One of the reasons I love the Inner Forth is that alongside the amazing wildlife, there is an absolute wealth of inudstrial and social heritage. Throughtout the area you will find everything from old mines and factories to ancient castles and homes with pineapples on their roofs (I'll explain more about that another day). One of our partners, Buglife, is working on a very exciting project that looks to link this industrial, social and natural heritage under one project, focusing on the town of Fallin on the sourthern side of the river. It sounds like a fascinating project and and the best thing is, you can get involved! We've asked Suzie Bairner from Buglife to explain a little more in this blog, take it away Suzie!

The project Fallin Bing- ‘From Coalfield to Brownfield’ aims to explore, capture and share the story of Fallin Bing and the surrounding community in the village of Fallin, near Stirling. Buglife – The Invertebrate Conservation Trust and The Conservation Volunteers (TCV) are working together throughout this project that is funded by ‘All Our Stories’ Heritage Lottery Fund.

Fallin Bing is integral to the social, industrial and natural heritage of the community in Fallin and its surrounding area, yet it has a story that is not widely recognised or told. This ‘All Our Stories’ project will discover the stories from those who live around Fallin and what the Bing means to them both in the past and present day.

Through taking part in onsite conservation tasks, we hope to establish a link between members of the community which rarely mix (the older generation with the younger generation), as well as creating a stronger link with the Bing itself. By bringing generations of Fallin's community together the significant heritage of this unique former coal mining site will be captured.

Our next conservation day at Fallin Bing has now been confirmed as Tuesday the 1st of October. We will be creating banks for bees and other invertebrates as well as removing birch scrub from the pathways around the bing. We will be meeting at the mining museum car park at 10am and the day finishes at about 3pm, refreshments will also be provided. Everyone is welcome to attend to lend a hand and also to share their stories of Fallin and the local area!

For more information about the habitat creation day and the project please contact Suzanne Bairner at Suzanne.bairner@buglife.org.uk and 01786 447504.

Read more about the project at: www.buglife.org.uk/ and keep up to date with the project at: http://fallinbing.blogspot.co.uk/

Photos: TCV volunteers planting wildflowers (credit: Suzanne Bairner). View of the Ochils from the top of Fallin Bing (credit: Paul Gunn)