Biodiversity...

Biodiversity, referring to the variety of life and range of plants, animals and other living things found within a specified area, includes the soil, the combination of habitats and wildlife, species diversity and native and exotic plants. Falkland in Bloom and the voluntary organisations working alongside it therefore have an important part to play in ensuring efforts are made in encouraging this balance in nature.

We believe this is reflected in the projects that are undertaken within the community and beyond, where the work taking place, whether through clearance of invasive species or the planting of trees, shrubs and plants, will help feed, shelter and sustain wildlife of all kinds.

Both clearing of self-seeded sycamore and Japanese knotweed and planting of alder, rowan, broom and wild rose, amongst others, were done at The Clough as one example. In this area also, a grass cutting policy was agreed with Fife Council to ensure disturbance to a colony of water voles, a species now under threat, was kept to a minimum, while log piles to provide shelter were created and new kinds of wildflower began to appear after the clearances made.

A grassed area at Balmblae, at one stage only supportive of dandelions, has proved difficult to develope because of the presence nearby of a colony of water voles and the danger of disturbing them.This year the wildflower meadow has proved a huge success visually and has also done much to support insect life.

The West Loan is now bounded on one side by a mixed hedge of hawthorn, alder, elder and wild rose running all the way to the Estate gates beside an area where hundreds of bluebells and foxgloves were planted earlier. The grassed area now has a herbaceous/shrub bed on its other edge intended to support insect life and where a second phase of planting will see the inclusion of native species including rowans and birches.

We recognize the need for a healthy balance of planting styles throughout the community and have attempted to develop sustainable approaches to our bedding schemes.

To these projects can be added the huge amount of work undertaken on the outskirts of Falkland in the Estate where Fife Air Cadets and Falkland Stewards all contribute to the promotion and conservation of wildlife. In an attempt to examine the numbers of red squirrels, another threatened species, in the woodland here, a survey was done last year. The Community Woodland at Coalpit Den has been successfully planted with young broad-leaved trees which are also supportive of wildlife, with the Fife Air Cadets group playing an important part in the redevelopment.

	By Kind Permission of Falkland Centre for Stewardship.

For some years we have attempted to develop a healthy interest in matters like conservation and biodiversity in the young people who regularly help with projects.

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