Peatland expert to give lecture

A peatland expert who has a love of Shetland will give an illustrated lecture at Shetland Museum on Thursday.

Campaign group Sustainable Shetland is hosting Richard Lindsay who will talk on Secrets and Mysteries of the Peatbog: Cinderella Syndrome and the Attenborough Effect.

Mr Lindsay is head of the Environmental Research Group at the University of East London and a past visiting professor at the University of Tokyo.

He first visited Shetland in 1970 with Brathay Exploration Group to spend two weeks on Foula, and says he can still recall the riot of colour provided by the collection of drift-net fishing boats then moored in Lerwick Harbour. He returned to Shetland, and Foula, in 1971 and 1972 and again, after graduating from the University of East Anglia, in 1975.

He then joined the government’s Nature Conservancy Council, working first in the Lake District then from its London headquarters as peatland specialist in the chief scientist team.

Mr Lindsay worked on some of the most contentious and high-profile conservation issues of the day, including the issue of forestry in the Flow Country and the use of peat in horticulture. He also surveyed many areas of peatland in Shetland.

He has worked with Prince Charles on peatland issues, and for almost 15 years was chairman of the International Mire Conservation Group, which advises governments.

For the last 15 years Mr Lindsay has been teaching conservation science at the University of East London and continues to be involved in major conservation issues both in the UK and abroad.

He owns a small boat loosely based on a Shetland fourareen and, despite all his travels, his favourite accent remains that of the Shetlander.

The event is free. Bookings should be made at Shetland Museum.