Phil Ellis, a Scottish Borders ghillie who has expanded his role to include extensive conservation of the river environment, has been awarded the 2024 Tweed Forum River Champion Award.

Phil, who lives near Melrose, is a ghillie on the 1.3 mile-double-bank Tweedswood beat which runs beneath the iconic Leaderfoot Viaduct and his extraordinary commitment to conserving the River Tweed goes far beyond his role as a ghillie. From tree planting and invasive species control to managing the grass on his beat to encourage biodiversity, his efforts are helping to improve the river environment and provide habitat that supports biodiversity and helps the declining Atlantic salmon population.

Where once the grass was neatly mown (as with many other beats along the Tweed), Phil now only strims access paths, allowing the remaining grass to grow wild. This more natural approach has created habitat for insects including butterflies, voles, shrews and barn owls, contributing to a thriving ecosystem. Insects provide a vital food source for young salmon, while the riverbank trees Phil helps to plant will grow to provide much-needed shade for fish as water temperatures rise due to climate change.

Phil’s efforts to raise awareness extend beyond his conservation work on the ground. He produced and secured funding for a film, Tweedswood – A Modern Ghillie’s Mission, which the Tweed Foundation was pleased to support. The film highlights the challenges faced by the declining Atlantic salmon population and outlines the actions needed to restore their numbers. 

Tweedswood - A Modern Ghillie's Mission will premiere on Tweed at The Tweed Fly Fair - 1st & 2nd February at Kelso Town Hall.