Useful Organisations
and more
Web Links
British Trust for
Conservation Volunteers (BTCV)
5, Arboretum Place, Edinburgh EH3 5NY
Tel: 0131 332 8700
Internet address: www.btcv.org
For advice, information and help on practical conservation projects. Also conservation residentials.
City of Edinburgh Countryside Ranger Service
Hermitage of Braid, 69a Braid Road, Edinburgh EH10 6JF
Tel: 0131 447 7145
Internet address: Www.cecrangerservice.demon.co.uk
E-mail: cecrangerservice@demon.co.uk
For information about areas of countryside within the city and guided school trips to these areas. Also, ask for information about their ‘Nest Box Scheme’.
Four Winds Inspiration Centre
The Pavilion, Inverleith Park, Arboretum Place, Edinburgh EH3
5NY
Tel: 0131 332 2229
Internet address: www.four-winds.org.uk
For wooden outdoor furniture and sculptures, environmental education workshops, school grounds/garden creation, organic gardening, and music and craft workshops.
Friends of the Earth Scotland
72 Newhaven Road, Edinburgh EH6 5QG
Tel : 0131 554 9977
Internet address: www.foe-scotland.org/
For all kinds of information about all sorts of environmental issues - particularly issues immediately affecting Scottish people.
Gorgie City Farm
51,Gorgie Road, Edinburgh EH11
Tel: 0131 623 7031
Internet address: www.netcomuk.co.uk/~abruce/gcf
Offers guided tours of the farm and workshops for all kinds of outdoor and craft activities.
Green Team
New Parliament House, 7 Regent Road, Edinburgh
Tel: 0131 667 0368
Offer various opportunities for young people to become involved in practical conservation projects. This includes weekend residentials, which can be counted towards John Muir or Duke of Edinburgh Awards. Also occasionally offer workshops to youth workers, on environmental learning games and activities.
Grounds for Learning
Aithrey Castle, Stirling University, Stirling FK9 4LA
Tel: 01786 466 570
E-mail: gfl@ltl.org.uk
This is part of the UK school grounds charity ‘Learning through Landscapes’ which has ten years of experience of school grounds developments. GFL offers advice, contacts, a database of publications, best practice case studies, and grant and award schemes tailored for Scottish schools and the Scottish curriculum.
Historic Scotland
Longmore House, Salisbury Place,
Edinburgh, EH9 1SH
Tel:
0131 668 8600
Internet address: www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
Historic Scotland is an
Agency within the Scottish Executive Education Department and exists to protect
Scotland's built heritage, and to promote its understanding and enjoyment. They
actively research into issues relating to building conservation and help to
develop and promote craft skills. They also provide guidebooks and other
publications, and educational material relating to the school curriculum.
Institute for Earth Education
PO Box 91, Tring, Hertfordshire HP23 4RS
Tel: 01442 890 875
For more information about Earth Education activities and programmes, ask for leaflets and Source book.
John Muir Award
41, Commercial Street, Edinburgh EH6 6JD
Tel / Fax: 0131 624 7220
Internet address: www.jmt.org
E-mail: info@JohnMuirAward.org
The John Muir Trust, of which the Award is a part, was set up to protect and manage areas of wild land. The John Muir Award encourages the discovery and conservation of wild places ‘with a spirit of adventure and exploration’. It is an open award, for all ages. There are also opportunities for voluntary conservation work with the Trust throughout Scotland.
Living Water Charitable Trust
5, Holyrood Road, Edinburgh EH8 8AE
Tel: 0131 558 3313
Living Water design and install natural systems for waste water treatment, using plants. They also offer ‘Beo’ educational workshops. Beo is a cooperative environmental learning resource, which helps children and adults to explore the connections between local and global, social and environmental issues.
Lothian Wildlife Record Centre
Leith Walk Business Centre, Buzzer 19, 130 Leith Walk,
Edinburgh
Tel: 0131 554 6360
This is affiliated to the Scottish Wildlife Trust. In order to play an active part in recording and monitoring local wildlife, ask to become involved in the Local Patch Project. Your ‘Local Patch’ could be anything from a rock beside your front door, to a whole park near your home.
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) Scotland
Dunedin House, 25 Ravelston Terrace, Edinburgh EH4 3TP
Tel: 0131 311 6500
Internet address: www.rspb.org.uk
RSPB Scotland has a broader agenda than just birdlife. Wild birds need somewhere to live, so the organisation does a lot for the protection of the environment in general. There are initiatives for young people to get involved with. The Young Explorers Club is for 8-13 year olds and the Phoenix Club is for 13-18 year olds. They also have many ideas for teachers. The Wildsquare project is very similar to the ‘Local Patch Project’ above. It encourages people of all ages to record their local wildlife, thereby helping conservation scientists.
Scottish Natural Heritage
Headquarters, 12 Hope Terrace, EH9 2AS
Tel: 0131 447 4784
Internet address: www.snh.org.uk
The major environmental conservation body in Scotland. Their main aims are to conserve and enhance our natural heritage. This includes encouraging environmental awareness and enjoyment of the outdoors. You can also apply to them for funding for environmental projects.
Scottish Wildlife Trust
Cramond House, Kirk Cramond, Cramond Glebe Road, Edinburgh
EH4 6NS
Tel: 0131 312 7765
Internet address: www.swt.org.uk
For information about Bawsinch Wildlife Reserve (by Duddingston Loch), and wildlife conservation issues. Also, for information about Wildlife WATCH - the children’s club of SWT.
Woods for All
C/o Reforesting Scotland, Unit 7, 62-66 Newhaven Road,
Edinburgh
Tel: 0131 554 4321
Internet address: www.reforestingscotland.org/
This organisation works to improve disabled access to forests and woodlands. They work together with disabled people in making these improvements, as well as doing other activities. Past projects include the Woodland Orchestra and the Woods for All video.
Web
Links
Other useful addresses to visit:
Stories about plants and animals www.biodiversitystories.co.uk
How schools can become greener www.eco-schools.org.uk
Books with environmental themes, from Dawn Publications www.dawnpub.com
Help with school grounds projects, from Learning Through Landscapes www.ltl.org.uk
Information on plants, from Plantlife www.plantlife.org.uk
Environmental education from the Sharing Nature Foundation www.sharingnature.com
Information about community animal welfare, from Vetwork UK www.vetwork.org.uk