Environmental & climate groups

*April 2024

News from Forres Friends . .

Here is the latest newsletter from Forres Friends of Woods and Fields

From: Forres Friends <forresfriends@gmail.com>
Sent: 01/04/2024 18:37:57
Subject: Garden news & Volunteer dates

Friends ....

The 2024 garden is taking shape ... the revamped beds and paths are looking good, thanks to those who've stripped acres of cardboard and shifted tons of compost and woodchip! Mike and Andy amongst many. Our smart solar powered potting shed is completed, apart from fitting out inside, thanks Olly, Lin, Tom the builder and AES.  We've just taken delivery of 8 casks for water storage, thanks to Gordon & Macphail for donating them.  And although the tatties are now finished, we're harvesting tasty salads ... thanks to the polytunnel fairies!

Forthcoming volunteer dates Weds 3rd April, Sat 6th and Weds 10th. 1000-1300 as usual, see meeting details below.  Always more fun to come ... seed sowing in modules & planting out, weeding & mulching. Plus tasks elsewhere on the land ... pricking out cherries and hazels at the tree nursery, a few fruit trees to guard and some tubes still to check around our planted trees. 

Hope you're getting out and about .... Mick.

On behalf of Forres Friends of Woods and Fields.

Volunteer day details. We meet every Weds and every second Saturday at 1000 at the wooden bridge at the far end of Sanquhar Loch, or come straight to the garden, and we finish around 1300. Phone 07796 462613 if you can't find us. Bring work/waterproof clothes, work gloves, suitable footwear. And a flask or drink plus snack for tea break, usually around 1130. Please let us know about any medical issues that may be relevant.

forresfriends.com 
facebook.com/ForresFWF/ 
Instagram: #forresfriends

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MOO Food

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January 2023

Knocknagael Community Growing Project

We are a community not-for-profit organisation established to take over the "Smiddy Field" - one of the fields at the Scottish Government-owned Knocknagael Farm on Essich Road in the south of Inverness - by an Asset Transfer Request. 

The aim of the Knocknagael Community Growing Project is to create, maintain and manage food growing activities, including allotments, for the benefit of the community.

Plans under consideration include a community garden, allotments, a community orchard, food growing areas, and outdoor walking paths.  We are in discussions with potential stakeholders including Education and Mental Wellbeing organisations.

With new housing going up all around Inverness, our aim is to create a Green Hub to get more people growing and enjoying local produce, while benefitting from a rural oasis in an increasingly urban landscape.  We recently submitted comments to the Highland Council's Inner Moray Firth Development Plan, which is currently under review.

​We have joined Community Land Scotland, the Community Woodlands Association, and been awarded a Stage 1 Grant by the Scottish Land Fund. 

Knocknagael website

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January 2023

Centre for Sustainable Energy - a new approach to Community Energy development

(reference from Transition Together newsletter)

We are an independent national charity that shares our knowledge and experience to help people change the way they think and act on energy.

Over the past couple of years, the Centre for Sustainable Energy has been scaling up a new approach to community engagement on renewables. The Future Energy Landscapes (FEL) approach has generated community support for local renewable energy projects or plans, allowing local planning authorities to develop ambitious energy plans.

This is because the approach explores local interest in renewable energy, encourages discussions around different possibilities and provides resources and information to understand what’s possible within a local area. Because people have gone through this thought process, they’re more likely to support local plans born out of these conversations.

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March 2022

Centre for Alternative Technology

CAT is based at Machynlleth in Powys, and offers a wide range of activities and training and volunteering opportunities.

Annual review and newsletter

The need to inspire, inform and enable humanity to respond to the climate and biodiversity crisis has never been more urgent, and it's vital that communities, businesses, policymakers and individuals have the knowledge, skills and confidence to take effective action on proven solutions.

You can read about some of the ways that CAT is helping to make this happen in our 2020-21 Annual Review - all made possible by you, our supporters. 

Annual Review highlights include

• Welcoming the BBC's Autumnwatch and Winterwatch to their Welsh base at the CAT eco centre
• Launching #CATatHome, ensuring we could continue to share climate solutions during lockdowns and beyond
• Enrolling a record number of students on our postgraduate courses
• Developing the Zero Carbon Britain Hub and Innovation Lab
• Publishing our five year strategy, showcasing CAT's refreshed vision, mission and future plans.

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May 2021

Skye Climate Action

Working together for a climate-friendly Skye by reducing Skye’s carbon footprint and preparing for the changes that are happening to our climate.

Skye Climate Action is a collaborative network set up to share information, provide support and link up people and groups on Skye and nearby who are taking action on the Climate Emergency.

Whether you are taking a personal stand or are joining with others, whether on issues of food, transport, plastics, building, energy or anything else, please drop us an email to tell us what you are doing so we can share your story and inspire others.

https://skyeclimateaction.org

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November 2020

Planet Sutherland newsletter and thoughts on Resilience

Planet Sutherland is not a Transition group but has an ethos, objectives and activities very similar to ours, and shares some of the difficulties we are familiar with, in operating in an even bigger and more thinly populated area than the Black Isle.

"If I'd had £1 this month for all the discussions I've had on the meaning of "Resilience".. well I'd be rich for sure...."

In the November 2020 issue of Planet Sutherland's newsletter, Anna Patfield gives some thoughtful reflections on what we mean by 'Resilience'.

www.planetsutherland.com

'Take One Step' video, and blog archive

List of Sutherland food suppliers

All Planet Sutherland's newsletters and blogs can be found at  News / Planet Sutherland newsletters and blog

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Highland Environment Forum

The Highland Environmental Forum (HEF) was established to provide an arena for discussion, networking and action on environmental subjects, and to raise awareness and promote good practice on environmental issues. 

We hold two full Forum meetings a year, organise annual biodiversity and invasive species conferences, and set up working groups as required.

http://www.highlandenvironmentforum.info/

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July 2021   

Scottish Environment Link

Scottish Environment LINK is the forum for Scotland’s voluntary environment community, with over 40 member bodies representing a broad spectrum of environmental interests with the common goal of contributing to a more environmentally sustainable society.  We are a Scottish Charity (SC000296) and a Scottish Company Limited by guarantee (SC250899), core funded by Membership Subscriptions and by grants from NatureScot, Scottish Government and Charitable Trusts.

We facilitate change: we build collaboration, and support and enable partnership working to add value for the environment through leadership and engagement. As the voice for Scotland’s environment, the LINK network exists to support our members in making change happen on the ground for a healthier environment, healthier societies and a healthier planet.

LINK launched its strategy for 2020-2024 on 6 March, read more about it here.

Find out more

https://www.scotlink.org/

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November 2019   

The Shieling Project  Strathfarrar

In 2019 Shieling Project was named as Environmental Social Enterprise of the Year by Social Enterprise Awards Scotland.

The Shieling Project is an off-grid learning centre based in Glen Strathfarrar, near Beauly in the Highlands of Scotland.  The project is all about outdoor living – from looking after our livestock to making real buildings, from weaving baskets to making burgers from the meat we have raised here. The tradition of the shieling where folk lived outdoors all summer herding the cattle, gives us a window onto the past, but also helps us look forward to a sustainable future.

Sheiling project website

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Nairn River Enterprise and Green Hive

Check out this group with similar aims and activities to TBI's  at

https://www.hub.greenhive.co.uk/

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Lochaber Environmental Group

LEG aims to encourage the desire to take action on the environment locally and to help local communities and people to do this. The company runs various projects throughout Lochaber - including a Food Lochaber growing group and an online food market on the Open Food Network platform.http://lochaberenviro.org.uk/

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Forth Environment Link

Forth Environment Link runs various projects including a food and growing project Grow Forth - "We want to see local food linked to every aspect of community life" - and the Stirling NeighbourFood online market.  There is  more about Grow Forth on our  Food & Growing / Other Growing Groups and Courses page.

Other FEL groups and projects include Forth Valley Orchards, Stirling Cycle Hub, Cycle Stirling and Forth Upcycling Network - "Working with communities to reduce waste".

http://www.forthenvironmentlink.org/

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August 2019   

Arran Eco Savvy

Arran is an island roughly the same size as the Black Isle, and Arran Eco Savvy is an organisation with very similar aims and activities to those of TBI and other Transition groups.  Arran Eco Savvy showed interest in our Million Miles project of a few years ago, in relation to a similar 'Arran in Ten Years' sustainable transport project currently under way on the island.  This includes an 'eBike Challenge' in conjunction with Home Energy Scotland, aimed at getting employers to persuade their employees to travel by bike rather than by car, a Liftshare scheme and production of an Active Travel Map.

http://arranecosavvy.org.uk/

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Highland Biodiversity Partnership

The Highland Biodiversity Partnership comprises around 30 representatives of local groups and key organisations committed to understanding, safeguarding, restoring and celebrating biodiversity within the Highland Council area.

Its purpose is to provide guidance and support to the existing network of local biodiversity groups, and to make progress on the key strategic biodiversity issues in the Highlands.

Since the Highland Biodiversity Project was started in 2002, over £700,000 of new funding has been spent on biodiversity action and planning in Highland. Over two thirds of this money was targeted towards local biodiversity projects. Seven Local Biodiversity Action Plans have been produced, over 130 projects delivered and over 250 awareness-raising events held across the seven LBAP areas.

Highland Biodiversity Action Plan  2015 - 2020

Biodiversity Projects Directory

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August 2021

Carbon Copy - climate / environment group umbrella organisation

The main purpose of Carbon Copy seems to be to provide a UK-wide platform for community and environmental groups to showcase their projects.  Their website states

Our aim is to inspire more individuals to take collective action where they live to address the environment and climate crisis. We can build something better by working together in local communities, councils and companies – because a cleaner, fairer future is within everyone’s reach if we know where to look.

Projects from around the UK are presented under the headings Energy, Buildings, Circular Economy, Transport, Nature and Land Use.  Food and Growing would seem to be a useful addition to the list.

The only Highland project listed is Raasay Community Renewables, but others in Scotland include

Lothians Conservation Volunteers
Restoring Glenlude  (John Muir Trust)
Edinburgh tool library
Sustainable Selkirk

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