• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Alan Watson Featherstone

ECOLOGIST, NATURE PHOTOGRAPHER AND INSPIRATIONAL SPEAKER
FOUNDER OF THE AWARD-WINNING CHARITY TREES FOR LIFE

  • Home
  • Public speaking
  • Writing
  • Photography
  • Events
  • Shop
  • Blog
  • About me
  • Contact

Biodiversity of the Findhorn Hinterland area in Moray, Scotland

Biodiversity of the Findhorn Hinterland area in Moray, Scotland

The Findhorn Hinterland is an ecologically-rich area of sand dunes, lichen heaths, woodland and other natural habitats on the Findhorn peninsula on the Moray Firth coast in northeast Scotland. It is nationally important for its diversity of lichen species, with over 180 recorded there, including some that are Nationally Rare and endangered, as well as a species of lichenicolous fungus that has not been recorded anywhere else in the UK.

The Findhorn Hinterland Trust is a small local charity that has management responsibility for a key part of this area, and in my role as one of the charity’s Trustees I have a particular interest in, and focus on, the remarkable biological diversity of the site. This presentation highlights some of the wide range of species that occur there, especially the smaller organisms that are often overlooked.

This inspiring and illuminating talk covers a large variety of different fungi, invertebrates of all sorts, from spiders and sawflies to aphids and ladybirds, and the interesting and unusual ecological relationships that link many of these organisms to each other, through processes such as the formation of galls, parasitism and predation.

Special attention is given to some of the rare and unusual lichens that are a key ecological feature of the area, with many photographs illustrating both the diversity of species and the spectacular miniature ‘forests’ that they form in the dune heath areas. This presentation provides a literal eye-opening experience of the very special ecosystems on this part of the Moray Firth coast, which are largely unknown to most people, and which are highly threatened in other coastal areas of Scotland.

If you would like me to give this talk to a group or at an event, please contact me.

Primary Sidebar

My TEDx talk – Restoring the ancient Caledonian Forest.

TEDx TEDx – Restoring the Caledonian Forest

Recent posts

  • The abundant life of dead wood, part 3
  • The abundant life of dead wood, part 2
  • The abundant life of dead wood, part 1
  • Gannets galore, part 2
  • Gannets galore, part 1

News

  • Rewilding workshop in Glen Affric 4-11 October 2025
  • Rewilding workshops in 2024
  • ‘A Rewilding Journey’ Workshop 27 May – 3 June
  • 2023 Caledonian Forest Engagement Diary now available
  • Revised dates for our next Rewilding workshop: 15 – 22 October 2022.

I’m speaking at…

  • A Rewilding Journey: Rewilding the World and Ourselves – 4 October 2025–
    11 October 2025
  • Over on X (Twitter)…

    Alan Watson Featherstone Follow

    Ecologist, nature photographer and inspirational speaker. Founder of the award-winning charity Trees for Life that is restoring the Caledonian Forest.

    AlanWatsonFeat1
    Retweet on Twitter Alan Watson Featherstone Retweeted
    donwinslow Don Winslow @donwinslow ·
    8 Jul

    Wow.

    Reply on Twitter 1942474431483236538 Retweet on Twitter 1942474431483236538 3204 Like on Twitter 1942474431483236538 10184 Twitter 1942474431483236538
    Retweet on Twitter Alan Watson Featherstone Retweeted
    brontyman Michael F Ozaki MD @brontyman ·
    7 Jul

    Reply on Twitter 1942212928654156227 Retweet on Twitter 1942212928654156227 5211 Like on Twitter 1942212928654156227 19399 Twitter 1942212928654156227
    Retweet on Twitter Alan Watson Featherstone Retweeted
    wallstreetmav Wall Street Mav @wallstreetmav ·
    8 Jul

    🎯

    Reply on Twitter 1942393446980829370 Retweet on Twitter 1942393446980829370 4693 Like on Twitter 1942393446980829370 13483 Twitter 1942393446980829370
    Load More...

    Copyright © 2025 Alan Watson Featherstone | Wikipedia | LinkedIn