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15th February 2011 - Tweed Valley Nature Conservation Charles Cuthbert At their meeting on the 15th February the President, Sandy Laird, welcomed members and introduced the speaker, Charles Cuthbert, who spoke on his work as a Conservation Ranger with the Forestry Commission. Charles is based in Selkirk and his conservation responsibilities cover the Dumfries and Borders areas where he looks after all habitat and species, advising the Commission during their operations, both in the forest and in open country. There are a number of conservation projects taking place in the Borders, notably the continuing Osprey programme and those involving the protection of such species as black grouse, whose numbers have risen from a low of around nineteen males to in excess of two hundred today. While birds of prey such as hen harriers, merlins, owls, goshawks and peregrine falcons are in evidence, there are also some golden eagles and it is one of Charles’ responsibilities to monitor, record and protect all these birds. An objective of the Commission is to provide less hard edges to future planting in order to encourage the growth of species that like the forest but also use the open country. The provision of forest since the 1960s has encouraged the proliferation of large flocks of bird species which previously were not so evident. It has also allowed the growth of plant species, both in the forest, in cleared areas and at the forest edges, all of which in turn support insect life and the higher food chain. Charles gave a fascinating talk which was enthusiastically received by the members. The next meeting will be on Tuesday 1st March when Peter Worthington will speak on a photographic stroll around Barra. |