JAMES MERRYWEATHER'S TALKS & LECTURES PowerPoint Presentations

GARDENING THE COUNTRYSIDE
The way plants grow in captivity is very different from the way they do in nature. Gardening methods and ideals are often used in countryside management and conservation. I suggest we should try to understand complicated natural processes and exploit them as best we can.

WHAT ARE 'THEY' DOING TO OUR COUNTRYSIDE?
Mechanical diggers, road works, forestry, crops, weeds, farm animals, soil abuse, rubbish and even misguided conservation schemes persistently and irrevocably make a mess of our countryside. What can we do?

BAGPIPES WITH TWO CHANTERS info flyer
Bagpipes with two chanters can play attractive harmonies, but they are rare, existing almost exclusively in art and literature (a few still survive). Their history is told in church art, mainly carvings. This talk is about a research project that led to reconstructed instruments and musical sounds not heard in Britain for five hundred years (if ever?).
"WE enjoyed tremendously your presentation, so full of wit and wisdom". Gus and Margaret Napier, Brevard NC, USA
(see BAGPIPES)

The ECOLOGY and EVOLUTION of BAGPIPES
There are more than fifty different European bagpipes! How they came into being in the Middle East and spread across medieval Europe, diversifying en route, and what happened when they reached Britain. 14 various live bagpipes.
(see BAGPIPES)

ALL ABOUT BLUEBELLS
The life history, biology, ecology and lore of Britain's favourite wild flower and its remarkable association with soil fungi. Plenty you never knew about bluebells from the man known sporadically in the USA as 'Dr Bluebell'. (see BLUEBELLS)

SOIL, SYMBIOSIS and US
Without the living soil there would be no life above ground and without symbiosis life on earth would, to put it mildly, lack diversity. Where do we humans stand in this web of life?
(see MYCORRHIZA)

A LOT OF NIGHT MUSIC
The story of the Waits, the town pipers throughout Europe from early medieval times until 1835. As well as being entertainers, they also kept the night watches, playing loud music in the dark streets past three o'clock. A noisy nuisance? Certainly not. All is explained with pictures, recorded music and live performance on period instruments by one of The York Waits.
(see WAITS)

FERNS IN THE GARDEN
An overview of the diversity, identification and ecology of ferns plus an exploration of the mutitude of decorative varieties that ferns have provided for the gardener's pleasure. Discussion of how to grow native ferns and garden cultivars.
(see FERNS)

BRITISH FERNS
An overview of the diversity, identification and ecology of ferns, horsetails, clubmosses and quillworts for Natural History Societies, Field Clubs, Schools or Universities which can be tailored to suit audience needs, ranging from an evening talk or a talk and field day to even a full week course with or without the fern allies. Please Enquire.
(see FERNS)

COASTAL OTTERS in the HIGHLANDS OF SCOTLAND
Otters leave so many clues to their activity that it is not necessary to see the animal in order to study its behaviour. Otter activity causes botanical changes which have not been studied before. Fascinating insights into the life of a charming mammal and its impact on the landscape.

THE SEASHORE
All nine seashore ecology lectures (a course rather than an evening!) or a selection or distillation from this series published on CD-ROM.
Seashore Animals
Seashore Plants
Shore Types/Zonation:
Rocky, Boulder, shingle, Sandy, Muddy.
Ecological Techniques
Presentations can be adjusted to suit all levels of interest and field trips at superb sites can be arranged (highly desirable).
Please Enquire.
(see SEASHORE)