Having been off with a virus last week it is lovely to be back at work and see all the changes in the autumn leaves. It is beginning to look really beautiful and already paths are beginning to be lined with leaves. I remember last year telling you the science behind why leaves change colour and the optimum conditions for great autumn colours. You know when you’ve been writing for a while because you start quoting yourself, here is what I said.

‘So where do red leaves come from? Warm, sunny autumn days and cool (not frosty) nights are the best. During the day the leaves produce sugars but the cool evenings stop the sugars from being transported to the tree trunk and roots. Rather then wasting this sugar when the leaves drop off, the leaves produce anthocyanins. These allow the plants to hold onto the leaves longer and recover the nutrients from the leaves. Anthocyanins give the leaves their bright red, purple and crimson colours.’ If this is really the case then we are in for a treat!

Now for some rather exciting news! The Clyde and Avon Valley Landscape Partnership (CAVLP) are launching a seasonal photography competition to showcase the beautiful Clyde and Avon valleys. The final images may be used by CAVLP for exhibitions, postcards and a website to celebrate the natural and built heritage of the area. Winners will be picked throughout the year after each seasonal closing date, the closing date for this Autumn is 30 November 2015, with overall winners picked in September 2016. Each winning photographer will win a framed print of their photograph.

Entrants are invited to submit photographs on the theme of Autumn which highlight the unique landscape and cultural heritage during the changing seasons within the Clyde and Avon valleys. The categories for autumn are: Woodlands, Orchards, Designs in the Landscape, Agriculture and Horticulture, and Industrial Heritage.

For more information please visit www.clydeandavonvalley.org.

Laura Preston – Scottish Wildlife Trust, Falls of Clyde Ranger