Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere Sense of Place Toolkit Contents Introduction 3 START HERE: how to use this Toolkit 9 A Place of Wildlife and Natural Beauty 14 A Place of Heritage and Culture 23 A Place of Inspiration 31 A Place of Tranquillity 37 A Place of Recreation and Enjoyment 41 A Place of Local Produce 54 Glen Kens © Ted Leeming The Sense of Place Toolkit includes photography supplied under license by the Galloway Photographic Collective. You are welcome to use these photographs free of charge in your own marketing and publicity (e.g. promotional leaflets, websites). The photographs cannot however be re-sold or used on items for commercial sale. Copies of the photographs are available from the ‘Resources’ section of the Sense of Place Toolkit website: www.gallowayandsouthernayrshirebiosphere.org.uk/SOP Information about the Galloway Photographic Collective is available at: www.gallowayphotocollective.co.uk Sense of Place Toolkit Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere 2 Introduction Welcome to the Sense of Place Toolkit. Its purpose is to help you understand and benefit from the special qualities of the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere. Sunset at Croy © Graeme Law What is a Biosphere? A ‘Biosphere’ is a special status awarded by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to places that demonstrate a balanced and sustainable relationship between people and nature. Biospheres are created to fulfil three main purposes: l Conservation: protecting the landscape, its wildlife and habitats. l Learning and Research: encouraging use of the landscape for education and sharing knowledge with others. l Sustainable development: supporting the local economy and communities. Sense of Place Toolkit Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere 3 Introduction Biospheres are places of cooperation and collaboration, where communities, land managers, environmental groups, businesses, local authorities, public agencies and others can work together for the benefit of both people and nature. Not everywhere has the right ingredients to become a Biosphere – the status is given only to world-class environments where people and communities value their environment, are committed to caring for it and aspire to making it better. To date there are only two other Biospheres in the UK. This makes the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere very unique and offers great potential for local people and organisations to benefit from its special status. For more information visit www.gallowayandsouthernayrshirebiosphere.org.uk For more information about Biosphere status visit www.unesco.org and search for “biosphere”. Blackcraig © Ted Leeming Sense of Place Toolkit Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere 4 Introduction Autumn outside Doonfoot © Graeme Law What is a ‘sense of place’? A ‘sense of place’ is the term used to describe the emotions and experiences we associate with places. It’s how places make us feel. A sense of place is what gives an area its identity and makes it different from its surroundings. It is made up of the different landscapes, wildlife, heritage, people, sights, sounds, smells, tastes, memories and many other ‘things’ that contribute to our experience of a place. It changes when we travel from home to work, or from the city to the countryside, or when visiting familiar or new places. One way of understanding it is to think about how you might describe the area where you live - which words would you use, what would you focus on, how does it make you feel when you picture it in your mind? That’s a sense of place. Sense of Place Toolkit Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere 5 Introduction How is this relevant to me? A sense of place is all about how places Everyone has their own understanding make us feel. That might sound like of sense of place, whether they use the a wishy-washy idea at first! But quite term or not. If you belong to a community the opposite… it plays a key role in group, business or organisation that influencing the choices we make over has an interest in your local area, then where to live, work and spend our developing a better understanding of holidays. It can influence the value placed sense of place can benefit you in a on products and services offered by local number of ways. For example, it can be businesses. It contributes to our culture used to: and the identities of local communities. It can even impact on people’s health and l Improve the ‘welcome’ and local quality of life. knowledge offered by frontline tourism staff (including businesses) l Add value to local products and services – and help businesses develop new products l Strengthen the identity or ‘brand’ of an area by encouraging different groups to work together in promoting a place and its special qualities l Provide inspiration for education, interpretation and the creative arts l Help bring communities together and (re)connect people with the landscape A sense of place is particularly relevant to tourism. If visitors connect with a place they are more likely to develop an affinity for the area, which in turn means they are likely to spend more time there, spend more money, tell their friends about it and visit again in future. In this way, promoting a strong sense of place can benefit the local economy. Thespit at Carrick shore © Allan Wright Sense of Place Toolkit Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere 6 Introduction Who is the Toolkit for? Who made it and how? The Sense of Place Toolkit is intended for use by community groups, businesses and organisations operating within or near to the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere (see map). Sense of Place Toolkit Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere 7 Introduction The Toolkit has been produced by consultants, Countryscape, as part of the Building Opportunity in the Biosphere project, funded through the European Community Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway LEADER Programmes, Dumfries and Galloway, East Ayrshire and South Ayrshire Councils. The Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere is guided by a partnership made up of representatives from communities, local organisations, businesses, the local authority and public agencies who are all working together to develop the opportunities that biosphere status brings. The Toolkit is based on information collected through a study undertaken in 2012, during which the Partnership consulted with communities and asked them what is special about their local area, including their favourite places, things to do, local produce, landscape and scenery, heritage, culture and events. This information was then used to develop the different special qualities or sense of place ‘themes’ that form the basis of this Toolkit. The information collected during the study is invaluable to the Biosphere Partnership and we would like to thank everyone who contributed to the project. We are happy to share this information in the hope that it will inspire you to use your own local knowledge and sense of place to benefit your work, your community and the Biosphere as a whole. Who should I contact for more information? For further information about the Sense of Place Toolkit and the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere and for contact details please visit: http://www.gallowayandsouthernayrshirebiosphere.org.uk. Sense of Place Toolkit Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere 8 How to use this toolkit START HERE: how to use this Toolkit This section explains how to get the most out of the Sense of Place Toolkit. Ayrshire coast © Leeming & Paterson What is the Sense of Place Toolkit – and what can it be used for? The Sense of Place Toolkit is a collection The Toolkit isn’t designed to be read from of information and resources to help cover to cover like a book. Instead, think you benefit from the special qualities of it as a guidebook that you can ‘dip of the Biosphere. We use the word into’ whenever you need some fresh ideas ‘toolkit’ because it is focussed on and inspiration. practical outcomes. In the same way that a carpenter’s toolkit contains different You might like to use the Toolkit when: tools for different jobs, the Sense of Place Toolkit can be adapted to your individual l Creating publicity materials, such as a needs and interests. leaflet, website or advertisement You don’t need any special skills or l Informing your customers or visitors expertise to use the Toolkit. It’s simply about your local area about making use of your own local l knowledge and sense of place in new and Developing a plan, proposal or strategy practical ways. All you need is a passion l Providing training to your staff or colleagues for your local area and a willingness to be creative! l Working with your local community Sense of Place Toolkit Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere 9 How to use this toolkit STEP 1: deciding what’s relevant to you The Sense of Place Toolkit is organised into l Tranquillity: the area’s unique sense of different sections, each one focussing on a peace, quiet and remoteness. different special quality of the Biosphere: l Recreation: the abundance of outdoor l Wildlife and Natural Beauty: the activities that can be enjoyed locally, importance and diversity of the natural including walking cycling, sailing, environment – from the area’s unique fishing, golfing and more. geology and coastline, to its rare and l wonderful wildlife, habitats and waterways. Produce: the range of good quality food that is farmed and produced locally, l Heritage and Culture: exploring the including whisky, shellfish, cheese, ice people and events that have shaped cream and local brands, such as the the area both past and present – from distinctive Belted Galloway cows. industrial and religious heritage, to famous connections and local stories. Start by reading the introduction to each section and decide which l Inspiration: the importance of the area are most relevant to you and your for inspiring the creative arts, both past interests.