Friends of Craiglockhart

THE FRIENDS of Easter Craiglockhart Hill were the very first friends group on the Local Nature Reserve (LNR).

WHO ARE YOU?

Friends of Easter Craiglockhart Hill comprise a Community Engagement Worker - Dan Rayner who works with volunteers Jim and Jenna Heath (Scrap team) and Erin Heath (Seeding & Planting co-ordinator).

WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO ACHIEVE?

Our aim is simple: To remove all scrap metal material from the LNR and replace it with wildflowers and trees, to make the LNR a safer, healthier, and more beautiful place to visit, explore, and enjoy.

WHAT DO YOU DO?

The scrap team conduct patrols of the LNR, identifying and collecting scrap metal. We transport the metal to recycling facilities, who pay us for it. Profits are used for buying wildflower plugs and seeds. Seeds are planted and developed by Erin, assisted by various groups of volunteers.

Our Metals-to-Petals initiative is important as the scrap metal we find is a remnant of the site’s previous uses. The metal is largely what has been discarded from various phases of construction undertaken over the years, old fencing lines etc.

Lots of this metal is hidden in thick undergrowth, some protruding from the ground, and most is rusty and sharp. The metal poses an immediate danger to humans and wildlife, and leeches potentially harmful chemicals and minerals into the ground affecting soil and aspects of the food-chain.

BENEFITS INCLUDE:

• Production of rewarding volunteering activity

• Improved mental & physical health & wellbeing

• Community engagement

• Reduction of environmental impact

• More beautiful and biodiverse woodland

PEOPLE READING THIS COULD HELP BY…

Joining our group, reporting any scrap metal, donating time for volunteering - we are looking for people who can volunteer from home, growing on seeds until they are ready to plant out. It’s a good activity for families and individuals. The first two van loads of metal produced a profit of over £100, which we used to buy primroses adding colour to our woodland trails, and attracting pollinators.

We almost have enough metal for a third and hopefully final van load, but who knows how much more metal we will unearth.