We hoped you enjoyed the finale to our Natural Narratives series, a screening of "The Serengeti Rules" by HHMI Tangled Bank Studios!
We think this was an excellent end to our programme, as the film brought together many of the topics we have discussed in our previous sessions. "The Serengeti Rules" covers the concept of keystone species, a term used to describe organisms that hold their ecosystem together. It follows a group of scientists from around the world, and their individual discoveries of keystone species which completely changed the field of ecology and our view of nature. Often keystone species are top predators within an ecosystem, such as starfish, otter, or wolves. However, they can also be herbivores that help shape the landscape around them, such as beaver or wildebeest. Similar to if you removed the keystone in an archway, removing any of these keystone species sends the entire system crashing down, and reintroducing them causes the ecosystem to restabilise once more.
After the film, we split into smaller groups to discuss the kinds of keystone species that might be in various ecosystems or habitats, covering woodlands, ponds, and the ocean. We found the film was thought-provoking and extremely informative for ecologists and non-ecologists alike. Especially since we have our very own keystone species here in St Fillans, the mighty beaver! As discussed in a previous Natural Narratives session with the Beaver Trust, beavers help shape rivers and wetlands that support an abundance of wildlife. If you'd like a peek at these furry critters, we will be starting up our Riverwatch tours soon where you can learn more about the Tayside beaver population and ecology.
Thank you to everyone who attended this session, and a huge thank you to anyone who attended throughout the series. Whether you joined us for one night, or several, we appreciated your insights and company! We started Natural Narratives last year, September 2024, as a way to bring together our Strathearn communities during the long, dark winter months. We wanted to encourage informal and constructive discussions surrounding environmental topics, especially regarding how each of us can make a difference locally. From our perspective, we've learned a lot. Not just through the variety of session topics, but also from the community itself. Your knowledge and willingness to learn has given us a great deal of hope for our future, and the future of Scotland's wildlife!
Given the positive community feedback surrounding this series and our own enjoyment from hosting it, we are pleased to announce that we are already hatching our plans for next season's batch of Natural Narratives events! If anyone would like to speak at these sessions, or has a topic they would love to delve deeper into, feel free to contact us on our website or through [email protected]. We would love to hear your suggestions!
In the meantime, enjoy the warmer weather, and check out some of our upcoming outdoor events, walks, and wildlife tours. We hope to see you there!
~ The Aquila Team 🦦