Professor Roger Crofts
Roger Crofts trained as a geographer and geomorphologist. He worked in universities, The Scottish Office, and was the Founder CEO of Scottish Natural Heritage. In retirement he advises, lobbies, writes and talks to anybody who will listen in Scotland, Iceland and Europe on environmental strategy and policy, geoheritage conservation, protected areas and good governance. Roger hopes to help people understand the Earth’s heritage and environment and to care for it more effectively. He remains active in the voluntary environmental and educational bodies in Scotland, the UK, and internationally. His work has been recognised by numerous honours and awards internationally, in the UK, Scotland and Iceland.
Scotland is fortunate in having a great natural diversity for a small country, as Professor Roger Crofts will show in pictures. However, all is not well, with opposition, species declining and continuation of poor husbandry through overgrazing and commercial tree planting.
Has the situation changed? Perhaps not. Professor Crofts asks how we feel now about changes which were debateable in the past: hydro-electric schemes, ski developments, introduction of non-native species.
There remain controversies yet unresolved:
Who should own the land?
The battle for the moorlands
The reintroduction of extinct species.
Professor Crofts will end on an optimistic note, that if we use our knowledge and expertise, change policies and approaches and engage with nature all is not lost.