The officer team from the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere Partnership will be in Kirkcolm on Sunday 30 th June, hosting a Seashore Safari event to explore the beach and find out more about marine life at Loch Ryan.
Kirkcolm became a Biosphere Community in early 2024, the first in the Rhins since the area became part of the expanded UNESCO region in 2023. The Seashore Safari is part of the Biosphere Communities scheme, which brings local learning opportunities and a programme of support for villages and towns looking to develop their nature connections, explore energy saving and waste reduction, and build a sustainable tourism offering.
The GSA Biosphere Partnership is a registered Scottish Charity (SC044137) working across the 9,720km² UNESCO Biosphere to help widen understanding of local wildlife and habitats, especially those which are under threat due to human activity and climate change. Now with 12 miles of the marine environment under the UNESCO designation, the team are launching a new ‘Blue Biosphere’ educational resource this month, to coincide with World Ocean Day 2024.
The Partnership is also one of the organisations involved with SCAMPP – the Solway Coast and Marine Pilot Project –exploring investment in marine natural capital and coastal community development, an initiative headed by Solway Firth Partnership and Dumfries & Galloway Council.
Seashore Safari will take place in Kirkcolm between 2 – 3:30pm on Sunday 30 th June, with a guided walk, beachcombing, and a workshop session at the Community Hub. Booking is free via Eventbrite with all ages welcome.
(www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/seashore-safari-tickets-905903621117). Light refreshments will be provided, and as a summer bonus, all attendees will receive a free ice cream.
Community Officer Faith Hillier works on the Biosphere Communities programme and will be leading the event. Faith says, “This is designed as a fun afternoon outing on our beautiful Biosphere coast, with a dash of learning to make it extra worthwhile. Loch Ryan is an amazing place to connect with nature, not least because of its fascinating ecosystems which includes native oyster beds, seagrass meadows, and more. Please do join us in Kirkcolm on 30 th June to explore this very special part of our UNESCO Biosphere.”
More information about the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere is available at
www.gsabiosphere.org.uk For enquiries or more information on the Seashore Safari workshop, please email [email protected]
