#sbspgr24 well done to Onome ⁦School of Biological Sciences⁩ for describing the connectivity between soil carbon fractionation and land management to implement long term nature based solutions for climate mitigation- findings from Scottish soils that can be translated globally

An excellent presentation by Kani ⁦School of Biological Sciences⁩ at our annual SBS Postgraduate seminar day and I loved the way you describe Wanlockhead as being”blessed” with high heavy metal concentrations #sbspgr24 : told you that all the time spent on the FAAS would pay off!

Congratulations to Jane Reid, who has been awarded EUR2.5million by the European Research Council (ERC) to lead a team in predicting how seabird populations on the east coast of Scotland will respond to increasingly extreme seasonal weather conditions bit.ly/3PUnRkz #ERCAdG

⁦NatureScot⁩ Muir of Dinnet NNR looking from an esker ridge to diverse habitats and the mechanisms for conservation enabling access but also protection - last site of the week- it’s a wrap ⁦School of Biological Sciences⁩ ⁦Gareth Norton⁩ ⁦Cairngorms National Park⁩ thanks Kirsten

⁦NatureScot⁩ NNR Muir of Dinnet with Simon and Kirsten and hearing how the management of the reserve works alongside the private ownership- great evidence of success in habitat management ⁦School of Biological Sciences⁩

⁦School of Biological Sciences⁩ Ballater field trip ⁦Dr Emily MacDonald⁩ ⁦Gareth Norton⁩ also teaching soil water collection, use of a penetroneter, application of soil maps (and truth tasting) and a good deal more: most importantly the group share knowledge and teach each other

⁦School of Biological Sciences⁩ Ballater filed trip arrive at Shannel for a day of skills based learning ⁦Dr Emily MacDonald⁩ is discussing measuring gas fluxes and the use of quadrats to an enthusiastic group and luckily the weather is getting better

⁦Glen Tanar⁩ we are thinking about spaces that have multiple land uses and how this creates challenges in the management of estates: innovation and agility are key to addressing these ⁦School of Biological Sciences⁩ great group engagement throughout the day despite inclement weather

Wednesday underway and we are guests of ⁦Glen Tanar⁩ and Eric Baird (happy birthday yesterday) so we kick off with a list of the questions that we want answered and it’s a long list- and although it’s a cold and damp day it’s always a thrill to be here ⁦School of Biological Sciences⁩

⁦School of Biological Sciences⁩ an enthusiastic if damp team at the top of Loch Muick ⁦Balmoral Castle⁩ discussing conservation and estate management issues with Glynn Jones and seeing how investment in the landscape and some patience can make transformations in habitat and diversity

Reopening natural river channels on the Muick by ⁦The River Dee⁩ enables better management of the hydrology of the upland part of the catchment that in turn reduces floods downstream: a cool and damp day on Deeside today ⁦School of Biological Sciences⁩ ⁦Gareth Norton⁩

Al and Pamela ⁦The River Dee⁩ explain their role in sustainable management of the catchment and how they work with landowners ⁦Balmoral Castle⁩ on tributaries of the Dee: enclosures and exclosures enhance tree growth vital to future of the river ⁦School of Biological Sciences⁩

Glynn Jones showing off how all the hard work in enclosures ⁦Balmoral Castle⁩ pays off and enables regeneration of birch woodlands; enhancing habitat and benefiting the landscape ⁦Gareth Norton⁩ ⁦School of Biological Sciences⁩ amazing changes in 25 years ⁦Cairngorms National Park⁩

Peatland restoration ⁦Balmoral Castle⁩ by using media to make dams and then saturate the histosols and gradually set about some recovery ⁦Gareth Norton⁩ ⁦School of Biological Sciences⁩ innovations and nature based solutions

Guests this morning at ⁦Balmoral Castle⁩ hosted by Glynn and Harry- an overview of the Balmoral estate and the activities as well as new conservation initiatives ⁦Cairngorms National Park⁩ ⁦School of Biological Sciences⁩ a bit dreecht outside but all participants are suitably dressed

⁦School of Biological Sciences⁩ many thanks to Niel Taylor for a great afternoon ⁦Forestry and Land Scotland⁩ at Cambus O May and encouraging student engagement with some of the big issues at ⁦Cairngorms National Park⁩ including rewilding; the value of indigenous species; the future of forests; carbon

Gareth and I enjoying a Neuk fire while running the fieldtrip out here at Ballater!

Ballater fieldtrip ⁦School of Biological Sciences⁩ Easter 2024 and we meet up with Neil ⁦Forestry and Land Scotland⁩ who gives an overview of Cambus o May and the original design plans and what we see today ⁦⁦Cairngorms National Park⁩

⁦The sun sets on another excellent ⁦QUADRAT⁩ introduction event and we have learned loads: including risk assessments and visual abstracts- big thanks to ⁦sabine hellman⁩ for media training and to Rob for for the first aid and ofcourse ⁦Lighthouse Field Stn⁩

⁦QUADRAT⁩ cohort 5 are enjoying Salt House performing at a village hall on the Black Isle and appreciating cultural aspects as well as the outstanding natural environment ⁦Lighthouse Field Stn⁩ ⁦School of Biological Sciences⁩