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| Backwater in the Rain - pastel sketch on paper |
In other peoples' eyes around the world, the Scottish landscape is a heritage to envy and cherish with a reputation for wondrous wilderness but for some, those who aim to gain from that wilderness, it is only fit for ruthless commercialisation in the pursuit of an unattainable goal. The hills and glens of Scotland are under siege from countless wind turbine schemes to provide 'green' electricity and, in exchange, our green wild places are destroyed by the towering white mills of the intrusive wind industry. My sketch, done today just as the heavy rain that was forecast started, shows the view from Milldewan Hill towards the Backwater Reservoir where a large wind farm of eighteen turbines is proposed by Scottish Water to supplement part of their national energy debt.
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| Sketching today with Macritch Hill on the left, photo by Mike Groves |
The Backwater area nestles between the main glens of Isla and Prosen with a plethora of subsidiary glens in between such as Quharity, Taitney, Finlet and Damff. Huge plantations of Spruce and Larch mould the hills into geometric shapes that contour the slopes up onto the surrounding hills where they merge with the hill fog that drifts endlessly over the moor this morning.
The buzzards flying here play with the space between the dancing mist's edge and the wet heath that sinks beyond the ochre Larch tree tops. A female Kestrel searches the rough grass margin between the reservoir and the road that skirts around the glen. A male Peregrine Falcon leaps from a crag into the cold, wet wind that threatens sleet higher up and we push him from his cosy, overhanging rock roost into terrorizing a flock of fifty Jackdaws further down Glen Quharity.
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| Backwater Reservoir from Milldewan Hill |
White-tailed Eagles and Ospreys are often seen here around the reservoir, also Red Kites are attracted to the conifer wood margins where the proposed wind turbines would be sited, thus surely a recipe for raptor decimation would be created by this plan. The sustainability spin about the wind farm is up on a display board at the scenic area for picnics and parking, but the glossy graphics of understated turbine towers marching over the hill-sides just does not reveal the true devastation to the landscape habitat that erecting the turbines will incur. I find it strange that nowadays glossy graphics, that 'lie' or maybe the best term would be deliberately deceive, are seen as reassuringly good by the general public and that must come from the advertising and newspaper world.
The guilt trip has been foisted on the Scottish people about the need for wind power by the Scottish government and we all now think that we alone are causing global warming, maybe their efforts should be directed towards persuading China not to open one new coal-fired power station every week. So while other countries give the green spin the bin, we are trashing our glorious Scottish landscape with a short term fix to prove, in no uncertain visual terms, that we are 'walking the walk' of a conscientious green nation, unfortunately we are stomping on a very tender thistle which, I am sure, will become a very melancholy one in years to come.
Unfortunately landowners, farmers and shooting estates are falling like dominoes under the pressure to rake in vast amounts of money from ground rent for these turbines. Local planning departments cannot cope with the influx of complicated wind farm proposals and many Scots have the attitude that they have no say in the future of our lands, so wind energy companies choose areas with a low population that are easily swayed by the community cash benefits offered up in restitution.
I have had the chance to enjoy eagles as they soar over these Angus hills but, if the proliferation of wind turbines continues at the current rate, future generations might not get that chance. Rotor blade collision risks to those very eagles, that are the preferred symbol of a free wilderness in Scotland, might just wipe out our population of these birds in the East of Scotland. The environmental statements for many wind farms include bird collision rate prediction statistics, surely this is an admission of advanced guilt regarding the inevitable death of many protected species.
In my opinion this statistical 'guarantee' of a bird's death should be as illegal as shooting, poisoning or trapping that bird. I am positive that if I, as an individual, was to advertise the fact that I intended to install a device in the hills that would possibly kill eagles there would be no end to the matter, but because it is an anonymous corporation doing the same thing there is no liability, no concern, no outcry and those who are reputed to be the authoritative, protective voices for these raptors seemingly fall silent - strange is it not?
The guilt trip has been foisted on the Scottish people about the need for wind power by the Scottish government and we all now think that we alone are causing global warming, maybe their efforts should be directed towards persuading China not to open one new coal-fired power station every week. So while other countries give the green spin the bin, we are trashing our glorious Scottish landscape with a short term fix to prove, in no uncertain visual terms, that we are 'walking the walk' of a conscientious green nation, unfortunately we are stomping on a very tender thistle which, I am sure, will become a very melancholy one in years to come.
Unfortunately landowners, farmers and shooting estates are falling like dominoes under the pressure to rake in vast amounts of money from ground rent for these turbines. Local planning departments cannot cope with the influx of complicated wind farm proposals and many Scots have the attitude that they have no say in the future of our lands, so wind energy companies choose areas with a low population that are easily swayed by the community cash benefits offered up in restitution.
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| Display board for the wind farm |
I have had the chance to enjoy eagles as they soar over these Angus hills but, if the proliferation of wind turbines continues at the current rate, future generations might not get that chance. Rotor blade collision risks to those very eagles, that are the preferred symbol of a free wilderness in Scotland, might just wipe out our population of these birds in the East of Scotland. The environmental statements for many wind farms include bird collision rate prediction statistics, surely this is an admission of advanced guilt regarding the inevitable death of many protected species.
In my opinion this statistical 'guarantee' of a bird's death should be as illegal as shooting, poisoning or trapping that bird. I am positive that if I, as an individual, was to advertise the fact that I intended to install a device in the hills that would possibly kill eagles there would be no end to the matter, but because it is an anonymous corporation doing the same thing there is no liability, no concern, no outcry and those who are reputed to be the authoritative, protective voices for these raptors seemingly fall silent - strange is it not?
Notes;
My new book 'Wildsketch' is available from Blurb Bookshop
All photos and sketches done on the day and are artist copyright.
Please be aware that it is illegal to disturb nesting eagles or other raptors and you may do so inadvertently in your journeys into the highlands. I do not recommend searching for any of the species mentioned in this blog because this may cause undue disturbance to them. With my knowledge of the areas described in this blog I can locate and observe protected species at a respectful distance usually from about 1000 metres for short periods of time only.
Macritch Hill wind farm proposes 18 turbines each 124 metres tall. Addend 14 May 2015 - Angus Council voted to object to the proposal.
Map of the area