The vision

Just back from a very interesting and thought provoking lecture by 'award winning
nature photograph Peter Cairns' talking about the 2020VISION project .
For the last 4 years 20 photographers had 20 assignments with 1 mission to document some 'heroic projects underway throughout the Uk to repair ,restore and re-connect our fragmented ecosystems' .One of the quotes from John Muir , a Scottish/American naturalist ( I'm sure ANEWDAY would be able to tell us lots more info after the talk she went on Monday) really makes sense 'When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe'. We are making a difference, it's not too late. The media always likes to paint a bleak picture but the future is bright. Some projects will not happen over night and we are unlikely to see the changes in our life time, it takes a long time for a tree to grow but we now have a greater understanding of the wider world and projects like the restoration of wetlands that is already showing a rich habitat and when the small insects arrive so do the birds, small mammals and large animals up the food chain.
I spoke to a lady afterwards who would like to set up a group of 'like minded people' to make either their own , Community Gardens or any area into spaces for wildlife. Sounds good to me and there were a few Black Islers interested so if there is anyone else interested let me know :)

Of course I came away with a signed book and it is a brilliant buy. Some fantastic photographs including a Black Isle pine marten, will have to check the markings to see if it's 'my' one. He's busy eating nuts on the window sill as I type.

Money from this event is going towards Trees for life who will be planting 1 native tree from each £5 donation in the Simpsons trees for life grove in the Scottish Highlands. Great to know that we will have two trees out there helping to restore the ancient forest.

Well must go to bed now to dream of trees and wildlife :)