Tayside Biodiversity - Information - Events 2010
The Big Bug Hunt!

Spend a morning or an afternoon with Craig Macadam Buglife’s Scottish Conservation Officer looking for and identifying garden bugs. Learn how important all the wee creatures are in our gardens. On Tuesday the 22nd June he will be leading an event at Cluny House Gardens, Aberfeldy from 10.30 to 12.30 and from 2.30 to 4.30 he will be at the Wildlife Garden in Pitlochry. The cost will be £4/person. All proceeds will go towards Red Squirrel and Bird food for both gardens.

For Cluny, please contact Wendy Mattingley wmattingley@btinternet.com 01887 820795 and for the Pitlochry Wildlife Garden please contact Sally Spaven sally.spaven@btinternet.com 01796 472020. Booking is essential as numbers are restricted.

About Buglife: The Invertebrate Conservation Trust is the first organisation in Europe devoted to the conservation of all invertebrates, and are actively engaged in saving Britain's rarest bugs, slugs, snails, bees, wasps, ants, spiders, beetles and many more fascinating little animals. Buglife’s aim is to halt the extinction of invertebrate species and to achieve sustainable populations of invertebrates. http://www.buglife.org.uk/

The events at Cluny and the Pitlochry Wildlife Garden are coinciding with National Insect Week 2010, 21st – 27th June. During that week, on the website http://www.nationalinsectweek.co.uk/ and at hundreds of local events around the UK, there is the opportunity to “Discover Diversity in the World of Insects”. National Insect Week is organized by the Royal Entomological Society, supported by a large number of partner organizations concerned with many aspects of insect science, natural history and biodiversity.

TAYSIDE BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL

1st May 2010 to 31st May 2010

Over 100 events are being planned throughout the month of May in Tayside.

In Perthshire the launch of the Tulloch Lade Project will take place on 1st May and involve a morning Green Fair at the school, followed by a walk by the Lade in the afternoon. There will be a Highland Perthshire Bluebell Competition to find the best places to see this iconic British species. David Boag, the international wildlife photographer will be at Pitlochry Festival Theatre (18th May): www.pitlochryfestivaltheatre.com. On 23rd the Scottish Crannog Centre will be making Iron Age herby bread: www.crannog.co.uk. There will be guided walks on heritage trees, bluebells and swifts. Workshops will include wildlife photography, pollination and bumblebee identification. Kinross' Loch Leven Discovery Day on 23rd May will include a showing of the Perth Youth Theatre's outdoor play "The Tree" which can also be seen at different times in May at Crieff, Coupar Angus and Perth.

In Angus, everyone will have the opportunity to join in the biggest spring bird survey or find out about bird ringing. There will be Backyard Biodiversity Days for schools and a reptile walk in the glens. Or you can explore the coast with a guided walk on the Seaton Cliffs. The Nature on Track project will be launched between Perth and Montrose to encourage everyone to enjoy train journeys through Tayside and to see the rich wildlife around them.

Dundee events will include an After School Workshop and an After Work Wander at the Botanic Gardens: a.d.hood@dundee.ac.uk. The Balgay Biodiversity Bonanza takes place on 23rd and during the same weekend three biodiversity films will be screened at the DCA (Dundee Contemporary Arts). The Dundee BioBlitz on 30th May promises to be a grand finale to the Festival itself.

The programme will be featured on www.taysidebiodiversity.co.uk with copies available from Easter - contact tayside.biodiversity@ukf.net or Tel. 01382 433042.

Event Leaflets & Newsletters

Change of Dates and Events
Change of Date Botanic Gardens Family Workshop - Page 28 of programme - from 8th May
to 15th May
New Event Spring into action – Training Day for people with an interest in bats

http://www.bats.org.uk/pages/spring_into_action.html
This Years Play - The Tree COMING AGAIN IN 2010

Perth Youth Theatre's Street Theatre

The Tree

It’s Business as usual for the citizens of “West Island” Crops to be planted, fish to be caught and houses to build and heat. The only problem is there is only one tree left and everyone wants their cut! “The Tree is an Eco comedy for all the family with colourful characters, madcap humour and live music. Performed out and about around a tree near you on Sundays throughout May!


Sun 9th May, 'Biodiversity in Larghan Park', Coupar Angus. 1.30pm
Sun 16th May, Perth 800 Biodiversity Family Day, North Inch, Perth. 2.00pm
Sunday 23rd May, Loch Leven NNR Discovery Day, Kinross. 12 Noon
Sunday 30th May, Picnic in the Park, MacRosty Park, Crieff. 2.00pm

“ Finally! A play highlighting the problems created by capitalism and globalisation that doesn't send children to sleep!” Edinburghguide.com

Directed by John Glancy.
FOCUS ON WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY

David Boag will be back in Tayside this May - see the Festival programme for further details
Scottish Biodiversity Week has been held annually since 2001. It originally started off as a local biodiversity initiative in Fife in 2000 and has since grown to become a national fixture in the Scottish calendar.

2010 dates - 15th to 25th May.

Read about the 'colours of nature' 2010 competition the Scottish Biodiversity Forum is planning (coming soon). In the meantime there are some stunning photographs to enjoy in the 2009 gallery at

http://www.snh.org.uk/biodiversityweek/galleryF09.asp
THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY - 2010

The United Nations General Assembly (decision 61/203) has proclaimed 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity (IYB). This year coincides with the 2010 Biodiversity Target adopted by the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity and by Heads of State and government at the World Summit for Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in 2002. The UN identified the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) as focal point for the Year.
Biodiversity is our life. 2010 has been declared the International Year of Biodiversity (IYB) by the United Nations. This is the website of IYB-UK, ...

www.biodiversityislife.net
Perth 800 is a year long celebration in 2010 which marks the 800th anniversary of the granting of the Royal Burgh Charter to Perth by King William the Lion in 1210. Visit www.perth800.com for more information.

Click here for Perth 800 Events Guide for 2010

March /April Perth 800 e-newsletter
ORCHARD TRAINING COURSES

Training Courses
Programme 2009-10

 Queries to: biodiversity.events@dundeecity.gov.uk; Tel. 01382 433042

PRACTICAL TRAINING COURSES
Pre-booking will be essential as places will be strictly limited.

Saturday, 6th February 2010
Winter Pruning (Elcho Castle) £15 per person
Leader - Andrew Lear, www.appletreeman.co.uk.
Book direct with Tayside Biodiversity Partnership (details: back page)
Learn the techniques of this essential orchard task. Please bring along tools if possible. Refreshments will be available. Choose the morning session (from 10am to 1pm - coffee on arrival; soup and roll on departure) or the afternoon session (12.30pm to 3.30pm - soup and roll on arrival; coffee on departure). Limited places.

Saturday, 6th March 2010
Bench Grafting (Bankfoot) £15 per person
Leader - Andrew Lear, www.appletreeman.co.uk
Book direct via: www.plantswithpurpose.co.uk.
A beginners/introductory workshop to learn how to graft fruit trees; there will be a mix of theory and practical participation and different grafting techniques. Participants to bring a shoot and take away a graft of their own tree/s. Half day (10am to 2pm) - tea /coffee provided. Limited places.

Saturday, 3rd April 2010.
Pests and Diseases of Fruit Trees ( SCRI Invergowrie) £15 per person
Leader - Andrew Lear, www.appletreeman.co.uk.
Book direct via www.plantswithpurpose.co.uk
A hands-on workshop from 10am to 3pm. An exploration of fruit pests and diseases and their prevention/control. Tea / Coffee provided.

Saturday May 8th 2010.
Pollination Essentials (Glendoick Garden Centre) £15 per person
Leader - Margaret Lear.
Booking essential at: www.plantswithpurpose.co.uk
Learn about the biology of pollination and how to attract and manage pollinating insects, with special reference to orchard trees. From 10am to 1pm. After lunch, an optional guided walk in Glendoick gardens, admission charge only. Refreshments will be available.

Saturday, 7th August 2010.
Budding Fruit Trees Workshop (Historic Orchards Nursery) £15 per person
Leader - Andrew Lear, www.appletreeman.co.uk
Book direct via www.plantswithpurpose.co.uk
A half day workshop 10 am to 2pm covering both theory of budding fruit trees and a practical hands-on workshop on field grown plants. Refreshments provided. Limited numbers - book early. Bring a pruning knife if you have one, and shoots of your tree. Full details upon booking.

Monday, 16th August 2010.
Plum Identification Evening (SCRI Invergowrie) £5 per person
Leader - Andrew Lear, www.appletreeman.co.uk
Bring some plums /damsons and spend an evening from 6.30pm until 9pm, with books and guides to discover the identification of your fruit. A visit to a local plum orchard with 20 varieties will be included.

Sunday 12th September 2010.
Orchards and Pears of Perthshire £15 per person
Leader - Andrew Lear, www.appletreeman.co.uk
Book direct via www.plantswithpurpose.co.uk
A short stroll with a guide through The Carse of Gowrie orchard history, with a special look at the many varieties of pears. 2pm till 5pm. More information nearer the time.

Monday 13th September 2010.
Botany for Fruit Identification (SCRI, Invergowrie) £5 per person
Leader - Andrew and Margaret Lear, www.appletreeman.co.uk
Book direct via www.plantswithpurpose.co.uk
Bring some apples and pears and spend an evening on a workshop to give you the skills to identify your own fruit. 6.30 until 9pm.

October 2010 – date to be confirmed
Cider-Making Workshop
Further details available in due course from Tayside.biodiversity@ukf.net

CLICK FOR PDF TRAINING COURSES PROGRAMME 2009-10

2010 PONDERING POLLINATION

Two workshops will be held this May - see the Festival programme for further details
TAYSIDE RECORDERS’ DAY

4th Recorders' Day will take place Spring 2011 - further details will be available nearer the time
Saturday, 13th March 2010 - The Meffan, Forfar. CLICK FOR WORD DOC CLICK FOR PDF
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