Achievements and Plans

What are our achievements so far?

  • Supported by the NLHF Galloway Glens Landscape Partnership Scheme, the Blackcraig Wind Farm Community Benefit Fund through the Glenkens & District Trust and Foundation Scotland, LEADER, SNH, Big Lottery, the Co-op Charity, Dumfries & Galloway Council and others, we have organised events, developed walking and car trails and gained active support from over 60 volunteers.
  • We have held 4 festivals with professional artists, musicians, poets, ornithological scientists and bird experts combining to stimulate the interest of our audiences.
  • We have developed a walking trail around Dairy and a longer trail around The Glenkens to illustrate Donald’s paintings and to stimulate users to create their own impressions in whatever media suit their interests.
  • Our Watson Raptor Science Prize lectures and public debates have drawn sizeable audiences to hear the latest high quality scientific work and to debate its implications. A major event, with other partners, was held in September 2017.
  • We are proud to support the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere and have signed its Charter. It is an exemplar in linking nature to the surrounding communities.
  • We have created a significant archive of Donald Watson’s note books, sketches, diaries, which is available for bona fide researchers to study. Currently stored in Dumfries, we plan to move it to the Scottish Ornithological Club archive in Aberlady, East Lothian, which also has a gallery named after Donald Watson.
  • We have created a Watson Room within The Smiddy in Balmaclellan, thanks to support from the Gough Foundation.

For the future, we have the following plans;

  • Gather the reactions from the 2022 Trails, exhibit them in the Watson Room at The Smiddy in Baimaclellan. Also hold events in Dalry Town Hall about reactions.
  • Organisxe periodic talks on progress in raptor science with eminent researchers.
  • Mount exhibitionsin in The Smiddy at Balmaclellan each year using originals or reproductions of Donald’s work.
  • Finalise the arrangements for the establishment of a permanent Donald Watson archive at the Scottish Ornithological Club in Aberlady.
  • Arrange guided tours around the two Trails with expert guides.
  • Make available the outcome of the collaborative project with Ken Words on poetry stimulated by Donald’s paintings and observations.
  • Install nesting boxes in the tower of Dalry Town Hall to accommodate the swifts.
  • Install nesting boxes around Dalry. Obtain approval for Dalry to be named The Bird Town.

All of these hopes for the future are dependent on willing volunteers, on donations and on successful applications for grants.