The Nature of Scotland – Autumn 2011 – Issue 13

Personal stories
On the edge of Dundee, the Broughty
Ferry Environmental Project is a
community-based initiative that
supports local people to develop
and deliver environmental activities,
ranging from outdoor drama to species
surveying and creating habitats.
Over 70% of volunteers are from
disadvantaged groups, including
deprived communities in east Dundee
and people with physical and mental
health problems. The group used
storytelling sessions to share personal
experiences and explore how their
approach was important in attracting
and retaining volunteers.
“We found that our wide
interpretation of environmental activity
helps attract people of differing
interests,” explained Ann Lolley from
the project. “Many of the folk who come
along then go on to interact with the
environment in lots of ways.”
For some, the group’s activities offer
the satisfaction of making a practical
difference to the natural environment;
for others, nature is an inspiration for
creative activities; and for many, simply
being outdoors and in good company
has a positive impact on health and
well-being.
A key feature of action research
is that it allows people to be directly
involved in exploring issues that affect
them and in coming up with what
needs to change. As Kate McHendry
of SCDC explains, “Action research
is a really powerful way of getting to
the heart of the matter. The groups
have gathered evidence that’s directly
relevant to their work and which they
can use to demonstrate the value of
their activities.”
Clackmannanshire Disability
Awareness Group will be using
their findings to lobby for increased
wheelchair-friendly transport and better
information on outdoor places for
people with disabilities. Their research
has already meant that the group has
been invited on to the steering group
for developing access at Gartmorn
Dam Country Park.
Their research explored the barriers
that local people with disabilities face
in accessing and enjoying nature. They
found that, for people without cars,
access to nature is largely confined to
trips run by the council day services,
for example with the Whins Centre
rambling group.
However, as Enid Trevett from the
group explains, this brings its own
constraints. “You’re always up against
the schedule of the bus that has to
get back in time to take the other
service users home,” she pointed out.
Many people with disabilities don’t
venture into the outdoors because they
don’t know what obstacles might be
encountered, so the group has been
helping to create Phototrails (www.
phototrails.org) of accessible routes in
Clackmannanshire.
3
“Overcoming the
obstacles that you
face out in nature
builds confidence
and encourages us
to keep going.”
Clackmannanshire
Disability Awareness
Group
16 The Nature of Scotland