Nature Market 2024

HogsCroft Hedgehog Rescue spoke to lots of people about how to help hedgehogs and the work of the rescue. Visitors were able to learn about how to encourage/help/support hedgehogs in gardens. Hedgehog houses, feeding stations, hedgehog highway examples, and wildlife friendly planting information was on display.

Tips on how to recognise the signs when hedgehogs need help and what to feed them were provided.

Culture PK Seed Library spoke about natural spaces and urban sprawl, with specific focus on garden areas and fields/meadows. Visitors were able to take home seeds to benefit nature.

The library aims to enable gardeners (experienced and novice!) to share a resource of open-pollinated seeds that suit local growing conditions, a library of knowledge and information plus the experience from local seed library volunteers. Membership is £6 and covers training sessions, author events, talks from experts and a minimum of 6 packets of seeds.

Members can donate and/or receive seeds at their local library (including mobile libraries). Donating seeds can take place throughout the year, and members will receive instructions on how to hand in their dried seeds.

To join the library visit https://www.culturepk.org.uk/l...

Guardswell Farm and Diggers Cider hosted a stall showcasing local, low intervention cider and apple cider vinegar- orchards are one of the easiest ways to increase biodiversity fast. Visitors were able to find out more about the farm and their sustainable practices from soil building, food growing, conservation grazing and creating local wool.

PLUS Perth showcased the community work being undertaken to increase biodiversity in Perth City Centre. Paintings and prints of flora and fauna around the city centre were on display.

Visitor Rangers Nikki and Callum and Community Warden Douglas attended the market. They engaged with visitors to promote responsible tourism and camping in our beautiful spots, emphasising the importance of leaving no trace. Our "Dig It" kits, designed to help manage outdoor sanitation responsibly, were particularly popular with visitors. The team also provided guidance on responsible cooking methods, recommending the use of gas stoves or raised fire pits, and discussed the environmental impact of collecting wood for burning.We appreciate everyone's interest and commitment to preserving our natural spaces. Find out about the Scottish Outdoor Access Code to enjoy the outdoors responsibly at: https://www.outdooraccess-scotland.scot/

PK Climate Action had prizes up for grabs! The main prize draw was to win a hedgehog home in celebration of Tayside Biodiversity Festival. This cleverly designed Hogilo hedgehog home is made from recycled plastic and FSC wood. It’s been checked by hedgehog carers for suitability. It can be used all year round; for one of the following nesting, nursing or hibernating in.

The Tayside Woodland Partnerships (TWP) was formed in October 2021 with the objective of establishing and maintaining woodlands in Tayside for habitat restoration and sequestering carbon as a contribution to the Scottish Government’s target to achieve zero net emissions, and to play a part in addressing the climate and nature emergency.

They are aware of and promote the many benefits to people of being in nature. They also aim to work in partnership with individuals, community groups, landowners and organisations such as local councils, Forestry and Land Scotland and the Woodland Trust.

Butterfly Conservation were able to support people with connecting with nature and support butterflies and moths in their local spaces. The Wild Spaces theme was explored which aims to give hints and tips for making space for nature in gardens and local spaces. The Perth Wild Spaces Project Officer provided information about “Gardening for Butterflies”, where we learned about how to make space for butterflies and moths as they complete their lifecycles in gardens or community spaces.

Tayside Biodiversity had nature homes on display to demonstrate how we can support swifts and hedgehogs. Visitors could hear about the Tayside Biodiversity Action Plan, Biodiversity Village and Towns, Bioblitz, volunteering opportunities and more!

Sustrans joined the market to talk about the connections between active travel and getting outdoors into nature. Visitors were given the opportunity to map out active travel improvements for walking, cycling and rolling.

Plants with Purpose help create nature havens for people and wildlife. Their Scottish grown plants are ideal for permaculture systems and creating wildlife habitats in your garden or project.

The Walled Garden and Wisecraft (PKAVS) brought information about their service, how they incorporate nature, biodiversity in the garden space to support and help people with their mental health and wellbeing.

Leaflets, stickers, birdhouses and insect houses created by their joinery workshop were on display. Organic grown plants which are excellent for pollinators and tray bakes made in the café made at the walled garden were for sale.

Gardening organically, such as using compost made in the garden, and understanding how to garden to soil types and textures can help boost soil health and increase microbial activity within the soil. By steering away from chemical herbicides and fertilisers also keeps preserves important bacteria, fungi and microorganisms within the soil. By running an activity about composting and how to identify soil textures Perth Organic Gardeners were able to show people that it is easy to do and organic gardening is for everyone.

A Climate Café® was hosted to connect and support those interested to become a member or to start their own Climate Café®

A Climate Café® is a community led, informal, inspiring space to get together, share ideas, information and get involved in climate action.

Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels

The Red squirrel is not only an iconic wee creature in Scotland, it's very presence is an integral part of biodiversity and also an important "indicator" of biodiversity.

Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels is working with local communities to ensure red squirrels will always be a part of Scotland’s special native wildlife. Together with partners, landowners and a network of local groups and volunteers, we are focused on the areas where red squirrels are most under threat from the spread of the invasive grey squirrel.

Our efforts are making a difference — in many places, red squirrels are already making a comeback. However, there is still a lot of work to do. With your help, we can continue to protect them.

Beautiful Perth maintain the gardens at the Riverside Park, including the Rodney Gardens. Our work in regenerating these public spaces involves us increasing the proportion of sustainable planting and pollinator plants in our public floral displays. Importantly we actively encourage wildlife at our sites at the Riverside Park, by providing a safe habitat and food to supplement the naturally available food. This has seen us being visited by a wide variety of birds, some never previously seen at this location.

Letham Climate Challenge showed the public what they do on a daily basis and focussed on the swapping flower and vegetable seeds as a connection to their allotments.

Rewilding Denmarkfield showcased their 90 acre rewilding project based just north of Perth. Denmarkfield owners have pursued to make the site wilder, with a more nature-centric approach to land management – one that will benefit both people and wildlife. A dedicated rewilding team has been appointed to oversee the transition.

West Stormont Woodland Group are working with local people to bring Taymount Wood and Five Mile Wood into community ownership to be managed for nature recovery, climate action and wide-ranging community benefit. Their stall featured WSWG display boards with a particular focus on the wildlife and habitats they have in the woods, including some nationally and regionally scarce or rare species, and their plans for species protection and enhancement once in community ownership.

Visitors could find out how to get involved at future events as part of the Tayside Biodiversity Festival.