Jonathan Carruthers-Jones

An International Mountain Leader has won a national award for a dissertation he wrote for his master’s degree.

Jonathan Carruthers-Jones, a student at the Centre for Mountain Studies at Perth College, part of the University of the Highlands and Islands, picked up the prize from the Royal Geographical Society.

The award, along with a £100 cash prize, was for the mountaineer’s study of mapping and developing corridors between protected areas to ensure ecosystems, viable species populations and people adapting to land transformation and climate change.

A wide range of data from the Pyrenees was analysed.

Mr Carruthers-Jones works as a mountain leader in range.

He said: “I was really happy to get a prize for the dissertation, especially seeing as it was from the Royal Geographical Society.

“Dissertations take such a lot of work and commitment, so it is great to feel that it was worth the investment of energy.

“I want to thank Professor Martin Price, director of the Centre for Mountain Studies and my supervisor Dr Rob McMorran for all their support during my time as a student.”