Natural History

Recordings of a backlog of past BHS Winter Talks have now been edited and added to this website

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My apologies for not being able to edit and upload the following talks until now, but we are now up to date – until our January Zoom talk comes along in eleven days!

Lying at the foot of Glen Lyon, the talk about the small community in Ardtrasgairt covers the changes in this working class community who lived there in the mid to late 19th century, and examines the effect of dramatic changes as industrialisation progressed. Watch here: ‘Ardtrasgairt – A potrait of a small Highland Community in the 19th Century’

Prehistoric rock art in Scotland is mostly known for its cupmarks, cup-and-rings and other circular imagery.  In this talk Dr. Joana Valdez-Tullett discussed the results of Scotland’s Rock Art Project research in Loch Tay, and how carvings in this region relate to other areas in Scotland and the wider Atlantic façade. Watch here: ‘From Loch Tay to the Atlantic Façade‘

Invasive Non-Native Species (INNS) are a significant threat to our environments, native wildlife, economy, and in some cases to our health. The Scottish Invasive Species Initiative (SISI) is a project set up to tackle invasive non-native species, and Mark from SISI, will talk about the work he has done within the Esk & Tay catchment area and how invasive plants, particularly Giant Hogweed and Japanese Knotweed have been controlled. Watch here: ‘Strategic Control of Invasive Non-Native Species in a River System’

The transformation of Aberfeldy from a few hovels to the smart town we know today, took place during the industrial revolution and was profoundly influenced by it.  Alan Fisher, whose family has a history in the town spanning over 200 years, discussed Aberfeldy’s development with particular focus on the history of its wool, whisky and laundry industries. Watch here: ‘Aberfeldy’s Industrial Revolution’

You can view these talks by using the links above for each one, but you can also access these by using the website “Recorded Winter Talks” page at https://breadalbane-heritage.org.uk/recorded-winter-talks/, which has links to all of the 28 recorded talks since September 2020. We were not permitted to record a few talks within this period which explains why there are some gaps in the winter season dates.

‘Wade and Caulfeild’ and ‘Cluny Gardens’ winter talks

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The October talk by Colin Liddell on ‘The Military Bridges of Wade and Caulfeild’ and the April talk by John Mattingley on ‘Cluny Gardens in the Spring’ were recorded and can now be viewed below.

Colin Liddell who in the past has presented talks on General Wade’s Scottish roads, concentrates this time on the bridges constructed by General Wade and his successor, Major William Caulfeild, who supervised the construction of many more roads and bridges than Wade.

The talk looks at military bridges built between 1726 and 1767, constructed by Major-General George Wade MP, “Commander of Forces in Northern Britain”, and Major William Caulfeild, Chief Engineer, later “Inspector of Roads in Scotland”, including those bridges still in use, some restored, others discovered, and some now lost, culminating in the famous ‘Wade Bridge’ itself in Aberfeldy.  Watch here: ‘The Military Bridges of Wade and Caulfeild’

John started his talk with a short introduction on the history of Cluny and its gardens, and how it has developed and the future.

Spring is a glorious time at Cluny with carpets of North American bulbs and tubers in April while May brings colourful Candelabra primulas and wonderful blue Himalayan poppies. Watch here: https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/1083524454

You will also be able to find the recordings of these two talks along with all previous recorded talks on the ‘Recorded Winter Talks’ page in this website: https://breadalbane-heritage.org.uk/recorded-winter-talks/

Additional Zoom Talk

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‘Discover Froglife’

Friday, 21st April 2023

At short notice, we have added another, and final, Zoom talk to our 2022-23 winter season of talks and we invite you to attend this free, natural history Zoom talk on Friday, 21st April, at 7.30pm.

Froglife is a national wildlife charity committed to the conservation of the UK’s amphibians and reptiles in addition to the habitats these species depend upon.  Froglife has been operating since 1989 with a number of national and regional projects. 

They want to see people from all walks of life get involved in wildlife conservation and achieve this via three strands: on the ground conservation, environmental education / communication and research.

This presentation will enable you to learn more about amphibians and reptiles in the area as well as the exciting work underway by Froglife Scotland on the ‘Come Forth for Wildlife’ project and ‘Fife Living Water’ project.

To register for this talk and to receive the Zoom joining details, please contact Ian at  bhsaberfeldy@gmail.com.  

Zoom is free to download, and all are very welcome to participate in our Zoom meetings free of charge, although we do welcome donations from non-members; our members receive free ‘entry’ to all our winter talks.  Please do encourage any friends or family who may be interested to join us, but they must register separately so that we are aware of prospective numbers attending as there is a permissible limit!

We look forward to “seeing” many of you on the evening of Friday, 21st April.

Mar Lodge Estate Regeneration

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The past, present and future of the Caledonian pinewoods of Mar Lodge Estate NNR

Few landscapes in Scotland are as evocative or as celebrated as the Caledonian pinewoods.  In these places, pines have survived uninterrupted since the ice retreated just over 10,000 years ago.  These are landscapes of great ecological value, but they are also storied, mythologised, and even misunderstood.  They have also suffered at human hands with just a few precious fragments remaining across the Highlands.  

The pinewoods of Mar Lodge Estate NNR are no exception.  These woods have risen and fallen over the centuries, and now are rising again, thanks to decades of work from dedicated people from all walks of life.  In this talk, Andrew Painting, Conservation Officer with National Trust for Scotland and author of ‘Regeneration: the Rescue of a Wild Land’, will delve into the past, present and future of Mar Lodge Estate’s pinewoods, and discuss what place they might have in a warming world.