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NEWS AND EVENTS
What to look for through the year - Wildlife on Your Doorstep
November 2008 - Sorn Village Hall Christmas Decoration Event Advertised Poster
August 2008 - New FEI Ayrshire Forest Cluster newsletter available here
August 2008 - Stewarton, new oak bench installed at Crusader Avenue in Stewarton, in conjunction with SWAT.
August 2008 - Hannahston
community woodland. Youth group involved in making and installing
new nestboxes in the woodland, which
unfortunately were quickly destroyed and vandalised. This is the second time
that all new boxes have been destroyed. There has also
been vandalism to the stone shelter at the entrance.
August 2008 - Catrine
Railway Cutting work continues - planters are being made for the
area and the new stone seating has now been
pointed due to repeated vandalism, it is unfortunate that the drystane effect
has been lost but this was essential to ensure the structure
remained in place.
July 2008 - Vacancies
for Assistant Project Manager & chargehand (East Ayrshire Woodlands) and
Project Manager (Coalfield
Environment Initiative) advertised.
July 2008 - Woodroad Park, Cumnock
Work on revamping the Templand Wood trail in Woodroad Park has begun with volunteers from the EASY Project, in partnership with the Coalfield Environment Initiative. The first phase includes cutting back encroaching vegetation and scraping paths and steps. The trail posts will also be replaced and education / nature worksheets will be produced, together with other downloadable resources, available on the website.
June 2008 - Catrine Railway Cutting
The work on the landscape improvements at the Railway Cutting at Catrine is complete and a web page will be live shortly.
June 16th 2008 - New interpretation panel delivered for Lainshaw Woods, Stewarton, to be installed shortly
January 15th 2008 - New Footpath Links for Stewarton
Involvement between East-Ayrshire Woodlands and Stewarton Woodland Action Trust has implemented the full upgrade of all footpaths within Lainshaw Community Woodland and was completed just prior to the Christmas break. In total 911 metres of footpath has now been upgraded and was funded by Forward Scotland. The path upgrade which now provides an all-weather and all-abilities link from the housing of David Dale Avenue to the main footpath running along the River Annick and connecting to other newly installed footpaths.
Further information: Reg Briers, Forester 01290 426973
January 2008 - Willow
now available from our Willow Crop. See willow
page for details.
2007
October 1st 2007 - Galloway & Ayrshire Biosphere initial consultation complete. Further details at www.sup.org.uk
October 1st 2007 - Fisherman's path now open at Stewarton
The Fisherman’s Path that links the Anderson’s Mount footpath and the Lainshaw House’s footpath is now complete. All construction work is finished and is now open to the public to enjoy
July 19 2007 - Galloway & Ayrshire Biosphere Consultation meetings arranged.
July 19 2007 - Additional Footpath Construction Happening Soon………The Fisherman's Footpath, Stewarton.
In addition to the Andersons
Mount Footpath that was installed earlier this year on the behalf of Stewarton
Woodland Action Trust (SWAT). A new all-season whinpath will be installed
during July and August 2007 that adjoins Anderson's Mount footpath and follows
the course of the River Annick until the property boundary of Lainshaw House.
East-Ayrshire Woodlands has been contracted the job of installing 736 metres
of whinpath with a similar specification used for Andersons Mount. The route
is mainly designed for the use of pedestrians, push chairs and cyclists. The
Fisherman's Footpath starts (Grid Ref; NS406 449) approximately 50 metres
in from the minor road leading to the Scottish Water treatment plant and then
ends at the property boundary of Lainshaw House (Grid Ref; NS409 452).
Path planning has been made easier by working closely with the plant manager
at Scottish Water treatment plant at Stewarton. Firstly, the route of the
Fisherman's Path goes over land owned by Scottish Water and secondly the passage
of material and plant vehicles has been agreed to access the water treatment
plant which has reduced haulage distances and overall project cost.
Further path work is likely to occur this year with extensions at both ends
resulting in nearly 3300 metres of newly formed footpath around Stewarton
by the end of 2007.
This route is one of many that is scheduled for upgrading/constructing around
Stewarton and is identified as Route 7 (Annick Water Path) in the 'Stewarton
Access Strategy Action Plan 2006' commissioned by SWAT.
It is advisable to the general
public not to use the route once under construction as plant vehicles such
as tracked dumpers and excavators will be in use at either end.
For further information, please contact EAW Forester, Reg Briers on 01290
426973
2006
December 5 2006 - Footpath
work at Anderson's Mount, Stewarton
An all-season whinpath will be installed through the mature broadleaf woodland
known locally as Anderson's Mount. The footpath stretches from grid references
OSGR NS406 451 (Scottish Water plant/Walled Garden) to OSGR NS399 454 (Kilwinning
Road). The route is 1000 metres long and is mostly designed for motorised
wheelchair access, walkers and cyclists. This route is one of many that is
scheduled for upgrading/constructing around Stewarton and is identified as
Route 9 in the ‘Stewarton Access Strategy 2006’ commissioned by
Stewarton Woodland Action Trust (SWAT).
SWAT have secured funding from Scottish Natural Heritage and East-Ayrshire
Outdoor Access Unit to cover the cost of path construction and the installation
of waymarkers and benches. EAW was successful in the tendering process to
project manage the whole operation on SWAT behalf and has engaged a local
sub-contractor to construct the footpath and associated draining work.
It is advisable to the general public not to use this footpath once under construction as heavy plant vehicles such as tracked dumpers and excavators will be in use at either end.
For further information, please contact EAW Forester, Reg Briers on 01290
426973
December 5 2006 - Harvesting
of 2006 / 07 Willow crop
We have now begun harvesting our willow crop for this year. Visit our willow
resources page for further information on species available.
October 11 2006 - FEI Activities at Dunlop ECO Day
October 10 2006 - Review of the Ayrshire Local Biodiversity Action Plan.
Ayrshire contains an amazing array of habitats and species, ranging from the marine environment of the Firth of Clyde to the uplands of Muirkirk, as well and the spectacular Isle of Arran northern mountains. The Ayrshire Local Biodiversity Action Plan (LBAP) sets out actions to protect and enhance this important wildlife and guides the work of those seeking to achieve these aims.
Since the LBAP was published in 2001, the context of biodiversity conservation in Scotland has changed, with the publication of the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy and the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act in 2004. Because of this it was decided to undertake a review of the LBAP, with a view to making it easier to use and a better fit with what is going on it the rest of Scotland.
If you have any comments on how wildlife should be managed in Ayrshire or have any information that you feel might be of use in the review, please contact Dianne Holman, Area Officer for Scottish Natural Heritage on 01292 261392.
October 9 2006 - Harvesting of 2006 / 07 Willow crop
We expect to begin harvesting
our willow varieties around mid November. Visit our willow resources page
or contact us for further information
August 4 2006 - Formal opening of Hannahston Community Woodland
May 2 2006 - Willow crop resources online
Page added under communities
section highlighted the willow resource we can offer to community groups,
craft workers and individuals.
For further information please visit our willow resource page.
April 22 2006 - Community Training Wildlife Walks programme begins
April 22nd saw the launch
of the Community Training Programme with an 'Introduction to bird song' walk
at Sornbank Plantation,
Sorn at 8am.Those present were treated to the sight and sounds of expected
species such as blue tit, coal tit, robin and wren reacting
well to the recorded sounds, together with wonderful close views of more elusive
species such as chiffchaff, willow warbler and tawny owl.
The second walk took place on Saturday April 29th as part of the Muirkirk
Walking Festival at Kirk Plantation, Muirkirk, with enthusiastic interaction
with wrens, robins, blue tits, coal tits, song thrush, mistle thrush, greenfinch
and willow warbler.
For further information on the 2006 programme,
visit our Communities
page.
2005
November 17 2005 - New Handrail at Bellsbank, Press release
October 1&2 2005 - Tree in the Park at Chatelherault Country Park, Hamilton