FINAL REPORT FOR THE COREHEAD BUILDING BIODIVERSITY WITH PEOPLE PROJECT Leader Ref:- DG103 Application Ref:- 34

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1 FINAL REPORT FOR THE COREHEAD BUILDING BIODIVERSITY WITH PEOPLE PROJECT Leader Ref:- DG103 Application Ref:- 34 BACKGROUND TO THE PROJECT 1. How was the idea for the project developed? The project was developed following the purchase of Corehead Farm by Borders Forest Trust in BFT is a community based native woodland conservation organisation that works to restore native woodlands for the benefit of wildlife and people. Corehead was bought to carry out ecological restoration and engage people in the process, helping to connect them to their natural environment. Committed to involving local people in this innovative work, BFT developed this project to create opportunities for the engagement and involvement of people in the ecological restoration of the site and to raise awareness of its importance ecologically, culturally and historically. 2. Who was involved in the project? Individuals and Organisations. The project was led by BFT, in particular the Corehead Site Manager, who worked with support from the Corehead Steering group which comprises local community representatives, BFT staff and trustees and the contract farmer. The Steering Group was established to help advise on access, volunteering and site management of the project. In November 2010, a Path Finder meeting took place to look at the management the site and participation opportunities. It was attended by a number of local residents and representatives of organisations including RSPB, SEPA, Moffat Community Council, D&G Council, SNH and Tilhill Forestry. A management plan was produced as a result of this meeting. As the project was delivered many individuals participated in events and volunteering and these participants were both local from in and around Moffat as well as from further afield in Scotland and England. Local groups such as the Moffat Probus as well as national groups such as the John Muir Trust were also involved in the project through evening talks about the project and visits to the site. The Site Manager also worked with the local school, Moffat Academy, both primary and secondary pupils and tertiary education providers such as the Crichton Campus and Bangor University who visited the site. Local contractors and businesses were used as much as possible to maximize the local economic benefit of the project. 3. What were the aims and objectives of the project? The project aimed to develop participation opportunities for the local and wider community through the employment of a Site Manager. The participation opportunities included public events, volunteering activities and skills development, surveying and monitoring, educational activities and organised site visits. The overall objective was to link people to their natural environment through participation and involvement in the ecological restoration of a culturally significant landscape at Corehead.

2 4. How was the funding package assembled? Match funding was secured from Scottish Natural Heritage and the Tubney Charitable Trust towards the project. In kind contributions were also considered to be a substantial amount given the intended voluntary activity and a monetary value was put against this as a cost and income. 5. How much money did LEADER provide? Leader approved a grant award of 49,998, 42.6% of the total costs. However as the total spend decreased and the grant decreased to 44, THE PROJECT EXPERIENCE 6. When did the project take place? The project took place between 10 th March 2010 and the 9 th March What actually happened? A Site Manager was recruited to work with local people and engage them in the habitat improvement activities being co-ordinated at Corehead. The first Site Manager Ed Glenwright started with the Trust in April 2010 but left the post in November The post was re-recruited and filled by Phil Roe who started in January The interim period was covered by other BFT project staff to ensure that there was continuity in the provision of participation opportunities and management of practical works. The Site Manager contacted many local groups to generate awareness about the project and its opportunities. He then developed and delivered a programme of events, volunteering activities and ecological restoration works for the site which included Educational Talks and Visits to Site 14 Public events 18 Volunteer Days 37 Corehead Steering Group meetings - 8 Working with volunteers and local contractors a variety of biodiversity and access improvements activities were carried out. These included:- The production on an information leaflet encouraging visitors to the site The production of 2 threshold interpretation signs installed to give visitors an understanding of the site and how it is being managed The installation of bird boxes were installed across the site and an area of cover crop was planted for birds. Access improvements were made to paths including the installation of waymarkers and the access road was improved and a small parking area created for visitors on site. An education pond was created for use by visiting groups 2 small orchards were created through planting of some 200 fruit trees by the local community.

3 8. How was the project delivered? The project was delivered by the Site Manager supported by the BFT Director and Projects Manager and the Corehead Steering Group. One of the volunteers of the Steering Group was particularly active in promoting the project and publicising events, volunteering and educational opportunities and was fully disclosed with CRBS to assist with educational activities with the local school. A programme of events associated with Corehead and the natural environment was developed for the general public that covered a range of topics that would appeal to a wide audience and maximise interest. These events included an ethnobotany walk looking at the cultural use of plants, an Easter egg hunt, bug hunts, hill walks, fungi walks, history walks and a forestry harvesting demonstration. The Management Plan guided the practical works of habitat improvement and management activities at Corehead. A series of volunteering activities were led by the Site Manager to enable volunteers to work on a range of tasks including tree planting and maintenance, fence work, sign installation, farm work, drystane dyking, path maintenance and surveying. Over 7, 000 trees were planted by volunteers aged from 3 to 80 over the duration of the project on volunteer planting days. At the volunteer days, participants received appropriate training to enable them to carry out tasks and use tools safely and as a result gained practical conservation skills in a range of activities. The training was generally informal and carried out on the day but one volunteer received formal drystane dyking and subsequently led volunteer activities independently. The Site Manager made contact with the local school and provided presentations to teachers on what could be offered at Corehead and highlight the educational opportunities available. This was then followed by a number of educational visits by classes from the school to Corehead. The Site Manager also worked with a number of further education establishments such as the Crichton Campus and Bangor University. Baseline surveying was carried out by volunteers on birds and plants and monitoring set up to in the future. Fixed point photography was also set up to show landscape changes over time. 9. What marketing was undertaken? Events and volunteering activities were promoted on the BFT and Moffat Online websites, in local papers and by poster. The Site Manager also contacted local groups and the Moffat Academy to promote the project and opportunities available. The project was also promoted to BFT members and supporters in BFT publications, 2 newsletters and one annual review annually. 10. Who benefitted from the project? At least 377 individuals benefitted from the project through participation in events and volunteering activities, attending site visits, educational activities and evening talks. These individuals came mostly from Dumfriesshire but also from further afield in the UK and also America. Participants were from the general public, schools and other educational institutions, community groups and special needs and disadvantaged groups. The grouping of the participants is listed below and shows while the overall target number was reached, the age and gender grouping of individuals was not as anticipated at the project inception stage. There were more middle aged and retired individuals than forecast and less young people. Despite best efforts, it was not always possible to acquire the full quantity of information from participants that was required to satisfy Leader conditions so the numbers of participants recorded by Leader are less. It is also worth noting that others did not complete the participation forms so 377 is the minimum number of people benefitting from this project.

4 Target group Target TOTAL LEADER APPROVED Recorded TOTAL Male age under Female age under Male age 25 and over Female age 25 and over Over age TOTAL Farming Community Micro businesses Information on the employment status of participants was not easy to ascertain so it was not possible to report on the numbers of participants that were within that category. Throughout the project, BFT prioritized the use of local businesses and contractors to maximize the local economic benefit. 11 microbusiness benefitted from the project as they were used as contractors these included Mediafolk IT support, Billy Davidson Rural Work Contractor, David McGarva a local shepherd lambed the Corehead sheep, Tree Surv tree planting, Derek Murrary fencers, Wee Sleekit interpretation and leaflet designers, Moffat Taxis, the Glenholm Centre IT trainers, RC Dalgleish agri-engineers and the Borders Training Group. The Annandale Transport Initiative was also used to transport school children and volunteers to the site and latterly the Site Manager rented office space at the Moffat Community District Initiative helping to support to financial operations of this valuable community initiative. Supported by the project, the local school used the site for educational activities including tree planting and biology, healthy living exercises, orienteering The Site Manager also provided work experience opportunities for a few secondary school pupils interested in a career in conservation. 11. How did the final budget turn out? The final budget was less than the projected budget. This was due to a combination of underspends in particular costs heads where expenditure was not approved as eligible eg insurance and also where there was simply not as much expenditure as initially anticipated, eg Site Manager, the project started 6 weeks before the postholder started and the post was vacant for 2 months. A review of the finances was carried out and additional activities were approved for inclusion, using some of the underspend. 12. What lessons have been learnt? Lessons have been learned about the individual nature of each community. Volunteering aspect did not quite turn out as planned due to the high number of community activities in the area and the apparent committed nature of people to specific places and sites. It had been intended that there would be a regular week day volunteering activity to build up a core volunteer group, however lack of interest has prevented this and instead monthly volunteer activities at the weekend proved to be much more popular and became the main focus of volunteering in addition to occasion week day volunteering. 13. Will the project be mainstreamed or transferred? No, it is hoped that elements of the project will be continued by volunteers and that additional funding will be secured in the future please see below pt 14.

5 14. Detail the sustainability of the project and/or the exit strategy. Having involved many individuals in the project it is envisaged that their involvement will carry on and that they will continue to visit the site and see how it is changing. Particularly when people have participated in tree planting, individuals often return to see how their trees have grown and watch as woodlands grow from small trees. Wildlife surveying and monitoring will hopefully be taken forward on a sustainable basis by volunteers who have received training in identification and surveying. Some volunteering activities will also continue to be led by suitably qualified volunteers such as the individual who was formally trained through the project who will be working with the Life Skills group of the Moffat Academy over the next 6 months. Beyond independent visits to the site of previous participants and volunteer led voluntary activities, BFT is committed to continue to provide opportunities for participation at Corehead and will seek further grant support for volunteering, education and events to engage people in the work being carried out at Corehead. The project has received additional funding from SNH to continue the project to March 2012 and beyond that BFT will continue to fundraise towards this work. 15. Detail how the project has addressed the LEADER issue selected in the application. This project addressed the Linking Land and Communities Leader issue. This project has enabled some 377 individuals to participate in land focussed activities at Corehead. Many of these individuals returned on more than one occasion attending events and volunteering. This high level of participation and repeated involvement demonstrates an enthusiasm for and interest in the countryside and natural heritage which has been enhanced by through the activities provided by this project. It shows that people are have been able to appreciate more of their natural environment as a result of this project which has helped them to become better connected to the land around them.

6 Volunteer planting Volunteer erecting owl box Volunteer planting Volunteer orchard planting

7 New interpretation panel Volunteer dyking Volunteer planting New wildlife education pond Volunteer fencing Volunteer building owl box