HLH Rangers say it’s ok to have a ‘messy’ garden
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The High Life Highland (HLH) Rangers team is reaching out to Highland communities seeking individual and family volunteers with an interest in wildlife and the environment to help develop sites for wildlife across the region.
HLH’s Rangers are offering workshops and training to support the public in understanding how to manage grasslands and wildflowers, how to create new wildflower meadows and how to collect and store wild seed responsibly.
The Highland Wildflower Meadow Mosaic Project run by HLH Rangers is pleased to have been awarded a grant from the Highland Council’s Nature Restoration Fund.
The aim of the project is to create a Highland wide network of wildflower patches to help pollinator species such as bumblebees, butterflies, moths, hoverflies and other insects and birds, using local Scottish wildflower seeds or seeds collected locally.
Imogen Furlong, HLH’s Countryside Ranger service manager explained: “High Life Highland’s Countryside Rangers aim to raise awareness and encourage appreciation of the scenery, wildlife, and heritage. They work with schools and other organisations in the Highlands to help promote and protect our wildlife and heritage.
“We are delighted to be able to use this grant to work with communities and partners across the Highland region to create over forty wildflower meadows and restore areas to nature. This could be a great project for families to get involved over the school holidays."
A wildflower measuring two by two meters in an urban or heavily grazed area can be an important stepping-stone for pollinating insects. In June, the HLH Rangers will lead a community based, citizen science project to record what pollinators are visiting the newly created flower meadows.
HLH’s senior countryside ranger for north Highlands, Andy Summers said: “We hope to inspire others to take up the challenge to make a space for nature and end the monopoly of sterile short mown grass. Wildflower meadows don’t just look wonderful and brighten up everyone’s day they are a haven for wildlife. If we can forgo our urge to always keep our gardens tidy, we can really give a boost to local biodiversity.”
With help from the Highland Environmental Forum, a website is being created to showcase examples of best practice and showcase case studies.
Established by the Scottish Government, the Nature Restoration Fund (NRF) is a capital fund designed to help support projects that will deliver nature restoration, safeguard wildlife, and tackle the causes of biodiversity loss due to climate change.
For more information on the project please contact the High Life Highland Countryside Rangers or go to Meadow Mosaic – Highland Environment Forum.
High Life Highland is a registered Scottish charity.
