If you would like to take part, please get in touch with the research lead, Aster de Vries. Lentsch, by e-mailing aster.
Forth Estuary Forum ebulletin April 2016
Share your vision for the Inner Forth by 2040
What are your hopes, dreams and ideas for the Inner Forth landscape by 2040? A study is underway, led by researchers from the University of Edinburgh, looking into local visions for the future of the Inner Forth area. Using an innovative interview format, called STREAMLINE, the study invites members of the local community to share their ideas about what the region should look like by 2040. The research is part of a pan-European project, OPERAs, which brings together together 27 partners from across Europe to develop practical applications of cutting-edge ecosystem science. For the Inner Forth 2040 study we are looking for people living or working in the area to take part in an 1 hour interview exploring their vision for the area. The new STREAMLINE interview format helps interviewees build their ideal future for the Inner Forth landscape through a series of colourful canvasses. Participants so far have described the exercise as ‘thought-provoking’, ‘interesting’ and ‘engaging’. If you would like to take part, please get in touch with the research lead, Aster de Vries Lentsch, by e-mailing
[email protected]; or by phone on 075 01590342. More information about the project can be found on: www.streamline-research.com.
Forth Bridge Memorabilia to go on Display IT is one of the greatest engineering feats of Victorian Britain and has remained inspirational for more than a century. Now, for the first time, people will be given a rare insight into the Forth Bridge’s design, construction and opening. The unique exhibition will showcase original drawings, old photographs and technical instruments associated with the bridge, as well as the original visitors book signed by numerous heads of state including King George V, prime minister William Gladstone and the shah of Iran. The artefacts – including never-seen-before items that had been gathering dust for more than 100 years – are on display at Blair Castle, Perthshire, until October. More details are available here.
Porpoises seen near Stirling As you know, the Forth is tidal all the way up to Craigforth, just beyond Stirling. However, it is still a rare sight to see porpoises just a few miles downstream of there. There is good footage of the porpoises here. Sadly a dead porpoise was found near the site of the old Kildean Hospital on the 15th April. Become a citizen scientist by ‘Mothing Around the Forth’ Would you like learn more about the moths of the Forth estuary area, practise your identification skills and contribute to a national species recording scheme this summer? The Inner Forth Landscape Initiative (IFLI) has teamed up with local moth enthusiast Professor David Bryant to run a series of seven fun, free workshops called ‘Mothing Around the Forth’ which will give people of all ages a chance to discover more about this declining species, have a go at moth trapping and generate wildlife records for Butterfly Conservation’s UK wide survey of moth numbers and distribution. On 14th May from 08.30am to 12 noon, the first workshop will introduce the range of moths found at different times of year; give you a chance to get started on moth ID and using identification guides as we open moth traps left out overnight at the RSPB Skinflats Reserve near Falkirk; and enable you to build and take home your very own simple moth trap. All materials will be provided free of charge thanks to IFLI’s funding from the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund. We ask that attendees of the first session can commit to attending at least three additional sessions, but ideally more so that you can build your moth identification confidence and see the different species of moth found in a range of locations. More details can be found here. Cruise Forth Visits Showcase in USA An award-winning project which encourages cruise ship passengers to come to Dunfermline has been showcased in the USA. Representatives from Cruise Forth – which started with four well-intentioned volunteers standing at Rosyth's port – flew the flag at Seatrade Global in Florida.
The project has grown to a small army of people who will provide a warm welcome to the 100,000 passengers estimated to come to the Forth this year, and some of them went to the biggest international cruise exhibition as part of a drive to increase the number of ships docking here. More information on their trip and activities is available here. The Carron Works, Falkirk An interesting history of the Carron Works in Falkirk, from its' founding in 1759 to its recent closure can be found here.
