A community project to improve Dumbreck Marsh Local Nature Reserve for residents and visitors has been successfully completed.
With a grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, we employed a project officer, Helen Boyle, to take forward community engagement initiatives linked to the natural and historical heritage of the site.
As part of the community project, a sculpture was created to celebrate the return of salmon to the Garrell Burn. The design of the sculpture takes inspiration from the natural environment with ideas captured in artwork created by the young people of Kilsyth during workshop activities.
A physical heritage trail has been created on site to tell visitors about the mining history of the area along with a digital trail which can be accessed by visiting the virtual Eco-Museum of Scottish Mining Landscapes - Mining Landscapes.
New signage and a link path have been created, and benches and a picnic bench installed.
An intergenerational project brought together local school pupils and residents to gather their memories and stories of the site in the past as well as their hopes and views for its future. This was captured in a short film, Bringing History to Life – Past, Present & Future.
During the project local schools, colleges, community groups, and residents cleared vegetation, planted trees and wildflowers and carried out litter picks. A Conservation Group was established to carry out practical tasks at the reserve to help conserve, manage and enhance habitats to increase biodiversity across the site.
The group continues to meet and welcomes new volunteers. For more information, email greenspace@northlan.gov.uk.
“The community has been key to the success of this project, sharing their memories of Dumbreck and the surrounding area and providing inspiration and ideas for the reserve’s future,” said Councillor Helen Loughran, Convener of the Environment and Climate Change Committee.
“Over the last four years, the reserve has been transformed to improve the environment for wildlife, biodiversity and people. We have seen salmon return to the Garrell Burn, sand martins nesting and breeding in the specially designed wall, wildflowers blooming and visitors enjoying walks around the reserve to see it thriving.
“Congratulations to everyone involved in this inspiring project.”
Dumbreck Marsh Local Nature Reserve is a hugely important greenspace with a variety of habitats including large areas of grasslands, woodlands, running water, and ponds and was designated as a Local Nature Reserve in 1996 for its valuable wetland habitats. The reserve is a haven for wildlife and birds.