Glasgow Primary School Pupils’ Plans for Greener Community Take Shape

Giving Nature a Home Glasgow team have been working with pupils and residents in Craigend, Glasgow to improve a greenspace at the centre of the community. Face-to-face information meetings were carried out from March through to August 2022 to understand both the history and current use of the site. We wanted to provide an update for the community about what the plans are, since it has been a few months since the consultations finished. We have been working behind the scenes to get things signed off, site visits and had plans drawn up.

Site map showing areas of wild flower meadows, tree planting, paths and entrance feature.

This plan varies from the initial one which we showed during the consultations; we loved chatting with you all and having your input about what you like on the site. After further site visits and discussions with our conservation officer, we are working with the following recommendations:

• The pink areas will be wildflower meadows
  • These will be native wildflowers providing nectar and food for many insects and birds
• The green circles will be clusters of trees
  • Oak, silver birch, rowan, bird cherry providing great habitats for birds and insects, and future shade for people.
• The green lines around the boundaries will be hedging
  • Hawthorn, hazel, blackthorn, dogwood, dog rose which will have some wonderful flowers and act like a corridor for wildlife between different areas.
• Next the shops, the purple rectangle will be an entrance feature with the potential for seating.
• The grey lines next the shops will be paths, so the seating area is accessible, and we plan to connect the existing pavements via a footpath to reduce the need for people to walk across a roadway to reach the shops.

In the original plans, there was mentions of a pond or rain garden, however the site has good drainage and due to the downwards slop, it is not the best area for either of these. There were requests from the community for a sheltered seating area and outdoor exercise equipment to be installed, however, this is not within the scope of the project as funding is linked to improving the green space for both people and nature.

It is important to say that, when the trees and hedges are initially put in, they will look quite bare and small. However, with time and protection during this vulnerable time, they will grow and become fuller and bigger which will make the site look lovely all year round.

Currently we’re working with a couple of local schools to come up ideas for a name for the site as well as designs for the entrance feature. This feature will hopefully encompass the spirit of the community and make everyone feel welcome to the space!

Class at Sunnyside working on entrance feature design ideas.

Our next steps are to continue to work with the schools and we are hoping to hold an information evening early next year to update and involve the community in our plans for the site, with groundworks and planting planned for February and March 2023.

Giving Nature a Home Glasgow team would like to thank everyone that we have spoken to, worked and engaged with in the Craigend area, we hope you have a lovely Christmas and New Year.

We are looking forward to meeting you all again, but in the meantime, if you have any questions, please email us GNAHG@rspb.org.uk.

Main image: Adult and juvenile starling on a fence. Ben Andrew.