We’ll be exploring the unique shoreline and all its treasures, from rock pooling and wildlife ID to seaweed gathering, bird spotting and more … Bring your nets and binoculars for a fun-packed wild shoreline discovery session, and don’t forget to wear your wellies …
Suitable for ages 8+
Free but advance registration is required.
To book your place: go to www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/183463433067 call us on 0131 315 2151 (Mon – Fri, 10am to 4pm) pop by and see us in person.
Environmental charity calls for young people to engage with mini-Litter Less campaign
Scotland is facing a looming litter emergency and environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful is calling for teachers and youth leaders to get involved in a new international 10-day campaign to tackle litter.
The Mini Litter Less campaign will run from 18 – 28 October 2021 and those that sign up to participate will be supported with a seven-point action plan.
The plan includes activities to learn about the biodiversity and nature around you, to understand plastic pollution, to find out more about invisible pollutants, to consider consumption habits, to think about the partnership approach to tackling the issue, and to organise a litter pick and celebration picnic.
The campaign will also feature a Zero Waste Day where young people will be encouraged to live a whole day without producing any waste at all.
Participants will be asked to post their thoughts, photos and videos on social media using the #LitterLessCampaign, and the best three will be selected by us and entered into an international competition – with the best 10 global entries winning a prize of $100.
Keep Scotland Beautiful’s Education and Learning Manager Daniel Barrie, said: “Litter Less is an annual campaign we run on behalf of the Foundation of Environmental Education (FEE). Across the world 15 other countries participate and it supports over 1.3million children and over 20,000 educators to improve and enhance the places they love in their own villages, towns and cities by campaigning to stop litter.
“This Mini Litter Less campaign provides an easy to follow seven-point action plan to help drive a change in the behaviour that causes litter. The actions are easy to fulfil and are designed to be tackled one a day over a period of time.
“Tackling litter and waste is crucial if we are to reverse declining standards of cleanliness across our country and the planet so we would encourage everyone to get involved.”
KSB have run the wider Litter Less campaign for nine years, and in that time £56,000 of support has been provided to 244 Scottish schools, helping them to become more ‘litter-ate’ and to purchase litter picking equipment and bins.
In addition, more than, 4,000 educators and 50,000 children and young people have been involved across Scotland.
If you are interested in getting involved contact:
– It’s Good To Grow scheme will see in-store and online spending rewarded by giving gardening equipment and seeds to UK schoolchildren –
– Move to encourage children to eat fruit and vegetables as 70 per cent are more likely to eat produce that they have grown themselves –
Morrisons has launched ‘It’s Good To Grow’, a campaign in all of its stores that will donate gardening equipment to schoolchildren across the UK in the hope of educating kids about where their food comes from.
The scheme will see customers gain one ‘It’s Good to Grow’ token in their My Morrisons account via the app and website for every £10 that is spent in store or online, which can then be donated to any school to redeem equipment such as gardening tools, composting bins and seeds to get growing.
The National Food Strategy, published earlier this year, outlined the need for the UK to improve dietary health whilst protecting the environment, warning that a failure to do so could lead to obesity costing the NHS £15 billion by 2035.
Morrisons hopes the initiative will help build a connection between kids and healthy food by making school children more aware of the journey of food from field to fork.
New research by YouGov on behalf of Morrisons has found that some children aged six to 15 do not have a good understanding of how fruits and vegetables are grown.
For example, only 34 per cent correctly identified how asparagus is grown, with 32 per cent stating that asparagus is grown underground and 21 per cent saying they don’t know how it is grown. This highlights a need to show kids how food is grown to help them eat better now and in the future.
Being Britain’s biggest foodmaker, Morrisons is empowering children to connect with the natural world for them to better understand what they are putting into their bodies. Giving children the tools and knowledge needed can help develop better dietary habits – with research finding that out of 1,115 children surveyed aged six to 15, 70 per cent are more likely to eat produce that they have grown and cared for themselves.
Over half (56 per cent) of the children aged six to 10 in the UK are not currently eating their recommended amount of fruit and vegetables each day. The Morrisons scheme aims to build a closer relationship between children and fruit and vegetables so they can see that it can be easy and inexpensive to grow their own produce once they have the necessary skills.
Rachel Eyre, Chief Customer & Marketing Officer at Morrisons, said: “We’re really proud of the work that we do for British food and with British farmers. It’s great to be able to launch a campaign that will give our youngest customers the knowledge and equipment to gain a better understanding about where food comes from and how to grow it.
“We want children to engage with nature as it will help them to start eating more healthily now and in the future, because they are more likely to eat fruit and vegetables when they understand them or have grown them themselves.”
‘It’s Good To Grow’ aims to transform 14,000 schools in Britain into Morrisons Growing Schools by giving children additional educational resources to demonstrate the importance of improving their health, whilst making use of their environment.
This is the latest initiative introduced by Morrisons that aims to encourage a sustainable future and follows wider business commitments such as pledging to be completely supplied by net zero emission British farms by 2030 and committing to the Peas Please initiative, run by the Food Foundation, to encourage customers to eat more vegetables.
Download the My Morrisons app via the App Store and Google Play to start earning ‘It’s Good to Grow’ tokens that can be donated to schools for them to redeem gardening equipment.
The University of Edinburgh, Queen’s University Belfast and University of Liverpool have been awarded over £7.1 million from the UK Prevention Research Partnership (UKPRP) as part of a consortium to investigate the impact that nature can have in helping to prevent and reduce health inequalities in urban areas.
The Consortium, ‘GroundsWell: Community-engaged and Data-informed Systems Transformation of Urban Green and Blue Space for Population Health’ will explore how transforming cities with nature can reduce health inequalities, primarily around chronic and non-infectious diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer and mental health.
Over the five-year project, the interdisciplinary team will develop innovative approaches to work with communities where there are high levels of health inequalities. They will work with communities as key partners to develop and implement ways to improve health inequalities and prevent a range of chronic illnesses through harnessing the positive impact of nature.
Dr Ruth Hunter, from the Centre of Public Health at Queen’s University Belfast and Groundswell Co-Director, said: “There is strong evidence that natural environments within urban areas, such as parks, woodlands (green spaces) as well as lakes and beaches (blue spaces), have positive impacts on health.
“These urban green and blue spaces could be huge assets for protecting and equalising health if they were available, accessible, valued and well-used, particularly by less advantaged groups. The problem is that they are not, which is what this project aims to address.”
Dr Hunter added: “We are delighted to receive this funding from UK Prevention Research Partnership. Working with a range of experts across health, data and community engagement, over the next five years we will seek solutions to improve our urban environment that will in-turn improve population health.”
UKPRP supports multidisciplinary teams looking at ways to prevent non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, poor mental health, obesity, cancer and diabetes. Non-communicable diseases make up the majority of illnesses in the UK and account for an estimated 89 per cent of all deaths.
Professor Kevin Fenton, London Regional Director for Public Health England and Chair of the UKPRP Scientific Advisory Board, said: “UKPRP is an important and timely programme that we need to address health inequalities and prevent the onset of non-communicable disease.
“The projects funded under this programme are pushing the boundaries of prevention research by taking multidisciplinary approaches to addressing the complexities of population health, with the aim of improving people’s lives and health.
“As we look to build back fairer from the pandemic, the creation of healthy communities and places is a key priority.”
The project will use a range of approaches to ensure that communities, including residents, businesses and organisations, are fully represented.
The Consortium will comprise of active, equal and embedded members and partners at all stages of decision making and will involve co-designing solutions that will benefit communities.
Professor Sarah Rodgers, from the University of Liverpool and GroundsWell Co-Director, said: “Working with local authorities and charities, we will record how our environments change through time.
“Knowing when parks were adapted to encourage new visitors and how this subsequently impacts health outcomes will help provide robust evidence on what works and for whom. Everyone should have access to the right environments to support their health and wellbeing.”
Professor Ruth Jepson, from the University of Edinburgh and Groundswell Co-Director, added: “We propose a new way of working which encourages communities and citizens to work with our partner organisations to plan, design and manage urban green and blue spaces so that they benefit everyone, especially those who need it most.
“Through our partnerships and with the active involvement of our communities, we will identify small and large scale projects which can be developed and evaluated. We will involve communities and citizens in all stages of the work; from planning and prioritizing, to collecting data through citizen science apps, to writing, speaking and blogging on what is working well and what is not.”
Butterfly species hard hit by changeable weather patterns
Where have the butterflies gone? Butterfly Conservation launches this year’s Big Butterfly Count with urgent appeal for public’s help after disastrous spring weather.
Chris Packham and wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation are launching this year’s Big Butterfly Count today by asking people to help find and record butterflies across the UK.
Butterfly Conservation’s current records show that many species of butterflies have had a poor spring or a delay in their emergence following 2021’s unseasonably cold and wet weather.
The Speckled Wood was particularly low in numbers this spring, but the Small Tortoiseshell, Comma, Green-veined White, Large White and Red Admiral were also all down in abundance compared with their 10-year average. How this will impact this summer’s butterflies is what the charity is asking people to find out, by taking part in the Big Butterfly Count.
The weather in spring 2021 has been very challenging for many of the UK’s butterflies and moths. Although April was the sunniest on record, it was also very cold with a record number of frosts. This was then followed by the wettest May for over 50 years. Butterfly Conservation needs the public’s help to measure how these conditions have affected our butterflies and moths.
The UK is experiencing an increasing number of extreme weather events, a likely result of climate change, and it’s important we learn the effect these changes have on our native butterfly species in order to understand the likely long-term impacts on biodiversity.
The Big Butterfly Count is Butterfly Conservation’s annual three-week citizen science event. The UK-wide survey is open to everyone, of any age, living in towns, cities or the countryside.
Taking part just requires you to spend 15 minutes in an outdoor space (a great staycation activity) counting the amount and type of butterflies, and some day-flying moths, you see. It is easy to do and the more people who do it, the greater the benefits to our understanding of nature and how to help it.
For those taking part in Scotland, a new species has been added to the Big Butterfly Count identification guide this year.
The Scotch Argus is common and widespread in Scotland but has declined in the southern part of its range, especially in England where it is reduced to just two isolated sites. Butterfly spotters in Scotland are encouraged to record their sightings of the Scotch Argus so that scientists might better understand changes in the population.
There were over 145,000 counts submitted to the Big Butterfly Count last year, more than ever before. Though worryingly, 2020 also saw the lowest average number of butterflies logged since the event began twelve years ago.
Chris Packham, Vice-President of Butterfly Conservation and wildlife broadcaster, says: “Biodiversity and climate crisis is an urgent issue and it can be overwhelming to think about what we can do as individuals to really make a difference.
“Because butterflies and moths make excellent indicators of the impacts of climate change and other human environmental factors, collecting data on their numbers is really important. So, something as simple as recording a butterfly spotted in your garden, at your local park or on your window box can play a part in vital research into a global problem. It’s a really valuable contribution everyone can make.”
Dr Zoë Randle, Senior Surveys Officer at Butterfly Conservation says: “The Big Butterfly Count, along with our other research work, is already showing us changes in the populations of our butterflies and moths. Climate change and other human-led impacts are causing some species to be found in new areas, while others are becoming harder to find in the UK at all.
“We really need the public’s help to understand what is happening to our butterfly and moth populations. It’s a small but crucial thing everyone can do. This information will not only help us to protect these species, but also to inform what effect the changing climate is having on our biodiversity.”
Taking part in the Big Butterfly Count is something anyone of any age or ability can do, in any outdoor space. It provides a real contribution to science and our understanding of butterfly and moth populations in the UK.
This year the Big Butterfly Count is sponsored by garden wildlife specialist Vivara and the DFN Foundation, a commissioning charity focused on influencing sustainable change in special needs education, supported employment, healthcare and conservation.
Bastiaan de Jong, COO of Vivara said: “Back gardens can provide essential pit-stops for insects and are perfect locations for butterfly spotting.
“Whatever space you have, make it inviting to wildlife and enjoy doing your bit for nature on your doorstep. So join in and ‘get out for the count’ to see just which butterflies love your garden!”
David Forbes Nixon OBE, Chairman of the DFN Foundation, said: “We are once again thrilled to be the official co-sponsor of the Big Butterfly Count and look forward to continuing our work with Butterfly Conservation to identify trends in species that will help us plan how to protect butterflies from extinction.
“Last year saw more submissions to the Big Butterfly Count than ever before and it was wonderful to see this engagement even in the midst of the pandemic. Now, as we continue to follow the roadmap out of lockdown, we have a huge opportunity to build on this momentum and engage with even more people of all ages across the country on connecting with nature in a positive and meaningful way. The Covid-19 pandemic has brought into even greater focus the need to help improve our whole environment for wildlife and enrich the lives of people now and in the future.”
This year’s Big Butterfly Count runs from the 16th July to the 8th August.
For more information and to take part simply visit www.bigbutterflycount.org or download the free Big Butterfly Count app.
Sir David Attenborough, world renowned naturalist, writer and broadcaster, has been named the recipient of WWF’s Duke of Edinburgh Conservation Award which honours and recognizes outstanding contributions made to the global conservation movement.
For over 60 years, Sir David Attenborough has brought the wonders of the natural world to our screens and into our homes, completely transforming our view of the wild world and inspiring action for our planet’s most precious species and fragile habitats.
His extraordinary broadcasting career began when he joined BBC Television in 1952. From his first ever documentary series to the more recent A Life On Our Planet, Sir David Attenborough has become synonymous with natural history programming.
His lifelong ambition has been to create societal affinity with the natural world through his work and he has been a strong advocate for the need to translate this affinity into real, collective action to protect our planet.
“Sir David Attenborough has been a passionate champion for the natural world, dedicating his life to inspiring hundreds of millions around the world to love and care for nature and wildlife. Across more than 60 years, his universal appeal has transcended generations and borders,”said Pavan Sukhdev, President of WWF International.
“With nature in crisis like never before, we need everyone on the planet to be a voice for nature and Sir David Attenborough has been a shining example of that advocacy. He has been integral in explaining nature to audiences and inspiring action for our planet, our one shared home.”
The Duke of Edinburgh Conservation Award carries particular poignancy this year given the passing of His Royal Highness the late Duke of Edinburgh in April.
Prince Philip – who would have turned 100 today – was a pivotal patron of WWF, serving as a passionate voice, advocate and champion for the organization’s work from its creation and particularly as WWF International’s President from 1981 to 1996. The Prince was also the first president of WWF-UK, from its founding in 1961 until 1982.
In 1970, WWF established its prestigious award, eponymously named the Duke of Edinburgh Conservation Award, to recognize and encourage significant achievement in the global environmental field.
Sir David said:“It is a particular honour to receive an award that carries the name of His Royal Highness the late Duke of Edinburgh. The Duke was a great pioneer of the conservation movement both in the UK and internationally.
“His concern for the natural world came from a deep knowledge and understanding, and his energy, advocacy and ability to reach leaders and people all around the world was an inspiration.”
This year WWF marks 60 years of conservation impact and its mission has only grown in relevance and scope over the last six decades, expanding from the protection of species and places to a systemic approach to nature conservation and sustainable development, partnering with others to address the conservation at scale of wildlife, forests, ocean and freshwater systems and to tackle the main drivers of nature loss.
Today WWF is calling for urgent action to address the global climate and nature crises and ensure a sustainable future for all. The conservation movement, along with world leaders, businesses and communities will have to achieve more in the next 10 years than in the last 60.
Sir David added: “The natural world has never been in greater need of help than it is today. I have seen the damage we have done to it myself. The good news is more and more people are beginning to recognise the threat of impending catastrophe.
“But there is a long way to go and time is running out. It will be the next generation that determines the future of our planet, and the passion of young people that will ensure that change happens.”
Dobbies, the UK’s leading garden centre retailer, is marking World Bee Day (20 May) for Edinburgh customers with a virtual event hosted by natural and organic health and beauty company, Neal’s Yard Remedies.
Following on from the recent launch of their #sustainabledobbies campaign, the experts at Dobbies Garden Centres are teaming up with Neal’s Yard Remedies in this virtual event, to share top tips on making Edinburgh gardens a bee-friendly haven.
Bees are one of the most vital elements of our eco-system, but with several species now in decline, it’s more important than ever that we all play our part to support these precious pollinators, and World Bee Day serves as a timely reminder to celebrate their significance in our daily lives.
The virtual event will start at 7pm on 20 May, and will be hosted by Tipper Lewis, Brand Ambassador for Neal’s Yard Remedies.
Tipper will provide attendees with top tips on the best blooms for bees, and share advice on how to maximise a garden’s ‘pollen power’, so that everyone can play their part in creating a sanctuary for bees in their gardens this summer.
Tipper will also introduce guests to Neal’s Yard Remedies’ Bee Lovely product range, which is lovingly crafted with ingredients such as honey and beeswax. Every purchase from the Bee Lovely collection helps to support bees across the world, with a percentage of each purchase donated to bee-friendly charities. Lucky attendees will also be given the chance to experience the range for themselves too, with the opportunity to win one of five Bee Lovely ‘Head to Toe’ gift sets during the event.
Alongside this, Tipper will be on hand to answer any questions viewers may have, including advice on the best blooms and bushes to plant to attract bees, and how to ensure that gardening techniques are sustainable and bee-friendly at every turn.
Tipper Lewis, Brand Ambassador for Neal’s Yard Remedies, said: “Bees are hugely vital to so many things in our daily lives, from the food we eat to the flowers in our gardens and even the skincare we use.
“The team at Neal’s Yard Remedies and I are very excited to share our knowledge, passion and love for bees of all kinds with Dobbies’ Edinburgh customers, and we hope they’ll enjoy learning more about them as we celebrate World Bee Day.”
The Neal’s Yard Remedies expert event is part of a series of free virtual events that Dobbies is hosting this Spring. Following a successful programme of Facebook Live sessions in 2020, they provide a virtual alternative to regular events usually hosted instore.
Further events have already been announced for the coming weeks, including a virtual event on roses, Britain’s favourite flower, hosted by Dobbies’ Horticulture Director, Marcus Eyles.
Advance booking is essential for the virtual events, which are hosted on Microsoft Teams, making it quick and simple for viewers to log on and join in the event from the comfort of their homes.
The sessions are free of charge and exclusively available to Dobbies Club members. For those who aren’t yet members of Dobbies Club, membership is free and signing up is quick and simple, giving access to a variety of benefits, special offers and exclusive events. To sign up visit dobbies.com
Why Nature is the theme for Mental Health Awareness Week 2021
In the first lockdown, I called an elderly friend (writes MARK ROWLAND, Chief Executive of Mental Health Foundation). She lives alone and had recently had a fall. Separated from her community, she had lost all in-person contact.
When I asked her how she had got through it, she told me it was taking daily comfort from watching the birds sing to each other on the fence and the flowers re-emerge from the frosts of winter.
During long months of the pandemic, millions of us turned to nature. Our research on the mental health impacts of the pandemic showed going for walks outside was one of our top coping strategies and 45% of us reported being in green spaces had been vital for our mental health.
Websites which showed footage from webcams of wildlife saw hits increase by over 2000%. Wider studies also found that during lockdowns, people not only spent more time in nature but were noticing it more.
It was as if we were re-discovering at our most fragile point our fundamental human need to connect with nature.
Nature and our mental health
Nature is so central to our psychological and emotional health, that it’s almost impossible to realise good mental health for all without a greater connection to the natural world.
For most of human history, we lived as part of nature. It is only in the last five generations that so many of us have lived and worked in a context that is largely separated from nature.
And it is only since a 1960s study in the US found that patients who were treated in hospitals with a view of nature recovered faster, that science has started to unpack the extraordinary health benefits.
During Mental Health Awareness Week 2021, we will pull together the evidence that demonstrates the powerful benefits of nature for our mental health. We will look at nature’s unique ability to not only bring consolation in times of stress, but also increase our creativity, empathy and a sense of wonder.
It turns out that it is not just being in nature but how we open ourselves up and interact with nature that counts.
We will show that even small contacts with nature can reduce feelings of social isolation and be effective in protecting our mental health, and preventing distress.
Nature is our great untapped resource for a mentally healthy future.
Despite this, many of us are not accessing or benefitting from nature. Teenagers in particular appear to be less connected with nature and around 13% of UK households have no access to a garden.
We want to challenge the disparities in who is and who isn’t able to experience nature. Nature is not a luxury. It is a resource that must be available for everyone to enjoy – as basic as having access to clean water or a safe roof over our heads.
Local and national governments need to consider their role in making this a reality for everyone, and we will be talking about how they can do so during the week.
What are the goals for the week?
We have two clear aims. Firstly, to inspire more people to connect with nature in new ways, noticing the impact that this connection can have for their mental health. Secondly, to convince decision makers at all levels that access to and quality of nature is a mental health and social justice issue as well as an environmental one.
2021 is going be a huge year for nature: a new Environment Bill will go through the UK Parliament which will shape the natural world for generations to come; the UK will host the G7 nations where creating a greener future will be a key priority and a historic international UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) will be hosted in Glasgow in November.
There could not be a more important time to understand the links between nature and mental health.
What you can do
Stories are the best tools we have to influence change. Unless we can demonstrate nature’s role in bringing solace and joy to our lives, it will remain under-valued and under-utilised.
We want to hear your stories of how nature has supported your mental health. This might be as a simple as tending to a house plant, listening to the birds, touching the bark of trees, smelling flowers or writing a poem about our favourite nature spot.
Whatever it is for you, we invite you to #ConnectWithNature and share what this means for you.
During Mental Health Awareness Week, we are asking you to do three things:
Experience nature: take time to recognise and grow your connection with nature during the week. Take a moment to notice and celebrate nature in your daily life. You might be surprised by what you notice!
Share nature: Take a photo, video or sound recording and share the connections you’ve made during the week, to inspire others. Join the discussion on how you’re connecting with nature by using the hashtags #ConnectWithNature #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek
Talk about nature: use our tips, school packs, research and policy guides to discuss in your family, school, workplace and community how you can help encourage people to find new ways to connect with nature in your local environment.
For more information about this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week visit mentalhealth.org.uk/mhaw or join the conversation on social media using #ConnectWithNature and #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek
Edinburgh residents encouraged to protect local garden wildlife
Dobbies Garden Centres has teamed up with the UK’s largest nature conservation charity, the RSPB, to release its latest podcast episode. The podcast is available to listen to now (Wednesday 24 March) and takes a look at how we can all protect and care for our local garden wildlife.
In the latest episode, podcast host and gardening writer Louise Midgley is joined by RSPB Conservation Officer, Ally Lemon, with the pair discussing how we can all make small changes to protect our garden wildlife. As well as practical advice on caring for our birds, insects and pollinators, the episode also has some handy tips on how to make a welcoming habitat for local species.
Marcus Eyles, Horticultural Director at Dobbies, said: “With spring just around the corner a lot of us will be preparing our gardens for the warmer months, and we can all do our bit to make our outdoor spaces more wildlife friendly.
“Helping nature starts at home, and no matter how big or small your garden, we can all create a suitable home for garden wildlife. We hope people across Edinburgh will welcome local wildlife into their gardens.”
The RSPB is inspiring everyone to give nature a home, and with just a little planning we can all provide safe havens for local wildlife to feed, breed and hibernate in our gardens. Following the charity’s Big Garden Birdwatch initiative in January, this year the RSPB are looking to inspire more and more people to garden for nature on their doorstep and engage in more wildlife-friendly practices in their garden, balconies and local communities
Ally Lemon, Conservation Officer at the RSPB, said: “No matter the size or type of outdoor space you have, whether it is a rural garden or a city balcony, everyone can help wildlife in their local area.
“There are loads of things people can do to invite wildlife into their outdoor spaces, from planting some wildflowers in flowerpots, putting up some bird boxes or creating a pond. Small steps can give nature a helping hand.”
So far, Dobbies’ podcast series has covered a host of topics, with everything from seasonal spring gardening tips and practical advice for beginners, to growing your own produce and caring for houseplants.
Dobbies products to make your garden wildlife friendly:
Henry Bell Heritage Fat Ball Feeder, £14.99; Henry Bell Decorative Stake Feeder, £19.99;Henry Bell Elegance Nesting Box, £14.99.
go to www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/183463433067
