Malham Research Seminar 2005 - Field Studies Council

FOREWORDThe 2005 Seminar ‚How much is there still to learn?‛ drew out a fascinating series ofpresentations by a widely experienced group of authors; from Robin Sutton and Tim Wilsonexplaining how the Field Centre works with Biology and Geography students to Katherine Hearndescribing the National Trust work on catchment management in Upper Wharfedale. Attendeesgained a wide ranging insight into the activity that is taking place around Malham Tarn.Two facets of research work were more strongly represented than at previous seminars- Geologyand Archaeology. These were key areas of interest for Arthur Raistrick, in whose honour thenewly refurbished Tarn House Tea Room was formally opened by Robert White, archaeologist forthe Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority.As usual most of the proceedings mainly present abstracts of papers that will be publishedelsewhere. The publication of the whole paper by Bryan Wheeler, Sue Shaw and Roger Meade isa departure from the norm that presents a paper cutting across many areas of common interest. Itposes questions that could be answered from a number of disciplines, for this reason it is includedwhole.The Abstract for Tom Nash’s thought provoking talk on Science and Art does not contain theimages he used as there are various printing and copyright issues that proved too challenging toovercome.Once again the work of the Cowside Beck Research group featured at the weekend and the secondCowside Beck Research report has since been published: the first edition by the Field Centre witha more recent second edition published as an occasional paper by Field Studies CouncilPublications Unit. Another publication by the Centre that will be taken up through FSCPublications is the ‚Malham Tarn Bird, Butterfly, Dragonfly and Weather report‛ for 2006, writtenby Brian Shorrocks with photographs by Robin Sutton. All of these are available from the Centreor from the Field Studies Council website section on Malham Reports: www.field-studiescouncil.org/malhamtarn/reportsOnce again thank you to all contributors and attendees. In 2007 we celebrate the sixtieth birthdayof Malham Tarn Field Centre - some regular attendees have been visiting and studying the placefor longer than that. The Fifth Malham Tarn Research Seminar takes place over the weekend ofNovember 16-18th 2007. I hope the 2007 seminar will allow our most experienced contributors toreflect on the changes they have seen and for everyone to consider possible events of the nextsixty years. Ideas for contributions or contributors who I should invite will be gratefully received.Adrian PicklesHead of Centre, Malham Tarn, February 2007ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSAll contributors and attendeesKeith Orrell for chairing the sessionsMalham Tarn Field Centre Staff for looking after us so wellRobin Sutton for the cover photographElizabeth Judson for compiling proceedings and co-ordinating the weekendDouglas Richardson for sending the first round of his data set as promised3