While am writing my blog to you guys the sunshine is splitting through my window! Can’t actually complain as I’ve been out in the field for the past three days and am office bound today.
Well where do I start….since my last blog I have been veryyy busy but enjoying every minute of it.
Diversity training at Hindu Mandir, Hindu Temple & Cultural Centre, Nick, Lucy and I.
It’s only been 9 weeks or so and I have done 5 training courses! I have been on the Risk Assessment and Safe Working Practices in BTCV (so there are no boo boo’s), John Muir Award training, Community Engagement, Working with Multicultural Community Groups, two day True Bug identification workshop (found an uncommon Heather Shield Bug!) and I attended the fifth Tayside Recorders Day conference.
My diary is filled up with interesting and exciting training days as well as numerous events.
I have just completed a small questionnaire to assess various elements of the recording community in the Forth area, specifically Clacks, Falkirk & Stirling. I hope to gain a better understanding of the following; details of the recording effort of individuals, their specialism(s), any training and mentoring they deliver, barriers to broadening the training & mentoring, what barriers face communities and novice recorders and what support the recording network can provide.
My questionnaire is not yet public but I hope to be using it real soon to obtain the above information to develop a series of training events/workshops aimed at the recording community.
As well as supporting communities to begin to record by providing them with training, mentoring opportunities and equipment to record we will also be supporting local community lead events, providing marquees, keys, butterfly nets etc and links to organisations who can support and encouragement if they want to continue on their biological recording journey.
I made contact with Falkirk Ranger Service and I have been in contact with two community groups, Westquarter Wildlife Group and Lionthorn Community Woodland Group and I will be working with these groups to provide support for bio-recording and to provide assistance to their local community events such as ‘Meet the Species’ with Westquarter Wildlife Group and Lionthorn’s Funday later on into the year.
My fellow Natural Communities trainee, Kate Williamson based with Stirling Council is working with Cultenhove Opportunities Partnership and kindly asked if I would like to become involved as I am also targeting community groups that would not normally bio-record and we both are organising a marquee at their Funday Event to exhibit their local wildlife so the community can develop an appreciation of their wildlife and I hope to enthuse the community and kick start an interest in bio-recording. (More details from the Fun day and pictures in next blog 🙂 )
I am also looking into how we can help carry out the Dragonfly Atlas Survey in the Stirling area. Dragonflies and damselflies are members of the Order of insects called Odonata. There are two 10km squares in Stirling with no dragonfly records since 2000 or no records ever and we aim to train volunteers with a two day dragonfly workshop and follow this up with some field excursions to try and fill some of the gaps in the Atlas. I am really excited about this because to get some dragonfly records from these areas so that the UK Dragonfly Atlas is as up to date as possible when it is published in 2013. This will be happening later on into the year but I can’t wait already!
In addition to my work load and responsibilities I am continuing Paul McDonald’s (Last year’s Natural Communities trainee) work to deliver a series of ‘Discovering Nature’ educational conservation sessions for young, unaccompanied asylum seekers who are studying English as a Second Language at Anniesland College in west Glasgow. Alongside their English classes, this group of friendly and happy youths are undertaking their John Muir and ASDAN Awards, which have a large component of environmental and wildlife conservation in their syllabuses.
Paul and I have already met for two mornings of practical conservation work with the students. Since Paul’s departure with us I have done two nature learning session. At Pollok Country Park Suzie Bairner (Buglife) and I split the students into two groups and lead the students to discover the first signs of spring looking at tree buds, bluebell shoots, catkins, birds and crocuses.
Student’s beaming after picking up wind-blown litter amongst the birch and alder woodlands of Robroyston. 40 bags of litter were collected in 2 hours.
At Linn Country Park Ali Murfitt (Natural Talent) lead the students through the park looking at Spring plants: flowers, edible and medicinal. Ali even made a wild garlic dip for the students to try and made herbal brews from the edible flowers and leaves! (Well cool!!) All the students were engaged and enthusiastic to learn and become familiarised with Scottish parks, wildlife and enjoyed trying edible plants. A further day trip to David Marshall Lodge in Aberfoyle is planned.
Wild Plant brew!
Moreover, I am gaining knowledge, skills and experience to expand my community engagement skills as I am engaging with the students, introducing them to Scottish wildlife. Further to this, these events will help students to complete their awards, as well as improving their English skills but more importantly for me being able to work with such a diverse group of youths who are very keen and enthusiastic to learn about Scottish wildlife.
On Saturday I attended my first event of the year at Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park – Wild Park Event. We had a table with Buglife and we caught specimens in the morning to showcase them off at our table. We found a ground beetle, larch ladybird, woodlice lice and different types of spiders. It was great fun showing the kids as well as the adults about the local wildlife. It was really funny though, a few of them asked where they would be able to buy these specimens and our reply was simply to go outdoors and discover them!
LLTNP Wild Park Event - Kate and I before we were rushed off our feet!
The kids loved the Larch ladybird since it is one of around 20 species in Britain of ladybirds that do not have spots. One of the questions we were asking the kids was, what’s the difference between the Larch ladybird compared to others you usually see? And our best answer of the day came from a boy who said ‘this one is in a box!’
They were also very excited about the ‘What will I be when I grow up’ game (matching up baby bug pictures with what they will look like as an adult) and colouring in butterflies!
Overall, the event was great fun and good experience as I have several events to come.
I especially liked being able to share some of my knowledge with other people plus I managed to do some networking too!
Well I’ve got more events coming up within the next few weeks and I can’t wait to get cracking on to inspire everyone to bio-record and discover nature!! Also, a lot of planning and organising to do for future workshops and events but that’s me for now until the next time!