The Conservation Volunteers and Glasgow City Council Glasgow ProgrammeBio-Enhancement2021-2022
Dawsholm Park – TCV and community volunteers wet and muddy after a Conservation Legacy Event.
2 Contents Introduction ........................................................ 3 Glasgow City Bio-Enhancement sites ............ 4 Linn Park .................................................................... 5 Bellahouston Park .................................................. 6 Queen’s Park 6 King’s Park ............................................................... 7 Ruchill Park 7 Springburn Park 7 Dams to Darnley Park .......................................... 8 Cart and Kittoch Valley 8 Cathkin Braes .......................................................... 9 TCV at The Lost Woods ...................................... 9 Key Sites ............................................................ 10 Key Site 1: Dawsholm Park 10 Key Site 2: Hurlet Hill 12 TCV Conservation Legacy Events ................. 13 Remaining planned 2021/22 Bio-Enhancement work .................................. 14 Pollok Park .............................................................. 14 Burrell Collection 14 Yorkhill Park with Yorkhill Green Spaces ......................................................... 14 Ruchill Park 14 Cathkin Braes 14 Statistics ............................................................ 15 Wider Glasgow City Biodiversity Work ...... 16 The Bee Garden 16 Centurion Way ...................................................... 16 TCV projects in the Greater Glasgow area ................................................... 17 Carbeth 17 Kelvin Walkway (John Muir Way Link 1) ...................................... 17 Bio-Enhancement Programme 2022/23 ..... 18 Summary............................................................ 19
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An additional programme benefit is to support community groups with training and improving skills. Support from GCC has allowed us to offer technical training to build volunteer confidence, increasing the capacity of groups to do more to improve and manage their local greenspaces.
For further information, contact: Craig Young, Senior Project Officer 07767craig.young@tcv.org.uk112084
TCV recognises the crucial importance of addressing the climate and biodiversity emergencies. Since 1959 we have worked with local communities and volunteers to engage them, hands-on, with meeting the environmental and biodiversity challenges of the TCVday.and Glasgow City Council’s Bio-Enhancement Programme provides on the ground activities for people in Glasgow to address the effects of climate change and the biodiversity crisis. The Glasgow Bio-Enhancement Programme aims to deliver positive outcomes for both the community and the environment. It helps TCV achieve our volunteering goals not only to tackle climate change, but also deliver learning opportunities and promote healthier communities.
TIntroductionheConservationVolunteers (TCV) connect people to the greenspaces that form a vital part of any healthy, happy community. We bring people together to create, improve and care for greenspaces, and deliver lasting outcomes for both.
TCV is working closely with GCC to provide us with suitable sites for volunteering activities and inform us which ones have priority. TCV lead, organise, and deliver environmental improvement sessions, and work with a diverse range of participants to bring about real change. TCV provide experienced staff, and all activities are covered by appropriate insurance, risk assessments, and health & safety procedures – including any Covid measures still in place.
The map shows the sites where tasks have taken place across the city.
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Glasgow City Council worked with TCV to identify a list of several priority sites across the city. Together we recognised that a more reactive way of working was required to address the issues greenspaces and groups were facing. This way of working also means we can focus on Local Nature Reserves that require work to be carried out when it arises. This may be due to the seasonal nature of some tasks, or because of a site needing to be prioritised.
Glasgow City Bio-Enhancement sites
This priority list forms the basis of the work that we deliver under the Glasgow Bio-Enhancement Programme.
• Worked with 12 TCV volunteers
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• Managed 2,500m2 of wildflower meadow
TCV assisted with the Sakura Tree Planting Festival alongside the Friends of the People’s Palace, Winter Gardens and Glasgow Green, plus local schools, and Lord Provost Philip OnBraat.this site we have, so far:
LINN PARK Over 2 days working alongside the Friends of Linn Park we started our work on the Glasgow Bio-Enhancement Programme at Linn Park. We also held successful events with COP26 volunteers to improve the biodiversity and access in the park, in which the Friends of Linn Park played a big part. As well as practical activities, we demonstrated different habitat surveying techniques, giving them the skills and experience to undertake Citizen Science activities in the future.
• Cleared a pond
“I thoroughly enjoyed every exercise and learned so much.” Hussan, COP26 volunteer
• Worked with 23 volunteers and 26 community volunteers from the Friends of the People’s Palace, Winter Gardens and Glasgow Green
• Trained 28 COP26 volunteers
Glasgow Green meadow – TCV volunteers learning how to use a scythe.
• Removed 530m2 of invasive species
• Worked with 7 TCV volunteers and 7 members of Friends of Linn Park
• Improved 100m of access paths
On this site we have, so far:
GLASGOW GREEN With the COP26 team, we ran events involving 28 COP26 volunteers to maintain the area around the Irish and Highland Famine Memorial. We also taught the volunteers how to do an air quality survey using the lichen growing on the trees as a pollution indicator. We also improved the meadow area along King’s Drive, during which we trained some of the volunteers in scything techniques.
• Planted 2,000 bulbs and 27 trees
• Undertook training with 75 COP26 volunteers over 4 events
• Maintained 400m2 of wildflower meadow
• Removed epicormic growth
• Improved 260m of paths
In November 2021 we worked with GCC staff and the Friends of Bellahouston Park to assist with the Sakura Tree Festival – celebrating the friendship between the Uk and Japan. We also managed the wildflower meadow beside the running track. With the meadow management work, we were able to train a volunteer on strimmer use and that volunteer recently gained their Lantra ‘ticket’. On this site we have, so far: 5 days worked with 11 community volunteers from the Friends of Bellahouston Park and 14 TCV volunteers strimmed and managed 982m2 wildflower meadows 1,900 bulbs and 25 trees
Queen’s Park Sakura Tree Planting –Community groups working with GCC and TCV staff and volunteers.
• Planted
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BellahOUsTOn PaRk
• Over
•
Bellahouston Park meadow – A TCV volunteer receiving one-to-one training on the use of a petrol strimmer.
QUeen’s PaRk At Queen’s Park we assisted GCC staff with Sakura Tree Planting. On this site we have, so far: • Over the 3 days we worked with 10 TCV volunteers and 4 members of the local community • Planted 34 trees and 1,800 bulbs
On this site we have, so far:
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• Worked with 3 TCV volunteers and 6 Butterfly Conservation Scotland volunteers
• Created 550m2 of new wildflower meadow
KING’S PARK We worked with the Friends of King’s Park over 2 days to create a new meadow. Some of the Yellow Rattle seed used on this site was collected and donated by a local community Ongroup.this site we have, so far:
King’s Park meadow – A Friends of King’s Park volunteer sowing donated Yellow Rattle seeds.
RUChIll PaRk
At Springburn Park, TCV volunteers cut 80m2 circles into the meadow area to sow wildflowers and improve the biodiversity. We then had follow-up sessions with Butterfly Conservation Scotland to improve this work
• Managed 1,800m2 of wildflower meadow
Ruchill Park meadow – Butterfly Conservation Scotland working with TCV staff and volunteers.
• Managed 1,750m2 of the wildflower meadow
sPRIngBURn PaRk
• Over 2 days we involved 6 TCV volunteers and 14 members of the Friends of King’s Park
Onfurther.this site we have, so far:
At Ruchill Park we worked with Butterfly Conservation Scotland to manage the meadow. Another joint work party is planned to continue to improve this area for biodiversity on 3rd March 2022.
• Over 3 days we worked with 5 TCV volunteers
Below: Cart and Kittoch Valley – TCV removing invasive species Himalayan Balsam (after).
On this site we have, so far: • Over 7 days worked with 28 TCV volunteers • Removed 730m2 of invasive species • Maintained 1,430m2 of wildflower meadow • Improved 206m of path
On this site we have, so far: • Trained 1 volunteer in strimming 1,000m of path CART AND KITTOCH
DAMS TO DARNLEY PARK At Dams to Darnley, we attempted to cut the meadow with a ride-on mower, with cut and lift capacity. This was to try different methods of cutting the thick bush and reeds on site. Unfortunately, the machine broke down not long after we began and so future work at the meadow in the park is still to be organised. We did have a follow-up training session with a TCV volunteer to use a petrol strimmer and maintained 1km of path.
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Recently, we began working on steps along the Magnificent 11 trail and installed cross drainage on flooded sections of the path.
Left: Cart and Kittoch Valley – TCV removing invasive species Himalayan Balsam (before).
AlongVALLEYtheWhite Cart River, we worked on removing the invasive non-native species Himalayan Balsam. We also cleared butterbur and maintained the meadow.
• Maintained
Ben, TCV Volunteer Officer
Amanda Malcolm, TCV Team Leader, discussing tree planting with pupils from Battlefield Primary School.
TCV has supported The Lost Woods, ‘Glasgow Children’s Woodland’ in which 151 Glasgow primary schools and over 1,200 children participate in the largest woodland creation in Glasgow for 40 years.
• Worked
CATHKIN BRAES
TCV at THE LOST WOODS
• 2,000m
On
“It was great to see so many children already so interested in looking after the environment, and how keen they were to get stuck in.”
TCV led 2 tree planting technique training days. The training sessions were delivered for The Lost Woods ‘Tree Planting Leaders’. By providing training to these volunteers, we not only supported the delivery of The Lost Woods project, but future volunteer-led tree planting and community projects. We also provided staffing and volunteers for the tree planting week in October 2021 when 2,200 trees were planted.
• Maintained
At Cathkin Braes, TCV volunteers worked to remove beech saplings from the woodland. At another session, volunteers removed invasive species, sowed wildflowers, and diversified the heath habitat. this site we have, so far: with 13 TCV volunteers 37,000m2 of woodland 2 of invasive species and heath meadow management
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KEY SITE 1: DAWSHOLM PARK
• Collected
• surveying and
• Planted
• Meadow creation on the
• Cleared
DAWSHOLM PARK LNR AND KELVIN WALKWAY WILDLIFE CORRIDOR
In
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Michael, TCV volunteer
KELVIN WALKWAY WILDLIFE CORRIDOR
pitches • Removal of beech saplings • Path maintenance
Key Sites As part of our work with the Glasgow Bio-Enhancement Programme we are working on two Key Sites – Dawsholm Park and Hurlet Hill. These are pilot projects to demonstrate the impact of an increased focus and investment by supporting volunteering and work beyond the basic GCC maintenance regime.
“It is physical activity with a purpose.”
Dan, TCV volunteer Below is a map of the Kelvin Walkway Wildlife Corridor. The work agreed with GCC is numbered with notes on what is completed and what is still planned.
• Planted
• Removal
On this Key Site, we have been prioritising work along the Kelvin Walkway to build a wildlife corridor from Dawsholm Park to the Maryhill Canal. There are many aspects to creating this wildlife corridor, such as removing invasive species, sowing new wildflower meadows, and creating homes for nature.
Through our work at Dawsholm Park and the Kelvin Walkway we have been able to increase local interest in volunteering. This has allowed us to work with 38 volunteers on this site alone and we are in contact with several Friends of groups to continue this trend. On this site we have, so far: 2,480m2 of invasive species 43 bags of litter 31m of hedgerow 21m of path 730 native trees the existing LNR at Dawsholm TCV also have planned work: of invasive Rhododendron clearing the ponds old red blaes
• Improved
“The last time I was out with TCV, it really energised me for the next few days. Helped me get through all the stuff I just had to do.”
1 Scrub clearance and large tree planting –planned 2 Meadow creation and maintenance –planned 3 Removal of invasive species Snowberry –completed 4 Removal of invasive species Snowberry –completed 5 Hedgerow planting – completed Meadow creation and mainentance –planned 6 Removal of invasive species Snowberry completed Clearance of view for under bridge access to make safer – completed 7 Removal of invasive species Snowberry–planned 8 Scrub clearence and increasing the viewing access to make the area around the path more visible – planned Meadow creation and maintenance –planned 9 Maintenance of meadow areas – planned 10 Cutting back access along this pathway –planned
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Kelvin Walkway – TCV volunteers removing invasive species Snowberry (after).
surveying • Forest management • Path maintenance • hedgerow planting • Clearance of old tree guards Hurlet
Hurlet Hill is the second Key Site identified. While engaging with the local community, work on this site will begin as part of the Bio-Enhancement Programme with the entrance to the LNR being the priority. We have plans to increase the access to this site by cutting back vegetation around the entrance, as well as sorting out the drainage and flooding of certain sections of path. Other tasks will include: March 2022, pond maintenance and Hill Path
2022/23
12 key sITe 2: hURleT hIll hURleT hIll lnR
–
Hurlet Hill – Future work to include pond maintenance and clearance of old tree guards.
• 24th
to be improved.
During 2021, COP26 Volunteer Ambassadors assisted delegates and visitors to the COP26 conference in Glasgow. Following our activities with the COP26 volunteers, we are organising and delivering monthly ‘TCV Conservation Legacy Events’ to provide these volunteers with ongoing opportunities to contribute to addressing the climate and biodiversity emergency. This is being integrated into our Glasgow Bio-Enhancement Programme to grow conservation volunteering opportunities in the city. We have engaged with our COP26 volunteers to deliver larger, high-impact monthly volunteer events. To date, we have run three Conservation Legacy Events, with the number of volunteers and impactful activities carried out being greater each time we run a session. For example, we increased the number of volunteers from 2 in the first session, in December 2021, to 20 in the third session in February 2022. These monthly events are based at Dawsholm Park, and we plan to run three more on this LNR before moving on and improving biodiversity on another site in Glasgow.
TCV Conservation Legacy Events
SESSION 1, 11TH DECEMBER 2021: Dawsholm Park. Volunteers undertaking the Dead Good Deadwood Survey to assess the health of the woodland. Left: Kelvin Walkway – TCV volunteers and community volunteers doing a deadwood survey. sessIOn 2, 15Th JanUaRy 2022: Dawsholm Park. Volunteers removing invasive species, hedge planting and litter picking. Below left: Kelvin Walkway – TCV volunteers and community volunteers planting a hedgerow. sessIOn 3, 12Th FeBRUaRy 2022: Dawsholm Park. Volunteers planting a mix of native tree species. Below: Dawsholm Park – TCV volunteers and community volunteers planting 730 trees.
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BURRell COlleCTIOn
TCV will be supporting a large scale tree planting event along the Big Wood at Cathkin Braes. This will be over 3 hectares and will help stabilise the slope as well as enhance the natural woodland. • Planting over 2,000 trees
2021/22
• Increase
Remaining planned
Bio-Enhancement work
RUChIll PaRk
• Managing the birch and willow scrub
YORKHILL PARK WITH YORKHILL GREEN SPACES
• Removal
At Ruchill Park, TCV will be working in partnership with Butterfly Conservation Scotland to increase the biodiversity of the meadows.
With the reopening of the Burrell Collection, TCV will work alongside different community groups and GCC to increase the biodiversity and access behind the refurbished building. of invasive species the biodiversity of the wildflowers assist and train local community groups
• strimming and lifting the arisings from the cut meadow
• sowing and planting wildflower plugs in the area
• Plug
As well as working on our Key Sites, we plan to work on the following priority sites from now until the end of March 2022.
TCV will be undertaking activities around the park’s newly installed Covid Memorial. helping lay the groundwork for the Memorial extending a section of hedgerow into a copse site planting a mixture of meadow and wetland species transporting, and replanting of Yellow Flag Iris
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POLLOK PARK
•
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We will be assisting Yorkhill Green Spaces to improve the meadow in Yorkhill Park and enhancing the local green spaces.
CATHKIN BRAES
• Uplifting,
• Planting up raised beds • Planting 2,500 wildflower plugs
• Removing 5,300m2 of different invasive species
• Managing 13,200m2 of meadows 109 Staff Workdays of Bio-Enhancement Programme These 109 staff workdays are spread over the 53 Bio-Enhancement tasks. 13 of these tasks were large scale events, where we carried out; high-impact work in LNR’s, assisted community groups and shared our experience and training with volunteers and communities.
**This includes participants in The Lost Woods tree planting event. 173 Volunteer Workdays Our TCV volunteers have totalled 173 workdays across the 11 Glasgow BioEnhancement Programme sites. Over the 53 Bio-Enhancement tasks the workdays included:
*This number is totalled because of the 53 GCC Bio-Enhancement tasks delivered. 13 were events with multiple staff for large scale impact.
15 Statistics: breakdown of tasks and workdays undertaken Site (includingdeliveredTasksevents) Community/Trainingdays volunteersregisteredDifferentinvolved Volunteerworkdays by(supportedworkdaysStafftrainees) (communityattendeesOthergroups/volunteers) Dawsholm Park 10 3 38 66 16 Linn Park 6 6 8 12 21 82 Glasgow Green 7 5 7 17 21 54 ParkBellahouston 5 2 9 11 8.5 10 Queen’s Park 3 1 7 8.5 4 4 King’s Park 2 2 5 6 2 14 Ruchill Park 1 1 3 3 1 7 ParkSpringburn 3 2 4 4.5 3.5 1 Dams Darnleyto 1 1 1 1 1 Cart & ValleysKittoch 8 12 23 9 Cathkin Braes 7 6 12 21 22 438** TOTALS across GCC EnhancementBio- 53 27 41 173 109* 614
• Planting over 3,000 trees
• senior Project Officers have delivered 83 staff workdays: 45 staff workdays – larger impact events 38 staff workdays – regular sessions • 26 days where TCV trainees assisted the project.
We have delivered a total 15 community support days over our 53 Bio-Enhancement Programme tasks, in which we have assisted and supported different charities and Friends of groups around Glasgow. 12 Task Days of Training Over our Bio-Enhancement Programme tasks, 12 days included training of TCV volunteers and other community groups.
15 Task Days of Community Support
• Planting 6,100 wildflower plugs or bulbs
16 Wider Glasgow City Biodiversity Work These non-LNR sites link in and connect with the aims of reaching and working with communities, increasing the biodiversity of the greenspaces in Glasgow. THE BEE GARDEN • Worked with 9 TCV volunteers and 8 volunteers from Yorkhill Green Spaces and the Bee Garden • Planted 500 wildflower plugs and managed the meadow Above: The Bee Garden – TCV volunteers planting wildflower plugs. Below: Yorkhill Park (Centurion Way) – TCV volunteers and community volunteers preparing to sow wildflower seeds. CenTURIOn Way • Worked with 4 TCV volunteers and 4 from Yorkhill Green Spaces • sowed 890m2 of meadow and • Collected 3 bags of rubbish
TCV projects in the Greater Glasgow area
InCARBETHpartnershipwith
This was a section of the John Muir Way Link 1 identified by Paths for All as requiring some maintenance. This section of riverside path was very overgrown, narrow, and winding with overhanging trees. In February 2022 we cleared and widened this section of path. Erosion had collapsed the path verge and would have soon caused damage to the path. Willow spiling was used to slow down the flooding and repair the bank.
• 650m of path maintenance • Riverbank repair Kelvin Walkway – TCV volunteers improving path bank with willow spiling. Carbeth – TCV volunteers with the improved path, complete with drainage culvert.
• Used tracked dumper trucks and moved 32 tonnes of stone
• Compacted the path surface using a vibrating plate • Dug in the culvert pipe and learnt how to construct water bars
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• Trained in upland path construction by professional path worker Angus Turner
NatureScot and Paths for All, TCV worked with the Carbeth Hutters Community to repair parts of the John Muir Way that were suffering from poor drainage, leading to pooling of water and large areas of deep mud. We also worked on an informal link between the West Highland Way and the John Muir Way, in a steep section of grass path being rutted by mountain bikes and running Overwater.15 days, TCV volunteers:
• learnt the ‘leave no trace’ method using moss, turf and leaves to blend the new path into the landscape KELVIN WALKWAY (JOhn MUIR Way lInk 1)
TCV continues to work across the Greater Glasgow area and these examples of other projects demonstrate the range of work we deliver with local communities, volunteers, and partners. These projects have been carried out during the time we have been working on the Bio-Enhancement Programme and have provided our staff and volunteers with valuable experience and skills which we can bring to Bio-Enhancement Programme priority sites.
aims to build upon the experience already gained and widen the involvement of more community groups and organisations. To participate in the Programme, we are inviting Glasgow-based groups belonging to TCV’s Community Network, plus other groups we have previously had contact with in the city. The Community Network is a free initiative for grassroots organisations helping care for their local greenspaces. Some Community Network members have already participated in the Programme e.g. Yorkhill Green Spaces and several Friends of groups. TCV are keen to support projects involving people from diverse ages and backgrounds, including those with limited ‘eco’ experience. In addition to physical improvements on the ground, we will also provide Citizen Science activities and surveys so people can discover and better understand the nature on their doorstep. And we can advise on wellbeing activities such as walking groups which can help people enjoy their local greenspaces in the company of others. We can also run training sessions in practical conservation or project/group organisation matters. So, as well as undertaking activities alongside TCV’s staff and volunteers, the Programme also aims to increase groups’ knowledge, skills and capacity to run further activities themselves.
18 ProgrammeBio-Enhancement2022/23TheBio-EnhancementProgrammefor2022/23
As the table shows we have helped plant 3,026 trees on the project so far. We have removed 5,737m2 of different invasive species, from Himalayan Balsam along Glasgow’s water courses to Snowberry blanketing our woodlands. We have planted 6,126 wildflower plugs or bulbs and managed 13,267m2 of meadows.
year for the city of Glasgow, being centre stage and hosting COP26. The Conservation Volunteers were proud to be part of COP26 and the Glasgow BioEnhancement Programme. The climate and biodiversity emergencies affect us all, and we can all take actions to help tackle them.
Impactful work Quantities
Bags of litter/waste 59 Hedgerow planted (in metres) 31m Invasive species removed (in square metres) 5,737m2 Meadows managed, sown or created (in square metres) 13,267m2 Paths maintained or improved (in metres) 1,021m Ponds maintained 1 Trees planted 3,026 Woodland managed (in square metres) 38,000m2 Wildflowers planted 6,126 As part of the work in the Glasgow Bio-Enhancement Programme for 2022/23 we aim to progress our outreach further. While still achieving the goals of improving LNR’s and biodiversity across Glasgow, we will be working with more local community groups. TCV will be producing case studies on our Key Sites to show the impact we are having on local communities and the biodiversity of these areas. Our Conservation Legacy Events will continue to increase awareness of the climate and biodiversity emergencies and how we can all respond to these global challenges. One of our TCV volunteers said that what we do is “activity with a purpose”. It is about getting outside, improving the biodiversity of greenspaces, creating future legacies and connecting with a wide range of diverse volunteers, all of whom can make a difference. This is the main objective of our partnership within the Glasgow Bio-Enhancement Programme.
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SummaryIthasbeenquitethe
TCV staff have delivered 109 volunteering days, our TCV volunteers having totalled 173 workdays across the Bio-Enhancement Programme sites in which we have shared our skills, experience and tools with different communities and a range of diverse volunteers. 45 of these days have been larger impact events, showing that “People Make Glasgow”. This work totals 53 Bio-Enhancement Tasks over a range of practical conservation and surveying the biodiversity of Glasgow. This was completed with Covid 19 restrictions still being in place during 2021/22.
