‘What if?’ Event Report
Climate Action East Linton is an affiliated member of Sustaining Dunbar, and benefits from sharing ideas, resources and experience. We invited our colleagues from CAEL to showcase their inspiring work as part of an ongoing What If? event series which we have been running for the past few months.
On Wednesday 17th March 2021 four members of CAEL presented their work, shared their plans and ambitions for East Linton, and answered questions from the participants. The event provided the opportunity to hear from some key people involved in CAEL, how CAEL has evolved and some of the activities and projects it has been working on.
Participants particularly enjoyed hearing about CAEL’s ideas for a wildlife network through gardens; how they are working collaboratively with a local landowner to plant a new wood for biodiversity; a letter that has been sent to the Scottish Government on support for regenerative agriculture; and how they have begun to work with young people locally.
If you missed the event, you can watch the recording here:
Below, you can find more information about CAEL as well as some insightful notes on a local wildlife corridor.
What is CAEL https://www.cael.community/
Climate Action East Linton (CAEL) consists of a friendly, informal group of people living in the East Linton area who care deeply about the climate and biodiversity crises. We have a small steering group, specific projects under way, and teams working on particular themes and activities. We have about a hundred members in total. Anyone is welcome to join and get involved as much or little as they want.
We have found that in coming together and working on positive things we feel less powerless.
CAEL’s aspirations https://www.cael.community/mission-statement
CAEL aims to facilitate activities in the East Linton area which enable low carbon lifestyles in the face of the climate crisis and which help our local natural world flourish in the face of the biodiversity crisis. We have a number of exciting projects and activities either ongoing or planned.
Wildlife Corridor – notes from Lucy Merlin Aykroyd
What if East Linton was a wildlife friendly village?
What if we were the Nature Reserve that we really want to visit!
We already have a lively community with much to celebrate but we can make it even better! More eco-friendly, more inclusive, an even more exciting place to live
- Imagine one that is bursting with biodiversity, birdsong, wildflowers and borders filled with vegetables, herbs, fruit bushes and other edible plants. Imagine picking beans on the way to school!
- Imagine! – benches for pausing – mini libraries tucked in small boxes under willow trees by the river, seed swops, seedling shares – and people visiting our village just to bathe themselves in the of atmosphere of an active and lively community.
- Imagine an all-inclusive, intergenerational project where we learn from each other – share our knowledge and resources and help Save our Planet at the same time – businesses, the school and existing groups all coming together to make it happen.
- This would be not just good for us and good for our mental health, but good for the planet too!
CAEL is full of busy (bees!) researching and gleaning all we can from existing models to make it happen here. Felixstowe, Incredible Edible – Abundant Borders
Step one – a Wildlife Corridor, linking gardens, linking people, and enabling all creatures to move around our community in ways that encourages them to visit and sustains their life.
Inclusive, intergenerational, and fun for families.
Simple to instigate – relatively! Key points!
Setting aside 3 sq yds of garden can be incredibly effective
- Wildflowers can grow –
- butterfly and pollinator friendly plants return
- little ponds attract frogs, birds and insects
- bird boxes, insect habitats are great to make etc
- When Plots are left in peace to re-wild, biodiversity returns quite quickly.
‘Pardon the weeds – we are feeding the bees!
- Lifting small sections of fencing between gardens allows the natural movement of creatures.
- Monthly Tips and ideas on the website – phone box – leaflets
- People sign up/register – Small wooden sign in garden/sticker on the window…Butterfly? Frog? – maybe free donated seeds, starter packs etc
- Follow a map on the website (interlinked by a QR code?) –
- Photo montage on website / Insta? – little videos – before and after – empowers and encourages and adds interest.
- Open events /Demo days – courses sharing of knowledge
- Sponsors – Opportunity for companies to donate seeds, materials plus other resources. (offsetting carbon emissions, Green footprint, Good will etc
- Pledges, map of dreams, Lets make it happen!
If you would like to get involved in CAEL or ask more questions, please visit their website , check opportunities or email info@cael.community