GWCT Scottish Game Fair: Listen to the Land

1-3 JULY 2022 │ GWCT CENTRAL EXHIBIT, SCOTTISH GAME FAIR

Listen to the Land Stories of our natural heritage, past, present, and future

LISTEN TO THE LAND - PAGE 2

TO MAIN RING 1 4 6 5

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1. WORKING CONSERVATIONISTS TENT 2. THE HIVE TENT 3. THE NEST TENT 4. TOILETS 5. GWCT MEMBERS MARQUEE 6. GWCT CENTRAL EXHIBIT

How to find us The GWCT Central Exhibit is situated just off the main ring, to the left if you are looking at the main ring with your back to the main entrance.

VENUES We have 3 tents hosting events over the weekend. The Hive and Working Conservationists Tent will both be hosting more adultfocussed talks, while the Nest is hosting child-friendly talks. We also have a biodiversity display in the Nest tent showcasing the importance of the cowpat and the life they can support.

GWCT SCOTTISH GAME FAIR CELEBRATING CONSERVATION & THE COUNTRYSIDE SCONE PALACE, 1-3 JULY 2022 HEADLINE SPONSOR NFU MUTUAL

Contents Welcome

Page 4 >

Hive Tent Hosts

Page 6 >

Friday 1 July

Page 8 >

Saturday 2 July

Page 14 >

Sunday 3rd July

Page 22 >

ART Competition

Page 27 >

Further Information

Page 28 >

Book online >

LISTEN TO THE LAND - PAGE 6

Hive Tent Hosts

FRIDAY 1ST JULY HOST

Linda Mellor Linda Mellor lives on a Highland sporting estate overlooking Loch Rannoch. She has a lifetime of countryside experience and a deeprooted love of the outdoors and deer. For more than 20 years Linda has photographed and written about the countryside, in print and online.

In 2019, she published her first non-fiction paperback, For the Love of Country Sports.

The book shares 40 stories of men and women talking about their involvement in country sports: from childhood memories, treasured family moments, wildlife encounters to life-changing personal achievements.

“Stories have always been woven through my work as a photographer and a writer, and this year’s Scottish Game Fair is going to be a real treat as I explore the stories of people through their work.”

SATURDAY 2ND JULY HOST

Louise Gray Louise Gray was previously environmental correspondent at the Daily Telegraph and is now a freelance writer. She has also worked for the BBC, The Guardian, The Sunday Times, Country Life, The Spectator and Scottish Field.

She is perhaps best known for her insightful book, The Ethical Carnivore, in which she discusses the ethics of meat and her experience eating only animals she killed herself.

SUNDAY 3RD JULY HOST

Guy Grieve Guy Grieve is an adventurer and an entrepreneur whose fight for sustainability led him to start up a multi-award winning ethical fishing company on the Isle of Mull. Until recently he skippered the family fishing boat, Helanda, diving for king scallops, prized by chefs throughout Britain.

His first book was inspired by the year he spent living alone in a cabin he built in the Alaskan interior wilderness during 2004-05.

He has gone on to present a number of television programmes as well as writing for various national publications. His latest book, Sea Legs, charts the year he and his family spent sailing from Venezuela to Scotland via the Caribbean.

Book online >

FRIDAY 1 JULY TIME: 12:45pm - 13:15pm VENUE: NEST TENT PRICE: £5

Barbara Henderson WILDLIFE AND DRAMA

Author and teacher, Barbara has lived in Scotland for 30 years, and splits her time between teaching drama, writing and events at schools and festivals.

You may recognise some of her titles, which include: Chessmen Thief and Wilderness Wars (What if nature fights back).

She will be running a wildlife-inspired storytelling workshop with drama.

BOOK ONLINE >

FRIDAY 1 JULY TIME: 13:00pm - 13:30pm VENUE: HIVE TENT PRICE: £5

Graeme Johncock SCOTTISH FOLKLORE

Writer and storyteller Graeme, accompanied by the ever-present Molly the Labrador, will be telling tales from across Scotland.

As a lover of the history and folklore of Scotland today, he will bring these tales alive.

BOOK ONLINE >

FRIDAY 1 JULY TIME: 13:30pm - 14:15pm VENUE: WORKING CONSERVATIONISTS TENT PRICE: £5

Owen Williams CONSERVATION - WOODCOCK

Leading sporting artist, with work hanging in major collections throughout the UK and further afield, Owen will be telling us about his work and research with GWCT into Woodcock, which has led to him being co-author of several scientific papers on the species.

Owen frequently writes in the sporting press, and earlier this year was appointed Chairman of GWCT Wales and a GWCT Trustee.

BOOK ONLINE >

FRIDAY 1 JULY - PAGE 12

FRIDAY 1 JULY TIME: 13:45pm - 14:15pm VENUE: NEST TENT PRICE: £5

Emily Dodd SCOTTISH WILDLIFE STORYTELLING

Author and screenwriter for CBeebies, Emily will be joining us to read from her heart-warming stories of Scottish wildlife: Can’t Dance Cameron, and The Grouse and the Mouse.

Both books are beautifully illustrated, and Emily will bring them alive through music, dance and storytelling.

BOOK ONLINE >

FRIDAY 1 JULY TIME: 14:00pm - 14:45pm VENUE: HIVE TENT PRICE: £5

Ghillie Basan in conversation with Linda Mellor HIGHLAND CHEF AND WRITER

Special Guest: Celebrated Highland chef and author Ghillie Basan will be joining Linda Mellor to talk about life as a writer, broadcaster and food anthropologist. Ghillie will take us on a journey across the Highlands as she gathers up the best of Scotland’s food larder, with tales of food and drink and recipes created for her latest book A taste of the Highlands. Ghillie is a champion of local produce, living in the heart of the Cairngorms. Linda Mellor has photographed and written about the countryside, wildlife and game for a worldwide audience for over 20 years.

BOOK ONLINE >

FRIDAY 1 JULY TIME: 14:45pm - 15:15pm VENUE: NEST TENT PRICE: £5

Jodie Case CONSERVATION – BARN OWLS

GWCT Research Assistant, Jodie works on wader conservation and mammalian predation research to further the Trust’s understanding of the impact of predation on vulnerable wader species. She will be talking today about her work with the Owl Box Initiative, a project aimed to inspire farmers and communities to work for the conservation of the barn owl and connect people to farmland wildlife.

BOOK ONLINE >

SATURDAY 2 JULY TIME: 09:30am - 10:00am VENUE: NEST TENT PRICE: £5

Julia Duncan CONSERVATION RANGER

Julia is a countryside Ranger at Blair Castle and Atholl Estates in Perthshire. With its wilderness and historical background, Julia encourages participation in outdoor activities and helps people to build a connection with nature for now and into the future.

Julia will be joining us to tell us about her role and to inspire future guardians of Scotland’s natural environment to get involved.

BOOK ONLINE >

SATURDAY 2 JULY TIME: 09:30am - 10:00am VENUE: HIVE TENT PRICE: £5

Lindsey Gibb SCOTTISH FOLKLORE

Lindsey loves stories of place and landscape. She recently created a new story commission as part of a cultural and community response to climate change and COP 26 for the Cateran Ecomuseum, featured on BBC Scotland Outdoors. Co-author of Perthshire Folktales she particularly enjoys sharing stories from her home area.

BOOK ONLINE >

SATURDAY 2 JULY TIME: 10:30am - 11:00am VENUE: NEST TENT PRICE: £5

Alice Fernbank SCOTTISH MYTHS AND FOLKLORE

Storyteller, Alice tells stories from world myths and folktales, with many from the Celtic tradition. They include tales of tricksters and shape-shifters; ghosts and mythical creatures; historical legends and epic myths. Alice loves to tell transformational stories of women and girls and their heroic adventures. Alice comes from a theatrical background and uses her skills to enrich her storytelling, creating believable engaging characters interwoven within her telling. Igniting imaginations and connecting people.

BOOK ONLINE >

SATURDAY 2 JULY TIME: 11:45am - 12:15pm VENUE: HIVE TENT PRICE: £5

Ellen Bradley CONSERVATION - CURLEW ACTION

Curlew Action, a charity dedicated to reversing the decline of breeding curlew runs campaigns for wider natural history education.

Ellen’s work involves raising awareness about the decline of curlews in Britain and of the wider conservation issues associated with our dwindling wildlife.

BOOK ONLINE >

SATURDAY 2 JULY TIME: 12:30pm - 13:00pm VENUE: NEST TENT PRICE: £5

Barbara Henderson WILDLIFE AND DRAMA

Author and teacher, Barbara has lived in Scotland for 30 years, and splits her time between teaching drama, writing and events at schools and festivals.

You may recognise some of her titles, which include: Chessmen Thief and Wilderness Wars (What if nature fights back).

She will be running a wildlife-inspired storytelling workshop with drama.

BOOK ONLINE >

SATURDAY 2 JULY TIME: 12:45pm - 13:15pm VENUE: HIVE TENT PRICE: £5

Megan Rowland CONSERVATION - MANAGEMENT

Megan Rowland is a land manager and crofter from the North Highlands.

She has worked in land management for around a decade, spending 5 years as a deer stalker on an estate in Strath Brora.

She now works as a Deer Management Officer with NatureScot.

BOOK ONLINE >

SATURDAY 2 JULY - PAGE 18

SATURDAY 2 JULY TIME: 13:30pm - 14:00pm VENUE: NEST TENT PRICE: £5

Lindsay Littleson CHILDREN’S AUTHOR - REWILDERS

The Rewilders - The wild is waiting… bored Esme staying with her granny discovers an abandoned kitten is in fact a wild lynx kit and she is growing fast! The situation takes a terrifying turn when the children pitch their tents on a bleak Highland moor and hear wolves howling outside… Lindsay’s hope is that young people will be inspired to discover more about the rewilding movement.

BOOK ONLINE >

SATURDAY 2 JULY TIME: 13:30pm - 14:15pm VENUE: WORKING CONSERVATIONISTS TENT PRICE: £5

Owen Williams CONSERVATION - WOODCOCK

Leading sporting artist, with work hanging in major collections throughout the UK and further afield, Owen will be telling us about his work and research with GWCT into Woodcock, which has led to him being co-author of several scientific papers on the species. Owen frequently writes in the sporting press, and earlier this year was appointed Chairman of GWCT Wales and a GWCT Trustee.

BOOK ONLINE >

SATURDAY 2 JULY TIME: 13:45pm - 14:30pm VENUE: HIVE TENT PRICE: £5

Scott Mackenzie in conversation with Linda Mellor CONSERVATION - MANAGEMENT

Arguably one of Scotland’s most well-known gamekeepers, based in the south of Skye, Scott will be talking about his work looking after 23,000 acres of heather moorlands, croft lands, upland pasture, and ancient native woodlands. The estate is a wildlife haven, and winner of the prestigious Golden Plover award for Moorland Management in 2017. Head Keeper and Stalker, Scott is winner of the 2022 Gamekeeper of the Year Award.

He will be talking to Linda Mellor who has photographed and written about the countryside, wildlife and game for over 20 years.

BOOK ONLINE >

SATURDAY 2 JULY TIME: 14:30pm - 15:00pm VENUE: NEST TENT PRICE: £5

Emily Dodd SCOTTISH WILDLIFE STORYTELLING

Author and screenwriter for CBeebies, Emily will be joining us to read from her heart-warming stories of Scottish wildlife: Can’t Dance Cameron, and The Grouse and the Mouse.

Both books are beautifully illustrated, and Emily will bring them alive through music, dance and storytelling.

BOOK ONLINE >

SATURDAY 2 JULY TIME: 15:00pm - 15:45pm VENUE: HIVE TENT PRICE: £5

Andrew Painting in conversation with Ross Macleod CONSERVATION RESTORATION

Special Guest: Andrew Painting, ecologist at the National Trust for Scotland’s Mar Lodge Estate, and author of Regeneration, will join GWCT’s Head of Policy in Scotland, Ross Macleod, to discuss different approaches to land management and the trade-offs that may be necessary as a consequence of the decisions made. They will consider species such as curlew, black grouse, deer, mountain hare and their habitats.

BOOK ONLINE >

SATURDAY 2 JULY TIME: 15:30pm - 16:00pm VENUE: NEST TENT PRICE: £5

Gill Arbuthnott CHILDREN’S AUTHOR - OCEAN EXPLORATION

Learn about ocean exploration! Seen from space, Earth is a swirl of blue and white. The sea covers 70% of Earth’s surface, yet these expanses are the most unexplored regions of our planet. From Shore to Ocean Floor is the story of how humans went from building the first boats, to discovering the secrets of the deep. Marvel at incredible scientific discoveries, be dazzled by some of the most exciting new species, and admire the incredible men and women who took the very first steps below the surface.

BOOK ONLINE >

SATURDAY 2 JULY - PAGE 20

SATURDAY 2 JULY TIME: 18:00pm - 19:00pm VENUE: HIVE TENT PRICE: £10

Guy Grieve ADVENTURES

Why we need wildness and how it enriches us in every way. Guy will tell tales of his own travels in profound wilderness, including Jungle, arctic, desert and at sea where he survived the only hurricane to ever track into the N Atlantic on his 41’ boat 800M west of Ireland!

In 2004 Guy left his wife and two sons to spend a year alone in the Alaskan wilderness, which led to his book, Call Of the Wild. In the sub-arctic wilderness of Alaska, Guy Grieve built a log cabin 300 miles from the nearest road. He encountered temperatures

below -60°C. He has since appeared on Channel 4 in a series, The Wild Gourmets, trapping, shooting and scavenging for food and more recently has written a book ‘Sealegs’ about his time at sea.

Guy has many great tales to tell which relate to discovering a free way of life, he has been determined to show his sons that there are other paths away from what society expects. He has recently sold his scallop diving business on Mull to live in a hidden corner of the Moorfoot hills.

Book online >

SUNDAY 3 JULY TIME: 10:00am - 10:30am VENUE: HIVE TENT PRICE: £5

Julia Duncan CONSERVATION RANGER

Julia is a countryside Ranger at Blair Castle and Atholl Estates in Perthshire. With its wilderness and historical background, Julia encourages participation in outdoor activities and helps people to build a connection with nature for now and into the future.

Julia will be joining us to tell us about her role and to inspire future guardians of Scotland’s natural environment to get involved.

BOOK ONLINE >

SUNDAY 3 JULY TIME: 10:00am - 10:30am VENUE: NEST TENT PRICE: £5

Emily Dodd SCOTTISH WILDLIFE STORYTELLING

Author and screenwriter for CBeebies, Emily will be joining us to read from her heart-warming stories of Scottish wildlife: Can’t Dance Cameron, and The Grouse and the Mouse.

Both books are beautifully illustrated, and Emily will bring them alive through music, dance and storytelling.

BOOK ONLINE >

SUNDAY 3 JULY TIME: 11:00am - 11:30am VENUE: NEST TENT PRICE: £5

Alice Fernbank SCOTTISH MYTHS AND FOLKLORE

Storyteller, Alice tells stories from world myths and folktales, with many from the Celtic tradition. They include tales of tricksters and shape-shifters; ghosts and mythical creatures; historical legends and epic myths. Alice loves to tell transformational stories of women and girls and their heroic adventures. Alice comes from a theatrical background and uses her skills to enrich her storytelling, creating believable engaging characters interwoven within her telling. Igniting imaginations and connecting people.

BOOK ONLINE >

SUNDAY 3 JULY - PAGE 24

SUNDAY 3 JULY TIME: 11:00am - 11:30am VENUE: HIVE TENT PRICE: £5

Rowan Morrison SCOTTISH FOLKLORE

Rowan brings people together through storytelling. She draws on traditional folktales and strange stories of her own, to bring magic into the ‘middle world of mankind’. Rowan shares stories of the natural world and the otherworld, of flora and fauna, of shapeshifting creatures and all manner of mythical beasties. Her stories will lead you into the depths of the dark forest, enable you to see the hidden folk, run with the wild deer and swim with selkies!

BOOK ONLINE >

SUNDAY 3 JULY TIME: 12:00pm - 12:45pm VENUE: HIVE TENT PRICE: £5

Lynn Cassells, Lynbreck Croft REGENERATIVE FARMING AND CONSERVATION

Special Guest: Join crofter and author Lynn as she tells of the graft and immense challenges she and Sandra faced in turning Lynbreck Croft into a new rural, vibrant enterprise; farming in harmony with nature and working with natural processes to grow their own food, raise their own animals and look after their own corner of Scotland.

BOOK ONLINE >

SUNDAY 3 JULY TIME: 12:00pm - 12:30pm VENUE: NEST TENT PRICE: £5

Royal Highland Educational Trust BIODIVERSITY

Discover an amazing micro-world in the soil beneath our feet.

Join busy bacteria, active actinomycetes, feisty fungi, prowling protozoa, nimble nematodes and wriggling worms to find out why looking after our soils is so very important.

BOOK ONLINE >

SUNDAY 3 JULY TIME: 13:00pm - 13:30pm VENUE: NEST TENT PRICE: £5

Lindsay Littleson CHILDREN’S AUTHOR - REWILDERS

The Rewilders - The wild is waiting… bored Esme staying with her granny discovers an abandoned kitten is in fact a wild lynx kit and she is growing fast! The situation takes a terrifying turn when the children pitch their tents on a bleak Highland moor and hear wolves howling outside… Lindsay’s hope is that young people will be inspired to discover more about the rewilding movement.

BOOK ONLINE >

SUNDAY 3 JULY TIME: 13:15pm - 13:45pm VENUE: HIVE TENT PRICE: £5

Lindsey Gibb SCOTTISH FOLKLORE

Lindsey loves stories of place and landscape. She recently created a new story commission as part of a cultural and community response to climate change and COP 26 for the Cateran Ecomuseum, featured on BBC Scotland Outdoors. Co-author of Perthshire Folktales she particularly enjoys sharing stories from her home area.

BOOK ONLINE >

SUNDAY 3 JULY TIME: 14:00pm - 14:30pm VENUE: NEST TENT PRICE: £5

Katrina Candy CONSERVATION

Captain Partridge and the Metal Monsters, Katrina’s 3rd book, will be launched at the GWCT Scottish Game Fair. Living in Perthshire, she collaborates with local artists to bring the stories alive.

Katrina is passionate about climate and nature conservation issues.

All profits from the sale of her books are donated to the GWCT. BOOK ONLINE >

SUNDAY 3 JULY - PAGE 26

SUNDAY 3 JULY TIME: 14:15pm - 14:45pm VENUE: HIVE TENT PRICE: £5

Ellen Bradley CONSERVATION - CURLEW ACTION

Curlew Action, a charity dedicated to reversing the decline of breeding curlew runs campaigns for wider natural history education.

Ellen’s work involves raising awareness about the decline of curlews in Britain and of the wider conservation issues associated with our dwindling wildlife.

BOOK ONLINE >

SUNDAY 3 JULY TIME: 15:00pm - 15:30pm VENUE: NEST TENT PRICE: £5

Graeme Johncock SCOTTISH FOLKLORE

Writer and storyteller Graeme, accompanied by the ever-present Molly the Labrador, will be telling tales from across Scotland.

As a lover of the history and folklore of Scotland today, he will bring these tales alive.

BOOK ONLINE >

SUNDAY 3 JULY TIME: 15:15pm - 15:45pm VENUE: HIVE TENT PRICE: £5

Gabrielle Flinn CONSERVATION

Gabrielle Flinn has worked for Buglife, the RSPB and the IUCN on a range of projects, including helping to restore grasslands for pollinators in the Central Belt; on the award-winning Rare Invertebrates in the Cairngorms project; and in Brussels on European pollinator projects including assessing the extinction risk of pollinator species. She has also appeared on BBC Springwatch, Landward and Out of Doors to communicate the crucial role insects play in supporting a healthy planet.

BOOK ONLINE >

LISTEN TO THE LAND - PAGE 28

To Book Tickets Click here >

THE EDINBURGH BOOK SHOP

PAYMENT, FEES AND REFUND POLICY

The Edinburgh Book Shop will be running a pop-up shop at the fair, where they will stock the books of all those speaking - and more.

Their knowledgeable staff will be on hand to help, including choosing books for signings with the authors. A 10% donation from every purchase made will go towards the GWCT.

Bookings will be made via Eventbrite. All tickets are £5 each. This does not include entry to the Scottish Game Fair, you can purchase this at www.scottishfair.com. There are no concession ticket prices for the storytelling events. If you require a personal assistant or carer to attend in support, or accessible seating, please contact ilaing@gwct.org.uk to arrange.

KEEPING YOU SAFE

All children must be accompanied by an adult to all events. Adults will also need to purchase tickets to attend the children’s events.

Your safety is our priority. We will be following the latest health & safety advice and are working with local authorities, the fair organisers and under our own strict guidelines, putting measures in place to ensure we deliver a safe event. Please consider both your own, and the safety of others - and do not travel to or attend the event if you are experiencing any Covid-19 symptoms. Please also follow advice on-site from event staff with regard to any social distancing and other Covid-19 requirements.

LATECOMERS We have a packed programme, so our scheduling is therefore tight. It is really important that you are settled into your seat for the start of the event. Please arrive in good time, as once the doors are closed we will not be able to admit latecomers.

Book online >