Wildlife watch If you must build a fire ... leave no trace
Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Falls of Clyde Wildlife Reserve assistant ranger Jenny Mann wants to tell readers of the damage people can cause - sometimes without realising.
Sadly, last week while out on my reserve patrol, I came across an abandoned fire pit.
This fire had been made using wood from the reserve, and was constructed within a woodland, adjacent to the area where we hold our Badger Watches.
Clearly, starting a bonfire within a woodland creates a risk of a larger wildfire and widespread damage.
It can also cause extreme stress and disturbance to the wildlife living on the reserve.
For these reasons we don’t condone members of the public lighting uncontrolled fires at Falls of Clyde Wildlife Reserve.
I love spending time outdoors, camping and sitting by the fireside. However, I always strive to do so in a responsible manner and with the utmost respect for wildlife and the environment.
Within Scotland, our land access rights allow us freedom to roam the vast majority of our countryside, however, this right is given with the understanding that you use the land in a responsible manner.
A great motto to go by when spending time outdoors is ‘leave no trace’.
This means: Remember to pick up your litter, and keep the area as natural as possible.
Campfires can be made in a safe and responsible manner, but it’s best to seek the landowner’s permission first.
To prevent any damage of disturbance to wildlife, keep the fire as small as possible, avoid lining the edge of the pit with wood (this might seem like common sense, but you’d be surprised) and always ensure the fire is extinguished before leaving it unsupervised.
Finally, when you pack up camp, remember to dismantle the fire and clear the area so it looks exactly as it did before you arrived.
We love to see people spending time at Falls of Clyde, and we welcome people using the reserve for recreation.
However, when visiting our reserve, or any wild place, remember that these are important havens for wildlife, and that insensitive actions can cause damage and disturbance.