Greenspace and Nature
Nature Scot has some really useful guides and explainers on Scotland’s biodiversity , how climate change will affect Scotland’s nature, and how your community can get involved in safeguarding your local place and the wider landscape. The RSPB has a page dedicated to ways to get involved in local conservation activities to give nature a future.
Parks and greenspaces are community assets, at the heart of healthy, happy, strong and thriving communities. Greenspace Scotland is Scotland’s parks and greenspace charity, and supports local communities through grant funding, information, advice, training, and community placemaking projects.
Keep Scotland Beautiful run a Climate and Nature Friendly Communities Network which is free to join. They support community groups across Scotland helps them to improve their local neighbourhoods and regenerate local spaces.
The Community Woodlands Association supports new, aspiring, and established community woodland groups; and Communities for Diverse Forestry have training and tools available for communities wishing to participate in woodland creation proposals.
The Coastal Communities Network is a community-led network comprising local groups committed to the preservation and safeguarding of Scotland’s coastal and marine environments. They offer various ways of supporting local groups – with gatherings, learning exchanges and funding. The Marine Conservation Society ‘Ocean Emergency Guides’ are good explainers about the issues our seas face, what this means for all of us, and what we can do.
In Ayrshire there are lots of ways to get involved in supporting nature:
Here at the Ayrshire Climate Hub, many of our delivery partners focus on engaging with nature; on conservations, biodiversity and nature-based solutions for climate. For example, NCCBC are developing a programme of learning in outdoor skills and nature awareness in the community in Minishant, Woodland Wakeup in collaboration with Eadha Enterprises are developing a ‘wee forest’, and The Conservation Volunteers are running Citizen Science Workshops across the region – so look out for announcements and get involved!
The Galloway & Southern Ayrshire Biosphere Partnership is a non-profit organisation working across the UNESCO region, creating and facilitating projects that support conservation, education, climate resilience, and a sustainable local economy.
The Scottish Wildlife Trust have a local Ayrshire volunteer group , and run the Ayrshire Nectar Network to create and connect nectar and pollen-rich habitats in both North Ayrshire and South Ayrshire – they are always looking for new groups to join this partnership.
The Ayrshire Rivers Trust works to improve Ayrshire’s rivers and lochs, and the East Ayrshire Coalfield Environment Initiative works with the community to enhance, conserve and promote the environment in East Ayrshire.
You can also find out more about the three Ayrshire local authorities’ work on natural environment:
North Ayrshire – Environment and Sustainability