Environment

One of our main priorities is improving the local environment of our Fair City. We do this in a number of ways, from tackling the blight of litter to using pollinator plants to support bees and other insect life. We are also proud to be leading the Zero Waste Perth partnership project, a consortium which aims to make Perth a more sustainable place to live, work and visit.

Environmental problems

Litter, graffiti and overgrown, unsightly places can blight our neighbourhood and spoil the image of Perth. We meet all year round, in all weathers to tackle these problems, often working with other groups so we can achieve more together. One of our partnerships is with the Council's Criminal Justice team, whose Unpaid Work squads have specialist equipment for the removal of graffiti and chewing gum from our streets. We also run our own litter pick sessions with beavers and cubs from the 10th Perthshire Scouts (pictured above), and we regularly join the local Council's Community Greenspace team in their action days to tidy up Perth Lade. Throughout the year we arrange litter picking and site clearing sessions around the City when we spot problem areas; these are often run in conjunction with staff volunteers from local companies under their corporate responsibility schemes. 

If you are already involved with an existing group that needs help, we are very happy to lend our expertise, equipment and extra hands to your action days. Similarly, we welcome community groups, youth organisations, schools, workplace volunteers and individuals who wish to join us on our our action days. Get in touch if you want to help us keep Perth tidy.

Biodiversity

When we first began our work 30 years ago, floral displays were dominated by annual bedding plants which looked colourful but did not always support insects and other wildlife. Things have moved on, and like our sister groups involved with the RHS Britain in Bloom and Beautiful Scotland campaigns, we now place much greater emphasis on enhancing local biodiversity. In particular we are working with Scottish Natural Heritage to help deliver Scotland's Biodiversity Strategy. We are doing this by using an increasing proportion of sustainable planting and pollinator plants in our public floral displays. We have sourced heritage daffodil and snowdrop bulbs from the historic nurseries in Riverside Park and planted them at sites across the city. We have built bug hotels in a number of places and we work with the local Beekeepers who manage bee colonies, including near our heather collection in Riverside Park and in more unusual locations such as the roof of Perth Concert Hall. We work with the Council's Greenspace Rangers in public parks and green spaces like the North and South Inches where there are riverbanks, ponds and 'set aside' areas where wildlife can thrive. We hold workshops for our volunteers, including on biodiversity management with Scottish Natural Heritage, and butterfly identification in conjunction with Butterfy Conservation Scotland. 

Pictured below (from left): pollinator plants on Tay Street; bug hotel at Curfew Row; wildlife pond on the South Inch; beekeeping demonstration for local school pupils. Click on the images to view larger versions.