| Description | Project Urquhart: a scientific study of the biological, mineral and structural content of Loch Ness undertaken by the Natural History Museum, the Freshwater Biological Association, the Royal Geographical Society, the Royal Scottish Geographical Society, the National Museums of Scotland and the Society of Underwater Technology.
Objectives included the investigation of the effects of catchment landuse on the limnology of Loch Ness to: clarify composition and chemical analysis; determine the distribution and mixing of river flow correlated with climatic conditions; examine the population ecology of fish and other higher animals and their apparent and potential productivity; geographically model the Loch Ness environment, and by method of a (GIS) Geographic Information System Scheme to coordinate data collected.
Throughout correspondence the Museum maintained a neutral position on the matter of the 'Loch Ness Monster' in their communications, yet reiterated planned objectives to thoroughly study the ecology and hydrology of Loch Ness were to be inclusive of all findings regardless of what the research Project may reveal.
Nicholas Witchell and Terry Bartram the original co-founders of Project Urquhart, and Colin Curds, Keeper pf Zoology, Project Director.
Box 1:
Files 1 and 2: Jan 1992 - Jun 1992, and July 1992 - 1993.
Project proposal and development documents and correspondence relating to the conception of the Project to be a data sharing interdisciplinary collaboration on the subject of Loch Ness, including the Project's relationship with the Loch Ness Project (Adrian Shine).
Proposal title: 'Environmental Modelling of the effects of catchment landuse on the limnology of a large oligotrophic fresh water system (Loch Ness) by GIS'.
Project Urquhart financial statements, meeting minutes, press cutting facsimiles and media related correspondence.
Correspondence and enquiries on the subject of the 'Loch Ness monster', and 'Jurassic Pleisosaurs', including extracts of published sighting claims.
Box 2:
File 3: 1982-1986, and March 1991 – May 1991
File 4. June 1991 - Jan 1992
Correspondence between Project Urquhart partners and stakeholders, and various external enquires offering their particular expertise and studies of Loch Ness, and including a detailed first-hand account of a sighting of a long necked, long bodied serpent like subject in Loch Ness.
Project Urquhart press release and media briefing and statement drafts and documents.
Council of Management minutes.
A file of legal correspondence.
A file of newspaper cuttings relating to the loch ness monster, dated 1982-1986.
File of newspaper cuttings relating to Project Urquhart.
Project reports and workshop documents.
Box 3:
Files 5, 6 and 2: Jan - Jun 1993, Jul 1993 - Feb 1994, Mar 1994 - 1998
Discovery Loch Ness project research proposals, and contractual agreements and reports.
University of Strathclyde, NERC (Natural Environment Research Council), application for Loch Ness (GIS) Geographic Information System and links with Project Urquhart, 1993.
Proposed Loch Ness Water Life Centre document, as development plans for Urquhart Bay.
Project Urquhart Council of Management meeting minutes, published reports, financial statements, funding correspondence, and relating press cuttings.
Mobile High Resolution Sonar Survey document.
Correspondence and documents concerned with subjects including: a 'Loch Ness Monster' or 'bottom-dwelling animals'; the Loch Ness Project; a feature film production: 'Loch Ness', (1996)
|