Current Projects from the Southern Uplands Partnership

Southern Uplands Partnership - Current Projects - Report to November 2009

Homecoming 2009
Funders: Leader, Scottish Borders Council, Homecoming Fund, Scottish Natural Heritage, Awards for All plus in-kind support.
This project will seek to grow the Borders Walking Festivals into a bigger and more self-sustaining event over two years. The 2009 event has been delivered and 315 people took part. The marketing and website are being reviewed (see www.borderswalking.com). A meeting of walking festival organisers from across the Southern Uplands and north of England is being held in Moffat on 24th November. A Walking Committee for 2010 event being established.

Nature-Based Tourism (NBT) development
Funders: Scottish Natural Heritage and Leader Dumfries & Galloway
Funding is in place to employ a part time facilitator to develop a Nith Estuary NBT cluster. John Sellers started work on 26th October. An open meeting for stakeholders will be held on the 26th November. It is intended that a working pilot will be developed over two years and that the project will be rolled out more widely.

Upland Restoration
Funders: LEADER, Scottish Natural Heritage, RSPB
Successful applications have been made to RSPB and SNH for support with a project in the Borders which would take on a black grouse officer to implement the plans produced by Tom Adamson and to help develop collaborative SRDP applications. Chris Land started on the 19th October. There is a possibility of further funds being made available to mitigate for impacts of local windfarms.

Upland Conference
Discussions have been held with the Crichton Carbon Centre, South Lanarkshire Council and the Heather Trust on holding a joint conference on upland issues in April 2010. A budget has been developed and discussions and fund raising will continue. It is envisaged that this event will follow on from the very successful event for landowners held as part of the COTE project in November 2008.

Watson Bird Centre feasibility study
Funders: LEADER, Scottish Natural Heritage, in kind support
SUP has been working with Professor Roger Crofts to investigate for the potential for a centre in the Glenkens on the theme of birds and art at the home of the late Donald Watson. Rural tourism consultants Bowles Green are working with Professor Crofts to undertake feasibility work.

Squirrels – Red Squirrels in South Scotland
Funders: Red Squirrel Survival Trust and charitable trusts
Stephanie Johnson is on maternity leave and Alison Graham has been employed to cover until April 2010. The RSSS Project Officer will work alongside the Scottish Wildlife Trust project to deliver the action plan in south Scotland, including Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire.

Eco Office project – feasibility study
Funders: SRDP and Scottish Government Third Sector Enterprise Fund
James Finnie of consultants CEiS has started work and a steering group meeting and site visit took place on the 17th September. A second reporting session took place on the 15th October. More investigation is required into fit with plans for the reinstatement at Chapelcross and efforts will now be made to get clarification form the Council on this. If the outcome of this stage remains positive, outline design work will be completed by March 2010.

Events/Seminars update
The Walking Festival event will take place on the 24th November in Moffat. Work is progressing with the Uplands Conference planned for April 2010 and with a Borders Renewable Energy Fair to take place around the same time – possibly linked to a parallel event in D&G.




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Southern Uplands Partnership - Current Projects - Report to November 2009 Homecoming 2009 Funders: Leader, Scottish Borders Council, Homecoming Fund, Scottish Natural Heritage, Awards for All plus in-kind support. This project will seek to grow the Borders Walking Festivals into a bigger and more self-sustaining event over two years. The 2009 event has been delivered and 315 people took part. The marketing and website are being reviewed (see www.borderswalking.com). A meeting of walking festival organisers from across the Southern Uplands and north of England is being held in Moffat on 24th November. A Walking Committee for 2010 event being established. Nature-Based Tourism (NBT) development Funders: Scottish Natural Heritage and Leader Dumfries & Galloway Funding is in place to employ a part time facilitator to develop a Nith Estuary NBT cluster. John Sellers started work on 26th October. An open meeting for stakeholders will be held on the 26th November. It is intended that a working pilot will be developed over two years and that the project will be rolled out more widely. Upland Restoration Funders: LEADER, Scottish Natural Heritage, RSPB Successful applications have been made to RSPB and SNH for support with a project in the Borders which would take on a black grouse officer to implement the plans produced by Tom Adamson and to help develop collaborative SRDP applications. Chris Land started on the 19th October. There is a possibility of further funds being made available to mitigate for impacts of local windfarms. Upland Conference Discussions have been held with the Crichton Carbon Centre, South Lanarkshire Council and the Heather Trust on holding a joint conference on upland issues in April 2010. A budget has been developed and discussions and fund raising will continue. It is envisaged that this event will follow on from the very successful event for landowners held as part of the COTE project in November 2008. Watson Bird Centre feasibility study Funders: LEADER, Scottish Natural Heritage, in kind support SUP has been working with Professor Roger Crofts to investigate for the potential for a centre in the Glenkens on the theme of birds and art at the home of the late Donald Watson. Rural tourism consultants Bowles Green are working with Professor Crofts to undertake feasibility work. Squirrels – Red Squirrels in South Scotland Funders: Red Squirrel Survival Trust and charitable trusts Stephanie Johnson is on maternity leave and Alison Graham has been employed to cover until April 2010. The RSSS Project Officer will work alongside the Scottish Wildlife Trust project to deliver the action plan in south Scotland, including Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire. Eco Office project – feasibility study Funders: SRDP and Scottish Government Third Sector Enterprise Fund James Finnie of consultants CEiS has started work and a steering group meeting and site visit took place on the 17th September. A second reporting session took place on the 15th October. More investigation is required into fit with plans for the reinstatement at Chapelcross and efforts will now be made to get clarification form the Council on this. If the outcome of this stage remains positive, outline design work will be completed by March 2010. Events/Seminars update The Walking Festival event will take place on the 24th November in Moffat. Work is progressing with the Uplands Conference planned for April 2010 and with a Borders Renewable Energy Fair to take place around the same time – possibly linked to a parallel event in D&G.		Map Geology History The Uplands Forest & Woodlands Rolling Farmland Watery Habitats Towns & Villages Employment Leisure Nature Based Tourism Trail Riding What People Say Find Out More Credits Links