Network Bulletin Summer 2016

www.tcv.org.uk/scotland

netw rk bulletin Summer 2016

for TCV Scotland’s community Network

Flower Power comes to Glasgow

See page 2

Enhancing the urban landscape There’s plenty of ‘greening’ and ‘growing’ going on just now in Glasgow and nearby towns, involving TCV and a range of partner organisations, community groups and volunteers:

Space to Grow CHRIS JAMES/GROW WILD

Launching Glasgow’s Flower Power earlier in the summer, from left to right are: Claire Bennett (Grow Wild, Scotland Partnership Officer), Dom Hall (TCV Operations Leader), Allison Greig (Glasgow City Council Senior Countryside Ranger) and Stephen Porch (TCV Natural Networks Project Officer).

By Stephen Porch, Natural Networks Project Officer This summer, in partnership with Glasgow City Council and Grow Wild, TCV is assisting with the launch of a new wildflower nursery – Glasgow’s Flower Power. Like any other nursery the main aim is to produce a wide range of flowering plants for people and wildlife to enjoy.

However, unlike most other nurseries, this one will be based in the middle of a busy urban park and has been created with communities in mind.

Since the Second World War, through increased development and agricultural intensification, Britain has lost around 97% of its wildflower habitat. This has in turn had a huge impact on the pollinating insects which depend upon it, and which ultimately benefit us. Over 250 of these essential pollinators are UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) species because they are in danger of extinction. But since 2011, Glasgow City Council, in collaboration with Buglife, has been creating large areas of wildflower habitat in parks and greenspace throughout the city, in an attempt to halt further decline.

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Based at Pollok Country Park, Glasgow’s Flower Power will bring together a vast network of educational groups, companies and volunteers to produce over 10,000 native wildflowers each year. And volunteers will be able to grow flowers on for their own community project or greenspaces. Sowing and growing together, the project will nurture people as well as plants and will hopefully provide a legacy that will last a lifetime.

David Payne is Senior Project Officer with a new TCV project in the Wyndford area of Maryhill. David says: “In May I started a Carbon Challenge Fund project called ‘Space To Grow’ aimed at reducing the Wyndford community’s carbon footprint through local food production and food waste reduction. TCV’s Amanda Malcolm had started a growing project in the community in 2014 which I will continue to support and develop.

In collaboration with Cube Housing Association my main focus is to develop 1000m2 of growing space which will, according to CCF guidelines, produce 3000Kg of food per year.

This shall largely be achieved through developing allotments in tandem with horticultural training opportunities for the local gardeners. I shall also facilitate cooking courses that will help to mitigate wasted food. And Green Gym sessions for the gardeners and wildlife surveys will also be undertaken, so I’ll be kept busy!”

There are rather complicated but interesting carbon calculations incorporated within this project.

If anyone is interested in carbon footprinting or the Space To Grow programme, please get in touch with David at d.payne@tcv.org.uk

As well as constructing the polytunnel and getting the project underway, I will be running a number of workshops over the next six months or so, covering a range of plant related subjects such as wildflower identification, habitat improvement, pollinator surveying and seed collection techniques.

If you would like to be involved, or know any other individuals or groups that would like to be part of the community wildflower nursery, please contact the Countryside Rangers on 0141 276 0924 or countryside.ranger@glasgow.gov.uk

Growing food is at the heart of Space To Grow.

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photos: REBECCA STROFTON

Youngsters from the LINKES group enjoy some natural play in Knightswood Park.

Wild goings on

By Rebecca Strofton, Senior Project Officer, Community Rewilding The people and greenspaces of Greenock, Clydebank and Glasgow’s Yoker district have been experiencing a variety of wild activities over the last few months as a result of TCV’s ‘Community Rewilding’ project. Rewilding usually applies to large landscape scale projects but through this innovative project TCV is bringing rewilding to urban communities in Central Scotland.

Children have gone wild at ‘Rewild the Child’ outdoor play sessions doing all sorts of things from worm charming and bug hunting to cutting and decorating tree cookies and making nature flags. The children have had a ball and the parents learned some new ideas for outdoor play and have hopefully been inspired to let their children go wild outside more often.

In Greenock, a Green Gym was set up and the group of participants enjoyed getting some fresh air and exercise each week while discovering the plant and animal life in their neighbourhood. As well as appreciating the nature on their doorsteps they have improved the site by removing litter and widening overgrown paths.

The project came to an end at the end of July but due to the level of interest from the three communities involved, funding is being

Summer 2016

The Community Rewilding project was kindly funded by The Robertson Trust and the Glasgow & Clyde Valley Green Network Partnership.

Making butterfly feeders was one of the fun activities during Faifley Family Nature Day in Clydebank. The feeder works by simply adding sugar water to the centre of the ‘flower’.

Greening Gartnavel

One of TCV’s latest recruits is Mel Hall, Senior Project Officer with the Gartnavel Green Activity Project.

Mel’s role is to encourage more people to enjoy the greenspaces within the Gartnavel Hospital campus in Glasgow’s West End. The project is hosted by the umbrella organisation ‘Art in the Gart’, which uses arts in the broadest sense to promote positive mental health and wellbeing.

Mel says: “Over the next few months we’re running the ‘Keep Out’ campaign to encourage more patients, visitors and staff to get away from the clinical areas and waiting rooms to enjoy the walks, rest areas, tranquillity and nature to be found within Gartnavel’s extensive grounds. This welcome is extended to members of the local community, some of whom already make use of our paths for dog walking, strolling, running and cycling. My work also extends to activities taking place in the ‘Growing Spaces’ where volunteers have been active for several years, carrying out the refurbishment of a beautiful walled garden and growing fruit, vegetables and herbs around a historic summerhouse. We’ll be running more activities for volunteers to

FIONA SINCLAIR

Volunteers have been out in force in Clydebank and Yoker creating wildflower meadow pockets, freeing a blocked burn, re-naturalising pond margins and removing invasive non-native plant species. As well as rewilding the sites and enhancing the biodiversity value of the parks, the group have improved the accessibility of sites by clearing overgrown path ways and rebuilding a set of rotting timber steps.

sought to continue the project and rewild many more places, people and communities across Glasgow and the Clyde Valley. The wheels are in motion, so watch this space…

Mel Hall is encouraging people to enjoy and enhance Gartnavel’s greenspaces. enhance Gartnavel’s greenspaces, so there’s plenty of digging, planting, weeding, and pruning coming up! If anyone is interested in joining us, please contact me at m.hall@tcv.org.uk or at 07977 406900.”

Gartnavel Green Activity Project is funded by NHS Health Scotland, Forestry Commission Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage.

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Aultnaskiach Dell: a woodland in the city

The woodland behind our house, Aultnaskiach Dell, is a place of beauty.

It has a touch of mystery and feeling of remoteness that is startling to those who first chance upon it, as it is not far from the city centre of Inverness. The wood is in a steep-sided valley, formed by the Aultnaskiach Burn where it gurgles and splashes its way down to the River Ness.

Further work was undertaken, in particular to ascertain the real costs of this venture as the urban setting and difficult terrain pose particular challenges, including difficulties in removing felled timber, erosion around the burn posing risks to sewage pipes, as well as the presence of Dutch elm disease.

As the trustees realised the extent of work required, a plan was made to lease the wood for a period of three years to allow time to raise the required capital and to build community support for the project. In November 2013 we took on

the management of the 1.9 hectare wood (about the size of 2-3 football pitches) for the princely sum of one pound rent annually! Our goals were to encourage greater bio-diversity in the woodland and to facilitate community volunteering.

At first we were real novices, only one of the trustees having a background in forestry and it was a steep learning curve.

We had funding from Highland Council’s Common Good Fund for necessary tree work, along with support from Highlands

We have lived in this neighbourhood for over thirty years and I was always aware of the wood, walking it often with our children when they were young. However, it was not until 2010 that it began to have a greater significance. That all started with a knock at the door from the wood’s owner, who had arranged a meeting locally to see if the community were interested in taking on its ownership.

From that meeting a steering group was formed to investigate this possibility and two and a half years later, after a full consultation with the local community and endless discussions about gabions, sewage, telegraph poles and many, many other issues, a group was formed to take this idea forward, and the Aultnaskiach Dell SCIO* was born!

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Aithne Barron (left), the wood’s current owner, with Gina O’Brien, Chair of Aultnaskiach Dell SCIO.

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PHOTOS: BY MEMBERS OF AULTNASKIACH DELL SCIO, INCLUDING ALAN O’BRIEN AND ANN CLARK

By Gina O’Brien, Chair of Trustees, Aultnaskiach Dell SCIO.

Red Squirrel: Paul Whippey. Roe deer: Marek_Szczepanek. Dipper: Andrew2606 – all Wikipedia

and Islands Enterprise, Highland Council Ward Discretionary Funds, and the Forestry Commission Scotland Community Seedcorn Fund. We also visited and got advice from other community woodlands to ascertain the priorities for work in the wood. We have become members of the Community Woodland Association and TCV’s Community Network.

There was plenty to occupy us in a woodland that had largely been untouched for fifty years. The wood contains elm, oak, ash, birch and holly and is home to a variety of fauna including red squirrels, tawny owls, roe deer, woodpeckers and dippers. In the 1950’s former pasture surrounding the wood was converted into urban development so many of the mature and over-mature trees back on to people’s houses and sheds. Initial work has consisted in a programme of selective felling and replanting and this phase is nearly complete.

Trustees have gained new skills in chainsawing and dealing with the felled wood, and we currently have a very healthy membership of around 57 people who assist on volunteer days, three or four times annually, when we collect litter, cut back non-native species, bag and sell fire-wood

We have developed a Woodland Management Plan, setting out our aims and objectives for work in the woodland over the next five years. These include: • Addressing only the highest risks to neighbouring properties and public safety through a minimal programme of tree surgery, focusing primarily on elms with Dutch elm disease present.

• Creating a more varied age and species structure through controlled natural regeneration and a planting programme of primarily native species.

• Continuing a programme of low impact timber extraction, piloting the feasibility of different methods, including their impact on the woodland as well as affordability.

The first fundraising Garden Party was a great success. and plant new trees. On average around 15 people turn out to each of our community events and recently we have had some younger members of the community joining in, which is a positive sign for the future.

Highlights of the past year have included our first fundraising event – a highly successful Garden Party, for which members helped out with the baking and one provided the band! Other fundraising includes making wood products for sale – a few of our members are wood turners.

Another recent highlight has been the arrival of ‘Bertha’, a motorized wheelbarrow purchased with the support of the Highland Council Carbon CLEVER Community Fund.

• Undertaking a planned programme of control of invasive vegetation.

• Reducing the amount of litter, dog fouling and garden waste deposited in the woodland.

• Increasing the number and diversity of people actively involved in management of the woodland through our own community events and partnerships with other organisations such as the TCV Green Gym. • Providing opportunities for children and young people to learn in an outdoor environment through partnerships with local schools, forest school initiatives etc.

In the meantime the wood is beginning to show signs of renewal as it is now actively being cared for by people. Wonderful contoured paths built by the Victorians are opening up once again, and the ground flora is restoring as light can now reach the woodland floor. I recently saw grey wagtails in the burn and bees are enjoying all the new plant life. Local children are playing in the Dell again and recent school trips by Millburn Academy students have identified over thirty three species of plants. The future is looking bright for this hidden green gem in the capital of the Highlands.

If you would like more information or wish to contact us, you can do so at: www.aultnaskiachdell.blogspot.co.uk Woodcutting volunteers in action.

Summer 2016

*Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation

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The volunteers’ view

ROB THOMAS

ROB THOMAS

David Arthur felt “being inside a lot was boring and not very fulfilling”, so he started volunteering with TCV in Edinburgh. That was eight years ago and David has been volunteering ever since. David says: “The best thing about volunteering is working with all the great people over the years and they’ve helped me gain skills and knowledge. My favourite project was building raised beds and landscaping a garden at Edinburgh Royal Hospital. I enjoy the social aspect, working outdoors and having lots of laughs. I think people should volunteer because it helps the environment, you learn new skills and you meet lots of really fun people.”

“I’ve been volunteering with the Inverness team on and off for three years, mainly to improve my skills and add to my CV for work. I love the variety of the work and the sites. I’m pretty positive about getting other people involved and always tell folk how much fun it is.” – James Fraser “I’m retired and have been volunteering for three years now – two years in England and for the past year in Inverness, since I moved here. I go out with the Inverness Green Gym and like to work outside, get fit and socialise with the other volunteers. I love the group who come out each Wednesday – it’s such fun. It lifts the spirits, and it’s good for the body and good for the soul!” – Susan Williams

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“I started volunteering to gain some experience in the conservation and environmental sector, and I’ve now been volunteering for around four years. I started before I went to university to study environmental science, and now volunteer during the summer breaks. I go out as often as I can, mostly with the Stirling Midweek Group but I sometimes take part in events held at weekends. My favourite thing about volunteering is getting to take part in so many different activities, meeting new people and being outside.

It’s also great to see so much of Scotland and visit places you didn’t know existed!

My favourite activities are normally based around encouraging biodiversity, so I like planting wildflowers and trees. This summer I’m hoping to get involved in planning some community projects and events. Eventually I’d like to find a job where I can utilise all the skills I’ve gained whilst volunteering with TCV.” – Alice Kenny One of our longest running Green Gyms is in Linwood, near Paisley. Shown here are four of the regulars, from the left: Kathy Lippoldt, Jim Lavery, Jean Lawrie and Alison Inglis.

In a joint effort the group said: “We joined the Green Gym because of retirement and wanting something interesting to do – something active and outdoors rather

than being in a charity shop or something like that. You don’t have to be skilled to take part and you can choose how much or how little to do. There’s no pressure on how often you come along – you choose to come when you want to. By taking part you meet a lot of nice people which is probably why some of us have been coming for over 10 years.”

And what’s their favourite thing about volunteering with TCV? – “The tea break!

And being outdoors in good company.”

DAVID MEECHAN

DAVID MEECHAN

anna hamilton

Earlier in the summer TCV took part in Volunteers’ Week to celebrate the wonderful effort of our regular volunteers. Here’s what some of them had to say:

Many thanks to the TCV volunteers featured here and the many more who aren’t! We hope all of our volunteers will continue to enjoy what they are doing, and keep on making a difference to their own lives and to their local communities and environment.

“I have a passion for conservation and love being outdoors exploring and experiencing nature close-up.

After doing a Geography degree at Lancaster University I moved up here and worked in retail for four years, but then I left to pursue a career in this field. I did some research and actually came across TCV on Twitter! As a Volunteer Officer in Edinburgh I’m getting great experience both in the office and on site.

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rosie walker

Network Trust.

The volunteers undertake various conservation activities to enhance the area.

Paul is pictured taking a break from building a dead hedge* and says: “I really enjoy working outside.

I’ve always loved being outdoors going back to my days as a Scout. As well as getting to enjoy the scenery, the other things I like about volunteering are listening to the birds and other nature sounds, while improving the Nature Park for everyone else to enjoy.” *A dead hedge is an ancient form of hedging with parallel rows of stakes filled in with branches, twigs, cuttings etc which forms an effective barrier and a useful wildlife habitat.

Willy Boath has been volunteering with TCV in Stirling for over nine years, and in that time has clocked up a fantastic 350 volunteer days! So what’s the attraction?

Willy says: “I started for the gardening. My favourite thing now is doing all the practical work and different activities ... sometimes we do cutting, digging and planting. And I enjoy it when we make a fire, which we did last week.”

As well as the practical conservation, Willy’s group also does some Citizen Science activities such as plant and biodiversity recording, which he’s pictured doing here. So, thanks for all your efforts Willy, who adds: “I’m amazed how many days I’ve done with TCV, but let’s get it up to 400!”

“Getting to enjoy the scenery” is one of the things Paul O’Donnell likes about volunteering. 28 year old Paul started volunteering regularly a few months ago with the group at Shotts Nature Park, in North Lanarkshire. The group is run

by Giovanna Bisoni, a Natural Networks trainee based with Central Scotland Green

Summer 2016

“I was told about volunteering with TCV by a friend – a former volunteer himself who thought I might like it as well. That was over two years ago, so I gave it a go and that was me – I’ve loved it ever since!

There are various things I like about the group – travelling to different places around Glasgow, learning new skills, meeting new friends, and making a difference. I don’t like to be in the house all the time – I like to get outside and so come out with TCV two or three days a week. We do lots of different activities like gardening and planting, but my favourite is building things and woodworking. And I don’t mind the weather, so I’m out with TCV come rain, snow or shine!” – Michelle Munro Pat Alexander is a mainstay of our Edinburgh Midweek Group and has been

DAVID MEECHAN

GIOVANNA BISONI

In the office I help organise the weekly activities, maintain the storage areas and carry out vehicle checks. On site days I help lead the group, ensuring the volunteers know what tasks need done and they are enjoying themselves. It’s such a good opportunity to get out and work with like-minded people, and it definitely makes you feel good. The satisfaction of stepping back to see the contribution you’ve made is something very special and rewarding.

I enjoy working with people who have the same passion and enthusiasm for nature.

I’m looking forward to new experiences and building up my knowledge of the natural environment and one day having that career in conservation!” – Ali Humphreys

volunteering with us for an incredible 20 years! During this time Pat has built bridges, boardwalks, fences and raised beds, and planted umpteen wildflowers and trees. Pat says: “I’ve met some very nice people over the years and believe that TCV attracts like-minded, passionate and caring people. I just enjoy the benefit of getting outdoors in some fantastic habitats.

You get a great sense of satisfaction and camaraderie. It’s always a good laugh as everyone has a good sense of humour.

I recommend volunteering with TCV to anyone who loves sun, mud, rain, nature, ... and digging in and working hard.”

25 year old Gareth Culverwell is a ‘regular’ with TCV’s Glasgow Volunteer Group which travels to sites in and around the city three days a week to conserve the local environment.

Glasgow may have a reputation of tenements and tower blocks but it’s actually one of the greenest cities in the UK, which volunteers like Gareth are helping keep that way.

Gareth says: “It takes me more than an hour by bus to get to the group’s pick-up point in central Glasgow, but I don’t mind as long as I can listen to my music. I joined the group almost three years ago after hearing about it from a friend. I come out three days a week – Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. I like being outside and helping out on different projects. We do lots of things like clearing out ponds, planting wildflowers and path work. We’ve just been creating wooden raised beds in a community garden, so lots of drilling! I like all the work but it’s good to have a break and a cup of tea!”

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Conservation in the Coalfields

By Daisy Whytock, CEI Project Manager

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he East Ayrshire Coalfield Environment Initiative (CEI for short) is an environment charity working to conserve, enhance and promote the natural heritage of the ‘Coalfields’, the area of East Ayrshire most affected by coal mining. Set up in 2003 to address the environmental impacts of mineral extraction in the area, the CEI has completed a number of projects including creating wetland and woodland habitat networks, establishing a Community Wildlife Garden and Access Network in New Cumnock, and has delivered elements of opencast restoration projects. The CEI’s most recent project aims to improve important blanket and raised bog habitat in the Coalfields.

The CEI is a small organisation with only two members of staff: Project Manager Daisy Whytock and Project Officer Jennifer Dunn. The organisation works in partnership with East Ayrshire Council, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS), Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT) and East Ayrshire Woodlands. These organisations are represented on the CEI’s steering group and are often delivery partners on projects.

With the support of these organisations and a network of dedicated volunteers, the CEI is able to tackle a busy programme of work. The whole is greater than the sum of our parts.

The Coalfields encompasses the

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settlements of Muirkirk, Cumnock, New Cumnock, Dalmellington and surrounding areas. The area has a long history of coal mining and this ready supply of coal led to the creation of many of the area’s small towns and villages to house the expanding labour force. The collapse of the coal industry in 2012 resulted in hundreds of job losses and the abandonment of 22 opencast sites. Lack of employment is an ongoing problem in many of the Coalfields’ communities, which rank within the country’s 20% most deprived areas according to the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD).

Through its environmental projects, the CEI engages with communities to increase understanding and appreciation of the local natural heritage. Activities aimed at school pupils and community groups are centred around gaining first hand experience of wildlife in their area and developing skills in ecology and practical conservation.

Primary 4 and 5 pupils from Muirkirk Primary have recently been taking part in the CEI’s Bog Star Species education programme. The pupils have been exploring Hen harrier habitat (moorland and bog) and learning about the species’ ecology and threats with CEI’s Jen Dunn, Katie Soultie from the RSPB Hen harrier LIFE project, and PC Graeme Gordon, the local wildlife crime officer.

Peatland covers around 20% of the land of East Ayrshire and there are a number

New Cumnock Primary pupils exploring Airds Moss RSPB Reserve. of important blanket and raised bog habitats, including Airds Moss Special Area of Conservation (SAC), and parts of the Muirkirk and North Lowther Uplands Special Protection Area (SPA). Many of the bogs in the Coalfields have been lost, degraded or fragmented as a result of mining and other land uses. Bogs are important areas for wildlife and are a valuable resource for carbon sequestration, water storage and purification, and pollination. Bogs are also important assets for education, recreation and the wellbeing of local people.

Since the start of the East Ayrshire Nature Network project in 2013, the CEI has been carrying out habitat enhancement at bogs including Airds Moss SAC, Dalmellington Moss SSSI and Tappethill Moss. The objectives are to raise and stabilise the water table to support the growth of peat-forming Sphagnum mosses and other bog plants. This is generally achieved by damming up ditches to restrict water run-off, and removing trees and scrub.

The CEI have also embraced new peatland enhancement techniques such as deep trench bunding. So far, the CEI have carried out enhancement work on 350 hectares of bog and have installed around 5000 peat dams and several kilometres of bunds.

Between 2014 and 2018 the CEI will continue its work to enhance East Ayrshire’s peatlands as a beneficiary of the EcoCo LIFE project, a partnership project

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photos: CEI

Wildflower planters, funded by Action Earth.

Inset: Low ground pressure excavators creating peat dams at Airds Moss SAC.

The ’very best’ is where there is overlap for all three elements.

The CEI’s volunteers have been carrying out vegetation and hydrological monitoring and surveying a wide range of wildlife species. This helps us assess the condition of the habitat and we can start to build a picture of what plants and animals live on the bog. This information forms a baseline that we compare with monitoring data collected after enhancement work has taken place to see if there have been any changes. The volunteers sometimes discover populations of plants and animals that haven’t previously been recorded at the sites. During a recent visit to Shiel

Summer 2016

A Dragonfly Identification workshop.

PAUL TATNER

• improving ecological coherence, whilst • providing wider ecosystem service benefits, and • being achievable, cost effective, appropriate, sustainable and best value.

CEI

aimed at improving ecological coherence across the Central Belt of Scotland. There are seven partner organisations delivering habitat enhancement projects, including SNH (lead partner), CEI, RSPB, Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA), SWT, Buglife and Butterfly Conservation Scotland. The project is unique in that the enhancement work is underpinned by the development of an Ecological Coherence Protocol (ECP). The ECP sets out a new way of identifying the best sites for habitat management with the aim of:

The Green Hairstreak butterfly, discovered at Shiel Farm.

Farm, an area of blanket bog on the western side of Airds Moss, the volunteers found beautiful Green Hairstreak butterflies, a species that was not known to inhabit this site.

habitat enhancement with a further two or three bogs in the pipeline. Working at this time of the year avoids disturbing breeding birds. The CEI’s volunteers and the Coalfields communities will continue to be essential to the project, helping to monitor each new site and generate interest in these precious habitats and the interesting species they support, making the project more sustainable for the long-term.

The East Ayrshire Coalfield Environment Initiative is a partnership between East Ayrshire Council, Scottish Natural Heritage, Forestry Commission Scotland, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Scottish Wildlife Trust and East Ayrshire Woodlands, working together to enhance, conserve and promote the environment in East Ayrshire.

Further information about CEI, its activities, and how people can get involved is available at www.ea-cei.org.uk Supported by

CEI volunteer, Tom Wilson, says: “I think the work done by the CEI is really important. It goes a long way in raising local awareness of environmental issues in this area and the importance of the many wildlife habitats within the environment.”

The CEI’s peatland enhancement work will continue until March 2018, and we are preparing for a busy autumn/winter of

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It’s all systems ‘grow’ for green fingered pupils

A tern for the better TONY HISGETT

EAST AYRSHIRE COUNCIL

JENNIFER HOLMES

Towing one of the nesting platforms into place.

Pupils, parents, teachers and invited guests enjoy the Cumnock Academy Green Gym garden party.

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upils at schools in East Ayrshire have been hard at work becoming green-fingered gurus, thanks to a Green Gym project, run by TCV Scotland.

Green Gyms are active, outdoor sessions offering hands-on learning and guidance in practical activities such as planting trees, sowing wildflower meadows and growing vegetables. For six months East Ayrshire Council’s Learning Outdoors Support Team partnered with TCV to support eight schools in the area to develop Green Gyms with pupils – and a lot of fun learning took place!

Eight Green Gyms in local schools now offer hundreds of pupils (and teachers) a unique opportunity to improve the greenspaces within their schools, develop new habitats for wildlife and support the health and wellbeing of the pupils. As the greenspaces become established, they also become available for use by the wider school community.

Councillor Stephanie Primrose, East Ayrshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Skills and Learning said: “TCV has done an excellent job in helping our young people develop their conservation, wildlife and environmental skills in an exciting way – and there’s no better way to learn than by getting hands on! We now have eight new Green Gyms in the area and I look forward to seeing how these grow and develop in the years ahead, as our green-fingered gurus turn them into something truly

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special.”

Celebrating the success of the initiative, a garden party was held at Cumnock Academy with guided tours of their garden space and its new features. Pupils happily discussed their experiences of the Green Gym, what they’d learned and how these skills and new knowledge could help them in the future. A short networking and lesson learning session was hosted by TCV to share the highlights and key aspects of the project. Discussions followed on how more opportunities can be created to increase the number of pupils actively involved in improving greenspaces in and around school grounds.

Councillor Primrose added: “Opportunities such as this help schools deliver on the developing young workforce agenda, with pupils learning new skills and gaining confidence. Research has shown health benefits associated with connections to natural spaces can really impact on pupils’ abilities to concentrate, engage and retain learning concepts.”

TCV’s input to the programme was coordinated by Susan Rutherford, Senior Project Officer, who said: “We hope the pupils have enjoyed the Green Gyms as much as we have. We’re delighted that teachers in all the schools have been trained-up in the Green Gym approach, and can continue to improve the pupils’ learning experience and to enhance their school green spaces.”

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oung trainees from Falkirk Council had an interesting first few days on their recent ‘land skills’ training programme with TCV. The trainees joined TCV staff and Falkirk Council Rangers to place two floating bird nesting platforms in Bothkennar Pools, near Skinflats village. This involved towing the platforms into position by canoe and anchoring them to the water bed with rope and blocks of concrete. The platforms will hopefully encourage nesting

by Common Terns, which have few nesting sites in the Inner Forth area.

With grant funding from the Inner Forth Landscape Initiative, the project was led by Falkirk Council, in conjunction with Scottish Natural Heritage and RSPB. TCV’s input was co-ordinated by Ali Lawson, Senior Project Officer, who said: “It’s been an unusual project and we’re keeping our fingers crossed that the platforms will be used by their intended residents, but the training scheme has certainly been a success for the young folk involved, as they have all gone on to full time employment.”

Inverness Green Gym We were delighted to receive funding from Highland Council’s Deprived Area Fund. This allows us to continue running our popular Inverness Green Gym for another year and provide opportunities for local people to conserve the local environment whilst enjoying some fresh air and exercise into the bargain! New volunteers are always welcome, so if you would like more information, please contact Rob Thomas on 01463 811967 or r.thomas@tcv.org.uk.

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PHOTOS: BO COUCH

Improved prospects

The completed wall – all 100 metres! One of the wall’s special features is a lunky hole which traditionally allowed sheep to pass between fields.

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group of young lads successfully improved their skills and employability after taking part in a drystone walling training programme run by TCV Scotland and partner organisations. The six month programme involved the trainees constructing 100 metres of new drystone wall (or drystane dyke) at the Kinneil Estate, between Grangemouth and Bo’ness, close to the Firth of Forth.

The project supervisor was Bo Couch who said: “Up until April the trainees were building and practising for their Dry Stone Walling Association (DSWA) Level 1 Craftsman Certificate. There was a lot of tension in the build up to and during their assessment day. Bruce Curtis, DSWA Assessor, started the boys off at 9am for their test which involved completely dismantling 2 metres of wall and rebuilding it in a 7 hour period. Thankfully all the trainees attending passed the assessment,

DSWA assessment day.

after which three of them gained apprenticeships locally. The remaining three boys continued building the wall with new confidence and enthusiasm, and incorporated special features such as stile steps, wall ends and lunky holes (pictured).

They kept up the pace and completed the 100 metres of wall with time to spare.

These three trainees are now looking forward to taking their skills and putting

them to good use in Falkirk Council Estates Maintenance Department. This is a great outcome for everyone concerned with the programme.”

TCV Scotland thanks the programme partners and funders: Falkirk Council, Falkirk Environment Trust, Heritage Lottery Fund and Inner Forth Landscape Initiative.

River monitoring volunteers wanted in Clackmannanshire

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AMANDA MALCOLM

new project is underway for volunteers to monitor three stretches of water in Clackmannanshire to assess their condition, which may help prevent or alleviate flooding events. The three monitoring sites are: • Tillicoultry Burn confluence with the River Devon • Alva Burn at A91 road bridge • Dollar Burn water race and beneath mixed leisure route bridge to the south

No previous experience is required and TCV will provide all training, support and guidance. The project is organised

by TCV Scotland and Clackmannanshire Council, with funding from the Scottish Government, for whom a spokesperson said: “This is probably the first time we have been able to set up a flooding citizen science project and it has taken a great deal of work by TCV Scotland.”

Summer 2016

To find out more about the project and how to get involved, please contact Amanda Malcolm on 07917 460488 or a.malcolm@tcv.org.uk.

The Tillicoultry Burn, one of the flood monitoring sites.

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Lichen and air quality survey – take part!

How good is your local air quality? That’s a question lichen-loving Frances Stoakley would like to help you answer.

Frances is pictured with a copy of her Air Pollution Survey sheet which uses lichens as indicators of air quality. Most lichens are very sensitive to air pollution, so by conducting a survey of lichens you can get an idea of your local air quality.

Follow us online8 vimeo.com/ conservationvolunteers

twitter.com/tcvscotland #JoinInFeelGood

facebook.com/tcvscotland The Network Bulletin is published by TCV Scotland.

Views and opinions expressed in the Bulletin do not necessarily reflect those of the editor or of The Conservation Volunteers.

Editor Graham Burns E g.burns@tcv.org.uk T 0141 552 5294 ©The Conservation Volunteers 2016. Charity registered in Scotland SC039302, and England 261009. Green Gym is a Registered Trade Mark.

Finding funding TCV has produced a funding information sheet of grant opportunities for community and environmental projects.

The funding sheet, which will be updated three times annually, can be downloaded at www.tcv.org/scotland/ communities/communitynetwork

Learning opportunities TCV Scotland’s ongoing programme of training and learning events cover a wide range of environmental and related topics, from ‘Nature Play’ and ‘Environmental Art’, to ‘Recruiting Volunteers’ and ‘Exploring Nature with People with Disabilities’. See what’s coming up at www.bit.ly/ TCVScotlandTrg

Frances developed the survey during her TCV Natural Talent traineeship as part of the Edinburgh Living Landscape initiative. She was based at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.

Keep up to date...

...with news of TCV Scotland training courses, Forum Exchanges, networking opportunities, funding, environmental events etc – through our monthly ebulletin. Subscribe at www.tcv.org.uk/ scotland/signup-for-ournewsletter

www.environment.scotland.gov.uk The gateway to everything you need to know about Scotland’s environment.

TCV Scotland’s community, health and environmental volunteering activities are supported by:

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TCV Scotland Head Office 24 Allan Park Stirling FK8 2QG T 01786 479697 F 01786 465359 E scotland@tcv.org.uk c/o Highland Birchwoods Littleburn Road Munlochy Near Inverness IV8 8NN T 01463 811 967 E inverness@tcv.org.uk Unit M1 143 Charles Street Glasgow G21 2QA T 0141 552 5294 F 0141 552 0418 E glasgow@tcv.org.uk Jupiter Urban Wildlife Centre Wood Street Grangemouth FK3 8LH T 01324 471600 F 01324 471600 E jupiter-nursery@tcv.org.uk St Joseph’s Academy Grassyards Road Kilmarnock KA3 7SL T 01563 544304 E scotland-education@tcv.org.uk The Granary 44 Mortonhall Gate Edinburgh EH16 6TJ T 0131 664 6170 F 0131 664 0583 E edinburgh@tcv.org.uk TCV UK Head Office Sedum House Mallard Way Doncaster DN4 8DB T 01302 388883 F 01302 311531 E information@tcv.org.uk

networkbulletin

[NetBul-Summer-16/GB/RB]

Lynsey Wilson

The Network Bulletin is produced three times annually and contains news and features on Community Network member groups, plus TCV Scotland projects, programmes and volunteers.

The survey can be undertaken by individuals or groups, including young people as part of their John Muir Award. The survey sheet is available from Chris Ellis at RBGE or TCV in Glasgow – get in touch, or download it at http://ow.ly/ sd34301Nkvy