And as we are on the environmental theme, what better way than to introduce
our third Scot as part of our Year of Homecoming 2009 features. John Muir
(1838-1914) was the founder of
the world conservation movement. Born in Dunbar near Edinburgh, he
emigrated at the age of eleven to America and devoted his
life to safeguarding the world's landscapes for future generations. Patron
saint of the American wilderness, John Muir was the archetypal free spirit.
Following his own call of the wild, he wandered through the Appalachians and
the Sierra to Alaska, Siberia, South America and Africa.
During his explorations of
the High Sierra and Alaska (1870-1890), Muir became aware of the threats to
such wild places and was the first to call clearly for conservation. He
influenced presidents and was instrumental in the designation of over 50
areas and 200 National monuments. His eloquent
word changed the way Americans saw their mountains, forests, seashores and
deserts and his legacy sustains those now who struggle to preserve our wild
and open spaces.
The relevance of Muir's
pioneering work all these years ago is more relevant now than ever. Here on
Loch Ness the pressures of growing population in the Highlands is all too
plain to see and yet we are fortunate in that it really doesn't take much
effort to wander off into wilderness around the loch. This was
particularly clear to us yesterday when we took our boat for a leisurely
trip down the loch. Viewing the shore from the loch you get a completely
different perspective on the area. Much of the shoreline of the south side
is impenetrable and untouched probably for hundreds of years, particularly
the area beyond Foyers down to Fort Augustus. Even landing the boat is
difficult due to rocks, currents and sudden gusts of wind which would come
from nowhere and toss our little boat around.
And continuing our environmental theme, the midge is
regarded, by anyone who has ever been to the north and west of Scotland in
summer, as the scourge of the Highlands. These tiny swarming flies are a
persistent nuisance for tourists and locals alike. But, with any luck, their
reign of terror may about to come to an end. Scientists from the University
of Aberdeen have developed a "puffer" device which sends out a
cocktail of naturally occurring chemicals in an invisible mist that
effectively cloaks the midges' intended human target. The chemicals are
produced by people who have been found to be less attractive to the midge.
The pioneering repellent will be tested on hundreds of
athletes competing in one of the Highlands' biggest races, the First Monster
Challenge, a 120km running and cycling event around the shores of Loch Ness.
At last year's inaugural event, many competitors complained about the
nuisance and irritation caused by midges. The competitors will provide the
largest number of humans ever to take part in
anti-midge trials and it is hoped that this
breakthrough will lead to a foolproof natural deterrent for the midge.
Watch this space....
Till next month
Graeme and Fiona
