Contributed by Ro Scott, Ian Evans and Murdo Macdonald.
Members of NBN Trust and Data Partner, Highland Biological Recording Group (HBRG), is mourning the loss of its Chairman, Stephen Moran, who died suddenly just before Christmas. Stephen was a founding member of HBRG way back in 1986 and had been a linchpin of the organisation ever since. He produced and acted as lead editor for most issues of the annual HBRG Newsletter from 1988 to 2004 and its successor publication ‘The Highland Naturalist’ from 2005 until 2023. He took on the role of Chair in 2018.
Stephen’s own recording interests were mainly of the invertebrate kind, especially true bugs (Hemiptera), barkflies (Psocoptera), and beetles (Coleoptera). He had contributed nearly 30,000 records to the HBRG database and acted as determiner for another 1,300. Plant galls were another specialism and he worked with Philip Entwistle on oak and juniper galls across the Highlands. In 2024 he had just started a study of the bugs (Psyllidae) found as gall-formers on box (Buxus sempervirens) and gave a talk about this project at the HBRG AGM in November 2024. He was also a joint author for both editions of the Highland Butterfly Atlas. (Barbour et al. 2008; Stewart et al. 1998.)
Stephen was a great enthusiast and always keen to share his knowledge and help other people with their recording. He led insect-focused meetings for the Assynt Field Club almost every year from 2004-2023, participated in a number of Bioblitzes run by the Highland Council Rangers and others, ran several training events for HBRG, and collaborated with other HBRG members on their various publications.
Latterly he had been working with colleagues from Outer Hebrides Biological Recording and Orkney Wildlife Recording Group, to try to secure a properly-resourced data hub for the Highlands and Islands.
It is a source of regret that Stephen will not be with us to celebrate HBRG’s 40th Anniversary in 2026. He made a tremendous contribution to biological recording in the Highlands and nationally, and HBRG, along with his family, will miss him terribly.
References:
Barbour, D, Moran, S, Mainwood, T and Slater B (2008) “Atlas of Butterflies in Highland and Moray. Butterfly Conservation Highland Branch and HBRG”.
Stewart, J, Barbour, D and Moran, S (1998) “Highland Butterflies a Provisional Atlas”.
The NBN Trust would like to pass on its condolences to HBRG and to all those who knew Stephen.