A NEW project to tackle littering and eradicate invasive species has been launched by Green Hive
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With support from the Volunteering Support Fund, the Taking Root project also aims to bolster a communal sense of pride in Nairn’s green spaces.
The project will be managed by Impact Funding Partners on behalf of the Scottish Government, providing in-depth tailored support to volunteers over the next three years, creating future volunteering and employability options.
Neil Mapes, manager at Green Hive, said: “Receiving this funding enables us to proactively reach out into the community and share opportunities with a wider range of local people.
“It will support us to build confidence, skills and employability all focused around people taking positive environmental action locally.”
The project will be measured through the progress of the volunteers in terms of wellbeing, increased confidence and autonomy, the skills they develop and employability prospects while also keeping track of the
impact on the local natural environment.
The volunteers are central to the project and will shape how it develops over the next 3 years including giving them opportunities for growth and personal development.
Neil added: “Opportunities include learning about sustainable living through an ideas garden, orchard maintenance, organisational management, specialist training opportunities and joining the weekly fabric and plastics workshops to potentially joining the Green Hive board and shape the vision and future strategy of the organisation. P
“Plus volunteers will be involved in invasive species work on the river and breach cleans.”
The new Waste Champion and Invasive Plant Species Detective roles will run alongside the much-loved orchard maintenance days and new sessions designed around e-bike maintenance and Idea Garden volunteer sessions.
Waste Champions will work together to track and tackle the local litter hotspots and to report on their findings. This activity will be split into two roles - 1) Scouting and cleaning up Nairn’s green spaces bringing waste plastic in for Green Hive to re-use 2) Conducting litter surveys and analysis to stop litter at the source.
Working together with the community projects worker will schedule area checks and cleans, reaching out to the Nairn community to find hidden litter hotspots and promoting a “leave no trace” mentality.
The Invasive Plant Species Detective will train a core group of volunteers to help identify, report and manage the spread of invasive non-native plant species along the River Nairn.
This group will also be an integral part of public awareness-raising events, helping to educate the community about the importance of biodiversity conservation work.
During the project the volunteers will receive one to one support from Caroline Woods our community projects officer.
Caroline Woods, Community Project Worker with Green commented ‘This funding comes at an exciting time for Green Hive with lots of unique initiatives for volunteers to get involved in. With so much going on people can get involved in areas that interest them and we can work together to develop skills and confidence in a tailored way to each individual.’
Volunteers will be signposted to other local volunteering and employment opportunities throughout the project to enable them to expand on their experiences and skill sets.
To get involved, sign up as a volunteer or for more information on any of these activities in the project, or about the project in general please contact Caroline - Community Project Worker (caroline@greenhive.co.uk).
