A Forfar environmentalist has celebrated his 90th birthday with a dedication ceremony.
Michael Hill of Taylors Wynd, who along with his late wife Caroline was a founding trustee of the Murton Trust, marked the milestone with the planting of two trees, and a bench dedication at the Murton Nature Reserve.
Murton Trust was established in 2001 at the conclusion of 12 years of sand and gravel quarrying.
The Trust, which is a registered charity, is named after Murton Farm.
The farm covered the area that is now entirely given over to the nature reserve.
“My father has always been a passionate and dedicated environmentalist,” said his daughter Emma Caderni.
“I can think of no better 90th birthday gift for him than to see how far this beautiful place that he and my mother created has come.
“It is now a thriving community with a dedicated staff and volunteers who feel as passionately about the place as he and my mother did.
“My brother, sisters and I are so proud of our parents and the mark they have left on this beautiful corner of the world.”
In the late 1960s Mr and Mrs Hill bought the Murton Farm which adjoined their property.
The farm was then leased and farmed until Aggregate Industries approached the owners about the possibility of quarrying at Murton.
It was agreed at the end of the sand and gravel extraction that the whole area would be restored to the highest environmental standard.
After the completion of sand and gravel extraction, the Trust and Aggregate Industries worked in partnership to ensure the land was given the best opportunity to evolve into a reserve where nature not merely survives, but thrives.
Mr Hill, who is a former director of Don and Low, studied biochemistry at the university of Cambridge.
He went on to study as a mature student at the University of Dundee and the Open University following his retirement .
His lifelong interest in the life sciences is still his principal interest.
Murton Farm is hugely popular with families who turn up to enjoy its very friendly collection of animals and birds including Dennis and Gnasher the Kune Kune pigs, some inquisitive goats and rare breed poultry.
The play area has sand pits, pedal toys, an adventure trail and a variety of outdoor toys including in ground trampolines.
