Category: Projects

TCV trainees explore Cumbernauld's greenspaces

, by Cumbernauld LL
I count myself as being very lucky to be a Conservation Volunteers Natural Networks trainee.  Day to day you’ll find me working in the Cumbernauld Living Landscape but I’ve got the support and expertise of TCV guiding my work too.  One thing I am particularly glad to have are the other trainees.  We were pleased to host the first Scottish trainees site visit in the Cumbernauld office this week, and showcased Cumbernauld in all its glory – by visiting the town centre.  Maybe not what you would have expected for a bunch of environmental folk?  Hear me out ...

Reflections of a Natural Communities Trainee

, by Cumbernauld LL
I want to share my last blog with you as a Natural Community Trainee. As a resident of Cumbernauld I have seen areas become overgrown and been angry that I saw nothing being done to tidy the place up, or make it feel safer… I didn’t have the skills and to be honest I wasn’t looking under the surface, it was too easy to blame others.  The economy at present is pretty bleak with huge cuts to Local Authority spending.  The area that has less impact on us and appears to be the easiest to take the hit is the environment.  As the Community Engagement Officer for the Cumbernauld Living Landscape I have seen first-hand, the difficulties of trying to maintain one of the largest landscaped towns in Europe.  But I have also seen the look of satisfaction on a volunteers face during an event or even when clearing a woodland of rubbish.  If we, as a community don’t improve our surroundings, why should we expect others to do it for us? 

Job opportunity and search for new talent

, by Cumbernauld LL
It has been a very successful year and the team is expanding. We are currently recruiting a full time community engagement officer and two summer volunteer interns. These posts, based in Cumbernauld, will share our pride in the town's greenspaces and be on the front line of efforts to make them better. 

Natural Connections II – Habitat Workshops

, by Cumbernauld LL
You may remember in my last blog I was telling you about the Pine marten workshops, when we first piloted this out in Condorrat Primary School in June 2014 we realised that we were missing the point of reconnecting habitats for the benefit of wildlife and that we weren’t getting that vital message out to the community.  The solution was a second workshop which linked the wildlife to the urban environment and looked at reconnecting green areas such as woodlands and parks to create a mosaic of varied habitats.

Woodland cascades project creates better homes for wildlife and people

, by Cumbernauld LL
Work has started to improve the biodiversity of Northside Woods (known locally as Seafar Woods). This will create wildlife rich cascade woodland edges making space for native species and homes for wildlife. The Scottish Wildlife Trust's urban wildlife reserve borders many local residents’ houses, making the woodland a healthy place will benefit local wildlife and people.

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