Category: Volunteering

Night-time Window on Wildlife

, by Paul Barclay
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

, by Cumbernauld LL
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.

Natural Connections – Community makes a difference

, by Cumbernauld LL
Community and The Conservation Volunteers getting stuck in Sometimes projects can take a few years to plan.  Planning for our current project at Ravenswood Local Nature Reserve began way back in 2014 and was the original basis of The Conservation Volunteer Community Engagement trainee-ship post.  However things happen, groups disband, ideas sometimes get put on hold and other priorities come to the fore, but these ideas are never quashed.

Natural Connections – Dog mess spoils environment

, by Cumbernauld LL
The Cumbernauld Living Landscape’s Nature Ninjas were out in the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Cumbernauld Glen reserve last weekend.  As always we were so grateful for the hardy volunteers who turned out in the freezing cold to help us improve the habitat for Cumbernauld’s wildlife. We removed invasive dogwood, preparing the area for new planting – and uncovering some beautiful dog violets as we worked!  These lovely little plants are food for Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary butterflies and hopefully our work will help them to flourish. We had a brilliant afternoon and the volunteers did a power of work, back at the office however it was another type of dog we were thinking about as Tracy and I unloaded the vans and sorted the equipment.  Read on to find out what we discovered....

Natural Connections – Helping out our garden birds

, by Cumbernauld LL
We found ourselves at Ravenswood Local Nature reserve last Sunday finishing off the works around the Banter Bench to prevent mud accumulating on the installation. Big messy job, but I have to admit it looks lovely now and I might extend these works around that area to bring it all together.  We met two local residents with their children and they told us that they love the Banter Bench and often have a seat while the kids go off and explore the woods within their sight, anyway I am digressing.

Natural Connections – What’s in store for 2017?

, by Cumbernauld LL
With so much achieved last year it is hard at times to imagine even more accomplishments for 2017 but we are a restless bunch in the Cumbernauld office and we are always looking to improve people’s connections with nature and wildlife.  So what is in store for this year?  

Natural Connections – Tackling non-natives for a very special butterfly

, by Cumbernauld LL
​Small pearl bordered fritillary at St Maurice's Pond​ December’s Sunday volunteer session saw our team out at St Maurice’s pond to remove European larch and rhododendron. We were getting some funny looks from dog walkers and families using the circular walking route as they passed us by, it got me thinking…. The folks who were giving us funny looks might not understand why we were taking out perfectly good plants.

Natural Connections – Good health goes green

, by Cumbernauld LL
Volunteer Intern Louise Smith wearing the Fitbit A few weeks ago we realised an article on the benefits of volunteering and how we were turning desk jockeys into Nature Ninja’s, it was picked up by a popular Sunday newspaper and you may have seen our brilliant intern Louise, modelling the Fitbit as she carried out conservation tasks.  Each time we have a volunteer day one of our volunteers wares this hi-tech band on their wrist to count the distance and steps travelled during a four hour period.  I also wear one every day and every six months we look at the differences between the two.  

Natural Connections – Hallowe'en at Cumbernauld

, by Cumbernauld LL
Last year's scary crew It is coming up to that time of year again when the spirits of the Otherworld can walk on our side for one night only.  Where our children dress up as ghosts and witches to confuse and befuddle these spirits.  Cumbernauld Living Landscape is holding a Hallowe’en night at the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Cumbernauld Glen reserve to help local families practice their zombie shuffles and ghostly groans.  On Saturday the 29th of October from 5pm - 7:30pm there will be a self-led walk around the Glen with activities around the route.

Cumbernauld Living Landscape transforms desk jockeys into Nature Ninjas

, by Cumbernauld LL
Natura Ninja - Louise Smith with Fitbit tracker Nature Ninjas taking part in conservation work in Cumbernauld burn nearly double the number of active calories compared to a day spent at an office desk. The Cumbernauld Living Landscape Nature Ninjas volunteer on the first Sunday of every month to help improve three green spaces in Cumbernauld, St Maurice’s Pond, Ravenswood Local Nature Reserve and Cumbernauld Glen Wildlife Reserve. These volunteers are wearing activity trackers on their wrists to record the amount of steps taken and calories used during work on nature reserves and at public events. Data from the devices revealed that they burn around 1,500 calories and walk an average distance of ten kilometres (six miles) during conservation work, roughly double the amount of active calories used in a normal day at the office. 

Categories

Tags

Engaging comunities, Public opinion, Wildlife Watch Group, Weekend Volunteering, Yew, Chirstmas, Comments, Disqus, Make it count, Plastics, Frost, Beautiful, Green Routes, SUSTRANS, CSGNt, Memories, Play, National Toast Day, Tracks, International Year of the Forest, Wildlife gardening, Forestwood, Flowers, Cowslips, Black birds, Swift, Witch, Wizard, Magic, Inspiring