Over the last year, we have spent a lot of time on the lower River Leven carrying out ecological surveys and fish rescues. Now we have joined in a project with SEPA, SUSTRANS and Fife Council to improve the paths network and amenity alongside the river. Our part in the project is to assess all aspects of wildlife in the area and work out how the information can be used to interest and engage local schools and community groups.
Fish surveys we have carried out on the River Leven have shown a healthy and diverse fish population in the lower areas downstream of most of the old industrial weirs. We have found brown trout, salmon, eels, lamprey and flounder in this area, and while on site have observed otters, mink, foxes, roe deer, rabbits, herons, oystercatchers dippers and kingfishers. We have been very pleasantly surprised at the diversity of wildlife in the area. It is fantastic that there is to be some investment in improving the paths and the look of the area in a nature sensitive way. We are keen to engage schools and the community in learning about the wildlife of the area and to enjoy getting out and about as much as possible.
We are now involved in a project on the lower Leven that will do just that. The project partners include SEPA, SUSTRANS, Fife Council and Fife College (amongst others). Our part in the project is to comprehensively assess all the wildlife at the site, including e.g. amphibians, insects, birds and bats. We have brought in specialists from Buglife, Froglife and Scottish Natural Heritage to help identify the habitats that are present, and the species they support. The information will then be used to produce interpretation materials to engage the public and contribute to learning.
There is a large engagement aspect to the project, and we will be doing a lot of projects with kids as well as adults e.g. learning to fish, rearing trees and fish in the classroom, wildlife walks and learning to become an angling trainer. Last week we had a group of game design students from the college on site figuring out how they could incorporate the wildlife and heritage of the area into their new games. We hope to continue to engage as wide a range of different people as possible and get folk interested and clued up on their local wildlife.
