Callander may be one of the smaller Groups but, within the Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park, we are surrounded by a spectacular landscape of mountains, loch and glens with their wide diversity of wildlife and habitats. Small is friendly!
What we do
- Organise talks from Sep-Apr on specific species and environmental topics
- Arrange local walks and visits to reserves
- Support local conservation projects
- Raise funds to support various conservation projects
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How to get involved
Volunteers can help with:
- Joining our monthly meetings
- Suggesting and/or organising events (talks, walks, visits)
- Hospitality at meetings
- Involvement in conservation projects
- Fundraising events
- Promoting children’s activities, even run a Watch Group
Alan Stewart, aka The Wildlife Detective. is the author of 7 books on wildlife crime based on his experiences as a wildlife crime officer with Tayside Police. He has received many awards, including WWF UK Wildlife Enforcer of the Year in 1999, an MBE in 2001 and a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006.
John Holland will be talking about the Alpine plants of Europe. John has been a regular speaker at our Callander meetings we are always amazed by his breadth and depth of knowledge on so many topics, always illustrated with his excellent photographs. 
Steve Willis of BTO will review the trends of falling numbers of swifts, swallows, house and sand martins. The reasons are complex – is it the conditions they find when they get back to the UK or the impact of climate change on available food and water along migration routes?
Paul Fraser is an ecologist and wildlife photographer living in Callander. During lock-down he home-schooled his children, turning them into Backyard Explorers, finding, photographing and identifying many garden insects and arachnids. He later entered one of his photos into the Royal Entomological Society worldwide photography competition and achieved a Highly Commended award.
Bob Elliott is a Director of OneKind, an animal welfare charity based in Edinburgh, which exposes cruelty and persecution to Scotland’s animals via investigations, research and campaigning. Bob has extensive experience in Nature
James Silvey, RSPB Senior Species and Habitat Officer covers everything but birds at work but here will be talking about his personal favourite bird, the cuckoo. Data from birds fitted with satellite trackers show that these birds undertake amazing migratory journeys to return to the UK as the well-known harbingers of Spring. A fascinating topic made even more so by James’s enthusiasm.