Garnock Valley
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The River Garnock Garnock Valley An amazing place for people Our work so far and for wildlife From hilltop to estuary mud, our vision is From high moors, valleys and floodplain to restore, enhance and strengthen the farmland to mudflats, dune and heath, valley’s natural network of interlinked the River Garnock connects a diversity of habitats and create vital pathways for habitats that support rich and varied nature to disperse and move with wildlife. This network of interlinked habitats change. A healthy river system will be is important for local people too, providing central to this, so it’s crucial, too, that we space for relaxation and recreation, as well seek to restore degraded watercourses as many natural services and other benefits and combat pollution from agriculture. that depend on the health of the landscape. The valley is popular with visitors too, We’ve already been able to make many many drawn by the wildlife here. improvements to our Lochwinnoch wetland reserve and have worked closely The rolling Muirshiel uplands give with our partners – land owners and sanctuary to breeding hen harriers, while managers, local authorities and Otter wetlands at Lochwinnoch are home to an stakeholders, and other conservation abundance of insects, birds, amphibians bodies – to produce a report for the and mammals. Rich mud and saltmarsh whole Garnock area, assessing the Rivers: the arteries at Bogside estuary provides vital feeding potential for landscape-scale conservation of our valley grounds and roosting sites for large in the valley. It identifies not only sites numbers of wintering wildfowl and ripe for habitat enhancement and Rivers are one of nature’s key wading birds. In between, wetlands, creation, but also more sustainable transport systems. Upstream, rivers streams and farmland support rare approaches to issues of local concern. gather nutrients washed from the moths, farmland birds and otters. land, depositing them at important We’ve now started working in partnership sites such as estuaries and But nature’s home here is by no means with organisations, including the Scottish enriching their muds. This creates secure. As in much of central Scotland, Environment Protection Agency, the food for invertebrates like worms a long history of industrial and agricultural Scottish Wildlife Trust and North Ayrshire and shellfish, vital to wildfowl land use has degraded and fragmented Council to find sustainable solutions that and wading birds. Rivers are also natural habitats, reducing the space tackle big problems like flooding and important migration routes for available to nature and hindering the water pollution. We’re also working fish like lamprey, salmon and eel. movement of species, so crucial to together to find new ways of re-engaging Their banks also act like corridors, wildlife’s survival. Threats to the health local people with nature and creating allowing animals such as otters to and hydrology of the river itself could more space for wildlife in the valley. move between habitats, providing sever another vital transport link for nature. refuge to cross open landscapes Large-scale action is needed to protect to find new habitat in which to live and restore the Garnock’s natural heritage, or breed. This role will be vital in future-proof nature against new climatic ensuring that our much-loved and development pressures, and create wildlife can adapt to climate change. opportunities for sustainable development. Garnock Valley “ People are central to this landscape too. This project will help local Lochwinnoch ! people and visitors to Lochwinnoch get closer to nature, especially if we can encourage the valley’s GlengaGlengarnockrnock urban audience to engage ! with its wonderful wildlife sites. For example, at Irvine harbour, guided ! Dalry walks, events and Dalry improved information on the adjacent habitat at Bogside flats are KilwinningKilwinning planned, to help ! Saltcoats ! everyone appreciate this Saltcoats ! StevStevensonen undervalued estuary.” Irvine ! Irvine Jo Kingsbury, Garnock KEY Valley Futurescape Officer main road Futurescape area Special Protection Area Special Area of Sources: Esri, HERE, DeLorme, USGS, Intermap, increment P Corp., NRCAN, Esri Japan, METI, Esri China Conservation (Hong Kong), Esri (Thailand), TomTom, MapmyIndia, © OpenStreetMap contributors, and the GIS User Community What’s next? Get in touch Our focus in the near future is on delivering initial work on We want to hear your ideas about how we can work together key sites that will pave the way to planning larger-scale to make the Garnock Valley an even better place, for people projects for the future that aim to restore networks of and for wildlife. habitats across the valley. We will be providing advice on land management in the wider countryside for landowners Garnock Valley Regional Director and farmers that will not only create more space for Futurescape Officer Anne McCall wildlife, but help to ensure that natural connections Jo Kingsbury T 0141 3319081 between sites and habitats, such as our river corridors and T 07786 347991 E [email protected] hedgerows, are restored. In addition, we’ll be working to E [email protected] ensure nature conservation and sustainability are kept at RSPB South and West the heart of new development in the region. We want to Conservation Officer, Scotland Office build new relationships with anyone who has a stake in the Central Scotland T 0141 3310993 countryside here, so whether you’re a farmer, landowner, Toby Wilson 10 Park Quadrant community organisation or individual, please feel free to T 0141 3319096 Glasgow G3 6BS contact us. You may have an area of land you think could E [email protected] be enhanced, be looking for advice, interested in working together or just want to discuss the project and how you can get involved. The Garnock Valley Futurescapes project Natura 2000 – Europe’s Futurescapes is The RSPB is a member of is kindly supported by: nature for you. We are generously supported BirdLife International, a working together across the by the EU Life+ partnership of conservation EU to safeguard Europe’s Communications organisations working to give rich and diverse natural Programme nature a home around the world heritage for the benefit of all Futurescapes is the RSPB’s contribution to landscape-scale conservation throughout the UK. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a registered charity: England and Wales no. 207076, Scotland no. SC037654. Images: otter by Guy Rogers (rspb-images.com) and River Garnock by Toby Wilson. Maps produced by RSPB CDMU © Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. RSPB licence 100021787. 020-1-0936-13-14.