Observing, Noticing, Recording, Protecting - Plants, Animals & the Natural World
The Community Ecology Movement was founded with one thing in mind: to get more people to discover, enjoy and protect the amazing nature we have here in Scotland.
There is sooo much life out there if you know how to look. It's a lifelong goal of mine to keep learning how to find new species - through tracks, burrows, scratch marks, foraging signs – but also through deep listening practices.
Most importantly I want to share this knowledge - to open up a whole new world for people who come on short, gentle ecology walks with me – to discover what is there right under our noses and beneath our feet. If someone comes away having learned about one new species, that will make me very happy! On top of this, every significant new species discovered on a walk is lodged into biological databases – to ensure its protection long into the future.
Imagine enriching your walk on the West Highland Way – moving a little more slowly – for just an hour – to stop, pause, look, listen and explore – and ultimately be captivated by all the living things amongst us. Or going on a short gentle walk at dusk to hear the local bat species finding their way in the dark. Every plant, every creature, is a chance to connect with something bigger.
I'm a strong advocate of noticing what's around us - bearing witness to the plants and animals we share our home with, (and recording them), is an act of kindness to the Earth. That's why I bring people together to engage more meaningfully with nature – through ecology walks (West Highland Way Ecology Walks, Bat Walks) & mindful nature practice (We are Forest Women), .
Our Activities ... book now
West Highland Way Ecology Walks
Spend around 1 hour with me at the start of your walk near Balmaha or Inversnaid. Choose the beginning of the day before you set off, after your lunch stop off, or the end of the day – gently moving through nature to explore and discover the incredible nature on the track.
I'd love to share my knowledge with you - how I find food caches from little mammals living on the track, bees, birdsong, and some of the trees and plants.
Every time you learn to find and identify a new species – through tracks, or burrows, listening or looking – you begin to read the landscape in a whole new way. Everything opens up. It is quite magical!
In Scotland there are huge data gaps: spots on the map no one has recorded animals and plants. That's why, on every walk, I lodge anything new or significant in a biological database, so scientific researchers and ecological surveyors know what's there and it can be protected long into the future. So, by coming on a walk with me you're doing a good deed too!
The walks are gentle and slow so that I can talk and show you small details – they're around one hour long moving just a short way up the track. Be sure to plan for the extra bit of time pausing to enjoy nature, before your ongoing journey. If you'd prefer to come on a shorter or longer experience with me, contact me directly.
If you are staying near the West Highland Way, but not doing the walk, you can still join me! As long as you good general fitness and are able to walk up low hill paths and deal with uneven ground such as tree roots.
Finally, I don’t know everything. Learning the methodology to validate signs of a species in an environment is lifelong learning – which is hugely rewarding I might add! I welcome other people’s knowledge on every walk, and if you have a question I can’t answer I’ll do my best to find out. You can read more about my experience in the founder section 😊
Click book now to choose your date and time and starting point – usually Balmaha or Inversnaid (if you want a different location contact me directly by email). I can't wait to meet you!
Dusk Bat Walks
Join me on a dusk bat walk (with a talk on foot) to discover more about this amazing species.
It can be totally enthralling to discover the hidden wildlife amongst us that forage and feed at night.
My love for bats started when I filmed and directed a documentary for BBC4 about bats. I had the great opportunity to work alongside bat scientists from the Max Planck Institute, learning about their incredible behaviour. I now lead bat walks and talks in my community for our local eco group, and I am a freelance bat ecological surveyor.
This is a gentle 1 hour stroll, with stops to hear me talk a wee bit more about the species, and pauses to tune into their high pitched calls using special echolocation devices and look at them through night vision aids. It's suitable for anyone with a basic level of fitness able to walk in low light conditions.
I can't wait to share my enthusiasm for bats with you. Book now to choose a date and location. Reach out to me via email if you'd like to book me privately (it's the same price) if your date and location isn't there.
We Are Forest Women
Monthly Mindful Nature Meetup
This is 12 month outdoor wellbeing group for women moving together through the changing seasons. It's an informal meetup in nature. It's about gathering together - a chance to slow down, connect with the land and spend time with other women. It's about sharing through nature practices and informal conversation. It's centered around a different practice each month : mindful practice in nature, mindful walking, exploring ecology, (plants and animals) and some citizen science (noting down important species finds). Over the course of the year, we’ll notice the landscape changing around us, deepen our connection with the natural world and move together around the seasonal wheel.
Some practical details:
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We meet on the last Friday of every month, from 11am till roughly 3pm.
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The year-long journey costs £290 when booked in advance.
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Individual monthly sessions can be booked for £30
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Location to meet is provided on sign up. It will Aberfoyle and surrounds, (e.g. Kinlochard) in agreement with the group.
Please do reach out to me with any questions. We begin end of September. Book now. I'd love to see you there.
