Make Space For Nature

In this special episode for Green Health Week, Fiona Leith and I chat to Paul MacFarlane, Mountain Bike Trail Therapy Leader with Developing Mountain Biking in Scotland, part of Scottish Cycling.

Trail Therapy is an innovative project, supported by NatureScot and partners, using mountain biking and contact with nature to help people suffering from mental ill-health. He explains the positive impact it’s having on participant’s mental and physical health, and suggests ways we can all benefit from making space for nature.

More reading:
Developing Mountain Biking in Scotland Mountain Bike Trail Therapy
NatureScot Our Natural Health Service
Benefits of Green Health
Green Health Partnerships

In this episode two NatureScot colleagues chat about their personal experiences of making space for nature in their lives. Keen gardeners Fiona Leith and Marianne Sandison provide top gardening tips and discuss the healing power of the natural world.

Spring is the perfect time to start the green fingered journey or to refine gardening skills, and they also highlight that even without a garden there's still plenty everyone can do. From volunteering to simply developing a deeper appreciation of nature through our senses, together we can help fight nature loss and climate change.

Read more:
Marianne mentions nature relevant accounts she follows on Twitter: @morethanweeds encourages us to embrace weeds and the wilderness, the Dandelion Appreciation Society @DandelionAppre1, and @urbanponds_101 for anyone who likes newts and frogs.
Top ways to Make Space For Nature in spring
Plantlife's No Mow May campaign

In this episode we chat to Jim Jeffrey, NatureScot’s Pollinator Strategy Manager, who explains the importance and diversity of Scotland's pollinators, and highlights how they're faring in the recent pollinator progress report.

Jim also showcases examples of projects up and down the country helping reverse nature loss, and he provides some great tips for ways we can all make Scotland more pollinator-friendly.

Read more:
Pollinator Strategy for Scotland: https://www.nature.scot/doc/pollinator-strategy-scotland-2017-2027
Progress report: https://www.nature.scot/progress-pollinators
How to help nature this spring: https://www.nature.scot/makespace

In this episode we chat with Kevin Lafferty, Chief Executive of Paths For All.  Scotland's national walking charity, supported by NatureScot and other partners, works hard to get everyone in Scotland to be active every day – from maintaining paths and training volunteers, to providing local health walks for all. 

Kevin explains how the new Step It Up strategy aims to tackle physical inactivity, poor mental wellbeing, health and transport inequalities and the climate emergency. He also highlights the many benefits of walking, how we can all connect with nature when walking or wheeling, and why we need to make our paths fit for our grannies!  

Further reading:

• Find more about Paths For All and the Step It Up strategy.
• Search for a Health Walk near you and enjoy Walking With Nature.
• Catch up on the inspirational Paths For All Lecture Series.

Emma Bryden, a member of the Young People’s Forest Panel, and Abi Gardner, NatureScot’s Biodiversity and Climate Change Engagement Officer, tell us about Scotland's Young People's Forest (SYPF) and its positive impact, both on climate change, and also on people.

We also hear why some people are experiencing climate anxiety and how projects such as SYPF are providing a way to take positive action and instil a sense of hope for many.

SYPF is a project by Young Scot and YouthLink Scotland, with support from NatureScot, Scottish Enterprise, Corra Foundation, Pears Foundation and Wood PLC.

More information: https://youngscot.net/news-database/young-peoples-forest

In this episode we chat with biodiversity enthusiast and ex-colleague Ewen Cameron about how we can all help nature this winter. Ewen retired from NatureScot a few years back and now volunteers much of his spare time to help nature, including through the North East Scotland Biodiversity Partnership.

Ewen encourages us to think outside the box, to 'stick with it' and is not averse to stealing a few ideas - if they work! He shares his personal stories and memories of inspirational projects and people, and how we can all be inspired. 

A great listen during the festive season to help us take collective and immediate action, really make a difference, and plan what other changes we can make in 2022 and beyond.

More information: 

• RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch 
• List of volunteering organisations
• North East Scotland Biodiversity Partnership or search for the 'North East Scotland Biodiversity Partnership' on Facebook
• Ten ways to Make Space For Nature in winter
• The Association of Local Environmental Records Centres
• Citizen science for biodiversity

Debbie Bassett, NatureScot’s Climate Change and COP Coordinator, returns to our podcast series, along with Eileen Stuart, NatureScot’s Deputy Director of Nature & Climate Change, to give us a post-COP26 roundup. 

We hear what it was like to be on the ground at the event held in Glasgow last month, and how nature-based solutions to climate change are a huge focus for many of the attendees. Debbie and Eileen also provide an insight into discussions they had with other delegates from around the world, and share some of their most memorable moments from the conference.

As well as encouraging us all to get outdoors as often as we can, they also provide ways they manage to make more space for nature in their lives. A few ideas we could all copy!

David O’Brien, NatureScot’s Biodiversity Evidence and Reporting Manager, explains what genetic diversity is and how it can help fight the twin crises of climate change and nature loss. 

Highlighting examples of relevant projects, both here in Scotland and much further afield in Benghazi, David talks passionately about the potential implications for the future of many species.

A keen amphibian spotter and citizen scientist, David provides practical tips as to how we can all make more space for nature, and encourages us all to have a fondness for frogs! An enlightening listen.

This week we chat with Alistair Rennie, NatureScot’s Dynamic Coast Project Manager and Geodiversity Advice Manager. He explains the link between climate change and coastal erosion, and how the Dynamic Coast project will help Scotland’s coast and assets adapt to our future climate.

He also has some really encouraging ways we can recharge, enjoy nature on our doorstep and make more space for nature, every day.

Further information on the Dynamic Coast project: https://www.dynamiccoast.com/

Well known for her weather forecasting with the Met Office and BBC Scotland, Heather was recently appointed to NatureScot's Board. 

Throughout her career she's witnessed significant changes in our weather. We discuss the direct impact of climate change and the significance of STEM in understanding these changes. With a focus on hope for the future, Heather highlights what we can all do to make space for nature and reduce our carbon footprint. A really inspiring listen!