Students!

For nearly two weeks we have had 5 students from University of Glasgow out on the reserve helping us with practical land management as well as doing some project work of their own. Last week they were joined by a group of 7 students from Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) who were undertaking a GIS mapping project on the reserve.

The best map we have for the area is from 1948 and is made up of old US Army and British Admiralty charts. The SCSU students have been out with GPS units mapping major features like the rivers, the centre, bridges, the track, the ridge line and the ever expanding lupin growth. Hopefully over the next couple of months we will see the data compiled and added to aerial photographs to provide a useful graphical basis on which we can plan further work.

On a personal basis I had the chance to help map the three river systems from the coastline up into the mountains and to explore parts of the reserve I have never been to before.

GIS Mapping on the upper reserve

Jo mapping one of our three rivers

Prof Heidkamp, Bjartur and Izzy

Josh mapping a waterfall

Garmin advert!

Prof Heidkamp showing the students how it should be done

Izzy mapping the river near the centre

Lizzie & Jo (Glasgow Uni) take a break after mapping one of the rivers

SCSU students planning the days mapping tasks

Mapping the gorge was very interesting! (Prof in  orange on the left)

Joanna mapping the gorge

Bjartur taking a break from running around the reserve

Yes, I did fall through a hole in the snow!