16–17 September
Findhorn Forres Inverness

The return of key species to Scotland ÖWhat? Where? How?

Hosted by the Wildland Network and Trees for Life

This two day conference will examine the action required to achieve further reintroductions of key species to Scotland. The event will feature presentations, workshops, a debate, photographic exhibition, story telling and will be followed by optional field trips to:

Alladale ñ reintroduced mammals in the Alladale Wilderness Project
Glen Affric — Caledonian ecosystem restoration, & wild boar experiment
Carrifran wildwood — whole ecosystem restoration in the Moffat Hills

Exhibition of photographs by Tooth & Claw present throughout the event.
Food during the event will include wild harvest and wild boar produce

Programme:
15 September Arrival
16 September Speakers and workshop
17 September Speakers and workshop
18 September Field trip to Alladale
19 September Field trip to Glen Affric
20 September Field trip to Carrifran Wildwood
Full Programme

15 September
19.30 Pub meal for participants arriving on 15th. Details available upon booking

16 September
9.45 ñ 10.30 Arrival, drinks, registration, workshop choices

10.30 Welcome and introductions
Alan Watson Featherstone (Trees for Life), Steve Carver (Wildland Network) Facilitators: Alison Parfitt, Rick Minter (Nature with Attitude)

Session 1: Reintroductions in Scotland
the nation’s state of mind

10.40 Bird reintroductions in the British Isles
Lessons from recent experience
Roy Dennis (Highland Foundation for Wildlife)

11.10 Beaver reintroduction in Scotland
Progress and prospects

Iain Valentine Head of Animals,Education and Conservation,
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland

11.30 Beaver reintroduction in England and Wales
Derek Gow (Derek Gow Associates)

12.00 Facing the predator ñ are we ready?
Peter Cairns (Tooth and Claw)

12.20 Participants’ follow up points to morning presentations

12.40 LUNCH

13.40 Scotland’s missing mammals ñ Targets and visions for their return
Alan Watson Featherstone (Trees for Life)

14.15 Scotland’s missing mammals
Discussion on the targets presented by Alan Watson Featherstone

14.45 Workshops
Each workshop will be set up by a facilitator
Participants select one of the following (from species or issues):

Workshop options — species
Participants discuss What? Where? How?’ For the respective topic

ï Beaver
ï Lynx
ï Wolf
ï Herbivores
ï Birds

Workshop options — issues
Participants will address three key questions proposed for each topic

ï Perceptions of predators
ï Livelihoods from reintroductions
ï Farming and forestry issues
ï Game issues
ï Community-based reintroduction projects
ï Ecosystem restoration ñ how reintroduced species can drive it

16.00 Workshops prepare for report back to visitors’

16.10 Break

16.30 Participants visit and discuss findings of another workshop

16.50 Main messages from Species workshops ñ Reports and discussion

17.20 Main messages from issues workshops ñ Reports and discussion

17.50 End of day one

18.00 Evening meal

Evening programme:
20.15 ñ 21.15 Where the Wild things Were’
Tales of creatures wild free and coming back?
Margot Henderson Storyteller

21.30 ñ 22.00 Screening of wild boar documentary:
Return of the Prodigal Pig’ by Wildwood Productions

17 September

9.30 The lore of Fauna Celtica ñ old and new
Kenny Taylor

10.00 Returning creatures ñ the new folklore
Participants’ discussion on folklore, art, poetry, and nature writing:
ï When are myths and folklore enriching, helping us to engage meaningfully with nature, and when are they possibly damaging, perpetuating misconceptions about certain species?
ï How does folklore influence current attitudes to certain species? Can/should anything be done about that?
ï Is it contrived and Orwellian to tinker with our folklore?
ï How can we nurture a cultural and artistic appreciation of returning wildlife?

10.40 Restoring whole ecosystems — What’s happening in Scotland?
Key issues from 3 examplesÖ

Alladale: Hugh Fullerton-Smith, Manager, Alladale Wilderness Reserve
Carrifran: Philip Ashmole Co-ordinator Hugh Chalmers, Project Officer, Carrifran Wildwood Project
Glen Affric: Steve Smith, FC District Manager and Liz Balharry, coordinator of wild boar grazing project

11.40 Break

12.00 What’s happening in Scotland?
Participants’ questions and discussion

12.40 LUNCH

13.30 Workshops
Participants attend a different workshop from day one, and decide which workshop reports to visit afterwardsÖ

Workshops
Each workshop will be set up by a facilitator
Participants select one of the following (from Species or Issues):

Workshop options — species
Participants discuss What? Where? How?’ For the respective topic

ï Beaver
ï Lynx
ï Wolf
ï Herbivores
ï Birds

Workshop options — Issues
Participants will review and build upon outcomes of the 16 September workshops on these topics

ï Perceptions of predators
ï Livelihoods from reintroductions
ï Farming and forestry issues
ï Game issues
ï Community-based reintroduction projects
ï Ecosystem restoration ñ how reintroduced species can drive it

14.40 Workshops prepare their conclusions for feedback

14.50 Break

15.10 Main messages from Issues workshops ñ Reports and discussion

16.00 Main messages from Species workshops ñ Reports and discussion

16.45 What, Where, and How for Scotland?
Proposals for discussion by: Peter Taylor, Dan Puplett

17.00 Collective discussion on What? Where? and How?

17.40 Close of day two

18.00 Evening meal for those staying for field trips

Evening programme:
20.00 ñ 21.15 Debate:

The return of the wolf ñ is Scotland’s psyche ready?’

For more information please visit www​.treesforlife​.org​.uk

or www​.wildland​-network​.org​.uk