The River Don Trust--Newsletters

[admin]

Amidst all the doom and gloom, it's easy to forget that this statuesque plant is a born survivor, is very attractive and  has inspired some  excellent prog. rock!   

A brief history according to Genesis.

[admin]

Monymusk


Monymusk


Bridge of Alford

[Inchlaggan]

Still not converted my early Genesis to digital yet, but the early '80's "music centre" (radio, turntable, twin cassette decks and CD all in the one black tower!) is in the workshop and still works. Genesis session followed, all the way from the first live album to "Mama". I still know 90% of the lyrics- how can the brain do that when I can't find the screwdriver I had in my hand 30 seconds ago?

[admin]

I've had no success finding any prog. rock track about Japanese Knot Weed...........   :lol:

As an aside I met the river Don head bailiff  today, Jim Kerr, while out walking the dug. He saw my car parked at The Brig and investigated. Luckily I was not fishing.   :lol:   Good to see such attention to duty. Jim's a fine bloke.  We had  a long chat.  I had not realized  The Don  Board remit covered poachers out at sea too. That's  one hell of an area these guys have to cover. These guys have a lot of water to cover on the river alone 90 miles source to sea - x 2 banks!

Poachers watch out. They are watching you and locals  like me who care about the river DO REPORT WHAT THEY SEE.  I have all the Don Bailiff numbers in my phone and I use them from time to time.   What a bastard eh.  :lol:

[Inchlaggan]

I've had no success finding any prog. rock track about Japanese Knot Weed...........   :lol:

Move up, move on, get with the street, get out of prog rock and into hypnotic techno dub

http://www.knotweed-records.com/

(I think I get the prize for the "Most Off-Topic Post"!)

[admin]

Kemnay

The one on the left is a particularly fine specimen, about 8 or 9 feet tall. Any fashionable Victorian country gentleman would have been proud to have that plant in the Scottish Estate Lodge garden.   :lol:

[admin]

Incidentally the other flowering plant seen in many of these photos (white to violet)  is yet another non-native from Eurasia. Hesperis matronalis - dame's violet - a short lived perennial. It's everywhere on many rivers. Harmless enough (although  classed as invasive in some states in the US), certainly prolific, but does not seriously out-compete the native vegetation, very attractive with a wonderful scent most noticeable  on those warm, balmy summer evenings so common in Aberdeenshire.  :lol:  . Not all non-native plants are  a problem.  A few can actually enhance the environment and are a useful food source for  bees especially in areas like this where modern farming has wiped out just about everything except neeps,  tatties and barely.   :roll:

[corriekiller]

fekin hell am no  fishing there thats fekin frightnin  :shock:

[admin]

Hogweed Update

I returned to Kildrummy this afternoon to check on what had been done about  the phenomenal  giant hogweed infestation pictured earlier in this thread during the summer. In short, it looks as if sod all has been done. The many 1000s of plants are still standing, have set seed and no doubt their 100s of 1000s of offspring will be troubling the river farther downstream in the years ahead.  This is an absolute disgrace, no other words for it,  and those responsible   for allowing the banks of the river to degrade  into this state should hang their heads in shame.

It is difficult to see how this can be tackled now, it should have been done years ago. Four years ago  I was told by the then ghillie at Kildrummy that government environmental agency funding had been obtained for a programme of eradication stretching  over a number of years.  Was it ever granted? If so what  happened to this money and why on earth is nothing being done about this?

[machar]

Initially, on behalf of the River Don Trust can I take this opportunity of wishing you the compliments of the season. The Trust has had a very busy time in this our last year of the current Fishery Management Plan. The preparation of the 2013/2016 FMP is current underway as is the analysis of all the data we collected over the last three years and that will be shared with you in due course.
In order to keep you up to date we have taken the opportunity of preparing a winter 2012 newsletter a copy of which is attached to let you know what has been happening and an outline of what we hope to achieve next year. As usually if you have any questions, comments or feel you can assist in any way to achieve the Trust’s aims please do not hesitate to get in touch and feel free to pass the Newsletter onto friends who may be interested. Can I also take this opportunity to thank Jamie, Jim, Martin, Stephen, Dave and all the volunteers for their sterling efforts in 2012 .

Best Wishes

Iain

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/47917317/trust%20newsletter%20Dec%202012finalpdf.pdf