Plug Planting Plans

It has been gorgeous weather these last few weeks in Cumbernauld.  Already we are seeing various pollinators bobbling about from plant to plant as wildflowers truly emerge. Recently in Cumbernauld Glen I spotted a comma!  It’s a delightful butterfly that can be quite elusive. This experience reminded me why our work with wildflower meadows is imperative.  Our volunteers have been

Nature Ninjas Path Out of Lockdown

  Our Nature Ninjas were out last week for the first time this year.  It has been a long few months, but we felt confident that our secure coronavirus site-based plan would protect us while working in the field.  Our volunteering activities are needed now more than ever. With Spring now sprung, the need for access to greenspace has now

Spring foraging – fresh food for free!

by David Walsh, Cumbernauld Living Landscape Project Officer As winter drifts away and spring emerges, we start to see an abundance of wildflowers back in bloom.  Over the past year it has brought a particular sense of excitement for me.  This is due to my new hobby: foraging! Foraging is often viewed as a bit scary.  None of these plants

The Green Wall

Josh was out exploring nature this week and came across the Antonine Wall! This is sadly Josh’s last post for us, he has came to the end of his project. We would just like to thank Josh for all the hard work he has put in for us creating these amazing blogs. We wish him well for the future! “For

What is in the nest?

Josh was out on a walk and spotted a really cool bird’s nest…. While I was on a (social distanced) walk I found this bird’s nest high up in a tree. The nest was rather large. However, I was unable to see any type of bird to help me with its identification. The nest was very visible due to the

Why not all trees are equal

  Part of our work in trying to restore our local wildlife habitats is taking out some of the things that would not be there naturally. You may have seen our teams of Cumbernauld Living Landscape volunteers out and about removing such things – which can range from litter to invasive species of plants. Some plants that are not native

Fluff up and cuddle up – staying warm in winter (if you’re a bird)!

By Teri Grieve, Cumbernauld Living Landscape trainee On any winter walk a common sight, and perhaps the poster child of our snowy winters, are our resident robins, which stay with us all year round. Strangely though their bright chests may stand out against the white of the snow, they almost vanish against the bare branches of the shrubs. How do

Nature Ninjas keeping paths to nature open for everyone

At such a tough time for everyone, it is important to connect with green spaces.  These connections have been shown, in countless studies, to improve mental health. It is therefore imperative that access to green spaces remains easy and unobstructed.  These are some of Cumbernauld Living Landscape’s guiding principles. We continue to operate our “Nature Ninja” volunteer groups in these

Two new Access to Nature projects start work

Great news! As part of our Access to Nature work, which aims to make Cumbernauld’s green spaces more accessible for everyone, work is due to start on improving the paths through Seafar Woods and Ravenswood. The work has been funded primarily by the Campsies Centre. This is what we are planning: Seafar Wood path upgrades Managed by the Scottish Wildlife

Deadly fungus taking its toll on Cumbernauld’s ash trees

A deadly and incurable disease which kills ash trees is sadly starting to take its toll in Cumbernauld’s woodlands. Ash dieback is a fungal disease that was accidentally introduced to the UK in the early 2000s, and has since spread from the south east of England to almost all parts of the country. It originally came from Asia, where the