Departing Forest Lodge for the last time
"With a day to go I thought I should get this emotional task out of the way, particularly as there is now 5" of snow outside and I might not get here tomorrow!
Having been with the Society for 12,410 days I though a few additional figures might not go amiss as to what has happened over that period.
1st job, a mile of cable to be run out to provide a link between the osprey nest and base camp - just so we could talk to each other. We now have a phone in every pocket and can talk to the world.
From an office at Grianan to the glories of working in an 1880's shooting lodge which is Forest Lodge.
Growing a reserve from 600 ha to 14,000 ha - a proper reserve. The RSPB Abernethy NNR.
1st CCTV to get close to a rare bird.
When I arrived we dreamed of 100,000 RSPB members, we now have 1,000,000.
We go from 200m at Loch Garten to 1300m on Ben Madui home to 4,507 species of plants and animals.
6 sites for the rare green shield-moss in 2005 to 145 today. Management Plan target to maintain 3! Success.
12 tooth fungi sites per annum to 2002, 770 in 2009, 3 new to Britain.
A successful Woodland Grant Scheme worth half a million which saw money for CONSERVATION and not just timber production, the old Conservators must have turned in their graves. You get money for killing trees now - perhaps I just started a ball rolling.
Staff arrive at Abernethy and never leave - it's that good.
Went out for lunch yesterday and found a red data book lichen - where else could you do that!
And finally a very big thank you to all of you out there who have sent goodwill messages and contributions to a most amazing leaving present, not one, but two microscopes to let me delve a little deeper into the world of natural history that I love so much. It has been a brilliant journey and a great honour to have been part of this organisation and to have played a part in setting up Britain's most important reserve.
Keep up the good work & best wishes to you all for the future. Stewart "
End of an era.
Best wishes
Stewart & Janet (now both retired!)
Cheerio
