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25 Feb 2020

Mountain men’s legacy helps a further eight adventurers

2020's adventurers plan to complete solo hikes in north Scotland and New Zealand, help communities in the fight against poaching and more

Sophie photo detailThe 2020 Des Rubens and Bill Wallace Grants will help eight people seek out life-changing experiences in wild places, in ways that will benefit them and the wild places they visit.

This year’s educational and scientific adventures are a mix of solo hikes in Scotland and New Zealand and research that will inform future management of land and seas to protect critically endangered wildlife.

  • Cameron Goodhead, a student of Exeter University, will travel to the Bornean rainforest to research the effectiveness of drones in surveying wild populations of critically endangered Bornean orangutans.
  • Caroline Milson, currently studying ecology and conservation biology in Sheffield, will travel to Democratic Republic of Congo, working with forest village communities to collect data that will help reduce poaching in the buffer zone of Salonga National Park.
  • Helen Fergusson, a student at Glasgow University, will lead a university research expedition to Thailand, gathering data on diver impact on coral reefs and sensitive marine environments, which will be shared with local dive centres to improve dive site management.
  • Kathryn Pender, a Scottish artist based in Govan, will walk the 370km Cape Wrath trail solo; the experience will inspire future artwork and stories to share with young adults through her volunteer role at Venture Scotland.
  • Kayleigh Reid, one of 15 students from Edinburgh’s Craigroyston Community High School, will travel to Tanzania to support community projects and experience the wild nature of Africa.
  • Sophie Zych-Watson, a final-year student of Social Anthropology in Edinburgh, will hike New Zealand’s remote trails gathering data for an independent study into whether fewer women than men hike remote routes to inform why this might be the case.
  • Will Rowland, of Fort William, will climb a 25km (previously unclimbed) ridge in Greenland in a three-day expedition. The trip’s ethos is one of minimal impact and leave no trace.
  • Yvonne Reddick, published writer, born in Glasgow and raised in Aberdeen, will undertake a week’s independent solo adventure hiking in Glen Affric followed by a week based at Achnamulloch Bothy where she will plant native pine trees as a volunteer with Trees for Life. On return, Yvonne will write an essay on ‘Hill of the Rowan: Re-Wooding and Re-Wilding in Glen Affric’.

Rosie Simpson of the John Muir Trust, who administers the Des Rubens and Bill Wallace Grant, said: “We look forward to hearing about what the eight successful candidates learn from their travels and how their activities have contributed towards making the world a wilder place.

“Des and Bill lived active, adventurous, outdoor lives and would be delighted to know that their inspirational lives are now helping people of different backgrounds and life circumstances have personal adventure grounded in a purpose for nature.”

For more information about the Des Rubens and Bill Wallace Grant email rosie.simpson@johnmuirtrust.org 

Photograph shows 2020 Grant recipient Sophie Zych-Watson who is planning a solo hike in New Zealand.