Joining with the RSPB on the Young Roots project will link the communities that we work with weekly and bring a new aim to our activities. We will focus on a few key communities around Edinburgh and carry out practical work. To raise awareness of the progress, such communities are making we will document local heritage in a variety of ways for each site. Introducing the heritage focus of our weekly work is an exciting opportunity for us as students to engage with and learn from the communities we work with.
We work already with Duddingston Conservation Group, a community group that fits the bill perfectly in terms of increasing public awareness of nature and urban biodiversity. We will also be working on the Balgreen Triangle, a small community space along the Water of Leith, and Calders Community Garden located next to the union canal.
The collaboration with the RSPB Young Roots project gives us access and support to work with these groups. The funding would hopefully provide us with transport, tools and a lunch for each day we spent working. We would also gain access to a wealth of knowledge and experience by interacting with other groups participating in the scheme. This brilliant opportunity provides a chance to engage with local communities through practical work and increasing biodiversity. We look forward to it and hope we can create and document the start of what is hopefully a long-term collaboration.
For further reading, please refer to the full report: Young Roots Report