Harry Barnes – Ecology Student
We first discovered Harry Barnes through a video of him exploring the ancient pinewoods of Coille Coire Chuilc in the National Park. His awe, curiosity and deep respect for these rare landscapes were inspiring. As Harry spoke about the urgent need to reconnect Scotland’s fragmented woodlands, his passion was impossible to ignore – and we knew we had to meet him!
Harry went on to interview our Woodland Project Advisor, Natalie Cozzolino, to learn more about our work restoring and reconnecting vital woodland habitats across the National Park. Through his presence on social media, he is inspiring others to look more closely at the landscapes around them and to care about their future.
Harry’s ambition is to visit and film all 84 remaining fragments of ancient Caledonian pinewood across Scotland. With 25 already ticked off, we wanted to understand what drives this remarkable dedication:
“Nature provides me with everything. It gives me a sense of calm. Whenever I’m feeling anxious, you can step outside and come somewhere like Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park and immediately feel immersed in something bigger—something that connects you to every living thing around you, to the ecology, and to all the other organisms that share this planet.”