Coalface to Wildspace: Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire & Lothians
What’s it all about?
With support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Froglife will be engaging with groups and individuals from across the region to help create and restore ponds and surrounding land habitats.
Working across 14 sites, we will create 54 new ponds, restore 25 ponds and improve 24 surrounding land habitats. These will all be connected by developing 9 ‘Neighbourhood Wildlife Corridors’.
Where is it happening?
Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire & Lothians (see map below for more precise locations)
Why do we need to do it?
Freshwater habitats, such as ponds are crucial for the survival of amphibians and lots of other wildlife. Land habitats especially heathlands, grasslands, and woodlands are important homes for reptiles and amphibians. Some amphibians like frogs and toads spend most of their lives out of water. Lots of other animals and birds rely on water and good land habitat to feed and to raise their young, such as hedgehogs, brown hares and barn owls.
With the ever-increasing demand for land and the changing climate we need to protect and improve what habitat we have. The creation and restoration of the pond and land habitats will have a positive impact on the amphibians, reptiles and other animals that live there, many of which are in rapid decline.
What’s the plan and what are we going to do?
We will encourage widescale community engagement to take part in the project. Froglife will come to see you in schools, community halls, youth centres, community gardens, art centres, allotments, residential homes, care homes and more…We are particularly looking forward to working with groups and individuals that don’t normally participate in outdoor/ wildlife activities.
We have been planning a range of exciting, fun and educational activities designed around reptiles and amphibians. Some of our sessions will include:
- ‘Mapestry’- using arts and crafts to help design aspects of local heritage
- Lego sessions to design wildlife gardens
- Creative workshops- building bug hotels, basking banks, hibernacula and more
- Performance art- amphibian and reptile dance, sound and movement sessions
- ‘Garden Guardians’- training groups and individuals to become custodians of wildlife sites
- Nature trails- using ‘Augmented Reality’ to take part in fun activities
- Create a 3D film- looking at the evolution of reptiles and amphibians over millions of years
- ‘Speaking Sculptures’- help in the design and placement of these exciting pieces
How can you help?
Get in touch!
If you are in the area we want to hear from you!
Individuals, groups, schools, colleges, youth groups “friends of” groups, allotments and residential homes.
If you don’t normally take part in projects like this, give us a try! Learning can be fun and working with nature is good for your well-being. There will also be opportunities to volunteer and gain work experience and wildlife knowledge.
Help us to make a positive difference to nature in your area!
Contact our Development Manager, Mark: mark.chambers@froglife.org
With thanks to our funders:
