Tourism is the dominant economic activity in Wester Ross, so the suspension of travel has left many businesses and communities deeply concerned about their financial futures. The management plan process has created a collaborative culture in Wester Ross, which will be a valuable resource, as the actions will need to be amended to reflect current and future realities.

It is through this type of collaboration though that we can show that a sustainable way of living is not only possible, but already happening.

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A changing landscape Ed Forrest, Coordinator, Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere

In July 2012, UNESCO designated Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere (www.gsabiosphere.org.uk) as the first ‘new style’ Biosphere in Scotland and the third in the UK.

the area, or public funding seeking simplistic solutions to national policies without recognising the nuances of regional priorities.

It came from an amalgamation of the Cairnsmore of Fleet, Silver Flowe and Merrick Kells Biospheres, first designated in 1976. Following a seminal conference on Biospheres in Seville in 1995, Biospheres were refocused to reflect sustainable development alongside conservation, research, and learning.

They were also required to adopt a zoned approach, with “core areas” of designated high nature conservation value, protected by a “buffer zone” creating ecological connectivity, and an outer “transition area” where sustainable development was actively encouraged.

Over the last eight years, the Biosphere has mapped its ecosystem services, and used them in producing a Natural Heritage Management Plan. This identifies priority species and habitats across the Biosphere and provides management recommendations for landowners as to how they can help to sustain them.

With a notable number of communities in southwest Scotland being in the lower decile of the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation, a working group comprising the three local authorities, Scottish Natural Heritage, Forestry Commission Scotland, NGOs and the Southern Uplands Partnership started exploring whether the new style Biosphere status could help stimulate new socio-economic opportunities, whilst also providing a focus for environmental benefits.

After an independent report suggested the status could bring a return of at least 6:1 for the local economy, the group instigated an extensive public consultation exercise. This demonstrated low awareness of UNESCO Biospheres – but widespread support for the opportunities it could bring.

The original working group has now grown into a Biosphere Partnership Board of 16, including public agencies, environmental NGOs, communities, land managers and private businesses.

Together, they represent the broad crosssection of interests who operate in the Biosphere.

The Biosphere has facilitated the bringing together of a diverse range of organisations whose livelihoods depend directly and indirectly on the land, to stimulate conversation and debate about the pressures that their members face, and how best to seek to get the maximum public benefit for everyone. These organisations range from commercial and publicly managed forestry, to agriculture, sporting estates and tourism, environmental NGOs and local communities.

Whilst these groups do not agree on all aspects, they recognise that it is in everyone’s interests to have better communication and a more strategic approach to land use that brings together national and regional priorities in a cohesive way. Most of them see this being achieved through the creation of Regional Land Use Partnerships (RLUPs); a role that the participatory governance model of the Biosphere could be well suited to.

The Biosphere recognises that RLUPs are just the start.

We also need to instigate a spatial strategy for future integrated land use, linked to an understanding of natural capital and supported through future funding streams.

“The Biosphere seeks to address what are arguably some of the most intensive pressures for land use change in Scotland.”

Today’s Biosphere covers 5,268km2 and is centred around the original small Biospheres in the Galloway Hills, with the seven primary river catchments that radiate out from the hills dictating the outer boundaries. With a management approach centred around ecosystem services and the principles of the Scottish Land Use Strategy, the Biosphere seeks to address what are arguably some of the most intensive pressures for land use change in Scotland. A decline in upland agriculture has led to an expansion of commercial forestry and an increasing number of renewables developments. On the coastal plains, increasing intensification of agriculture has resulted in the removal of landscape features, such as rocky outcrops and gorse scrub, to enable three or four cuts of silage a year to support the dairy industry. The Biosphere Partnership Board recognises the value of these industries to local employment and the economy, or for addressing climate change, but highlights that changes often happen in an uncoordinated manner, driven by either investment funding from outside

Hedgerow trees in the landscape from Potterland Hill towards Auchencairn.

24 Autumn 2020

A unique partnership in the North West Highlands Boyd Alexander, Project Manager, Coigach & Assynt Living Landscape

Encompassing 635km2 of iconic mountains and coast, fragments of native woodland, crofted land and isolated villages, the Coigach & Assynt Living Landscape (coigachassynt.org) is one of the largest landscapescale restoration projects in Europe. We are a broad partnership with an ambitious 40-year vision of a landscape that is a haven for native wildlife, supports existing industries, creates new employment, and attracts people to live in and visit the area. Currently, we are committed to delivering 28 projects in a five-year scheme ending in 2021. These projects cover four complementary themes: land management; training, skills and people; paths and access; and built and cultural heritage.

Major funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund catalysed this scheme, which encourages a holistic approach to connecting people and communities with improved built, natural, and cultural heritage.

“The greatest threat to the area’s sustainability is through a declining population.”

Significant achievements so far reach across all of these.

An archaeological excavation of the Iron Age Clachtoll Broch uncovered a nationally important trove of finds. The upgrading of footpaths in stunning locations, including to the summit of Suilven, ensures good quality access for people. Over 260ha of native woodland have been planted, and 410ha brought back into active management. Workshops on whittling, birch tapping and other woodland crafts have helped encourage greater awareness of the value of our native woodlands. Local crofters have benefited from training in several areas, including beekeeping, growing and maintenance of heritage fruit trees, and land and soil management. Two demonstration crofts are exploring more sustainable and cost-effective agriculture. Volunteer work parties have made an impressive impact, repairing and maintaining paths, and planting native woodland.

Our Outdoor and Woodland Learning project has engaged

People and place in Loch Lomond & The Trossachs Simon Jones, Director of Conservation & Visitor Operations, Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority Strathard lies at the heart of Scotland’s first national park.

Covering approximately 100km2, the area lies within the Trossachs in the far headwaters of the River Forth catchment, stretching from the town of Aberfoyle westwards towards Ben Lomond. The area has numerous lochs, flanked by heavily forested valley sides and mountainous peaks and ridges, and although relatively sparsely populated, is a popular tourist destination just 40km north of Glasgow.

Over the past ten years, partnerships between public bodies, environmental NGOs and local communities in Strathard have sprung up and evolved as a result of various and changing socio-economic and environmental drivers, providing a fascinating geographical case study of the changing nature of a rural upland catchment.

with 90% of the children in the local High School catchment, at all stages of education from nursery onwards. Oral history projects are providing inspiration for a book of music and stories and for a new composition. Our Community Grant Scheme has awarded over £100,000 in grants to local individuals and organisations, supporting projects from wildlife recording to guided story walks, and a large tapestry reflecting the area’s heritage. Importantly, by the midpoint of the programme, over a third of our funding, around £680,000, has been spent within the local area, supporting more than 75 suppliers and six full-time jobs.

The Covid-19 pandemic has brought major changes, and we have had to adapt to these. While we have had to cancel many elements of our engagement programme, our staff, partners and the wider community have embraced virtual meetings and interaction. We welcomed 30 people to virtual sense of place workshops at the end of May and, on request from local schools, we developed online material to help pupils interact with the outdoor environment. Although we are all eager to return to face-to-face contact, a journey from one end of the project area to the other can take well over an hour; virtual meetings can have benefits, and have highlighted the feasibility of home working.

In the long term, the greatest threat to the area’s sustainability is through a declining population and school roll, rather than degradation of the environment. As we plan the future of our Living Landscape, we will have the wellbeing of the whole community at its heart. We strongly believe that achieving wider benefits at a landscape scale can only be realised by listening to the views and needs of local people, and taking them along with you.

The initial focus for the Strathard Partnership was flooding, with communities along the valley floor periodically affected by flooding events leading to damage to homes and businesses. To address these, Stirling Council had been constructing hard flood defences for some time.

In 2015, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) established the Strathard Initiative as a multi-agency, ecosystem services approach to explore how the integration of natural land and water management practices could benefit the wider environment, at a landscape scale. The initiative also involved Stirling Council, Forest and Land Scotland, Forest Research, Scottish Natural Heritage, and the National Park Authority. It aimed to trial and monitor land management and Natural Flood Management (NFM) solutions, such as woody debris dam structures along

“SEPA established the Strathard Initiative to explore how the integration of natural land and water management practices could benefit the wider environment.”

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Landscape-scale collaboration in the Cairngorms Will Boyd-Wallis, Head of Land Management and Conservation, Cairngorms National Park Authority

The Cairngorms National Park comprises some of the most valued environments in Scotland, which provide biodiversity, employment for local people, and a place for people from all over the world to visit and enjoy.

Unlike many other National Parks, the Cairngorms is largely privately owned, so for the Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) to deliver the National Park Aims, we must work in partnership with landowners and many others to protect our precious landscapes and to see positive changes to the diversity of habitats and species.

improvements. This has included monitoring of mountain hares, moorland raptors, and wader breeding productivity, as well as identifying and quantifying areas of degraded peatland, areas of muirburn-free moorland, and areas for woodland expansion. Less than 40% of 88,000ha of moorland in the Partnership area is under rotational muirburn. Woodland currently only accounts for about 10% of the total area, but has increased by around 1,500ha during the past ten years, with a further 2,000ha of regeneration and planting currently committed to. Over 700ha of peatland restoration work has been carried out on ECMP estates.

“We must work in partnership to protect our precious landscapes.”

As the National Park covers 4,528km2, we have the opportunity to link large landholdings and achieve landscapescale conservation on a grand scale. In 2014, during much public debate about pros and cons of moorland management for grouse and its integration with other land use objectives, six large sporting estates in the National Park came together with the CNPA to create the East Cairngorms Moorland Partnership (ECMP), which aims to deliver public benefits alongside private interests over an area of 138,000ha. Key objectives, alongside the estates’ moorland management, are to restore peatlands and expand woodland, and to conserve priority species, including raptors, waders, and mountain hares.

The fundamental characteristic of a genuine partnership is for all the partners to get something out of it. The CNPA gets a seat around the table with six influential landowners who are willing to work with us. The landowners get to demonstrate that their estate management can work better if delivered collaboratively with their neighbours and adapted to meet the National Park aims. There are many challenges with this, because the management styles and systems of each estate are very different. However, the Partnership has opened up the dialogue on a number of challenging and high-profile management issues.

Within the ECMP, we have been taking stock of what we have, in order to identify where to focus efforts and to measure selected watercourses. In addition, the Loch Lomond and Trossachs Community Partnership carried out a community survey to collate local views on how land, forest and water resources are used and managed.

Whilst the NFM activities have not been sufficient in scale to yield significant hydrological results to date, these activities and the community survey have raised awareness of the importance of land use and land management to local settlements by local people. This growing awareness combined with local socio-economic drivers to see the birth of the Strathard Partnership in 2018.

Despite a seemingly busy tourism economy, for many years several businesses in Aberfoyle struggled to remain viable.

With the impacts of intermittent flooding, investment in the area began to decline, and buildings along the high street to fall vacant. At the same time, an ageing local population observed the lack of affordable housing and the failure to retain or attract younger families to the area, but were also resistant to inappropriate new developments. New

Together with the British Trust for Ornithology, the estates have been monitoring the breeding productivity of waders in order to better understand the causes of breeding failure.

Over two years, estate staff have identified and monitored 183 wader nests and found that nest failure was primarily due to predation, abandonment, or poor weather. Contrary to previous studies, we found that proximity to woodland cover had a negligible effect on nest success.

Raptor monitoring, with the help of the Raptor Study Groups, shows that there are over 50 pairs of moorland raptors within the ECMP area, with indications that this status is improving.

A big challenge for ECMP partners is to find ways of improving the conservation status of raptors along with other red- and amber-listed bird species.

One of our greatest challenges – but also greatest opportunities – is demonstrating through partnerships that vitally important woodland expansion and peatland restoration are achievable and can happen in tandem with landowners’ private interests. If we can demonstrate the benefits that these partnerships can bring, we hope that other landowners in the National Park and across Scotland will follow suit.

Cairngorm panorama from Carn Ban Mor. © Colin Woolf

‘Community Life Plans’ captured the key challenges and opportunities as seen through the eyes of local people and, using this as a springboard, the National Park Authority proposed the Strathard Framework. This seeks to help the local community and statutory authorities make decisions on both spatial planning applications and land use decisions.

As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, work on the creation of the Framework has slowed but not stopped, and it is hoped that it will be completed by spring 2021. This novel approach to integrating sub-catchment scale development planning and land management has attracted significant interest at a national level, as we begin to emerge into a post Covid-19 world where natural capital investments, net zero climate commitments, and sustainable development are being heralded as essential outcomes, and the Scottish policy arena is expectant with talk of new Regional Land Use Partnerships, Regional Spatial Strategies, and a new Green Recovery. Could approaches like the Strathard Framework and Strathard Partnership help deliver this?

26 Autumn 2020

The movie we live, our future will watch Libra Forde, American community leader, speaker and change agent

The world is an interesting place right now. So many dark corners exposed, and other unsettling norms being broken down. People are listening, feeling, and moved in ways our elders are saying is different than what they have ever seen.

It’s like we all have been forced to watch and live the same movie, at the same time.

The movie we are watching and living right now could be called many things depending on who you are. Some focus on the uncertainty and would call this movie The Global Uncertainty. Uncertain about human interaction, safety, what is next, injustices and much more. Others may call this movie the Great Pause, a time of deep reflection, unforeseen stops to regulated norms, unemployment, and more. Others may even call this movie some kind of horror flick, scared for your life, frightened by the riots, afraid to have uncomfortable conversations, and more.

But the name of the movie is not the point. The reaction to this movie is where I feel our world has opportunity and responsibility. And I see a strong desire for folks to see a happy ending. I am unsure when, how, or what the ending of this movie will be, but our opportunity and responsibility are to personally ‘LEAN IN’ and ensure we all get the desired happy ending. We must all have a strong desire for many (if not all) to gain much from this experience.

‘LEAN IN’ is what I translate this opportunity and responsibility to be.

L Look. Open your eyes in a way you have figuratively not done ever before. Look at every aspect of yourself and your personal ecosystem to review the norms and harms you and your ecosystem may be contributing to this moment and past moments.

E Educate. Educate yourself and all in your personal ecosystem. Find non-normal books, articles, and more written by the people that look like the people who have been harmed, and read them. Educate from a phenomenological lens; not your observation but the harmed lived experience.

A Assess your behaviours and others’ behaviours. Assess from the purest place in your heart. Let your assessments be led with your heart not your mind or your personal ecosystem norms. In fact, challenge all your norms in your assessment.

N Notice all. Acknowledge all things and all humans in your presence. This starts with seeing them with purity, not with judgement. You cannot notice what you do not acknowledge, and if you choose to not notice you will more than likely cause harm.

I Initiate changed behaviour. Be action focused. Stop talking about what you don’t like and start initiating something different. Be OK with possibly making some mistakes and start being uncomfortable with non-action. If and when you make mistakes, initiate genuine apologies.

N Never give up. This work is very hard, especially for those that have had a world that has allowed many to no longer feel a need to change the process, practices and systems that harm instead of protect. Just remember, people who have been historically harmed are still here despite so much damage for over 400 years. If you are tired after

four months, four days, four hours, four moments, think about how they feel and get back up and keep going.

“People are listening, feeling, and moved in ways our elders are saying is different than what they have ever seen.”

For centuries, people of colour have all been forced to watch and live the movie of White is Right.

This movie has shaped how we walk, talk, review and even make decisions.

America’s (and many other countries’) processes, practices and systems have been aligned with this movie. The culture of so much has been guided by the White is Right movie. As a black person, watching and living this movie, I, as many of my ancestors, have had and continue to have many reactions to this movie.

The Black Lives Matter campaign was reignited after the tragic and avoidable death of George Floyd in the US. As the Washington-based Brookings Institution remarked, “Floyd’s murder ignited a wave of national and then global protest, a wave that is leading to changes in symbols of racism – from flags to statues – in stances of corporations, in hopes of real police reform, and of overdue reparations to Black Americans.”

We asked Libra Forde, Chief Operating Officer of Self Enhancement Inc, and a public speaker from Oregon, to explain her perspective as a campaigner for black rights in the US.

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Pain, anger, despair, exhaustion and so much more are reactions many black people experience in watching and living in the White is Right movie. The worse experience in this movie is the murder, indifference, and disrespect of black people. There is NO happy ending in this movie for us and this has to change. We ALWAYS leave this movie with despair.

Alive or dead. What everyone is watching and living right now with the Black Lives Matter movement is the world taking the White is Right movie out of syndication.

The opportunity and responsibility here are for harmers, white people, to stop harming not just in their words but in their actions. More importantly, this is a time for white people to take full responsibility for their ancestors by fully and courageously destroying every action that has created this world and replacing it with the process, practices and systems that listen to ALL voices but elevate the ones that have been voiceless since the creation of White is Right. This movie can only have a happy ending if white people stop leading their personal ecosystems with fear of losing their wealth, power, and authority shutting out all others. This movie we are watching and living right now is exposing that wealth, power and authority have no owner.

What will our future call this movie? How will they react to our decisions during these times?

Images © Jessica Clark

There is an analogy that I believe is true. When people say ‘I don’t understand what it is like to be a black person’, especially right now that everyone is saying Black Lives Matter, they are starting to investigate, or want to understand, what it feels like to walk this Earth with this skin. So my analogy is based on our current situation.

In the pandemic, we started this off with the fear for our lives, and the loved ones in our lives. We feared their death to this unknown disease. Every day it was frightening. We also lost our basic rights – to go outside and walk freely, however we feel; go to places that we want to go to – all that was taken from us, right, in the name of safety. And then we also lost human connection – the ability to talk to each other in close spaces, touch each other, hug each other, connect with one another.

So fear of death, loss of basic rights, loss of the ability to connect freely. That, in a very simplified way, is what a black person feels. I fear the death of all my family members, and particularly the black males, every day.

Myself, most recently, with the runner being killed (because I run) and I live in Clackamas [Oregon, USA], which is a very white area. So that fear of death is real – more real than ever. But if you felt that, that’s a feeling we’ve had for hundreds of years. The feeling of the loss of basic rights: hundreds of years. The inability to go to a store without thinking it through: my daughter just reminded me, one time we walked in a store out here in Oregon, and I had bought her some Doritos from another store, and she brought the bag of Doritos in, and I chastised her because I know that if she walks in with the bag of Doritos someone is going to assume that she stole them. And I don’t have that right. And neither does she.

And then the basic right to connect. There are lots of human beings on this planet who are beautiful, who would never take the time to connect with a person that looks like me. Every day they are afraid because of their misguided ways, their mis-education. And because of fear. That’s what you all felt in this pandemic. Every single one of us felt this. It’s unfortunate that we have to have such an event for you to understand that. But if you just consider and reflect for a second, maybe you could understand the pain, and the exhaustion, of black people.

Take your pandemic experience and do something – because now you know what it feels like. The difference between you and I, if you don’t look like me, is when this is all over, life will go back to normal for you. But when this is all over for me, life will stay the same, and that’s why everyone’s like “Let’s go back to normal” and I say “Hell, no, let’s create something new because the normal I know does not respect people that look like me.”

Get up and do something. Figure out how you can use your voice to help us solve this human-created problem.

This text was transcribed with permission from a speech on Libra Forde’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/ librabetall/videos.

28 Autumn 2020

Futureproofing hill farming Professor Davy McCracken, Head, Hill and Mountain Research Centre, SRUC: Scotland’s Rural College; Colleen McCulloch, Innovation Manager, Rural Innovation Support Service, Soil Association Scotland Change is always unsettling. Even more so when potential high-level changes – such as access to international markets for lamb, or the size of future Less Favoured Area Support Scheme payments – are not easily influenced by individual hill farmers and crofters. But there are other challenges – such as improving livestock productivity, identifying grassland mixes better suited to the environment, or marketing livestock products locally – which are more within any one individual’s direct control. Many of these challenges are likely to be similar across the uplands of Scotland, but the importance of any one issue is likely to vary from area to area. Differences in climate, landscape, and access to markets also mean that the solutions appropriate for any one issue may differ markedly from one part of upland Scotland to another.

So, it is not surprising that a major constraint to addressing some of these issues can revolve around knowing what options may be available locally, what might already have been tried by someone else, or how best to implement a change on the individual hill farm or croft. In such situations, a problem shared is a problem halved, and there can certainly be strength in numbers in trying to identify and tackle any individual issue. To this end, SRUC and Soil Association Scotland worked closely with National Farmers Union of Scotland (NFUS) Regional Managers to organise three hill farming focused workshops in early 2019.

Organisation of the workshops was supported by NFUS, Soil Association Scotland, and the Scottish Government’s Strategic Research Programme.

The workshops were held in Dingwall, Pitlochry, and Lockerbie. At each event, around 40 hill farmers, crofters, and land managers came together to explore uplands-specific challenges, and collectively explore ways in which these could be addressed by the uplands community. Attendees were split into smaller groups to allow more detailed facilitated discussion. An exercise similar to a SWOT analysis was conducted to identify Strengths (S), Obstacles (O), Uncertainties (U), and Possibilities (P) for upland farming.

Common themes which emerged included: S the people (producers, businesses, communities) and their passion for the sector, environmental stewardship, high welfare, low input and cost, high-quality product; O difficulty of investment, policy barriers (eg, red tape, topdown, not responsive, schemes can be too rigid, based on penalties not rewards, urban/rural divide), skills and labour shortage, lack of land-use integration, land access, succession, lack of internet; U policy uncertainty (eg, methane regulation, agrienvironment, rewilding, predators, subsidy), public perception and misinformation, markets, land access, labour, access to technology; P provenance and branding, direct selling and shortening supply chains, reducing cost/input by working collaboratively, improving practices, land reform, carbonneutral farming, diversification and additional income streams, eg, deer, trees, agri-tourism (wildlife, walking, shooting), renewables, carbon trading.

Sheep after pregnancy scanning in February. © Davy McCracken

From the lists of Possibilities, the groups identified a wide range of potential topics that could be pursued further: • benchmarking and breeding; • developing networks; • better use of resources; • developing value-added products; • exploring new technology; • finding new markets and uses for by-products; • developing the uplands USP (unique selling point); • agri-tourism and food tourism; • localising markets and connecting supply chains; • developing new carbon markets; • social innovation.

Some of these ideas, such as ‘Virtual fencing and tracking of hill cows’, have already been taken forward as a Rural Innovation Support Service (RISS) group.

Other topics have been included within a new Uplands Focus Group of Soil Association Scotland and the Pastures for Life Association.

“There are other challenges – such as improving livestock productivity – which are more within any one individual’s direct control.”

A wide range of issues were identified across the three workshops, as well as a range of opportunities to work collaboratively towards practical solutions. We would encourage greater use of this bottom-up, facilitated approach to investigate local needs and solutions much more effectively in other upland areas of Scotland.

See www.ruralbrexit.scot/innovation-in-upland-livestock-systemssrucs-hill-mountain-research-centre for more information.

An aerial view of the lower fields on SRUC’s Kirkton Farm. © John Holland

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Connecting uplands to lowlands McNabb Laurie, Galloway Glens Team Leader

Running from the wild and uninhabited Galloway Hills, crossing open moorland and then passing settlements of increasing size through to Kirkcudbright Bay and out into the Solway, the Ken/Dee river system connects the valley’s upland and lowland communities. Since early times, the river formed the basis for transport, defence and folklore. In recent centuries, it provided fertile floodplains to support new agriculture techniques and improvements.

In the 1930s, engineers were surveying this rainy and steepsided valley for an innovative ‘whole-river’ hydroelectric scheme. The Galloway Hydro Scheme, now celebrated around the world, has become a cherished feature in the area, with reservoirs and dams punctuating the landscape. Almost 100 years after construction, it is still a significant producer of power: each drop of rain is used to generate electricity up to six times on its journey to the sea.

Formal accolades abound. The Ken/Dee river is one of the seven catchments in the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere; Galloway Forest Park is considered the largest forest in the UK; and the Galloway Dark Sky Park was the first of such designations in the country. Including one of only two ‘Wild Land’ sites in southern Scotland, Ramsar sites, and other nature conservation designations, the valley today aims to reflect a range of interests and measures of ‘significance’.

Land ownership in the valley is fractured and complex, with some significant private estates and areas of public landholding, but inevitably the number of partners involved in landscape-scale efforts necessitates massive investment in consultation and engagement work. This ‘cups of tea in people’s houses’ approach adds development costs and, above all, time. However, one of the major positive legacies of the scheme will come from connections made between partners. Connecting people from the lowland settlements to the upland areas has been a notable success to date: the peatland restoration and black grouse habitat improvement projects are examples of local residents engaging with Galloway’s upland landscape and then using that interest to engage with policy makers.

“The landscape-scale approach yields unexpected benefits, with the results being more than simply the ‘sum of parts’.”

Into this landscape came the Galloway Glens Landscape Partnership Scheme (www.gallowayglens. org and #GoWestatGretna), getting underway in 2018.

Partners come from across the public and private sector, including Dumfries and Galloway Council, local community organisations, Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere, Forestry and Land Scotland, the National Trust for Scotland, the RSPB, and Historic Environment Scotland. Together, we aim to recognise the unique local heritage, boosting the local economy and supporting sustainable communities. Six key aims, derived from earlier consultation, coordinate activities on 35 headline projects: 1) supporting species or habitats at risk; 2) improving access opportunities; 3) increasing understanding of the local heritage; 4) education and skills training to allow young people to see their future in Galloway; 5) encouraging people to visit the area; 6) supporting the sustainability of community buildings.

Now approaching the half-way point of the five-year delivery phase (2018-23), the Galloway Glens Scheme can point to a range of successes and challenges, having spent more than £2 million of the projected £5.1 million total. Funding is primarily from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, with particular contributions from Dumfries and Galloway Council and other partners.

The landscape-scale approach, undertaking the suite of projects in a coordinated and concentrated manner, yields unexpected benefits, with the results being more than simply the ‘sum of parts’. No one could have anticipated the Red Squirrel Group’s list of landowner contacts benefitting the historic mapping project, or the many smaller groups contacting the scheme to get involved, only having heard of it through unrelated project activity.

Momentum is everything. We were just approaching ‘peak Galloway Glens’ as COVID-19 hit. We are exploring different ways of working, and have held a number of successful online activities, which has lessened the impact. We hope that, with two and a half years remaining, we can continue to adjust our plans to the changing regimes in place.

30 Autumn 2020

Embracing rewilding Steve Micklewright, Convener, Scottish Rewilding Alliance

We hear a lot about rewilding these days. It has become something of a buzzword. The term has become rather polarising. For some, it is a new way of doing conservation with working with nature at its core. For others, it is seen as a threat that will result in the mass abandonment of the countryside, with wolves and bears killing anything that moves. The Scottish Rewilding Alliance (SRA, www.rewild.scot), a partnership of 24 organisations, takes a different approach.

Many member organisations of the SRA are already contributing to this vision. Their work is showing that, after centuries of rural population decline, rewilding could help revitalise and re-people our most sparsely populated areas. In often small but discernible ways, we are seeing the creation of sustainable, nature-based economies where the skills and expertise of those who own, manage and work on the land and at sea are working with nature for mutual benefit.

Imagine a Scotland where nature is reawakened. Where the lost tapestry of Scots pine, rowan, birch, alder and hazel that once draped itself across our hillsides is stitched back together. Where our land and seascapes teem again with wildlife. Where nature-based enterprises support thriving communities. Where human connections to the natural world are strengthened in villages and cities. Where land and sea, people and wildlife, businesses and culture flourish together.

This is what the SRA thinks can be achieved by changing our relationship with nature – by embracing rewilding.

For the SRA, the endpoint is not vast areas of land untouched by people, but a rich and diverse world where people are once again part of nature. All member organisations commit to approaches that result in a diverse nature-based economy with flourishing ecosystems and active community and wider public involvement. We believe rewilding projects require common agreement among stakeholders and are dependent on a supportive policy, legal, and fiscal framework. This is very different to the polarised way in which rewilding has been described in the past.

For the SRA, rewilding involves working with nature to enable the large-scale restoration of ecosystems to the point where nature can take care of itself. With rewilding come multiple ecological, social and economic benefits. It can reduce carbon emissions, improve soil fertility, hold back floodwaters, enrich our landscapes, revitalise our seas, support local businesses and landowners, regenerate rural communities, and fortify the bonds between people and place.

For now, the SRA has chosen to focus on communicating the benefits of rewilding. We will be telling those inspiring and positive stories that make it such a force for change. We want to stimulate debate, influence policy and work in partnership on new approaches that ensure nature thrives, communities flourish, and landowners benefit. As we face up to the climate emergency, the massive loss of biodiversity, and recover from a global pandemic – that many say is a direct result of our dysfunctional relationship with nature – the SRA will be advocating solutions that involve rewilding as the way forward.

“Rewilding could help revitalise and re-people our most sparsely populated areas.”

We believe that the country has the potential to become a world leader in this because of its physical space and political ambition.

Our shared vision imagines a time when a natural treeline stretches across our hillsides, lynx prowl and boar root in our woodlands, and beaver swim in the shallows. We envision restored seabeds carpeted in corals, sponges and shellfish reefs, sheltering huge shoals of fish. Where salmon and sea trout migrate through rich coastal waters to populate our rivers.

Reforming grouse moors Max Wiszniewski, Campaign Manager, Revive In November 2018, Revive brought together a unique coalition of like-minded organisations (Friends of the Earth Scotland, Common Weal, OneKind, League Against Cruel Sports Scotland, Raptor Persecution UK) to work towards reforming Scotland’s grouse moors. Chris Packham helped launch Revive in a venue full of MSPs, NGOs, members of the public and supporters of each coalition member.

Grouse moors are commonly, but not unfairly, associated with the illegal persecution of our protected birds of prey – like golden eagles and hen harriers. Many disappear in ‘suspicious circumstances’ in or around grouse moors – a problem which has lasted decades and has shown no sign of disappearing via self-regulation. Since Donald Dewar called

it a ‘national disgrace’, successive governments have made some improvements here and there, but baby steps have not been enough and voluntary restraint has certainly not worked.

The pressure to maximise the number of grouse available for sport shooting means anything that threatens these numbers is considered a threat and is therefore at risk. Tens of thousands of foxes, stoats, weasels, crows and even mountain hares are snared, trapped, shot and killed to keep grouse at unnaturally high numbers. No one knows precisely how many animals are killed as there is no legal obligation to maintain a record, but Scottish Government figures say that on average 26,000 mountain hares are killed every year.

While ending driven grouse shooting and making way for a more diverse moorland environment would benefit our wildlife, solutions must also include benefits for our people.

According to the shooting industry, over half of Scotland’s land is managed and influenced by shooting interests, of which grouse moors are a significant proportion. For all the

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Valuing Scotland’s moorlands Hugh Raven, Chairman, Scotland’s Moorland Forum

Forums are places for debate. Our forum (www.moorlandforum. org.uk) debates moorland. It’s better to talk than to fight, and Scotland has plenty of groups with strong views on upland management. We also have a lot of moors. They cover over half of the country.

Among our most enduring is Moorland Management Best Practice, a portmanteau of expert guidance, drawn from the full span of our membership. Within it is our review of the Muirburn Code, advice on techniques for counting and managing mountain hares, use of medicated grit on grouse moors, heather cutting, peatland restoration, wildcat-friendly predator control, and night shooting.

We are keen to increase this range of guidance, considering issues such as fire danger ratings, control of ticks, herbivore impact assessment, and management for raptors. We may have still more to do when the Scottish Government responds to the Grouse Moor Management Review.

“Our overarching aim is to have a sustainable future for moorland through collaborative work.”

We were set up nearly 20 years ago to provide a place where organisations with professional experts could air their views and hear and discuss those of others. Twenty-seven organisations belong to the forum.

That’s a wide range of opinions. We exist to get them together round one table – farmers, crofters, gamekeepers, stalkers, civil servants, anglers, foresters, government agencies, academic specialists, conservationists, national parks representatives, landowning bodies, wildlife charities, natural resource managers, water suppliers and regulators.

We are sponsored by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH). From time to time, it and other members suggest ways in which the collective clout of forum members can add value – plotting a course through contested issues, for example, or elaborating areas of common concern, rehearsing the arguments and contested views that will determine future land use policy and priorities. Our overarching aim is to have a sustainable future for moorland through collaborative work.

Organisationally we’re in the expert hands of the Heather Trust. SNH pays them an annual stipend; the independent Chairman gets a fee and expenses from each member’s modest annual subscription. This arms-length approach

by SNH provides helpful space between the forum and our sponsor, allowing us a ‘critical-friend’ stance to government and its agencies.

We meet three times a year, once in the field. Our discussions range widely: our June meeting, for example, covered restoring peatland, creating woodland, carbon trading, controlling bracken, hill farming, deer policy and control, wading bird recovery, and grouse moor management.

Our work on Understanding Predation was born of the need to develop a basis for a common understanding between scientists, conservationists and those who work the land.

All agreed that action was needed to stop the decline in populations of sometimes critically-endangered wading birds.

Our work recommended an adaptive, collaborative approach, linking scientific evidence with the practical knowledge and experience of those on the ground. The Working for Waders Project (www.workingforwaders.com) was an important output.

Increasing interest in natural capital and changing policies born of EU exit called for a vision statement on future priorities in managing Scotland’s uplands. Valuing Scotland’s Moorlands was our response, where we emphasised the value of healthy moorland habitats, and the benefits to Scotland in climate stability, clean water, employment, food security, wildlife and amenity.

Coronavirus is the all-enveloping current context, with its impacts on the rural industries both extreme and profound.

As we rebuild from the standstill, the role of Scotland’s moorlands will be central, in climate change adaptation and mitigation, in helping feed us and provide rural jobs and, perhaps above all, in nurturing our wellbeing, as places where our people can get into the outdoors.

Our members and sponsor have always had an appetite for more than just discussion. We also produce practical guidance, briefings, advocacy, research reports and surveys.

land they use up, grouse moors contribute about £23 million, or just 0.02%, of Scotland’s economy (GVA). Compared to other land uses like forestry, which currently takes up a similar land size and provides about 30 times the economic impact, and many more jobs, this contribution is small.

Another possibility is wildlife tourism, a potential growth sector, which already contributes £127 million to the economy. There are plenty of ways to diversify these moors to benefit our people, our wildlife and the environment, compared to the circle of destruction of grouse moors.

© Desmond Dugan

Environmental damage caused by grouse moor management practices like muirburn, the use of lead shot and unregulated mass outdoor medication, has brought thousands of people on side with Revive, and this public support is a key driver of our current success. In fact, were it not for the Covid-19 crisis, Revive would currently be organising our second national conference for about a thousand people.

“Over half of Scotland’s land is managed and influenced by shooting interests, of which grouse moors are a significant proportion.”

Our relatively young campaign has quickly made an impact and successfully raised grouse moor reform further up the agenda amongst political parties and into the wider consciousness of the public. Politically, as one looks around at the circle of destruction, there are likely to be issues that some politicians from every political party agree need to change.

As the next Scottish election looms ever closer, decisionmakers may soon have to decide if a few extra grouse for sport shooting are worth the cost to our wildlife, our environment, our society and reputation at large. As more and more people recognise the need to change the face of Scotland for the better, the closer we will be to having the upland future we deserve.

32 Autumn 2020

Shenanigans in Lhasa Sean Conway, endurance adventurer, author and motivational speaker

My altimeter said we were at 5,500m, 18,000ft, although one bought on eBay for £30 was likely to be highly suspect.

However, it excited me having these sorts of gadgets, paper maps, compass, medium format camera with slide film, and a twine-bound leather journal. I felt like a real adventurer. My altimeter was, however, completely pointless because it wasn’t as if Maritz (my friend and room-mate from London) and I were doing any serious mountaineering, just trekking, and now at 5,500m we were in the back of a battered old Landcruiser driving the Friendship Highway from Kathmandu to Lhasa. My head felt like it was about to burst out my skull with every heartbeat as I stared out the window at Everest far away in the distance.

The Tibetan plateau was barren and beautiful. I loved it.

which in Tibetan or Mongolian (we never found out) was ‘Kai, yamma, heh’. It was a free-for-all; anyone could call out anyone else for a game. This just involved pointing at them and the game started immediately. It was fast, intense, and multiple games were all happening at once, most of which were directed at us of course. The loser had to down his shot of beer. During this, both Maritz and I were asked if we wanted to marry one of the two girls at the table. Fast-thinking, I moved a thumb ring I used to wear to my wedding finger under the table, and then proclaimed that I would have loved to but I was in fact married already.

The general consensus was that I was missing out big-time, but fair enough, I was a taken man and off limits. An hour went by when another kid joined the table. He was 19 years old, sporting a guitar and was also Mongolian. He was soon singing Mongolian throat music while I tried miserably to play the tabla (drums). All I can remember was thinking that he was going to lose his voice by 30. He basically sounded like a digeridoo. It was beautiful though.

“The Tibetan plateau was barren and beautiful.

I loved it.”

We eventually reached Lhasa and had a few days to relax and explore the city. The first thing on my priority list was to somehow acquire a Tibetan monk’s robe. This seemed like a fairly obvious trinket to take back home with me; however, Maritz thought it was a stupid idea. Nevertheless, he came with me as we were directed to a market in the old town. We perused the stalls where quiet contented sellers sat swinging prayer wheels, not trying to force you to buy something, a nice change from the bombardment of Kathmandu. I eventually came to the stall where they sold the robes. There was no price but I was told they were the equivalent of £10 for one of the winter robes, the ones that just drape over your shoulders with orange fluffy velvet on the inside. It would make the perfect Sunday lounge suit, I thought to myself.

The haggling began soon after, and within minutes there was a huge crowd of people, laughing at the ginger kid trying to get a better price. Eventually we settled on £6 and as I paid the money the crowd cheered. I’m not sure if they were happy for me getting a good bargain, or the seller making a killing. Anyway, as I left with my prize possession someone came over to shake my hand. I did so and the person behind followed him to shake it too. Then within about five seconds everyone had formed some sort of queue to shake my hand.

What was happening? I shook another ten people’s hands before I saw almost everyone in the square starting to join the queue. It would take hours to shake everyone’s hand so I just put my arms in the air, laughed and waved at everyone. They all laughed and waved back, understanding the predicament I was in.

That night, excited by my new purchase, we went to a bar called the Book Bar, a library by day and a bar by night. It was small, sort of independent bookshop size. There was one group of about eight people at the main table. We (myself, Maritz and four other travellers who came to Tibet with us) went and sat in the corner by ourselves and ordered a Lhasa beer which came in 75cl bottles. After that first round, someone from the main table invited us over to join them.

He was Mongolian and could speak some English and had a moustache exactly like Salvador Dali. This turned out to be because he was apparently the world’s biggest Dali fan. A second round of Lhasa beer came, and we soon discovered we were drinking the beer all wrong. You’re meant to have a double shot glass, pour the beer into the glass, and then down that. We chatted about where we were from before a game began, a drinking game no doubt. Rock, paper, scissors,

By the end of the evening, at around 2am, we decided to call it a night. We got the bill and everything apart from the first round we ordered was crossed off. Mr Dali was covering it for us. What a kind gesture. We staggered home to our hotel, brimming with joy. As far as days in your life go, this had been quite a memorable one indeed, and Maritz and I still message each other every now and then saying “Remember that night in the Book Bar?” That was 12 years ago, and I still have my Tibetan monk’s robe.

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34 Autumn 2020

notes from the classroom

Climate change and upland moorland fieldwork Rebecca Youens, Balfron High School Fieldwork is an integral part of teaching Geography. If that fieldwork data can be used for scientific research it makes it even more engaging for pupils. That is the aim of the Moorland Indicators of Climate Change Initiative, a long-term project run by the Moors for the Future Partnership. This UKwide project gives secondary school students the opportunity to take part in real-world climate science, helping to make concepts learned in the classroom come to life.

The first stage involved a Ranger from Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park delivering a class session to my Advanced Higher pupils on the importance of peatlands. This built on what the pupils had learnt about upland landscapes, the water and carbon cycles, climate change and land use.

Fascinating facts, such as that the UK peatlands hold more carbon than any other habitat, kept the pupils engaged. It was very much set as an enquiry: “Are upland moorlands storing carbon or releasing carbon?” The pupils were then involved in working out what experiments would be needed, and there was a discussion of scientific methods.

The second stage was the field trip to the upland moorland to collect data on variables such as wildlife, plants, peat, and water.

Finally, we submitted our data sets which will be analysed by the Moors for the Future Partnership and used by scientific researchers who are trying to work out how to best improve and conserve moorland environments. The data could also be used as a starting point for pupils’ own geographical studies.

“This UK-wide project gives secondary school students the opportunity to take part in real-world climate science.”

This field trip could be tailored to suit any year group. For more information go to www.nationalparks.uk/students/micci-project.

Gairloch glaciation Emma Smith, Gairloch High School Every corner of the Gairloch High School catchment area has been defined by glaciation. It provides a unique, local space for Advanced Higher Geography students to apply their knowledge and investigate these processes in an area very close to their home. Here, we share the methods and conclusions of three recent projects.

whole length. She was able to use the lithologies of the sediment to discuss source regions, and the cross-section of valleys to see how bedrock could play a part in their different shapes and features.

Comparing the glacial sediment of the Wester Ross and Loch Lomond Readvances (2018)

The pupil, who lives on a raised beach, read articles about raised beaches in Loch Carron (McCann 2008) which suggested they may be formed of a glacial moraine. She selected ten raised beaches around Loch Ewe and Loch Gairloch, a mixture of young and old, to investigate their topography and structure. Significant differences were discovered in the orientation of sediment and the lithology of sediment within them. Mica schist is present in bedrock at least 30 miles away and only appears in the older beaches.

Younger raised beaches are all very well sorted; the older ones show a range of sorting more representative of glacial moraines. She concluded that the older beaches were ice sheet based glacial readvances, and the younger ones may have represented a valley glacier based readvance.

Using BRITICE, maps produced by Ballantyne (2007), data from the BGS and his own local knowledge, the pupil looked at the characteristics of two moraines, one on the boundary of the older Wester Ross Readvance (WRR), the other a result of the younger Loch Lomond Readvance (LLR). He studied the sediment in the field including orientation, size and lithology. He discovered that the WRR area was a classic end moraine, with sediment close together and representing lithologies from a very wide area. The LLR area is suggestive of a boulder field, with much fewer lithologies and all coming from the hills adjacent. In both areas, the orientation of rocks agreed with striations marked on the BGS map.

A study of raised beaches in the Gairloch and Loch Ewe area (2020)

“The depth of study and knowledge at the age of 17 is fantastic.”

A comparison of glacial features in Loch Carron and Loch Torridon (2018) Using OS, BGS, and topographical map data along with fieldwork in these adjacent valleys, the pupil exhaustively mapped features of glacial erosion and deposition. Fieldwork focused on areas of glacial deposition and mapped drumlin topography alongside moraine and erratic lithologies.

The results showed significant differences. Glen Carron features many coires which feed directly into the valley, but depositional features are much better defined at the top of the valley. Glen Torridon has fewer coires but several smaller valleys, and shows evidence of glacial deposition along its

The depth of study and knowledge at the age of 17 is fantastic. For each pupil, the opportunity to undertake complex and detailed fieldwork in their local area provided a chance to study the landscape like they never had done before. They have all gone on to university, studying Geology, Engineering and Geography respectively.

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Mapping 18th-century uplands Chris Fleet FRSGS, Senior Map Curator, National Library of Scotland

This map from 1772 shows part of the rugged, upland country between Loch Eil and Loch Arkaig, just north of Fort William. The Scottish Mountaineering Club’s Munro’s Guide describes it as “an area of unusually rough and steep complexity,” with jagged, rocky high ridges dissected by steep and fast-flowing burns.

Yet this map plays down the relief and the wider challenges of the landscape with comments including ‘Good Pasture for Sheep and Horses’, ‘A Cover of Fine thriving Firs extending to this small Burn’ and ‘There is good Pasture all over these Shealings.’ The many farms are clearly labelled, measured and delineated, along with their patches of arable ground, whilst further south, in Loch Eil ‘A Great Quantity of Herrings are Caught…’.

This area was the heartland of Clan Cameron, staunch Jacobites, who were punished for supporting the Forty-five uprising by seeing their lands confiscated by the Crown. From

1752 to 1784, they were administered by the Board for the Annexed, Forfeited Estates, for the “purpose of civilising the Inhabitants upon the said estates and… promoting amongst them the Protestant Religion, good Government, Industry and Manufactures.” The Board also funded ground-breaking mapping work – this is the earliest, detailed measured survey of this area – very much to plan ambitious agricultural improvements. Political and cultural change would go hand-in-hand with practical economic progress on the ground.

“This is a clear, attractive and ordered rural landscape, brimming with potential.”

This is not an image of desolate, impoverished uplands, but a clear, attractive and ordered rural landscape, brimming with potential.

Map: William Morison, Plan of a part of the Annexed Estate of Lochiel (1772). Image courtesy of the National Library of Scotland.

View online at maps.nls.uk/view/216443576.

36 Autumn 2020

Russia’s secret corners John Pilkington FRSGS, broadcaster, travel writer and long-time friend of the RSGS

I’ve always loved eastern Europe. In 2015, with Vladimir Putin exerting an ever-tighter grip on the region, it seemed the perfect time to go and find the human stories behind the headlines. His adventures in Ukraine had taken the West by surprise. But in some ways I think they followed a pattern that went back more than a century to the legendary ‘Great Game’ between Russia and Britain.

tragically split up. A Tatar in Yalta’s city market told me, “We’re Ukrainian. Always have been, always will be. We didn’t like suddenly becoming part of Russia.”

I started in Europe’s perhaps least-known country, Moldova, and from there crossed the Dniester river to a place that doesn’t officially exist. Transnistria has a government, an army, a flag, banknotes and stamps – none of which are recognised by any country except Russia. In 1992 the Soviet Union’s collapse triggered a brief but vicious war, after which Transnistria angrily secured independence from Moldova, and has since been in a state of ‘frozen conflict’, dependent entirely on Russia.

My next destination was Abkhazia, another country that doesn’t officially exist. In Europe we think of it as part of Georgia, but in 1992 a civil war erupted between its Georgian and Russian citizens, the brutality of which simply beggars belief. Neighbours slaughtered neighbours, and a quarter of a million Georgians fled. More than 25 years later, tens of thousands of Abkhazia’s houses still lie derelict.

A Transnistrian friend told me, “We’d much rather be a proper part of Russia. That way we could live as normal people again.” But she Transnistrian army recruits in the capital, Tiraspol. knew her wish couldn’t come true without sparking off another conflict with Moldova, and ultimately perhaps with NATO. In eastern Ukraine there was still ferocious fighting between the government and separatist forces, so I stopped short in the last safe city of Dnipro. Here I met Eugene, just back from visiting his wife and baby daughter across the front line.

His eyes welled with tears as he told me about the booms and thuds of the shelling, “some far away, a few horribly close.”

But for better or worse, Crimea is now firmly under Mr Putin’s control. The Muscovites enjoying Yalta’s beaches may seem as carefree as ever, but that’s because in nearby Sevastopol their Black Sea Fleet is on standby.

On the outskirts of the capital, Sukhumi, I stumbled across a block of flats that had been attacked by heavy artillery all those years ago. Over time, people had returned to live in the bombed-out remains. Some boys were playing hide-and-seek amongst the rubble, and their mothers invited me in for coffee. From the wreckage of their flat, they’d gradually managed to make three habitable rooms and rebuild their lives.

Then one of his Ukrainian colleagues burst out angrily, “Why did we give Crimea to Russia on a plate? Our forces didn’t even fire a single shot!” It was time to go to Crimea and find out.

The Crimean Peninsula is a third the size of Scotland. Its backbone of craggy limestone hills was home to 300,000 Tatars, until Stalin deported them to Central Asia during the second world war.

In 1954 Krushchev presented it to Ukraine, and in 2014 Mr Putin took it back again.

I was fascinated to hear people’s different views about this. Most Crimeans are of Russian origin, so understandably enthusiastic, but for the Ukrainians and returning Tatars things are more complicated. They can’t easily get Russian passports, and some families have been

Lake Ritsa, Abkhazian Caucasus.

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From Abkhazia I crossed the Caucasus to the Russian republics of Ingushetia and North Ossetia–Alania, where for the first time I found myself among Muslims. On a trip already marked by fabulous hospitality, their warm and generous welcome took my breath away.

“I crossed the Dniester river to a place that doesn’t officially exist.”

But even these little-visited corners haven’t fully enjoyed peace. In 2004 tragedy struck North Ossetia, when Ingush and Chechen terrorists attacked School No 1 in the sleepy town of Beslan. More than 1,100 teachers and pupils were taken hostage. By the end of the three-day siege 334 had been put to death, some of them in sadistic ways. A hundred and eighty-six of the victims were children. The ruined school remains as a poignant memorial to pointlessly lost lives.

Inset images: Ingush woman, Russian Caucasus.

Russian warship in Sevastopol, Crimea.

War damage in the Abkhazian capital, Sukhumi.

Main image: ‘Swallow’s Nest’ folly near Yalta, Crimea.

Visit John’s website at www.pilk.net.

38 Autumn 2020

Snow leopard conservation: empowering women in Tajikistan Ana-Maria Pavalache

It’s 6:30 in the morning, and we’ve been up for three hours already. Two hours went by without any sign of wildlife. But here are Nyozmoi and Gulizor who scope the dusty ridge through their binoculars. They choose to adopt the pace of nature and continue to wait patiently while others begin picking up ripe figs for breakfast. It is their first time in the backcountry watching wildlife. There seems to be nothing worth paying attention to until Nyozmoi directs our eyes to a rock sitting on the ridge. And there it was, a female markhor with her kids. We all stop and watch this wild goat, long a prime subject for poachers and illegal trophy hunters. Now populations are growing, thanks to the establishment of conservancies in the range of the Tajik markhor.

During and after Tajikistan’s civil war (1992-97), poaching increasingly affected the mountain ungulate species. Especially in the Pamirs, where food was insufficient, arms were easily accessible, and thus hunting regulations were not enforced.

Predators, such as snow leopards, starved or were killed when turning to domestic animals as their prey. But fortunately poachers have come to understand that intensive hunting will do more harm than good. It affects their own hunting opportunities and wild animals with cultural value in local traditions.

The Tajik communities set up a conservancy based upon a simple rule: in return for giving up hunting, local men would be paid as game guards to prevent poaching. The money came in from limited trophy hunters, meat was given to local

villagers, and the remaining money was reinvested in the community.

In 2004, work started to end their traditional poaching culture. The German Development Agency (GIZ) and the international big-cat conservation group Panthera supported this initiative.

Communities living alongside the markhor began conserving a prime markhor habitat of 3,000km2. Only a decade later, in 2014, the first legal trophy hunts occurred.

Today, community rangers patrol the land to prevent poaching. Local communities have benefited economically from the sustainable use of wildlife. They have become stewards of natural resources. Until very recently, only men worked as rangers and guides. Community meetings were men-only; women carried out domestic duties. Interactions with local women were restricted to their homes. Tanya Rosen, former director of Panthera’s Snow Leopard Program, and her team realised that these women represented a potentially powerful force for wildlife conservation. The idea to involve women was discussed with male leaders, and consequently a first project was launched in 2017.

“These women represented a potentially powerful force for wildlife conservation.”

Next summer, I joined the team and worked for Tajik Women & Conservation Initiative. It seemed that despite the risks and the threats we’ve got from a hunting concession, some of the conservancies in Darvoz region dare to host the women training and provide security.

And here I was, in southern Tajikistan, where the roaring waters of the Panj river separate the country from Afghan summits. Five girls had the chance to participate in training. They came from the very conservative region, Shuroobod.

In the beginning, they were pretty shy. Things changed quickly once we introduced each other. Among the five of them, only one girl spoke English. Their main motivation to take part in the training was to meet foreigners and discover fauna and wildlife. None of the girls knew what conservancy was. They all came from villages right at the foot of the mountains, so the mountains weren’t new to them, but the way of looking at them was different.

In the first days, we worked on basic hiking and outdoor skills and introduced hiking gear. We learned that practical skills such as navigation, pacing and camp craft are more than just survival. These skills teach our trainees about independence, resilience and adaptability. It shows the trainees that they can rely on themselves. Our daily training included topics on conservation and sustainable behaviour, local wildlife and responsible wildlife viewing.

Tajikistan is challenged as a country to strike a balance between politics, corruption, feeding its population and wildlife conservation. Despite the many situations of despair, the open-mindedness and support for women initiatives in conservancies was outstanding. It was inspiring to see all of them becoming aware of their environment, initiating change for a brighter and self-determined future, and believing in the possibilities of young women as participators, guides and leaders for wildlife.

Ana-Maria Pavalache won the Outward Bound Oman photography competition which we helped to promote last autumn. The prize was a three-week, all-expenses-paid work visit to Oman to capture captivating promotional images across three of their outdoor courses.

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Climbing blind Jesse Dufton

As I sat on the stony beach listening to the waves and feeling the wind and rain hit my face, I reflected on how my Scottish weather luck had finally ended. Climbers like myself often fall in love with the wild highlands that offer us a world-class adventure playground, but the capricious nature of the weather is not so endearing. I had been riding on a string of good weather luck across my trips north. In Reiff, Arran and the Cairngorms the weather had been blessedly benevolent.

It seemed unfortunate then that my luck had run out on the day of my most significant climb to date. I was about to attempt to climb the Old Man of Hoy, a jewel of British climbing which is highly prized.

beneath. I couldn’t see the roiling waves below. Unfortunately, this is not an asset! I don’t think anything about climbing blind makes it easier. I was treated to the unusual feeling of the wind gusting up from under me before getting embroiled in the crux of the route. This is an uncomfortable contortion, lacking any positive holds. I had to jam my hands into the crack above the feature known as ‘The Coffin’ then crunch myself into a ball to attain the foot ledge leading to the less fierce climbing above.

“I was literally feeling my way across and up the cliff face.”

I sat with members of the film crew and hoped the weather would improve. Climbing in the rain is miserable, difficult and dangerous, and the drone which would film me climbing couldn’t fly in high winds.

So why would my ascent be filmed? Probably because I’m an unusual climber. I carry a genetic mutation which has gradually robbed me of my sight. I lost the ability to read years ago, and when I climb, I can’t see any of the hand or foot holds or the climbing safety equipment as I place it. This is particularly significant as I would be leading this climb. Leading is hugely more difficult than seconding. You must hold on longer in order to place the gear, and because the rope goes down from you, the consequences of falling off are more dramatic. This leads to the extra psychological difficulty of controlling the inherent fear. Because of this, the routes which climbers lead are usually the yardstick by which they measure themselves. A blind person leading a route considered serious by experienced sighted climbers is somewhat unusual, to say the least.

Fortunately my misgivings about the weather were ill-founded and whichever deity directed the weather that day smiled upon us, as after lunch the wind and rain abated and so I was able to begin the treacherous descent to the base of the Old Man, guided superbly by my climbing partner and now wife, Molly, easing past potentially fatal drops as we went.

At around 3:30pm I began the climb, feeling the coarse sandstone beneath my fingers and listening to Molly’s directions through the radio in my ear. I carefully wove my way up the initial section, avoiding the loose sandstone blocks which have on previous occasions ended some climbers’ attempts to summit the Old Man. The middle of the stack presents two notable difficulties. First, an awkward traverse which is undercut

There was palpable relief once I had passed this technical hurdle, but while the most strenuous climbing was behind me, the next section presented a unique challenge because of my lack of sight. I had to climb around the side of the tower, which meant there was no direct line of sight from Molly to me. She couldn’t see me so she couldn’t tell me where to go. I was literally feeling my way across and up the cliff face with a distinct lack of opportunities to place protection due to an absence of cracks in the rock. Fortunately, my sixth sense, honed by years of climbing, guided me to the base of the final corner.

Akin to an open book, the final pitch is riven by a cleft which splits the stack and provides some of the finest climbing I have ever experienced. I am not one for displays of exuberance, but those that know me well could see my satisfaction as I crested the final ledge. It was an amazing climb, completed flawlessly, in spite of the challenges my genes have dealt me. A testament to hard work and positive attitude. I’m not disabled, I’m blind and able.

Jesse’s ascent of the Old Man of Hoy is the centrepiece of Alastair Lee’s multi-award-winning documentary, Climbing Blind. © Alastair Lee

40 Autumn 2020

Child of the ocean: an interview with Bethany Hamilton Jo Woolf, RSGS Writer-in-Residence

Born and raised in Hawaii, Bethany Hamilton was one of the up-and-coming stars of competitive surfing when she lost her left arm in a shark attack. She overcame considerable odds to build a successful career as a professional surfer as well as a life coach and motivational speaker, inspiring and helping thousands of people around the world.

What was it like growing up in Hawaii?

It was such a beautiful place to grow up in. As a child, so much of your natural instinct is to be outside. I grew up adventuring, and the ocean was my playground. As young teenagers, my friends and I would dive to the ocean floor for seashells, and we swam with turtles. In Hawaii, we have ocean and beaches but we have mountains too, where you can go hiking and exploring.

I was immersed in nature, and it has definitely kept me grounded. Nowadays, so many kids grow up with technology at the forefront, whereas I grew up with nature at the forefront. I think it’s such a healthy way to be.

Both my parents were surfers from the mainland of America.

They taught my two older brothers and me how to surf – probably before we could even walk – which is what I’m doing with my two boys as well. It’s really fun to grow up feeling comfortable with the ocean, but also having respect for it, knowing your boundaries out there.

My faith has taught me to ‘love thy neighbour’ and take an empathetic view of the world and those I share it with. For me, surfing was more than a hobby – it was a passion. I just loved being out there, and I guess my love overcame my fear of not being able to do it, or of sharks. That’s what helped me to give it a go and figure out how to do it with one arm, and I certainly did!

Your Christian faith has been a mainstay for you and your family…

I think, as a Christian, you recognise that there is going to be challenge and pain, so you don’t approach life thinking, “Oh, I won’t have any of that!”

You know that the world is not perfect and there are going to be tough times, so it’s important to be content as you are, and trust that God ultimately has © Hamilton family us in the palm of his hand. I focus on the positive things in life, rather than being swayed by my emotions or the pains that I’ve faced. My faith has definitely been my rock.

Do you have any favourite surfing locations, and are there any places you’re still yearning to visit?

Surfing has definitely taken me to some of the most amazing places in the world! I especially love Tahiti and Indonesia. I’ve had the pleasure of travelling to South Africa, Europe, and South America – it’s such an adventurous life. I think, for now, I have less of the travel bug, but I’d be happy to go back to many places when the opportunity arises.

“I was immersed in nature, and it has definitely kept me grounded.”

What makes the waves in Hawaii so perfect for learning to surf?

You can learn to surf pretty much anywhere where there’s an ocean and there’s waves to be had! But Hawaii has really beautiful waves, and I think being placed where we are in the Pacific Ocean means we catch different types of swells.

I started competing at a young age in keiki surf contests; keiki is the Hawaiian word for ‘child’. As I got older, I had that natural competitive drive. My parents supported me, and encouraged me to continue.

You’ve always had a close bond with your family. Your parents were both surfers, and pretty daring ones!

I’m so thankful for both my parents. I think it can be hard to recognise until you become a parent yourself, but when I did, I realised just how amazing my parents were! I think the biggest thing they’ve given me is their time. They’re very involved in my life and they spent a lot of time with me. I’m deeply appreciative of that. They would always take the time to get me into the ocean, and take me on fun adventures. We went camping a lot when I was growing up – exploring the world together. When I started travelling internationally, for surfing and other opportunities, they would travel with me.

They really encouraged me in life, as a whole.

I’ve watched your documentary ‘Unstoppable’ and I was moved to see the footage of your 13-year-old self in hospital, saying you were glad it was you who was attacked and not your best friend, Alana. Within six days you were convinced you’d get back to surfing. You had such a positive attitude…

I know – sometimes I’m in awe of my little 13-year-old self!

I’m glad I could recognise the positive side of that situation.

What advice would you give to young people who are hoping to excel in surfing, or in any sport?

My biggest piece of advice is to be consistent. Know that you’re going to have to overcome some challenges.

Approach all things with a teachable spirit. So much of my success has come from being open to learning – so allow yourself to be coached to improve your skillset, and embrace advice from others.

It’s lovely to see you balancing your professional career with raising a young family.

Being a professional athlete is different from having a nine-to-five job, and I’m thankful that I can bring my boys with me into my world. I still spend a lot of my day with them. I’m thankful that I’m still able to surf, with the support of my husband. We ‘teamwork’ everything together and find that daily balance.

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Tell us about some of the projects and organisations you’re involved with.

My husband and I have developed an online course called ‘Unstoppable Year’ which is changing people’s lives for the better. It’s been fun to dive into different endeavours beyond sport, encouraging and equipping people with tools to live an ‘unstoppable’ life. In the last ten years we’ve done a lot of travel, so now we travel a little less, but we’re often jumping on airplanes as well.

Every year I work with an organisation to do an event called ‘Beautifully Flawed’. It’s a healing retreat for people who have limb differences, often through traumatic loss. It’s a time of growing, loving and healing. We take people out of their comfort zone, and get them surfing in the ocean. We’ve done it in Hawaii and in California; it changes from year to year, but it’s usually near the beach!

© Friends of Bethany.com

What are your plans for the next couple of years?

I’m continually developing my online course. It’s a growing passion of mine to help others and I want to do more of that.

Besides that, I want to continue surfing, and just being Mom, taking it a day at a time. Right now, there’s a lot going on in the world, so I’m not planning too much, but I’ll be ready to go when things normalise a bit.

“Allow yourself to be coached to improve your skillset, and embrace advice from others.”

© Rip Curl

Our thanks to Bethany for her time in chatting to us.

We wish her every happiness and success in her future endeavours. See www.bethanyhamilton.com or read Soul Surfer for more information. © Rip Curl

BOOK CLUB

42 Autumn 2020

The Circular Economy Handbook

Island Dreams

Realizing the Circular Advantage

Mapping an Obsession

The circular economy offers a powerful means to decouple growth from use of scarce and harmful resources, enabling greater production and consumption with fewer negative environmental impacts, and making companies more innovative and competitive. Delivering on the promise of a circular economy demands impact and scale, extending through value chains and, ultimately, disrupting the entire economic system. The authors illuminate the path from insight to action, from linear to circular. With case studies, advice and practical guidance, they show leaders how to pivot towards a holistic circular organization, embedding circularity internally and delivering broad-based system change. With unique insights across business models, technologies, and industries, this book is the essential guide to help companies become leaders in the movement to secure the circular economy advantage.

Reader Offer - 20% discount only Offer ends 31st December 2020 £15.19 A Journey in Landscape Restoration

(RRP £18.99)

Carrifran Wildwood and Beyond Philip Ashmole and Myrtle Ashmole (Whittles Publishing, May 2020) Carrifran Wildwood was the brainchild of local people who mourned the lack of natural habitats and decided to act. After 20 years of work it has become an inspirational example of ecological restoration. Removal of sheep and goats and planting 700,000 trees launched the return of native woodland and moorland, transforming degraded hill land into something akin to its pristine, vibrant, carbon-absorbing state, teeming with plants, animals and fungi, alive with birdsong and the sound of the wind in the trees. The 40 contributors vividly describe all the challenges of carrying forward bold initiatives requiring close cooperation with local communities. funders, authorities, landowners and partners. A core part of the book is devoted to how nature asserts itself when given a chance. This is the extraordinary story of how a group of motivated people can revive nature at a landscape scale.

Readers of The Geographer can buy A Journey in Landscape Restoration for only £15.19 (RRP £18.99). To order, please visit www.whittlespublishing.com and quote code ‘RSGS20’.

RSGS: a better way to see the world Phone 01738 455050 or visit www.rsgs.org to join the RSGS. Lord John Murray House, 15-19 North Port, Perth, PH1 5LU Charity SC015599

Gavin Francis (Canongate Books, October 2020) Gavin Francis examines our collective fascination with islands.

He blends stories of his own travels with psychology, philosophy and great voyages from literature, shedding new light on the importance of islands and isolation in our collective consciousness. Comparing the life of freedom of 30 years of extraordinary travel from the Faroe Islands to the Aegean, from the Galapagos to the Andaman Islands, with a life of responsibility as a doctor, community member and parent approaching middle age, Island Dreams riffs on the twinned poles of rest and motion, independence and attachment, never more relevant than in today’s perennially connected world. Illustrated with maps throughout, this is a celebration of human adventures in the world and within our minds.

Outpost A Journey to the Wild Ends of the Earth Dan Richards (Canongate Books, April 2020) Through a series of personal journeys, Dan Richards explores the appeal of far-flung outposts in mountains, tundra, forests, oceans and deserts.

Following a route from the Cairngorms of Scotland to the fire-watch lookouts of Washington State, from Iceland’s ‘Houses of Joy’ to the Utah desert, frozen ghost towns in Svalbard to shrines in Japan, Roald Dahl’s writing hut to a lighthouse in the North Atlantic, Richards explores landscapes which have inspired writers, artists and musicians, and asks: why are we drawn to wilderness? What can we do to protect them? And what does the future hold for outposts on the edge?

The Good Ancestor How to Think Long Term in a Short-Term World Roman Krznaric (WH Allen, July 2020) From the first seeds sown thousands of years ago, to the construction of the cities we still inhabit, to the scientific discoveries that have ensured our survival, we are the inheritors of countless gifts from the past. Today, in an age driven by the tyranny of the now, leading public philosopher Krznaric reveals six profound ways in which we can all learn to think long term, exploring how we can reawaken oftneglected but uniquely human talents like ‘cathedral thinking’ that expand our time horizons and sharpen our foresight.

Drawing on radical solutions from around the world, he celebrates the innovators who are reinventing democracy, culture and economics so that we all have the chance to become good ancestors and create a better tomorrow.

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Printed by www.jtcp.co.uk on Claro Silk 115gsm paper.

100% FSC certified using vegetable-based inks in a 100% chemistry-free process.

Peter Lacy, Jessica Long and Wesley Spindler (Palgrave Macmillan, January 2020)