The summer was packed with events and visitors, many from all over the world, enjoying and learning about our beautiful Hinterland. Here is FHT Chair Colin Shreenan’s report.
Summertime has rolled on, and although the weather has continued its familiar dance between sunshine and showers, the Findhorn Hinterland Trust has once again been a hive of activity. The months since the Summer Solstice have brought a rich blend of conservation work, community engagement, education, creativity and international visitors. As always, none of this would be possible without the dedication of our volunteers, staff teams, trustees and supporters. My heartfelt thanks to each of you.
Education, Learning and Youth Engagement
One of the highlights of this period has been our continued partnership with Forres Academy. On 22 June, we welcomed the N5 Biology students for a field trip exploring dune succession, woodland ecology and biodiversity monitoring. Their enthusiasm and curiosity were infectious.
Earlier in June, we hosted Travel With Teens, a group of 10 young people from the USA. They spent a full day with us learning about conservation practices, sustainability and the unique ecology of the Hinterland. It is always inspiring to see international visitors connect so deeply with this landscape.
Our Family Nature Experiences with Roy have continued throughout June, July and August, offering gentle, playful ways for families to explore the land together. These sessions have become a cherished part of our seasonal rhythm.
Two other groups joined trustee Jonathan Caddy to learn more about the Hinterland. A group of 16 young people and their teachers from Italy came to learn English in community for a couple of weeks, and another local and Italian youth group of 13 came as part of their preparation for a theatre presentation developed through one of Laura Passeti’s Theatre of the 7 Directions workshops. The English in community group had the pleasure of many sharing nature games introduced by Roy Simpson. They loved them so much they came back for a second session – the games are such a fun way to learn language as well as the wonders of the natural world.
Bees, Biodiversity and Ecological Stewardship
The apiary has been particularly active this summer. We held full-day Bee Workshops in June and August, both well attended and full of practical learning. The regular Thursday With the Bees mornings have also continued to draw young people, especially since the closure of the Steiner middle and upper schools. This offering has been particularly successful in awakening over 70 people over the summer to the wonders of these incredible creatures – it has been a great way of fulfilling part of our educational purpose as a charity.
All this bee activity culminated in a wonderful honey harvest event held in our Hub, where young and old came together to celebrate and help in this sticky and joyous event, producing about 100 jars of the delicious nectar from Hinterland flowers.
Our Biodiversity Discovery Walks with Alan Watson Featherstone and Heather Paul have been well attended and in some cases over-subscribed. They offered deep insights into the flora, lichens, insects and ecological relationships that make the Hinterland so special.
Land Management, Conservation and Infrastructure
The Land Management Team has been steadily active guiding the ongoing stewardship of the land.
Practical work has included:
- Ragwort and gorse clearance
- Regular work parties maintaining paths, removing invasives and caring for woodland areas
- Support for dune restoration and monitoring
- Hosting the Environmental Funders Network on 2 September, a valuable opportunity to share our work with national funders.
We also welcomed two Vision Quest groups — Annette Beerens’ group in July, and Natasha Nagadipas’ group from Germany, the Eschwege Institute, which started in late August through early September. These groups bring international energy, cultural exchange and a deep reverence for nature.
Arts, Culture and Community
Our collaboration with Theatre of the 7 Directions continues to flourish. Following the spring Artist Hunt and the May performances of Alice in Hinterland, we were delighted to host another set of performances on 19–20 September.
These artistic offerings bring story, imagination and emotional depth to the land, helping people connect with the Hinterland in ways that complement our conservation work beautifully.
Green Burials
The Green Burial Ground remains a place of profound peace and community care. During this period we supported two burials:
- Margo van Greta on 17 August
- Anne-Marie Sword on 19 August
Both ceremonies were held with great respect and sensitivity. We also continue to explore possibilities for expanding the burial area to meet future needs.
Walks, Workshops and Public Engagement
Our regular Walk on the Wild Side events have continued throughout the summer, offering guided nature connection experiences. These walks remain one of our most consistent and well-loved public offerings.
We also held Chunky Bench Making workshops on 12 and 14 September, adding sturdy new seating to the land and giving participants a chance to learn practical woodworking skills.
Trustee Jonathan Caddy has been hosting afternoons with participants of the Findhorn Foundation SCIO’s five workshops that they have run over the summer, so a further 50+ guests, many from different parts of the world, have been introduced to the work of the FHT and helped on the land by removing a little gorse and invasive trees.
Communications and Recognition
A major highlight of the season was the release of the NatureScot podcast featuring our dune restoration work. This national exposure has brought significant attention to the ecological importance of the Hinterland and the innovative approaches we are taking.
As we move toward autumn, I am struck once again by the extraordinary dedication of everyone involved in the Findhorn Hinterland Trust. Whether you are building benches, guiding school groups, tending bees, clearing gorse, supporting burials or simply walking the land with care – you are part of a living, breathing community of stewardship.
Thank you for your continued support, your energy, and your love for this land.
With appreciation,
Colin Shreenan Chair, Findhorn Hinterland Trust September 2026
