Berwickshire Marine Reserve

Berwickshire Marine Reserve

The Berwickshire Marine Reserve was established in the 1980s to protect the remarkable coastal waters between Eyemouth and St Abbs Head. This area of the Scottish coastline is home to a remarkable mix of marine life, including grey seals, bottlenose dolphins, and minke whales. Underwater kelp forests are home to many species of fish and extraordinary creature such as sea urchins, starfish, and sea slugs. To highlight the diversity of underwater habitats the Berwickshire Marine Reserve collaborated with the University of St Andrews’ Open Virtual Worlds team and Smart History on a digital representation of three different marine environments. The team digitally represented a kelp forest, a sandy sea-floor, and a more rocky marine environment. The underwater models were informed by a Seabed Interpretation Project undertaken by the University of St Andrews and Blue Marine Foundation. Previews of the digital environments can be viewed on YouTube. A fuller virtual reality experience has been created for use at St Abbs Visitor Centre and to demonstrate at schools and community events. The project received funding from the Scottish Borders Local Action Group.

reconstructions,movablecollections

2020

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Reconstruction

177

In Copyright (InC)

current,55.87227153286322,-2.0873247170332765;

https://www.openvirtualworlds.org/berwickshire-marine-reserve/

https://www.youtube.com/embed/-r6iuIUGL5E

Smart History

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A digital landscape was created using survey data and height map. Models were created in 3D modelling programs and imported into UNREAL (a cross-platform game engine for creating virtual worlds). The models were then scaled, orientated and assembled. The landscapes were populated with flora and fauna. Where applicable, models of characters and animals were imported and animated.

Scotland’s coastal waters are home to a remarkable underwater world, teeming with thousands of different species. The Berwickshire Marine Reserve works to preserve this unique environment through conservation and education. Located on the east coast of Scotland, between the historic fishing towns of Eyemouth and St Abbs, the reserve supports conservation activities and research, while promoting responsible recreational use of the waters and advocating for sustainable fishing practices. Berwickshire Marine Reserve is a registered charity and is Scotland’s only voluntary marine reserve. The Blue Marine Foundation (BLUE) is working to address the ocean crisis by providing innovative solutions to overfishing and facilitating the establishment of marine reserves. Although BLUE is a small NGO, it punches above its weight, having achieved a tremendous amount for the oceans in a short time. In 2014, BLUE won NGO of the Year in the PEA (People Environment Achievement) Awards in recognition that it was ‘getting results where they matter most’. In 2015, BLUE won four PEA Awards as part of the GB Oceans Coalition, including ‘Overall Champion’. For more information: https://www.berwickshiremarinereserve.org.uk/ and https://www.bluemarinefoundation.com/

The tean at Berwickshire Marine Reserve, Richard Bates (University of St Andrews)

Iain Oliver, Alan Miller, CJ, Sarah Kennedy

2020