Ranger Service Biodiversity Projects
Last updated | 16/04/2012
The John Muir Award
The John Muir Award is an environmental award scheme that
encourages people to discover and explore the outdoors
and take practical action for conservation. Part of the award
is to share your experiences with other people. The award is the
educational programme of the John Muir Trust, the UK’s
leading wild land conservation charity inspired by the legacy of
John Muir (1838-1914) who was born in Dunbar.
The Ranger Service works with groups to help them achieve a John
Muir Award. Examples include:
Pitlochry nursery's project at Blackspout woods. They
learned about the history of the wood, squirrels, and insects and
created woodland structures. They shared their experience through a
slide show at the nursery.
Kinnoull Adult Resource Centre's project to look at climate
change and the possible effect on wildlife. They carried out
wildflower surveys and have grown fruit and vegetables.
NHS clients have worked at on Kinnoull Hill on a 'Woods for Health
Project' chosen by Greenspace Scotland as a pilot to calculate the
Social Return on Investment (SROI). This showed the value of
the benefits to the public, the participants, and the Ranger
Service at £9.30 for every £1 spent.
If you would like to discuss a John Muir Award project please
contact the Countryside Ranger Service.
More details about the John Muir Trust and the award scheme can
be found at http://www.jmt.org.
Bumblebee and wildflower surveys
There used to be 25 native species of bumblebee in the
UK, sadly 3 are now extinct in the UK and 7 other
species are seriously threatened. Bumblebees need wildflowers
for food and hedgerows, woodlands and old meadows for nesting
so as these disappear so do
the bumblebees. Bee's polinate flowers so without bees,
wildflowers could disappear as could other insects and animals
associated with these flowers.
We are improving open spaces for wildlife as well as
people! For example we have created a wildflower meadow
in Larghan Park, Coupar Angus. You can help record which
wildflowers are there, and which species of bumblebee
and butterfly feed from them. Please contact us if
you're interested in helping carry out surveys.
Why not make a bumblebee box or help with a survey? Find
out more from the Bumblee Conservation Trust.
Perth Bat Project
The Perth City Bat Project took place in 2009 as
a partnership between Perth and Kinross Council Ranger
Service, the Bat Conservation Trust (BCT), and Perth Bat Group. .
The aim of the project was to make Perth the first UK town or city
to have a comprehensive survey undertaken to find out what bats
live in Perth and where in Perth they live.
The results showed that all areas of Perth had bats with bigger
numbers being seen around water. Four species of bat were
identified, both species of Pipistrelle, the Daubentons and
the brown long eared bat.
A summary report has been produced (PDF, 1MB)
and a full report (PDF, 5.5MB) that detail the
findings of these surveys.
Lady Mary's Biodiversity Project
The Ranger Service and local Community Learning Workers are
working together at Lady Mary's Walk in Crieff to get
people who wouldn't normally spend time in the countryside involved
in wildlife surveys. They are surveying a wildflower
meadow to see if the number of marsh orchids increases as
a result of the way it is being managed. They are also taking
part in Plantlife's Wild Walk Survey and the UK Butterfly
Monitoring Scheme.
Bird Counts
The Rangers regularly count the numbers of geese and
waterfow using the Wetland Bird Survey on the Inner Tay Estuary
Local Nature Reserve. The records are used by the BTO
(British Trust for Ornithology) and the Ranger Service to track the
UK's internationally important waterbirds and to evaluate the
impact of wildfowling.
10th Perthshire Scouts Project
The Ranger Service is working with the 10th Perthshire Scouts
who have adopted an area of woodland, Hilton Woods, and are
managing it to improve biodiversity and access. Nest
boxes are made and placed, non-native trees and
shrubs are being removed to make space for native species, and
the path is undergoing improvements. Tasks take place on
a monthly basis.
Sheltered Housing and Biodiversity Project
This is taking place across Perthshire with various residential
and sheltered housing complexes taking part. The projects are
run with two aims - to involve the residents with recording the
wildlife they see in the grounds, and to improve the grounds for
biodiversity. Kincarrathie Residential Home in Perth received
funding to carry out a range of improvements to their grounds
including wildflower circles for honey bees and bumblebees,
erecting nestboxes for swifts and owls, and planting a new
mini-orchard.
Perth College Biodiversity Project
In early 2011 students from Perth College UHI environmental
conservation course volunteered with the Ranger Service on the
Knock of Crieff. The aim was for the students to learn how
countryside sites are managed and maintained, and carry out
practical conservation work to improve the site. They improved
paths by removing encroaching branches and scrub
and clearing drains to prevent water damage. And helped
to conserve a lowland heathland habitat.
The students were asked to complete a feedback survey to
determine if the project had achieved its aims, the results showed
they were very satisfied, had gained useful work experience and had
enjoyed working with the Ranger Service.
Other projects include the
Tayside Swift Survey and the
Red Squirrel project.
