Environment and a Greener Community

Environment and a Greener Community: What’s happened so far?

Increased Engagement with Core Path Tidy sessions: Its a pleasure to share the activities of the Core Paths group and we hope it makes it easier for people to consider helping out at the sessions. It’s one of the easiest ways to volunteer and give something back, you’re welcome to come along when you can and all tools / equipment are provided. You’re likey to see some unusual birds, perhaps a red squirel and it's a very rewarding way to start a day. You’re also sure to have some delicious home made baking after too!

CAP partnered with ACSR Core Paths and Green Spaces plus the Allotment Association to have a Community Clean up event as part of Keep Scotland Beautiful Spring Clean. It was a superb success, thankyou to everyone who came along!

Sustainable Community Initiatives: There is a lot of local growing in Auchterarder and very generous people who are keen to share this with the local community. During the summer months, APC Community Gardens have “Fresh Friday” Keep an eye out for the bench at the allotment where produce is shared too.

There's been a nice link up between Bloom and the ACSR Green Spaces group which will see increased perennials supporting the initiative of creating a pollinator corridor through town.

Look out for the Auchterarder Horticultural events coming up too - best garden, high street planting and the superb show in August too!

Remake: There have been a couple of Creative sessions along in the Creative Hub, sharing ideas about how to get crafty with recycled materials and more sessions to come!

Active Travel and Community Cycling: We’re pleased to have a strong interest in Active Travel with CAP and have shared opportunities to encourage cycling / walking wherever possible. The Sustrans “Big wheel” events proved very popular with young people at the school, the bike racks completely filled. We’d like to see this result in less parents driving to school (where possible) The links to a healthier community, a less congested high street are positive for all. CAP were also pleased to play a small part in the two ACSR Bike Fun Day events, bringing in local suppliers, encouraging links with Glencairn Care Home to bring out (very smiley!) residents on the Trishaw and to be part of a superb community day.

Look out for more exciting Trishaw news soon.

What’s Next?

Enhancing our green spaces, increasing biodiversity and encouaging everyone to benefit from the health and wellbeing associated with being outdoors is something that the ACSR Green Space group are passionate about. CAP are pleased to be a part of the developments in Kincardine Fields and Dunlop Park. The Dunlop Park enhancement, to make it easier to sit in and enjoy the green space in the middle of town, will enhance our High Street too. Its currently used as a space for young people and we’re keen to engage with them and all users about how they enjoy the space. Kincardine Fields is a project that is progressing well - thanks to everyone who shared feedback via the questionnaire, the business plan supporting community asset transfer is well underway. The pocket forest that ACSR lead on in the Park is an example of how native species and new seating can make a wonderful difference!

The exploration of other greenspaces - such as the area down towards Castleton is being considered too.

Sustainable Community Initiatives: We recently shared details of a Remake survey that wished to explore what kinds of recycling we’d like to see in Auchterarder. We’re aware that people would like to see more opportunities to recycle at the recycling centre so hopefully we'll see progress with this CAP theme. We’ll continue to share links to other sustainability information.

Climate Cafe; Climate Cafe’s are all about making a difference at a local level. Read about the first Climate Cafe meeting in a previous blog and please do feel welcome to come along to future meets - dates shared on community website.

School & Community Links; TCSoA has achieved Green Flag status. We’re keen to see Partnerships between the School Eco Committees develop as the young people were keen advocates for the world around us during the CAP consultation.

Active Travel: Congestion around school pick up and drop off is acknowledged to be an issue. Both on campus and in the high street. TCSoA recently published information about safe travel in and around campus and we’re keen to support them with decreasing car use to and from school where possible.

Would you like to help out with the projects yet to start? If you have enthusiasm, skills, knowhow or experience, we'd love to hear from you:

......Expansion of the paths network to create a circular loop is now a step closer thanks to the new paths between TCSoA and the Muir homes site....Have you experience of exploring 20 minute neighbourhoods?.....Of opportunities for cycle paths on roads? Please do get in touch!