Saving the small things that run the planetBing’s for Wildlife is a project within the Inner Forth Landscape Initiative that has managed derelict coal bings for wildlife with the help of volunteers.
The Inner Forth area was at the heart of Scotland’s industrial revolution and was particularly important for our coal industry. Large spoil heaps (known locally as bings) have been left scattered across the landscape through the demise of coal industries and are an important reminder of our past.
Volunteers clearing scrub at Garibaldi Bing to help species-rich vegetation © S. Burgess
Many of these brownfield sites have been reclaimed by nature and provide valuable habitat for a wide range of species, particularly invertebrates.
These brownfield sites contain important habitat features such as species rich grassland, bare ground and early successional habitats that are fragmented in the natural landscape and act as important ‘stepping stones’ across the Inner Forth area.
With the help of volunteers from The Conservation Volunteers, the local community and surrounding areas, this project has managed two bings for wildlife that lie within the Inner Forth area. The two sites that will have benefitted through this project are Fallin Bing in Fallin, near Stirling and Garibaldi Bing near Carronshore, Falkirk.
Habitat management at both sites has involved scrub and invasive plant removal. Fallin Bing has further benefitted through the planting of almost 3,000 wildflower plug plants of native species including Red clover (Trifolium pratense), Vipers bugloss (Echium vulgare) and Ladies bedstraw (Galium verum).
Local communities learned about the importance of these sites and were reminded of the important mining heritage of the Inner Forth.
The Bing’s for Wildlife project worked in partnership with Stirling Council and Falkirk Council.
Bing’s for Wildlife is an Inner Forth Landscape Initiative project funded by National Lottery Heritage Fund, Central Scotland Green Network and the contribution of the LIFE financial instrument of the European Community delivered as part of the EcoCo LIFE project: LIFE13 BIO/UK/000428
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