Scone Gamefair

RAFTS shared a stand at Scone Gamefair with the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust and others this year. I volunteered to man the stand for the Saturday afternoon session giving me a quick chance to have a look around the fair in the morning. There seemed to be more angling related stalls this year than I saw the last time I attended a couple years ago but none of them had the right shade of pink hackles for my favourite fly; looks like I will have to try dyeing for the first time!

The RAFTS stall was steady with visitors in the afternoon, although never a crowd. The most interesting chat was with one of the Directors of Usan Nets; they really have rehearsed their arguments very well.

The most eye-catching exhibit on the stand was the river catchment model shown by the Tweed Forum. Two mock catchments, one heavily impacted with simulated grazing and a straightened river, and the other with simulated riparian trees, wetlands and natural meanders. Switching on the pump created rain and a measuring jug at the bottom end showed which landuse allowed the water to run off quicker.

Tweed Forum river catchment models with contrasting landuse simulations. A quite brilliant way of educating youngsters, and some not so young; on mans impact on rivers.

We had a similar idea in Ayrshire but we didn’t see it through:- I was very impressed by the Tweed model, so simple but so effective!