The Shotover Conference
Celebrating the present, past and future of Shotover Hill
as an important reserve for wildlife study and recording.
Post-conference report and further information
'Whither Diversity' essay (.pdf) as presented at the conference
About the speakers
Photos from the day
About the Conference
This day conference celebrated the many years of surveying and research by Shotover Wildlife, as well as the long history of Shotover Hill as a special place where wildlife has been studied and enjoyed by naturalists for centuries. Shotover Wildlife has without doubt established a new benchmark of information unparalleled since the early twentieth century, and the Conference was intended to present and share as much as we were able in a single day.
There was a full programme of wide-ranging
presentations.
There was also a Shotover Exhibition of Shotover-related art and artefacts. The day concluded with a debate on the future for biodiversity, both locally and
in the wider countryside.
The event was hosted by Shotover Wildlife and the
Oxford University Museum
of Natural History (OUMNH) and the presentations were co-chaired by Ivan Wright and our special guest
Colin Tudge.
Shotover Wildlife is extremely grateful to Darren Mann (Head of Entomology and the Life Collections), Chris Jarvis (Museum Education Officer) and staff and volunteers at the OUMNH for their facilities, generosity and assistance in making this conference possible.
Also, the Conference would not have been possible without the countless numbers of local people and amateur experts who have volunteered their time with Shotover Wildlife over the years - to whom heartfelt thanks.
The Shotover Exhibition
Shotover Wildlife presented a special Shotover Exhibition for conference delegates. This was in the form of a gallery of art, geological specimens and historic artefacts.
The gallery of art consisted of paintings and drawings inspired by the habitats and wildlife of Shotover. Among the exhibits was original art produced especially for the conference, and work by Shotover Wildlife members. On display were a selection of the original illustrations that were drawn for
'The Birds of Shotover' and the Shotover Wildlife leaflets, and art work for the forthcoming book about Shotover.
Geological specimens included rare and notable Jurassic fossils, mostly unearthed from the hill at the various nineteenth century brickworks.
Among the historical artefacts were items associated with the eminent naturalists of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. This included personal items such as field notebooks, as well as collecting equipment, early microscopes, and even the small printing press used for making insect pin labels.