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Who Are We?
The Caithness Countryside Volunteers are a group of individuals with an
interest in the countryside and environment. The group promotes and
undertakes environmental projects throughout Caithness to improve public
access into the countryside, enhance wildlife habitats and upgrade
countryside facilities. Past projects have included path maintenance works
at Newtonhill Community Woodland, habitat enhancement scheme at Nosshead,
beach clean-ups, school wildlife garden work and gorse clearing.
The group meets once a
month, normally on Saturday/Sunday mornings at 10am.
Noss Head Tree Planting 24 November 2002
Contact
Highland Council Ranger Service
Caithness East Area
Bruce Building
Wick
Caithness
KW1 5AB
Tel/Fax 01955 607758
To join Caithness Countryside
Volunteers complete
Registration Form
Send it by post per address on the form or
email an attachment to -
[email protected]
Caithness Critters
The Nature
Group For Children New volunteers welcome.
Call, Highland Council Ranger with any queries on 01955 607758.
See
Also
Conservation Group -
Highland
Caithness & Sutherland
Environmental Group
Environmental
Links
2003
EXTRA PROJECTS FOR 2003
The Highland Council Ranger Service is constantly working on other
environmental projects & additional assistance is always welcome. If
any of the following projects interest you, please get in touch.
SCHOOL GROUNDS
Many of the local school in the county are improving their grounds &
establishing gardens to attract wildlife. Work includes: erecting fences,
building seating/play areas, planting shrubs/plants, weeding & much more.
BIRD BOX BUILDING & ERECTION
Project involves building suitable nesting boxes for a range of bird
species, including some of the species which are declining in other parts of
the country. Boxes will be constructed at Dunnet visitor centre & erected
throughout the county.
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19 August 08
Caithness Seal Workshop
 Caithness Countryside
Volunteers enjoyed a workshop on Seals last weekend (Sunday 17th
August) held at Waterlines Heritage Centre, Lybster.
The event was organised by The Highland
Council Planning and Development Service Countryside Rangers as part of the
volunteer programme of events.
Local volunteers meet once a month to
undertake a range of environmental projects around the county. This event,
funded through the Moray Firth Partnership Community Grant Scheme, was aimed
at raising the volunteer’s awareness of seals in the Moray Firth Area.
A PowerPoint presentation was given by
Richard Bradley, local co-ordinator for the British Divers Marine Life
Rescue, who discussed seals of the Moray Firth in great detail. The follow
up boat trip was cancelled due to poor weather but is being rescheduled and
volunteers are hopeful to view seals in their natural habitat.
Marina Swanson, East Caithness ranger and
workshop organiser said: “We hold a workshop once a year for the volunteers
as a thank you for all their efforts through out the year. We are very
fortunate to get funding from the Moray Firth Partnership who has supported
the workshops over a number of years. Thank you to Richard Bradley for
providing an interesting presentation and to Waterlines for hosting the
event and serving an enjoyable lunch.”
The Caithness Countryside Volunteers are
always looking to recruit additional members. If you wish to find out more
about the group, please contact Marina Swanson on 01955 607758 or e-mail
[email protected]
4 July 08
Action Earth
Project . “Flowers For The Forest”
 6
volunteers from the Caithness countryside volunteers took part in this
project to tidy up the standing dead wood at the entrance to Dunnet Forest
and plant some moth and butterfly friendly shrubs. The dead wood was piled
up to provide habitat and cover for birds and small mammals and ivy and
honeysuckle were planted around the piles.
Action Earth is supported by Morrisons supermarkets and organised by CSV
Environment. The countryside rangers organised the event.
4 July 08
CSV Action Earth 2008
Bee o diversity in the cemetery
Ten volunteers took part in this project to increase the richness of the
wild flowers in two steep banks in Thurso Cemetery. It is a sunny spot and
already attracts butterflies and bumble bees. Bird boxes were also put on to
the mature trees. Plugs of wild flowers such as vetches, primula, scabious
and ivies and honey suckle were also planted
17 April 08
Caithness Countryside Volunteers Plant New Hedging At Guidebest
 The
Caithness Countryside Volunteers enjoyed a morning planting a holly,
blackthorn and hawthorn hedge on some croft land last weekend, taking a
short break to help feed the pet lambs. These species of tree were chosen to
provide a biodiversity rich habitat as well as to withstand the Caithness
weather. The hedge should also provide shelter for lambs in years to come.
Refreshments and some trees were funded by Community Service Volunteer
Action Earth Awards. The event was organised by the Highland Council's
Rangers in the Planning and Development Service as part of the Caithness
Countryside Volunteers calendar.
28 September 06
Keiss Beach Tidy Up
 A group of 19 volunteers took part in this years' Beachwatch at Keiss beach
on Saturday 16th September 2006. The clean-up was organised by the Highland
Council Planning and Developments' countryside rangers as part of the
national event, the most extensive monitoring programme in Europe for
coastal and marine litter.
Members of the Caithness Critters, Caithness
Countryside Volunteers and members of the public took part in the event to
help rid the beach of unsightly and dangerous litter. The group removed
marine debris and litter from 110m of rocky shore area by the Keiss beach
car park. The types and quantities of litter were recorded for data
collection by the Marine Conservation Society. This year at Keiss; plastic,
rope, strapping and fishing net accounted for much of the debris.
Marina Swanson, Highland Council's East
Caithness Ranger and Saturday's beach clean organiser said: "Sinclairs Bay
has seen a dramatic clean up effort for the Beachwatch event this year.
Under the direction of Mr Watt, Subsea 7 undertook a very extensive beach
clean the day before and removed massive amounts of debris. Our group of
volunteers concentrated on a small part of the rocky shore at Keiss and
collected several bags
of rubbish, recording everything which was removed. The combined efforts of
Subsea 7 and our volunteers have greatly improved the state of the beach for
both wildlife and recreational users. Many thanks to everyone who took
part."
Beachwatch is coastal environmental initiatives
organised by the Marine Conservation Society (MCS)
www.mcsuk.org , involving local
individuals, groups and communities in caring for their coastal environment.
Further information can be found on the internet at:
http://www.adoptabeach.org.uk
Refreshments after the event were funded by the
Moray Firth Partnership. Highland Council's Countryside Rangers are grant
aided by Scottish Natural Heritage. The role of Countryside Rangers is to
promote public enjoyment and appreciation of the countryside and to conserve
wildlife and habitats.
21 February 06
DUNNET FOREST TREE PLANTING
 Almost
30 volunteers turned out to help plant trees
at Dunnet forest last Saturday. The planting
was organised by Highland Council's Planning
and Development Service countryside rangers
and Dunnet Forest community forester, Jon
Hollingdale as part of the
Caithness Countryside Volunteer
and
Caithness Critter programme of
events. A mix of approximately 400 broadleaf
trees were planted, staked and guarded in a
recent felled area. The event was part of
the Community Service Volunteers Action
Earth supported by Scottish Natural
Heritage. After the tree planting, all the
volunteers rested at the Northern Sands
Hotel where a sandwich lunch and
refreshments were provided.
14 October 05
COUNTRYSIDE VOLUNTEERS HELP OUT AT
NORTH SCHOOL WILDLIFE GARDEN
 The school grounds of North Primary, Wick turned
into a gardening frenzy last Sunday when a group of 10 volunteers
turned out to assist planting in the wildlife area of the school. The
wildlife garden has been on-going for three years and has involved a range
of projects such as planting broadleaf trees, wildflower plugs and
flowering shrubs, constructing a wooden sheltering fence, building a
raised flower bed, and provision of seating and picnic tables around the
school. Sunday's volunteers
planted a range of flowering shrubs including honey suckle, buddlia and
flowering currant. The shrubs hope to bring some colour to the garden and
attract a range of insects such as butterflies and bees into the area.
Earlier Years
Countryside Volunteers Items |
