Ardentinny Nature Trail Project
Ardentinny Green Discovery Trail was created by Forest Enterprise under the Highlands and Islands Partnership Programme, and partly funded by the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund. It was established over twenty years ago at considerable cost.
Ardentinny Heritage and Conservation Group were very concerned when the Forestry Commission decided that they could no longer afford to keep it open. We have carried out surveys and established that the trail is much loved and used by people near and far. We have collected signatures of support from hundreds of people of all ages, and have committed to help promote and maintain the trail and bird hide, and we have the help and support of the Forestry Commission in this.
We intend to :
* ensure that the trail is accessible and restore and maintain the hide
* create numbered posts around the hide and have a nature trail which highlights information about the woodland. This would be based on the bird hide, so that laminated trail sheets can be kept in the hide and used by tourists and schools. Information on wildlife would be kept in the hide.
* encourage the use of the hide for photography, and create a bird and squirrel feeding station to encourage them to the hide.
* eventually distribute leaflets through all the local schools, the walled garden and other outlets
Our main aim is to ensure that children learn about the forest, so that they will want to preserve the environment in future years.
It is our intention to have hands-on school involvement by having children write the nature trail, so that they will understand and have ownership if it. With this project, the Coronation Wood, the Walled Garden, the picnic site, the beach and all the beautiful woodlands, Ardentinny will be a centre for environmental studies for local schools, and also a great attraction to tourists.
