What's New
What's new...
February 2010
'What's new' items from:
Exploring Nature’s Art
17 February 2010
An insight into the artistic processes involved in creating art for the exhibition, ‘Beauty and the Bog’, will take place at the Dancing Light Gallery, West Linton, tomorrow (Thursday 18th February 2010).
Artist Carol Taylor is currently involved in a new collaboration with scientists which aims to raise awareness of wider global sustainability issues by utilising the natural world for images and inspirations.
She will talk about working with scientists and about the techniques she uses to translate scientific research into art, such as digital photography of dissected plant specimens taken through a scanning electron microscope, wood engraving, drawings and paintings which incorporate dried plant specimens in the image.
Joining her will be Dr Rebekka Artz from Aberdeen's Macaulay Land Use Research Institute who will be discussing her work on peat bogs which inspired some of Carol's work.
Carol Taylor said, "I feel it is vital to explore ways in which artists, scientists and community can work together. Art can be used as a means to raise awareness about sustainability and other environmental issues and I’m delighted to be showcasing my work and unveiling the beauty hidden in bogs."
The talks will take place from 7pm to 9pm. Tickets cost £10 are available from the Dancing Light Gallery, West Linton.
Scottish River Water Quality Atlas
10 February 2010
A joint initiative between SEPA and the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute has resulted in the publication of a Water Quality Atlas for Scottish rivers. Under the Harmonised Monitoring Scheme, SEPA monitors and reports on the quality of the water in 56 Scottish rivers. SEPA and its predecessor organisations have monitored these rivers since the mid 1970s, producing data that provides an invaluable record of environmental status and change in Scotland.
Staff from the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute undertook some analysis on the Scottish Harmonised Monitoring Data in conjunction with SEPA and this analysis of the records supports two main conclusions:
- Climate change is already having an effect on Scottish rivers, with water temperatures increasing in rivers across Scotland and river flow increasing in some places.
- Stewardship of Scotland’s water environment is working and improvements in water quality have been delivered treatment and changes in agricultural practice
Next steps
This assessment demonstrates the great value of long-term environmental monitoring in identifying and characterising the state and changing state of the environment. It is crucial that we maintain and develop such monitoring and that we do so in conjunction with other science and research providers and other stakeholders as part of a shared approach to environmental stewardship.
The full atlas is available electronically.
You can find more stories about the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute in the latest edition of our newsletter, in-land.
News about upcoming events can be found here.
Media releases can be found here.
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Updated: 23 Jan 2024, Content by: CN
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