Laura Whitfield, the head ranger at the Falls of Clyde, shares her highlight of the year with the Scottish Wildlife Trust.

“One of my highlights of the year was going to the Scottish Beaver Trial in Knapdale. Once a year we have a conservation forum and we all get together to discuss and share ideas. It was decided that it would be hosted at Kilmartin and then we could all go and learn about, and hopefully see, some beavers.

One evening after dinner we travelled across to one of the lochs. We sat patiently watching the water’s edge for any sign of movement and eventually after about 10mins of eagerly waiting I saw something that looked like a rock. I kept scanning the shore through my binoculars and thinking that it must be a beaver because it was the only ‘rock’ on the entire shore line but it never seemed to move. Then, all of a sudden, I scanned back across it again and it wasn’t there, it was now in the water! I excitedly informed everyone around me and we all got to have a look through a scope that had been set up. It wasn’t the only beaver we saw that evening but that one definitely stuck with me. I’m so proud to be working for an organisation that has helped to re-introduce this amazing mammal. Seeing the effects it has had on the landscape was amazing, it has created a veritable wildlife haven for itself and many other wonderful creatures.”