The challenge of marginal land: efficient utilisation of the managed natural environment

"Glensaugh provides a valuable long-term platform to meet the research needs of the Scottish Government's Strategic Research Programme"

Research projects aiming to provide land managers with alternatives for efficient land management of upland systems will be presented at an event titled "The Challenge of Marginal Land: efficient utilisation of the managed natural environment", to be held on Wednesday 13th September at our Glensaugh farm near Laurencekirk.

The free event, aimed at land managers and farmers but open to all with an interest in upland management, will feature agricultural consultant Michael Blanche as guest speaker. Delegates will be able to hear about, and contribute to, research initiatives on the following topics:

• Progressive grassland management and its role in supporting farm output
• The role of the managed natural environment as a grazing resource
• Native Scots pine woodland: biodiversity responses to climate change
• Impact of muirburn on biodiversity of grazed moorland
• Impact of tree establishment on carbon dynamics in moorland
• Improving the environment for ground nesting birds in the uplands
• Environmental benefits achievable through co-operation between landowners

Delegates will also be able to go on a guided visit of the Glensaugh farm, to see research sites showing how woodland and grassland management can co-exist.

Glensaugh and three other research farms managed by the James Hutton Institute provide a valuable long term platform to meet the research needs of the Scottish Government's Strategic Research Programme.

The farm is an 1000ha upland estate lying between 120 and 450 masl whose principal activity is commercial livestock farming. Production is underpinned by 30ha of grass clover leys and around 70ha of improved pasture, which fades out to an acid moorland hinterland of more than 900ha. The land supports 360ha Scottish Blackface ewes, 530 crossbred ewes, 50 Shorthorn cross suckler cows and 100 red deer breeding hinds. Glensaugh is one of eleven sites in the Environmental Change Network (ECN).

To register your interest in attending, please contact Daksha Rajagopalan on 01224 395 393 or email daksha.rajagopalan@hutton.ac.uk.