BTCV Scotland
www.btcv.org/scotland
for BTCV Scotland’s community Network
SPRING 2012
People active outdoors: root and branch As always BTCV volunteers and Community Network groups have been busy over the past few months enhancing their local habitats and green spaces. Many of these activities have had a distinctly ‘woody’ feel: hedge and tree planting, rhodie ‘bashing’, erecting bird and bat boxes, and creating woodland paths. BTCV Scotland has recently involved many new woodland volunteers through a project run in partnership with the Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS). FCS is keen for more people to engage with their local woods, a surprising number of which lie close to urban areas in the Central Belt. So, with BTCV’s help, groups of adult volunteers have been working to improve
their local woodland (see page 5). And, as the project has demonstrated, woods provide great outdoor classrooms, and wonderful places for youngsters to play games, build dens, and learn about nature. Woodlands are a wonderful natural resource – whatever your age.
Below: Learning forest skills through FELP – page 8
FCS and BTCV Scotland have also organised the Forestry and Environmental Learning Programme (page 7) providing young people with skills and confidence to enhance their job prospects in the forest and environment sectors. It’s an opportunity some of them are very grateful for, summed up by one young lad who said: ”This has been the best three weeks of my life.” Community Network groups have long been involved in tree care and planting schemes, a recent example being the Covenanters Gait Residents Association in Maybole (page 3). And, many Network members are developing community woodlands not only for their wildlife value but as educational, health, and economic assets for the benefit of local people – a topic to be covered in a future Network Bulletin. To find out if a community woodland group exists near you, look on the ‘Community Group Finder’ at www.btcv.org/network or visit the Community Woodlands Association website at: www.community-woods.org.uk There’s a lot happening in our local woods.
Community tree planting in Maybole – page 3
Above: Hurdle making in Dalkeith – page 5
Get involved!
photo: ANDREW MACDONALD
Also in this issue:
➔ A fresh group of Natural Communities trainees have been appointed ............. p2
➔ Rachel Edmans explains her role as a Volunteer Officer.......................... p4
➔ Young folk Get Started in the Environment........................................ p6 ➔ We highlight Community Network members in Barrmill and Dundee............. . ................................................p8 & p10 ➔ The Scottish Flood Forum explains its work............................................... p9 ➔ iSpot is open for business.................... p9 ➔ Scotland’s Environment website......... p11 ➔ VDS volunteer learning online............ p11