Tackling the invaders

What do buddleia, rhododendron, stoats, grey squirrels and snowberry have in common? They are all beautiful and fascinating species of animals and plants that can wreak havoc on other local wildlife if they turn up in the wrong place. Then they’re called invasive non-native species (INNS), and they’re just a few of the 3000 or so that we now have

The sounds of the wild seasons

If wild geese provide the soundtrack to winter walks, the warblers to the spring, and the screaming swifts are our summer music, then it is the incessant piping of young buzzards that sometimes fill these not-quite-summer, not-quite autumn days. In truth the adult buzzards have been calling to one another most of the year – only falling silent in the

Evolution works in mysterious ways!

If Creationists wanted to cite an animal that seems to defy the theories of evolution, they should look no further than the common cranefly, Tipula paludosa. Every year as summer fades a rag-tag invasion of daddy-longlegs stumbles into homes all over the country, crashing into lampshades, dangling helplessly from undusted cobwebs, and wilfully drowning themselves in washing-up bowls and tea cups.

Brilliant Bogs!

By Sue Walker, Living Landscapes Communications Officer Bogs have an image problem. Since the time when land started to be valued purely by how much food or money it could provide for people they’ve used phrases like ‘bogging’, ‘on the bog’ and ‘bogged down’ to mean worthless, unpleasant, holding you back. You can’t grow crops, or graze animals safely, or

Goodbye and Hello

Every traineeship must come to an end and the time has come for Creating Natural Connections Trainee, Katie to hand in her metaphorical badge and say goodbye. But this is not the end of her time with Cumbernauld Living Landscape. In fact it is just the beginning. Say hello to Senior Project Officer Katie Brown: For those of you who

We’re recruiting!

  We are looking for a new Cumbernauld Living Landscape Trainee. If you’re keen to get into nature conservation work, love working with people of all ages, and want to develop your skills and knowledge in the field this may be the job for you. This role will be focussed on the goals of the ‘Creating Natural Connections’ Project; improving

Leaving the nest

By Tracy Lambert, Cumbernauld Living Landscape Project Officer – Young People I’ve lived in this town for 42 years and for the last nine of those I have had the privilege of connecting my community with nature. However, that is all about to change, for me at least, but thankfully only as an employee. You see I am leaving Cumbernauld

The state of our woodlands

The State of the UK’s Woods and Trees 2021 report came out earlier this year. Now you may wonder what that has to do with us here in Cumbernauld? It was based on UK trees. We are only a small town with lots of woodland so we are ok – aren’t we? Well, no, we’re not really. The Cumbernauld Living

Why COP26 matters to Cumbernauld

The UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) is coming to Glasgow this November, with the goal of limiting global warming to less than 2?C above pre-industrial levels. Attended by politicians, experts and delegations from 197 countries, they aim to: Secure commitments to drastically limit emissions of greenhouse gases. Mitigate the worst impacts of climate change. Mobilise finance to deliver these ambitious

To Bread or not to Bread: A Guide to Feeding Your Local Swans

St Maurice’s Pond is an excellent spot to see new life this summer. Lots of different birds are currently raising their young; mallards, tufted ducks, swans, coots, moorhens and many more. Feeding and watching waterfowl is a good wellbeing activity and is known to help with anxiety and depression. But how can we ensure we are feeding them the right