2017 was a busy year on the Game and Wildlife Scottish Demonstration Farm at Auchnerran. We would like to thank all of the individuals and organisations that made it a success highlighting the importance of integrated land management for Scotland and the UK. Here are a few samples of them.
![Auchnerran Bird ID Day Auchnerran Bird ID Day](/media/835105/Auchnerran-Bird-ID-Day-Jan-2017.jpg?width=600&height=400&crop=true)
GWSDF Auchnerran Big Farmland Bird ID Day, January 2017.
![Graeme Dey MSP Graeme Dey MSP](/media/835125/Graeme-Dey-MSP-with-team.jpg?width=600&height=400&crop=true)
Graeme Dey MSP and Convenor of the Environment Climate Change & Land Reform
Committee of Scottish Government with the GWSDF Farm Team and GWCT Trustee
John Shields, June 2017.
![Dave Parish LaserFence Dave Parish LaserFence](/media/835115/Dave-Parish-LaserFence.jpg?width=600&height=400&crop=true)
Dr Dave Parish (GWCT Scotland Head of Lowland Research) outlining
the EU LIFE LaserFence project we are involved with.
![Fergus Ewing Fergus Ewing](/media/835120/Fergus-Ewing-with-team.jpg?width=600&height=400&crop=true)
Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economic and Connectivity Committee Fergus Ewing
visits GWSDF with GWCT Scotland staff and ex-chairman Mr Andrew Salvesen, July 2017.
![Merlin demonstrating predator control Merlin demonstrating predator control](/media/835140/Merlin-predator-control.jpg?width=600&height=400&crop=true)
Merlin Becker (Policy & Advisory Officer) demonstrating the
importance of predator control in integrated land management.
![SNH Rural Surveyors SNH Rural Surveyors](/media/835150/SNH-Rural-Surveyors.jpg?width=600&height=400&crop=true)
SNH Rural Surveyors visiting GWSDF, August 2017.
![Adam Smith on Morven Mountain Adam Smith on Morven Mountain](/media/835095/Adam-Smith-Morven-Mountain.jpg?width=600&height=400&crop=true)
Dr Adam Smith (GWCT Director Scotland) describing the formation
of the Howe of Cromar, on top of Morven Mountain, Aberdeenshire.
![Adam Smith on Dinnet Moor Adam Smith on Dinnet Moor](/media/835090/Adam-Smith-Dinnet-Moor.jpg?width=600&height=400&crop=true)
Dr Adam Smith showing the no-burn zones on Dinnet Moor
to help protect and enhance the SSSI juniper bed assemblage.
![Crow trap Crow trap](/media/835110/crow-trap.jpg?width=600&height=400&crop=true)
The GWSDF team demonstrating how a multi-catch crow cage operates in the
Scottish countryside and the importance of predator control for ground-nesting
bird protection, especially for the red-listed black grouse and curlew, August 2017.
![Allan Wright with Woodland Trust Scotland Allan Wright with Woodland Trust Scotland](/media/835100/Allan-Wright-with-Woodland-Trust-Scotland.jpg?width=600&height=400&crop=true)
Allan Wright (GWSDF Farm Manager) talking with Woodland Trust Scotland
about the potential benefits of agroforestry, August 2017.
![Royal Scottish Forestry Society Royal Scottish Forestry Society](/media/835145/Royal-Scottish-Forestry-Society.jpg?width=600&height=400&crop=true)
The Royal Scottish Forestry Society visit to GWSDF, giving some good
insights on how we can best manage our farm woodland resource, August 2017.
![Heather Trust AGM Heather Trust AGM](/media/835130/Heather-Trust-AGM.jpg?width=600&height=400&crop=true)
The Heather Trust AGM site visit to GWSDF, September 2017.
![Woodland planting Woodland planting](/media/835155/woodland-planting.jpg?width=600&height=400&crop=true)
A detailed discussion of woodland planting in Scotland and where all the trees will go. Dr Adam
Smith highlighting the importance of the open landscape of unique heather moorland and Will
Boyd Wallace discussing the benefits of woodland edge habitat for biodiversity. All agreeing a
balance must be struck.
Dr Adam Smith getting very excited about this small lowland bog formation on the farm and
stimulating some interesting discussions on carbon storage, flood alleviation and grazing with cattle.