|
Green Team
During the summer of 1991 the NTS Ranger Service at Ben Lawers joined forces with a teacher from Killin Primary School to run a club, the Green Team, for local youngsters interested in their environment.
Since then, we've met every two weeks in the summer and have been out and about, unless the weather is really awful, and once a month in the winter when we stay indoors at Lynedoch.
Killin provides an ideal place to learn about the world about us, situated at the west end of Loch Tay and overlooked by mountains. Loch, rivers, woodland, and open hillsides are all within easy walking distance so there is plenty of scope for investigating different habitats using a variety of activities and games. Some of you might be amazed at the wealth of different plants and beasties we have encountered nearby!
A favourite activity over the years, with both adults and children, has been bat watching. Over 500 pipistrelles were once counted leaving a house in the village and, although they never witnessed such large numbers, Green Team members have been lucky enough on several occasions to watch bats leaving their roost at dusk. By using a bat detector, we could actually hear the ultrasonic sounds that they make.
Over the last few years the children have been collecting hazelnuts, acorns and other seeds from native trees locally and growing them on as seedlings. These will be planted locally to enhance the environment around the village for wildlife, locals and visitors!
Several locals have shared their specialist knowledge of the natural world with us over the years. We were fortunate enough to see the intimate goings-on inside a beehive, most of us without getting stung, thanks to a local beekeeper and have had an insight into deer stalking.
In the autumn of 1992, The Green Team were given grants from Stirling District Council, Scottish Natural Heritage and Killin Primary PTA to buy a big new pond and some plants to go in it. They put in a lot of hard work digging and landscaping the site and received a prize from the District Council for their efforts. It wasn't long before the pond was teeming with wildlife providing the focus for many meetings.
The Green Team has also ventured outwith the village in search of new environmental experiences. Trips have included trip to Ben Lawers to celebrate bogs, a tour of the Glen Lochay Power Station courtesy of Scottish Hydro-Electric, a visit to Edinburgh's butterfly farm and a day at the Scottish Wildlife and Countryside Fair.
For further details contact Helen Cole at the NTS office on 01567 820988 or Mrs Frost at Killin Primary School.
| 
