Charlestown, Limekilns and Pattiesmuir (CLP) Nature Conservation Group
CLP Nature Conservation Group was founded in 2018 to provide opportunities for local people to volunteer together and help make our villages more sustainable and a healthier place for wildlife, the environment and us. We are keen to engage the community on what we have on our coastline and what we can do to help it flourish. We do this through many different projects to widen our reach across the community and also raise awareness and campaign on relevant issues.
The group works closely with and across the community including the school, church, businesses, and with other organisations on projects such as the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) Beachwatch/Great British Beach Cleans, Fidra Global Nurdle Hunts, Surfers Against Sewage Plastic Free Community Award, The Ecology Centre and Restoration Forth, Fife Coast and Countryside Trust, Fife Council Waste Management Team, Plastic Free Fife, and Earthwatch Freshwater Charlestown. Through these various projects we organise beach cleans, nurdle hunts, monitor river pollution levels, engage with children and adults through hands on work parties, creative projects, school visits, public events and stalls, film nights and social media.
We have led on the creation of the Limekilns School Community Garden, working in partnership with the school and supporting the teachers and children to use the garden to grow vegetables and fruit, to plant for pollinators, to create homes for wildlife, and to use the space for outdoor learning. The garden was created by volunteers from all ages and backgrounds from across our community and the neighbouring Crombie community. We now have amazing intergenerational sharing of knowledge from older members of the community to the children in each class, as volunteers are further supporting the teachers and children in every session during term time, with practical help and advice. The garden is open to all the community to visit at any time.