2. How might you (or your group) want to get involved in supporting the management of grasslands, rewilding or habitat creation in your local community?
I'm a teacher who has started a charity which has taken over the management of 5 acres of education land, www.batswood.org.uk we are working with volunteers and pupils doing outdoor learning at Levenmouth Academy to grow a beautiful wood, a growing space for community fruit and veg and, more ambitiously, a bike track. I would encourage teachers to follow suit if they can find a suitable piece of land near or at their school.
I've been helping one local group planting bulbs and trees for years. They've planted wildflowers but they tend to be rather expensive and require significant ongoing maintenance without which grasses take over.
Me and my son helped to sow wildflowers in Ravenscraig Park and we loved it and are now so proud to see the plants growing every Spring. We'd love to do that again!
With regard to grasslands it is likely that after decades of amenity management the seed bank and resulting wildflower diversity that responds to this type of management might be quite low. I would be supportive of helping to organise sowing workshops and plug planting in my local community (Inverkeithing) as I have experience in this area. I believe enhancement of the grassland areas through seed sowing and plug planting will be vital in the first few years of management to ensure that areas do not appear grass dominated and therefore "messy" to locals who might otherwise have seen the benefits of wildflower areas on their doorstep.
I am already involved in maintence of a local Community Garden (In Newport) where we are beginning to manage the grassy area as a perennial meadow, as well as growing vegetables and fruit for the community. Time is the limiting factor for me to take on any more projects.
Better support to some local groups which already engage in this kind of work but which often face challenges, including from Council. At the very least, reduce the obstacles they face (including some, certainly not all, parks staff). One group I know/help occasionally grows its own wildflower plugs and this could be scaled up but this might also require financial support
I’m pleased to see so many Community initiatives set up in Fife in recent years and its good that they support each other through social media and workshops that are made open to all. In Strathkinness we set up a Community Trust 10 years ago and we now have a large Community Garden and Orchard, a 30 acre Community Woodland, Magus Muir, that we purchased from Fife Council and has lots of Community use including Forest Schools, a large village green managed by the Community, and several areas of wasteland around the village managed for wildlife with annual and perennial wildflower meadows. All these projects are aimed at supporting our local and surrounding communities whilst managing our habitats to support wildlife and biodiversity
Open answers (14)
I'm a teacher who has started a charity which has taken over the management of 5 acres of education land, www.batswood.org.uk we are working with volunteers and pupils doing outdoor learning at Levenmouth Academy to grow a beautiful wood, a growing space for community fruit and veg and, more ambitiously, a bike track. I would encourage teachers to follow suit if they can find a suitable piece of land near or at their school.
Agree with this. The problem is getting the land quite often
I've been helping one local group planting bulbs and trees for years. They've planted wildflowers but they tend to be rather expensive and require significant ongoing maintenance without which grasses take over.
I'm not able to do any heavy work unfortunately but there may be other ways I could help.
I particularly like your post. If you could find a Community group locally you will find there are always jobs to do to help
Me and my son helped to sow wildflowers in Ravenscraig Park and we loved it and are now so proud to see the plants growing every Spring. We'd love to do that again!
Me and my trustees have been working on this for a while: http://www.batswood.org.uk/Index.asp?MainID=30499 anyone in the Buckhaven/Methilhill area welcome to get involved.
With regard to grasslands it is likely that after decades of amenity management the seed bank and resulting wildflower diversity that responds to this type of management might be quite low. I would be supportive of helping to organise sowing workshops and plug planting in my local community (Inverkeithing) as I have experience in this area. I believe enhancement of the grassland areas through seed sowing and plug planting will be vital in the first few years of management to ensure that areas do not appear grass dominated and therefore "messy" to locals who might otherwise have seen the benefits of wildflower areas on their doorstep.
I am already involved in maintence of a local Community Garden (In Newport) where we are beginning to manage the grassy area as a perennial meadow, as well as growing vegetables and fruit for the community. Time is the limiting factor for me to take on any more projects.
Better support to some local groups which already engage in this kind of work but which often face challenges, including from Council. At the very least, reduce the obstacles they face (including some, certainly not all, parks staff). One group I know/help occasionally grows its own wildflower plugs and this could be scaled up but this might also require financial support
I could quite easily spare a four hour day,as long as its not a Friday! Thats already booked,with another project!
I’m pleased to see so many Community initiatives set up in Fife in recent years and its good that they support each other through social media and workshops that are made open to all. In Strathkinness we set up a Community Trust 10 years ago and we now have a large Community Garden and Orchard, a 30 acre Community Woodland, Magus Muir, that we purchased from Fife Council and has lots of Community use including Forest Schools, a large village green managed by the Community, and several areas of wasteland around the village managed for wildlife with annual and perennial wildflower meadows. All these projects are aimed at supporting our local and surrounding communities whilst managing our habitats to support wildlife and biodiversity