Why are we creating natural connections in Cumbernauld?

Many of you know that I have grown up in Cumbernauld. My family moved out here when I was only seven, and to me the open fields around Westfield were just heaven. I would walk for hours following butterflies and rabbits, exploring the old farm fields, hedgerows and woodlands. Things have changed in so many ways now. I am older

Earlier signs of spring

When did you see your first snowdrop? The first Wild Ways Well group of the year was out in the middle of January and we were lucky to see them already! Apparently, the dingle-dangles didn’t use to flower before February during the 1950s and 1960s. This leads us to reflect about the climate changing around us. We hear about big

Autumn is a time of change

I love autumn. We get to see the trees and plants prepare themselves for winter by drawing down the energy they have spent spring and summer creating. This energy transfers back to the roots, discarding the leaves once it is reabsorbed. It is this process which gives us the multi-coloured hues of autumn. Autumn reminds me of childhood days spend

Take a closer look

The spate of heavenly weather we have been having makes getting out for a walk all the more pleasant. Feeling the sun warm on your face and enjoying the tiniest of breezes is pure heaven! On a recent walk I thought I would see how many wildflowers I could spot, to give me a feel for what creating more meadows

Natural Connections – A great effort at awards

Left to right Provost Jim Leighton MBE, me, Gemma CLL Community Engagement Assistant CJS, Doreen Tesco Community Champion and William our first ever Nature Ninja volunteer Last Thursday a group of participants in the Cumbernauld’s Bloomin’ Wild attended the Beautiful Scotland award in Dunfermline coordinated by Keep Scotland Beautiful.  It was a fantastic day with people from all over Scotland celebrating what make their place special.  These awards are a way of recognising hard work and determination, mostly carried out by volunteers, to improve parks, reserves, business districts and residential gardens.  Read on to find out how Cumbernauld's Bloomin' Wild got on.

Natural Connections – A Beautiful day for judging

At the start of August we had two lovely volunteer judges from Keep Scotland Beautiful out assessing areas in our town for the Beautiful Scotland of Cumbernauld’s Bloomin’ Wild.  It was a mixed day of sun and showers but that didn’t stop our local groups from shining on the day. I would like to say a huge thank you to Adam Smith of the Cumbernauld Environmental Society for organising and delivering Cumbernauld’s previous entries over a number of years.  This is a huge undertaking and one that surprised us in its depth and requirements.

Night-time Window on Wildlife

Have you ever walked through some woodland and wondered what creatures might live there that we can’t see?  That use their superb senses and camouflage to hide from human eyes and come out only when no-one is around. Ever looked out into the garden, or the street and wondered what wildlife visits in the night?  Maybe you’ve heard the scream of a fox, the hoot of an owl or the snuffling of a badger. One way to find out is to throw a light switch or head out with a torch, but by doing so you might frighten off the animals you’d like to see, or at the very least change their behaviour hugely. 

Cumbernauld's Bloomin' Wild

This year Cumbernauld Living Landscape’s Natural Connections Project is coordinating the town’s Beautiful Scotland entry in the national competition organised by Keep Scotland Beautiful. One aspect of the competition is the preparation of a portfolio of photographs of the town looking at its best – bright, colourful and bursting with natural beauty. This seemed like a perfect job for the Wild Ways Well wellbeing group, so last Friday we equipped ourselves with cameras and headed out.