Hello! I’m Laura Eagleson the Natural Communities Trainee for the Moine Mhor, a raised peat bog and National Nature Reserve situated in Mid-Argyll. The site lies within Kilmartin Glen, one of the richest areas for archaeology in Scotland with finds dating back over 5000 years.
Moine Mhor at dawn
So what is my task for the year? To knit the historic and the natural stories together and to help people take a deeper look at the bog and to realise that there is more than meets the eye to a landscape that can at first glance appear baron and lonely. To do this I am working with two organisations; Scottish Natural Heritage that manage the site directly to protect the habitat and Kilmartin Museum who interpret the ancient history of the local area to visitors and local residents. By working with these two organisations, I aim to bring the site to life through its history and wildlife.
Dunadd the ancient seat of the Scots Kings rises from the Moss
And what about the damp? Well, Western Scotland is home to Scotland’s “temperate rainforest” so called because of the high rainfall levels. Great for our specialist habitats
here, not so great if you have grown up in Crieff on the east side of Scotland! Living and working in Glasgow since studying zoology at the University of Glasgow has prepared me a little for this wet weather but I have already got the wellies and waterproofs permanently in the car – something that I have never had to do before as a seasonal ranger or a volunteer for the RSPB.
A busy year on the Moss awaits – full of history, storytelling, crafts and surveys. Stay tuned for an action packed year!