Magic in the air

20 March was the date of the Spring Equinox, when night and day are perfectly balanced with 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness. For many of our ancestors this was a special time. The cycle of the sun was vital to them and they watched the skies closely, monitoring for signs of change. In many Celtic cultures

Frosts, fires and foxes – what a way to start a new job!

by Katie Brown, Cumbernauld Natural Connections Trainee For those of you who don’t yet know me, hello, I’m Katie and I’m the new Creating Natural Connections trainee at Cumbernauld Living Landscape. I have lived in Cumbernauld my entire life and in this new role I hope to inspire my local community and learn something new every day. I’m only one

Fabulous Fungi!

Local resident and Cumbernauld Living Landscape volunteer Josh Chambers,  has been out and about in Cumbernauld’s fantastic green spaces again and has found some fabulous fungi! On an early morning walk I stumbled across these tiny toadstools. I am not able to tell what kind they are or anything like that, but I can appreciate them. I can appreciate that

A bug’s eye view of volunteering

We were marching through the woods. The sun bursting through the trees, the cold air sucked into our lungs. My volunteers had entered a new area of Cumbernauld Glen; unveiled before their eyes. In this space they saw what first appeared to be a void; the last vestiges of winter still clinging onto the forest. I prompted them to take

Finding Fungi

Hearing that the nights are ‘fair drawing in’ is as predictable at this time of year as the leaves fluttering down or the sweet sound of geese above our head, but on the woodland floor something just as amazing becomes apparent. Fungi seems to be everywhere, but why is there so much of it at this time of year? Well, with

Discovering the Living Landscapes in Cumbernauld

When I was asked which environmental organisations I would like to visit as part of my internship, the Scottish Wildlife Trust and the Living Landscapes Project were definitely on my list. I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to learn more about the work of one of Scotland’s most important conservation NGOs. I am originally from Hanover, Germany, where I

Leave no trace

The Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Seafar Wildlife Reserve is one of my favourite places in Cumbernauld to visit. The Trust is working hard to change the structure of the woodlands, helping native trees and wildflowers to flourish in the new light, open spaces. More native trees and flowers means more insects like butterflies and dragonflies, which in turn leads to more

Green Health and Wellbeing

What happens when traditional health practitioners and green health practitioners meet? They get together around a fire and experience a great cup of tea in the outdoors! Last month, Cumbernauld Living Landscape along with eight other organisations were invited to present their projects at the Lanarkshire Green Health Volunteering event in the stunningly beautiful Chatelherault Country Park. The aim was