Isle of Wight based zoologist Alex Fall is set to lead a scientific research expedition to study wildlife in a remote mountain region of Bulgaria, assisted by a fund set up in memory of Bill Wallace MBE, a Scottish mountaineering legend.
In honour of his passion for outdoors adventure, friends, colleagues and outdoors organisations established the Bill Wallace Grant to help people get out into the wild places of the world, and make a difference to these places.
Before his death 10 years ago, while skiing in the Alps, Bill was a stalwart of the Scottish wild land conservation charity, the John Muir Trust, which now runs the fund set up in his memory. He was also a president of the Scottish Mountaineering Club
The prize money will help Alex and the two other members of the expedition, Adam Wilkinson and Katie Parrot, travel to the remote Rhodope mountain range in Bulgaria to conduct research on endangered bird species including the Egyptian and Griffon vultures.
The region is 1 of 9 regions in Europe identified as ‘Rewilding Areas’, where nature has the upper hand and human influence is marginal.
Alex said:
“We intend to trek the entire length of the mountain range, conducting scientific research which will provide data on high priority species including rare raptors.
“I am incredibly grateful and honoured to have received the Bill Wallace Grant, which has ensured the viability of the project.”
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Toby Clark who manages the Bill Wallace Grant for the John Muir Trust said:
“We were delighted with the calibre of the applications this year, and wish all the best to Alex and the other members of the team who are embarking on the Rhodope Expedition.
“Bill Wallace was a man of action in the mould of the great Scots-American wilderness pioneer, John Muir, whose work in the USA inspired the modern conservation movement. Both of these men would be delighted that their lives have inspired a new generation of conservation-explorers to follow in their footsteps.”
