It’s the start of a new season and a brand new ranger team at Loch of the Lowes. They’ve already been busy, tackling bracken and invasive species such as lupin and Himalayan balsam, and getting acquainted with the reserves around the Perthshire area which include the unique tummel shingle islands, Keltneyburn wildflower meadow, Balnaguard Glen and Brerachan meadow. Here’s a little introduction to each of the new assistant rangers who will be staying in the bothy on site for the next 3 months:

Hi! I’m Josie, one of this year’s Volunteer Assistant Rangers. I’m really excited to be spending the summer at the Loch of the Lowes- particularly looking forward to seeing my first beaver and learning more about woodland regeneration. My favourite nature encounter over the years (although its very hard to choose) is probably counting froglets in my friend’s pond when we were kids- not very exotic, but entertained us for hours!

Hi! I’m Emily. I’ve just graduated with a Zoology degree and am super excited to be part of the new seasonal ranger team here at the Loch of the Lowes. I’m hoping to use this opportunity to improve my ID skills and learn more about reserve management. My highlight of the week so far has to be the day PT5 fledged, not only did PT5 spread his wings for the first time but I also saw my first beaver here, munching on a bit of greenery at the edge of the loch. It was a very exciting Saturday evening for wildlife.

Hi I’m Helen, a new assistant ranger to Loch of the Lowes this season. My hopes for this experience are to gain a broader knowledge of the management practices for the Perthshire reserves, and identify as many possible species along the way.

Hi I’m Hugh! I am a recent graduate from Aberdeen Uni, studying Physical Geography.  I have always had a huge passion for nature, in particular the incredible physical landscapes we have here on our doorsteps that make up the special unique habitats.  Conserving and enhancing these areas is something i’m very excited about and has never been more relevant than now to be involved!  I am looking forward to my time here and contributing to the reserve’s work.

Keep up to date with our blog if you want to know more about what we’ll be getting up to on our reserves!

Assistant Ranger Team