Perthshire Society of Natural Science
Environment, Nature and Cultural Heritage.
Why did a female Asian elephant collapse and die near Broughty Ferry in 1706? What happened to its mortal remains and what were the consequences for British science? Why had the creature spent the previous twenty years travelling all over Europe? Author and translator Andy Drummond answered these questions and more in an exceptionally entertaining and informative talk on November 27th.
On 6th November Bruce Keith spoke to the Archaeology and History Section about his latest book, Scotland Below the Surface, a “subterranean odyssey” covering everything under our feet: mines, caves, hollow mountains, hydroelectric schemes, railway tunnels and much else. Once again Bruce treated us to another exceptionally informative and entertaining talk.
On Wednesday 17th January Professor Richard Oram spoke about his recently completed two-year project on the environmental history of the Tay, from the arrival of the first hunter-gatherers until the present day. This was an inspiring overview of the mass of material he is about to transform into a series of books. His gallop through the ages revealed a host of fascinating details, not least that the elites’ monopoly of the hunting forests, however unjust, tended to ensure their preservation. Above all we learned how greatly humans have altered the landscape and the river since earliest times and how seemingly untouched rural spots may be sullied by industrial pollution.
As a policy advisor, Professor Oram is well placed to ensure the lessons of history inform current decision-making.
To see the programme click on the link:
Charles McIntosh, the Birnam Postman, was an accomplished local naturalist, musician and member of the Perthshire Society for Natural Science. He was also a friend of Beatrix Potter. This short leaflet was produced for the Centenary of his death.
by Sarah Watts, Ecologist and Conservation Manager.
Sarah is a plant ecologist with a strong focus on upland vegetation, restoration ecology and applied science. She is the Conservation Manager of Corrour in the Scottish Highlands and is currently researching her part-time PhD entitled “Improving outcomes in montane woodland restoration”. From 2013-2020 she worked as an ecologist for the National Trust for Scotland at Ben Lawers NNR.’
Curious Minds is back – with an even bigger and better programme of live talks in the Soutar Theatre PLUS simultaneous participation by Zoom from the comfort of your own home.
The live talks and Zoom are open to the general public. To start with, we are limiting the numbers of live attendees to well below the Covid guidelines. That will be constantly reviewed. But there is no limit on Zoom participation. Tickets for the live events, and for Zoom, will be available on the Culture Perth & Kinross website at www.culturepk.org.uk/curiousminds6
See our Curious Minds page for full details of all the talks.
A mind-bending photograph of an orangutan with the sky reflected in water has won first prize in the Nature TTL Photographer of the Year 2021 competition.
We are pleased to announce that our Photographic Section, the Perthshire Photographic Society, are holding an online exhibition in association with the Perth Festival of the Arts, from now until June 20 2021.
Read more about it and visit the exhibition on their webpage: PPS: the exhibition is open
The COVID-19 restrictions are easing off, but we must remain vigilant; there is guidance in the programme. Our programmes have always provided opportunities for physical and mental health and they have a role to play in the easing of restrictions.
Two sites are covered in the programme, each with two visits, to maximise numbers who can attend. The first meeting will finish in the middle of the afternoon and the second about 8.30 pm. You can book to come on both meetings on the same day and fill the gap as you choose. Or book to come on both meetings on different days, or book on just one meeting.
Our programme will evolve as we continue to follow the advice of the Scottish Government and any changes that it makes. We should remain positive and retain a tradition that has lasted 150 years of recording and enjoying our Perthshire flora.
The finalists for the Bird Photographer of the Year 2021 (BPOTY) competition have been chosen from more than 22,000 entries from 73 countries.
Dear Member,
This is a request for your thoughts and observations on how the world has changed locally since the 1980’s (or earlier) and/or how Covid has affected the pursuit of your interests and its impact on the natural world locally.
The subjects currently being worked on range from photographic techniques, ecology, climate, access and storage of social archives, to what we see on our daily walk.
Photographs, audio recordings, self recorded Zoom, short videos, scanned scribbles, sketches, artwork – they are all welcome, from rants to more measured and researched thoughts.
What will be done with them? At the very least they will be put in a 2020/21 Folder and archived for future generations. The archive will be linked to the PSNS website for ease of access. Anonymity can be arranged, copyright protected.
A few members have already written articles. Some are short, simply presented as a few paragraphs. Others are longer, some showing off excellent desktop publishing skills.
For some examples from differing ends of the spectrum, click here.
Margaret Borland-Stroyan, David Perry, Jeff Banks, Malcolm Lind, John Jessop, Clare Scanlon, Frances Whittet, and Roben Antoniewicz are all available to help.
We hope you can see the pleasure that a wide range of topics and styles will bring to our fellow and future members as well as promoting the Society to the wider public.
David Bowler
President
secretary@psns.org.uk
These are being reviewed by Council and will shortly be circulated to all members by email. The minutes and the associated reports are available, to members only, from the Secretary upon request.