SAC Conservation Society Auchincruive

Land of fire and ice!

2010-02-28T19:57:00.007Z

In June 2009 I finished my HNC in Countryside & Environmental Management at SAC Auchincruive. Unfortunately financial circumstances meant that I could not afford to continue to do the HND (maybe in the future!).

Armed with my new found knowledge I was lucky enough to get on an international 5 week project working at the Skálanes Nature & Heritage Centre in the East Fjords of Iceland. Covering everything from volunteer management to practical conservation tasks I had a great time, made some good friends and gained some new knowledge and skills.

Returning to Scotland with mixed feelings I started applying for some of the limited countryside jobs on offer going into the winter season. Unfortunately I was unable to get paid work, but was taken on as a Volunteer Reserve Ranger by the Scottish Wildlife Trust/Whale & Dolphin Conservation Society at Spey Bay on the Moray Coast. This was a 3 month position (meals & bed provided) that involved a mixture of survey work, practical conservation and reserve administration.

2010 Finds me about to start working (paid this time) for the RSPB at Loch Garten on Operation Osprey. I have previously volunteered for the RSPB Osprey Watch at Aberfoyle, so to be paid to talk about Osprey is a dream come true.

Best wishes to my fellow students and staff at SAC Auchincruive. (Watch out...I may be back in the future)

Some photos below from my last year.....

Practical conservation work in Iceland on the Skálanes Reserve View of the Skálanes Nature & Heritage Centre in East Iceland View of the Wildlife Centre at Spey Bay in Morayshire Photographs of Dolphins taken from Spey Bay

Hello, dear readers!

2010-02-28T16:56:00.005Z

Crystal here with huge apologies for lack of updates over the past year.

Term 3 in year 1 hit us pretty hard and then when it all finished, I went off to work as a seasonal ranger with the Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park until the end of September when it was time to go back for my HND year at Auchincruive.

Working as a ranger with Scotland's first National Park was certainly an experience for a fresh faced newb. During the summer months where the visitor numbers peak, it's not unsurprising that the work largely concentrates on visitor management. I was based on the east side where you may have seen some of the anti-social problems reported in the news lately that the NP faces every year, it's a beautiful spot and 50000 people pass through it annually when taking part in the West Highland Way so I saw A LOT of visitors.

I had the opportunities to try various things with the NP - the police run patrols frequently and sometimes take a ranger along for the ride. This is great as the police have the authority and rangers have the countryside knowledge, working together means that we know as rangers that we have their back up when needed.

It was definitely a nice change of environment I appreciated. Before the NP, I had previously only worked in offices before, it's certainly different to be able to go into work and mention "I was doing a bat survey last night, think I got a pip" and instead of replies such as "Urgh" and "WHY would you wanna do that?" I get back "ooh common or soprano?"

Right, how about some photos?

The Millarochy office :) The Hippo boat the rangers use to access the island Inchcailloch Doesn't it look so idyllic and peaceful? A pretty typical sight for rangers More abandoned rubbish I've been asked to return to the NP this season which I've accepted so I'm quite happy and excited about that! This season starts in April for me so for a few months I'll be juggling and working which I'm a bit worried about but I'll try my best to cope! Last summer I also went sailing with the college by means of The Ocean Youth Trust. We sailed for a week along the West Coast of Scotland and it was by far the best time I've ever had in my life. It was like nothing I had ever done before, or thought I would be interested in doing until I was offered the chance to. I'll update a bit more on that later perhaps.

HND year has been pretty hectic so far, I've rarely gone out with the Conservation Society this year, much to my shame but since the academic year began, I've since bought a house with my boyfriend and have been tussled in the throes of a DIY nightmare!

However, this term has included an elective Conservation Skills which has had us out with the BTCV at 2 primary schools. Currently we've been at a primary school which is trying to build an eco/wildlife playground helping to build a path. Our assessment is based on this so I hope we do a good job!

Paul has since left the SAC (sad faces all round), I'll leave him to update with what he's been up to!

Term 3 - Week 2 - Clyde Muirshiel Country Park

2009-05-03T17:59:00.008+01:00

Location: Clyde Muirshiel Country Park
Activity: Bird Watching (Hen Harriers!)

Female Hen Harrier on Nest

In fresh winds and the odd heavy shower we made our way up onto the moorland that forms part of the Clyde Muirshiel Country Park. After an interesting debate over the identity of some small birds (still unconfirmed) we were lucky enough to see a male Hen Harrier flying across the glen.

Hen Harriers are a red listed species of high conservation concern and the Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) at Clyde Muirshiel Country Park is specially designated because of the Hen Harriers.
For more information on Hen Harriers please visit the RSPB Website

Male Hen Harrier

Female Hen Harrier

Female Hen Harrier
Photographs all taken from www.toothandclaw.org.uk (All copyrights apply)

Term 2 - Week 3 - Auchincruive

2009-02-02T23:37:00.007Z

Location: Auchincruive Estate
Activity: Bird Ringing Talk

This week we received a talk on Bird Ringing from lecturer David Grant.

As well as being a lecturer David is also a licensed ringer for the British Trust for Ornithology and delivered a presentation on the reasons for ringing birds and methods used.

Many thanks to David for a very interesting talk, and we look forward to seeing him back for bird ID skills later in the term.

Anybody that is interested in Bird Ringing can find out more information at the BTO Website

Term 2 - Week 1 - Auchincruive

2009-02-02T23:29:00.004Z

Location: Auchincruive Estate
Activity: Pond Maintenance

As the first year students had a site visit to Stevenston Beach Local Nature Reserve, it was left to the hardy second years to do battle with the vegetation surrounding the wildlife pond at the bottom of Mount Allan Wood.
The task was the removal of over hanging trees from the pond to allow more light into the woodland floor, this then gives ground dwelling plants a better chance to grow.
As normal, the cut wood was left in habitat piles to provide cover for insects, small mammals and birds.

Week 10 - Auchincruive Estate

2009-01-18T17:07:00.006Z

Unfortunately things didn't quite go to plan for Week 10, due to unforeseen circumstances at Kelburn.

Instead, the Conservation Society was involved in a couple of different projects;
- Rhododendron Clearance
- Tree Felling
- Clearance at the Wildlife Pond
- Bat Boxes

Looking at the blog it might seem that we cut down an awful lot of trees, but the woodland we are managing at Auchincruive has been left to its own devices for many years, and fast growing species such as birch are crowding out slower growing species such as oak. Oak has greater importance in terms of biodiversity, and the birch and beach that we have been cutting down will soon re-grow. We also leave the trees that have been cut down in the woodland. As the trees rot down they provide food and shelter for insects, and habitat for small mammals and birds. All of which are important in the woodland environment.

Week 9 - BTCV Dunure

2008-12-03T20:24:00.005Z

Location: Dunure
Activity: Moving Sand!!
Weather: Overcast, very cold (unless you happen to be Tom!!), dry

The project this week involved moving 2 tonnes of sand/grit for the BTCV down to a flat area by the shore that is being turned into a community labyrinth.
This involved filling wheelbarrows and making the 'interesting' journey down the grass slope and the 30ft drop to the site.
Not bad work for just 5 people!!

Week 8 - Squirrel Surveys

2008-12-03T19:49:00.008Z

Location: Auchincruive
Activity: Squirrel Surveys (Theory)

This week we had a talk from Lee Millar, Conservation Officer for the Ayrshire Red Squirrel Group.
Lee gave us a background to Squirrels in the United Kingdom (Both Red & Grey) and talked about the different survey methods that can be used to try and estimate squirrel numbers in a specific area. We talked about:
- Visual Transects
- Cone Transects
- Feeder / Hair Samples

Hopefully we will be able to get involved with doing some surveys in the near future.

For further information please visit Ayrshire Red Squirrel Group or Scottish Red Squirrel Survey

**All Red Squirrel Photographs © Jim Wilson Photography**

Week 7 - Large Tree Felling

2008-11-21T11:21:00.005Z

Location: Auchincruive Estate
Activity: Large Tree Felling
Weather: Overcast,cool, light rain

The project this week was to fell some larger trees in the oak woodland on the Auchincruive Estate. The oak woodland has many birch trees growing in it and these block out the light, preventing it from reaching the forest floor. As a result there is little plant growth on the forest floor, and the oak trees have few lower limbs. This week we were felling some of these birch trees in order to allow more light into the lower levels of the forest and also to allow a greater verity of vegitation to grow, therefore increase biodiversity.
The group used a couple of different felling techniques using axes and saws. The wood that was cut down will be used as firewood, although some of the upper canopy was left in place to provide habitat for insects and small mamals.

Dam Building - Week 6

2008-11-12T23:02:00.009Z

Location: Langlands Moss
Activity: Dam Building
Weather: Overcast,sunny spells, cool

Well everyone has heard of the 'Dam Busters!' - Well this week the Conservation Society were the Dam Builders.

Langlands Moss near East Kilbride ia an area of raise peatbog. In the past it has had conifers planted on it and drainage ditches cut through the moss to allow these trees to grow.

Now clear of conifers, the local ranger service and volunteers are trying to build dams in the drainage channels to preserve the peatbog as a wetland habitat.

Today we helped by moving plastic sheeting into position and by driving in two new dams. This will help keep the water on Langlands Moss and will allow a very unique habitat full of interesting plants, animals and insects to survive on the outskirts of East Kilbride.

Week 5 - Wild Flower Meadow

2008-11-05T19:00:00.006Z

Location: Auchincruive Estate
Activity: Management of Wild Flower Meadow
Weather: Overcast, warm (well it was after 2 hours of working!)
This week’s project was the management of an area of wildflower meadow on the Auchincruive Estate.

The conservation society was tasked with clearing grass and dead flowers from half of the meadow. (The other half was left to provide habitat for the meadow's field vole population)

Clearing the grass allows the wild flowers a better chance to grow next spring and the grasses also return at the same time. The cut grass was removed to prevent additional nutrients from getting into the soil on the meadow. (Wild flowers tend to grow in soil that has lower nutrient levels) It was placed in a wooded area next to the meadow and will be allowed to rot and provide nutrients for the trees.

During the project, and thanks to Tom's excellent hearing, a vole nest (complete with baby voles) was discovered and the grass around it left intact to provide them with some cover)

Hopefully next spring we will be able to enjoy the flowers that will grow on the meadow.

Week 4 - Coppicing

2008-10-29T17:44:00.015Z

Location: Auchincruive Estate
Activity: Coppicing of Small Trees
Weather: Overcast, mostly dry but quite wet underfoot, chilly!

This week we were out on the Auchincruive Estate doing a spot of coppicing. This involved clearing some trees (mainly birch). Working in small groups we were equipped with hand-saws and bill-hooks to take down small trees and open up the canopy of the woodland.

Coppicing is extremely rewarding as it maintains the beauty of the countryside, by allowing more light and space into the woodland, it means that certain trees will be able to grow and ground plants like ferns can spread throughout.

At the side Blog Authors Paul & Crystal worked on, we removed small birches and willows to allow a particular willow more room. There were many things to watch out for while working in this area - the ground was slippy and muddy as it had rained recently, it was also uneven and sloped slightly, there were a few trip hazards by stumps from previous coppiced trees (this is why when coppicing, the trunk should be sawed as near the ground as possible) and the brambles roaming the area are not pleasant should you find some attached to your person!

Because the area has so many trees close together, once a tree has been felled, it may not fall neatly to the ground ready for processing, instead it will make things slightly more difficult by getting caught up in the branches of a nearby tree. In this case, we would need to pull from the trunk of the tree foot by foot until it was free. To process a felled tree, we saw off the top of the tree to put in one pile to rot down as part of the habitat and we cut the rest of the branches off using the bill-hook and saw the rest of the trunk into manageable 6 feet long sections to go in a separate pile.

Week 3 - Pond Dipping

2008-10-22T18:22:00.011+01:00

Location: Wildlife Pond Auchincruive
Activity: Pond Dipping

Weather: Dry and overcast

This week a small group of us braved the midge infested regions that surround the wildlife pond, in order to do a spot of pond dipping. Contrary to popular belief this involves dipping nets in the water and not students. (Skinny dipping is a different activity all together!)

We managed to find an impressive collection of water creatures that included:
- Water Mites
- Diving Beetles
- Red Non-Biting Midge Larvae
- Water Boatmans
- Leech
- Newts
- Ram's Horn Snails
- And 1 frog!

Week 2 - Tree Seed Collection

2008-10-22T18:20:00.009+01:00

Location: Auchincruive Estate

Acivity: Tree Seed Collection & Planting

Weather: Mainly dry but windy

The first real project for this year's Conservation Society (with help from some horticulture students) was the gathering of various tree seeds from around the Auchincruive Estate.

The seeds were then potted up and hopefully will grow into saplings that can then be planted in the future.

Seeds Collected:
- Sycamore
- Maple
- Oak Acorns
- Ash
- Rosehip
- Birch

Week 1 - Intro

2008-10-22T18:19:00.004+01:00

The first meeting of the Conservation Society was held on 8th October 2008 led by SAC staff members Sally Gray and Ian Cornforth.

The aim of the Society is to give SAC students a chance to widen their skills, get outdoors and generally have some fun!

In our first meeting we identified animal and bird skulls which Sally had brought along (Honestly? We tried a bit but really we stood about being impressed by Jamie reeling them off) and listed which activities were available to us before designating them to the weeks as can be seen on the left hand side of this blog.

The whole of Week 10 is set aside for Kelburn Estate so that members can see through a large project from the beginning to the end, last year's visit worked on a building a new set of stairs.

All current SAC students are most welcome to join us, for further information leave a comment, or contact Sally Gray.