Gathering to celebrate wild places

Trust Members and supporters met up with our staff and Trustees near the banks of Loch Lomond to catch up on our latest plans to protect wild places.

Mid-September saw Trust Members and supporters join our staff and Trustees for a fun (and rainbow) filled day that focussed on our work in and for wild places.

John Muir Trust Chief Executive David Balharry (pictured above) welcomed guests and explained some of our key challenges as follows: “We need to be specific about what we stand for, how we can measure it and demonstrate how we are using charity money to protect and conserve them.”

David’s own experience is that wild places in the Scottish Highlands have diminished a lot and he suspected it was the same across the UK: “Despite the sector working together and doing our very best, we seem to be fighting a losing battle. And part of the reason why is that we haven’t defined clearly enough the areas that we stand to protect.

He’s also aware that we need to connect what we do as a charity to the global challenges and asked how do we work together to do something effective for the planet?

With that David invited one of our newest Trustees - Steve Carver, Professor of rewilding and wilderness science at Leeds University - to put what the Trust does into an international setting.

Read Steve Carver’s keynote speech.

Steve’s presentation was followed by the Trust’s Director of Land and Policy David Fleetwood, who reaffirmed the importance of accumulating evidence and building a framework to define and protect our remaining wild places.

Read David Fleetwood’s speech.

Guests then had the opportunity to meet some of the Trust’s staff and hear about the practical work we are doing on the ground to protect the wild places in our care.

Our Head of Engagement Gareth Morgan (shown above) talked about the importance of wellbeing and wild places, while foraging around the site. Our Thirlmere Conservation Officer Isaac Johnston talked about our partnership project to regenerate land in the Lake District, introducing us to some of the rare plants in his tree nursery. Glenlude’s Conservation Officer Ellie Oakley talked about how volunteers are intrinsic to our work in the Scottish Borders and shared tips on identifying trees. Head of Wild Place Index Matt Coathup talked about managing one of the threats to wild places – deer (pictured below).

The day finished with speeches from our oldest and youngest Trustees, who shared their unique perspectives on the Trust before a lively Q&A session completed a showery and rainbow filled day that lifted all our spirits.