Early in September, as the leaves were just beginning to crisp and turn orange in the trees around Loch Morlich, we gathered at Glenmore Lodge to look back at the year and reflect on this wild landscape in the making. 

Lynn Cassells was our keynote speaker, talking of the amazing work of staff and volunteers at the Tree Nursery. She highlighted the importance of volunteering, not just for the environment, but for mental and physical health. She also drew upon the important relationships formed at the Tree Nursery. Connections with the soil and the seeds, but also connections with each other.

^{Lynn gives the keynote speech}

We also heard about vital Peatland Restoration from RSPB Scotland Peatland Project Manager Sally Phillips. Peatland can often be very inaccessible for walkers, so it was inspiring to be able to see photos of the work, especially before-and-afters, watching the landscape suddenly fill with water and wildlife!

Ronan Dugan from WildLand then showed us the positive change that Deer management can bring to the landscape. He talked about fence removal work being carried out at Glenfeshie, and showed us incredible images of montane tree growth. 

^{Left: Sydney Henderson welcomes everyone to the conference Right: Ronan Dugan talks about Deer management at Wildland}

Our Next Generations Officer, Robbie Synge, spoke of the importance of an inclusive landscape. He took the idea of connecting with nature to a new level by dramatically painting himself like a Bluethroat while our eyes were closed, to demonstrate the fun you can have while learning and engaging with ecology! He set up his brilliant Cardboard Contours - a cardboard relief map of Loch A'an - made with the help of young people across the Strath, and we played a Willow planting game with it, to learn about our Willow Walk, and how to grow a healthy sapling.

We also got a first look at Robbie's beautiful new film starring our local young people (more details to be announced soon!), and watched three inspiring short films about community and the landscape made by the James Hutton Institute RestorYation Project.

^{Left: Robbie painted like a Bluethroat in front of an image of a Bluethoat! Right: Robbie's Cardboard Contours, turned into a Willow-planting board game}

Throughout the day, artist Cara Rooney created a beautiful poster of ideas and discussion. During the talks, she took down ideas, stories, engaging words and visualisations of the projects being described, to create a map of the conference. However, this only created the bottom section of the final artwork. The late morning was spent creating the top section, with everyone being given a rectangle to create their own miniature artwork. There was so much creativity flowing, with everyone having a totally unique interpretation of their hopes for the future landscape. 

^{Working on the Cairngorms Connect poster, to a backdrop of hills}

An incredible lunch of Cairngorms Connect Venison chilli led on to an afternoon of outdoor activities. The Cairngorms National Park offered some Beaver walks, to look for signs of nibbling and dam-building around Loch Morlich. Sarah Hobbs led a Storytelling workshop on the power of names in the landscape. I went out with a small group to look at some Peatland regeneration at Cairn Gorm Mountain, to a backdrop of some very dramatic heavy showers! Steve Blow, Cairngorms Connect Delivery Manager, led a group to get hands-on with removal of non-native trees in the nearby FLS Glenmore Forest Park. 

The day finished up with hot drinks and a look at the final artwork compiled by Cara (above). It was an inspiring day full of hope, inspiration and connection. 

 If you'd like to attend future events like this, become a newsletter subscriber here!

A huge thanks to all speakers, attendees, partners RSPB Scotland, NatureScot, Forestry and Land Scotland, Wildland, supporting partners the Cairngorms National Park Authority, and to our funders, the Endangered Landscapes and Seascapes Programme. 

^{The trip out to Peatland restoration near Cairn Gorm}