Fife Climate Forest is firmly laying down roots thanks to community tree planting made possible by UK Government funding.

In an inspiring example of local climate action, around 70 local school pupils are working alongside volunteers from Dunnikier Park Development Group to sensitively plant a mix of young and established trees in the park. These will increase canopy cover, enhance natural beauty and establish habitat for wildlife.

Thanks to the UK Government Shared Prosperity Fund, community tree planting has significantly branched out this winter, all contributing to Fife Climate Forest. Funding has allowed the creation of two seasonal tree planting roles at Fife Coast and Countryside Trust. These two posts support the Community Tree Planting Officer, who is funded by Climate Action Fife Community Fund.

Fife Climate Forest is a partnership project led by Fife Council, Climate Action Fife and Fife Coast and Countryside Trust. It’s a shared ambition to grow the number of trees, woods and forests in Fife.

Over 4,000 trees have been planted since November 2024, with the enthusiastic help of over 300 volunteers and community members. The tree team have been supporting communities in Kirkcaldy, Dunfermline and Cowdenbeath.

Rebecca Logsdon, Community Engagement Manager for Fife Climate Forest, and Fife’s Community Tree Planting Officer, says: “The additional funding has been invaluable this planting season. It’s meant we’ve had capacity to take Fife Climate Forest into communities with inspiring engagement activities. And we’ve been able to support community groups with their planting plans.

“The tree team has consulted locals and, as part of Fife Climate Forest, 300 standard and fruit trees have been planted that are able to be adopted. This means that communities and individuals will care for them and nurture them. Funds have also gone towards upgrading Fife Coast and Countryside Trust’s tree nursery so we can grow and look after more trees in the future. We’re really grateful to Fife Council for their support.”

Fife Council’s spokesperson for environment and climate change, Cllr. Jan Wincott, said: “Looking after trees is very important for our planet’s health. I’m proud to support Fife Climate Forest’s work to protect trees and plant new ones. Every tree we plant is good for local biodiversity and helps combat climate change.”

Rebecca adds: “Please get involved with a local community group, become a Fife Tree Warden, or join in one of our partner tree planting events.”

Fife Climate Forest is grateful for all its growing partner support. Find out how to get involved as a partner or supporter.

You can find details of tree planting events that you can attend on our event page or the Fife Coast and Countryside Trust website.

We are on the look out for volunteers to support us with the Climate Friendly Business strand of the Climate Action Fife project. You would help us to support people, small/medium sized businesses and community groups to cut their energy use and food waste whilst also reducing their carbon footprint.

Climate Action Fife works with small and medium-sized businesses, community buildings and third-sector organisations in Fife to help reduce energy use and food waste. We want to help businesses to cut carbon, save money and develop a zero-waste food culture.

We are recruiting Climate Friendly Business volunteers to help us speak to businesses and community groups about our project and inspire them to make behavioural change.

We’re looking for a team of committed volunteers to:

Act as community ambassadors, promoting the Climate Friendly Businesses project to community groups, small/medium sized businesses in their community.
Assist our Business Outreach Coordinator and other Greener Kirkcaldy team members at events and help small and medium sized businesses and community groups learn more about and access our energy efficiency and food waste advice service.
Help us get more subscribers for our climate friendly businesses newsletter.

You can learn more about the role, what’s involved, and how to apply on the Greener Kirkcaldy website.

Fife Council are in the process of finalising and publishing a detailed delivery plan for its Local Heat & Energy Efficiency Strategy. The strategy provided a vision and priorities for the Council on how to improve energy efficiency and switch to green heating systems for all buildings across Fife.

This information session will provide an opportunity to hear about what will be included in this delivery plan. Actions included in the plan are across seven categories, and are within the Council’s control, with preference given to ongoing engagement/support to external partners to help achieve the vision of the strategy.

The session will be run by Hamish Martin, Strategy Officer (LHEES) in the Council’s Climate Change & Zero Waste Team in Planning Services. It will consist of a presentation going through the delivery plan with opportunities to ask questions.

Related Event

Renewable Energy in your Home

What will the session cover?

Tools for effective fundraising:

Building an effective case for support
Creating project profiles

Codes of Practice – what you need to know to be legal and ethical in your fundraising.

Tips for writing proposals.

Resources to support your applications and approaches to funders.

At the end of the session you will have:

A range of tools and resources to support the fundraising process
A framework for ethical and legal fundraising
An understanding of what funders are looking for in an application

All participants will receive a copy of the PowerPoint slides and supporting handouts.

Who is the event for? Who is delivering it?

This session, which will be delivered by Pam Judson, an associate of SCVO, is suitable for volunteers, management committee members and staff who have attended The Essentials of Fundraising training session and/or have some experience in fundraising.

This event is offered by the Fife Climate Hub. Priority will be given to Fife-based attendees.

Please note spaces are limited so booking is required.

Join us for the Fife Active Travel Strategy and Action Plan Consultation Group Response Event! This online event is your chance to have your say on the future of active travel in Fife.

What will happen in the event

We will share the Fife Council survey with you and note your ideas, opinions, and suggestions on how we can improve walking, cycling, and other forms of active travel in our community. We will then send it as a group response to Fife Council.

We will be joined by Holly Hunter, Active Travel Senior Project Officer (Sustrans) who is embedded in the Fife Council who will explain the consulation and give a demo. We will also be joined by FCCAN Chair Alistair Macleod of Transition University St Andrews who will chair the event.

Why be part of this event?

By participating in this event, you’ll be part of a collaborative effort to shape the Active Travel Strategy and Action Plan for Fife. Your input will help Fife Council create a more sustainable, accessible, and enjoyable environment for active travel.

Don’t miss this opportunity to make a difference! Register now and join us online for an engaging and interactive discussion.

An edifying and hopeful documentary based on Naomi Klein’s book, “This Changes Everything,” explores solutions to the climate emergency. The film examines seven communities around the world, proposing that we can seize the crisis of climate change to transform our failed economic system into something radically better.

Watch, learn, and discuss with Aberdour Climate Action Network. Connect with like-minded individuals and be part of the change!

Join us for an evening of thought-provoking cinema at The Institute on Sat Jun 22 2024 at 18:30. Get ready to be inspired and engage in discussions about important environmental issues. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and be part of the change. See you there!

What is the event about?

Marine Conservation Society (MCS) has been running beach cleans and their flagship event, Great British Beach Clean, for 25 years . It runs from 20-29 September 2024. Every year, staff and volunteers head to beaches up and down the coast to collect litter and record data about what they find, contributing to citizen science. So far 319 tonnes of litter at the Great British Beach Clean events have been collected. This informs various projects MCS are involved with, and is shared with the International Coastal Clean-up (ICC) contributing to a worldwide report on litter levels. All this data has helped inform new policies to tackle beach litter and plastic pollution in the UK such as the plastic bag charge, a ban on microplastics in personal care products and better wet wipe labelling

On the 28th September at 3pm. We will running a beach clean in Pathhead Beach in Ravenscrag, Kirkcaldy. We will have litter pickers, bags and clipboards but if you have your own please bring them as numbers will be limited. Unlike other litter picks you might have done we will be collecting of a survey of the litter collected. These surveys are the most important part of the day other than having some fun on the beach with like minded people

This event is being done as part of the Marine Conservation Society’s Great British Beach clean

What will I learn?

An opportunity to learn about how citizen science projects like ‘Great British Beach Clean’ can be used to gather data and influence policy.

Where is the event taking place

The Event is taking place at Pathhead beach (Pathhead Sands Kirkcaldy – Fife Coast & Countryside Trust (fifecoastandcountrysidetrust.co.uk)). Meet at Pathhead sands carpark till about 3:05pm then look for the flags on the beach

What to bring

We’d recommend you pack a rucksack with a few essentials like sunscreen, waterproofs, hand sanitiser, and perhaps some snacks and a drink (in a reusable bottle, of course).

What to wear

If you’re picking up litter with your hands it’s worth wearing a strong pair of gloves – like gardening gloves – just to make sure you’re protected. Sturdy shoes are a must for protection too.

Travel

Parking available. Situated at the east end of Kirkcaldy, adjacent to Ravenscraig Park, this beach is easily accessible by public transport, car and on foot

Other

Under 16s: To comply with our insurance, volunteers under 16 will need to be accompanied by an adult who will be asked to sign a parental / guardian consent form on the day by the beach clean organiser.

Please feel free to turn up if eventbrite event is full

Join the River Eden Sustainability Partnership (RESP) for a delightful day filled with activities and entertainment for all ages to celebrate the river that flows through the communities of Cupar and Strathmiglo and many other villages in between and beyond to St Andrews -The River Eden.

There will be Live Music and the chance to meet people who represent the wildlife and nature that the river supports

At the Public Hall in Strathmiglo you can meet volunteers and staff from:

Buglife – The Invertebrate Conservation Trust: Meet Rebecca and Julia to learn about invertebrate conservation.
Lucky Ewe: Say hello to Joan and discover more about their initiatives.
Water Testing with the River Eden Sustainability Partnership and Sustainable Cupar: Chat with Nicky and Alastair about water sustainability.
Fly Tying with Anglers: Watch demonstrations and learn the art of fly tying.
The Scottish Deer Centre & Wildlife Park: Featuring Muddy Boots.
Fife Coast & Countryside Trust: Learn about their conservation efforts.
Climate Action Fife: Learn about the fruit tree campaign with Alex.
Bell Baxter High School: Connect with Carron to find out about their projects.
Letter to the Tree: Discover Lera’s friend’s unique project.
RESP: Get information about their projects and surveys.

Dining Area: Relax with a cup of tea or coffee and indulge in delicious cakes while enjoying live music from talented musicians, creating a cozy and inviting atmosphere.

There will also be an Aquarium: View fish from the Eden, set up by the Tay Salmon Fisheries Board

And three puppet shows for children of all ages:

Hand Puppet Making with Clydebuilt Puppet Theatre: A creative and fun activity for kids.
Shadow Theatre: Enjoy two engaging showings with Lera on stage (12 places per showing).
River Eden Catchment Map: An educational display for children to explore.

Outdoor Activities:

Practical Training for Riverfly: Join Rebecca by the river for hands-on training.
River Walk: Guided by Dallas Seawright of FCCT, explore the beauty of the river.
Strathmiglo Conservation Community Walk and Talk: Participate in a walk and talk session focused on conservation.

Come and enjoy a day of learning, entertainment, and community connection!

Find out more on the RESP website

The Everyday Cycling Fife campaign launched at Tree in the Park on Saturday 25^th May to encourage Fifers to get out on their bikes for everyday journeys.

Getting more people out of cars and onto bikes can play a big part in reducing our impact on the climate. It is also great for people’s physical and mental wellbeing.

By running this campaign, we hope to inspire Fifers to cycle for more everyday journeys like commuting to work and going to the shops.

Greener Kirkcaldy’s Active Travel Development Worker, Peter Wooding said.

“Whether you have never picked up a bike before or cycle all the time, you can get involved in this campaign. We want to see people sharing their everyday cycles to show that you don’t have to be a ‘cyclist’ to get on a bike and start pedalling! We can offer lots of support and resources to help get you started.”

Cllr Jan Wincott, Fife Council’s Spokesperson for Environment and Climate Change, added:

“Whether you are a new, occasional or experienced cyclist, I fully encourage Fifers to join in on the Everyday Cycling Fife campaign. This is a great opportunity to get on a bike, get active and have fun. As well as being a fantastic leisure activity, cycling is a cheap and easy way to commute to work, travel to school or college, or pop to the local shops.

“More people taking part in active travel options such as cycling is fundamental to tackling climate change. Fife Council is working hard to make cycling a more attractive option by building more safe routes where people can move around with confidence. Making more trips by bike will benefit our environment, our air quality and people’s physical and mental wellbeing.”

You can get involved in the campaign in a number of ways:

Sharing your cycle journeys on social media using the #EverydayCyclingFife hashtag to help make travelling by bike more visible.

Visit our Cycle Info Hub. This an online space full of resources and information about all things cycling in Fife. It covers topics like getting started in cycling, how to find good routes, how to stay safe and more.

Talks, film screenings and cycle rides are taking place across Fife this summer for people to join. For example, in June Mike Elm visits Lang Toun Cycles Community Bike Shop in Kirkcaldy to talk about his experiences cycling across Europe. Following the talk, there will be a solstice cycle ride to make the most of the longest day of the year. Book now!

Community groups from across Fife were thrilled to receive an early Christmas present this year as over £25,000 was distributed across the region for climate action projects and events.

Community Climate Grants are a collaboration of two funds being offered by Fife Climate Hub and Climate Action Fife. A total of £27,500 was made available. £7,500 from the Small Grants Fund and £20,000 from the Seed and Development Grants. A total of 31 projects can now be delivered by 25 community groups as a result of the funding which launched in September.

“We were thrilled to receive applications from so many and such a variety of community groups from across Fife. It means a lot to us that people can feel empowered to take action on the climate crisis in ways that meets the needs of their communities and is within their reach.”

“It’s also great that we are now able to see the Fife Climate Festival coming together with the number of groups that applied to hold events during the festivals debut from February 25 to March 3 2024,” said Fife Climate Hub Manager Craig Leitch.

Two distinct grants were available. The Small Grants Fund of up to £500 for climate-related events in the community and the Seed and Development Grant offered up to £1,000 for climate-related activities and projects. Together they made up the Community Climate Grants, which went on offer in October 2023.

The resulting funds which were put into the community groups bank accounts this month means groups such as the Bats Wood Project in Levenmouth can forge ahead with plans to create living willow sculptures of wolves and an associated video called “Becoming Wolves in Bat’s Wood”. The sculptures will be a habitat for wildlife and will allow the Levenmouth Academy project to manage deer without the use of plastic.

Pauline Latto and Donald Grieve from Fife Curnie Clubs, a Fife Alcohol and Support Service (FASS) project are over the moon that they will be able to support people who are socially isolated. They plan to bring people together in their community growing veg and plants at the garden at Bennochy Community Hub in Kirkcaldy.

Upon receiving their grant Mr Grieve said: “You have made an old man very happy. My staff have been talking about saving the planet a little at a time. Thank you for this.”

“Pauline Latto is the member of staff who will be working on this for us, she is presently doing cartwheels down Leven High Street! Pauline is our biggest eco warrior. She has been responsible for our shift to sustainable futures for us all. It also fits with our core activities and will enhance them. This is a small grant but that can go a long way, we are all really interested in the outcomes from this and of course having a hand in making it work.” he added.

Gail Miller at Friends of Pittencrieff Park, Dunfermline said: “Thanks for the good news, it was a good start to my day. I’m looking forward to acting on the project.” The Friends have two projects which will benefit from the funds: A book box, or free library box, in the park for everyone to use and recycle books keeping them out landfill. They hope this will promote discussion on re-using existing books and the climate. And the activity is raising plants in their greenhouse to distribute to the local foodbank to promote wellbeing and clean air.

Burntisland Community Development Trust received money to pilot upcycling and upskilling workshops. The series of six workshops led by local people sharing their skills in sewing and repairing clothes, making jewellery, reusing fabric to make things like rag rugs and bags, propagating plants and even electrical repairs and PAT testing.

Applicants for the Small Grants funding were encouraged to hold events during next year’s Fife Climate Festival which will run in communities across the Fife from 24th February to 3rd March 2024. Forgan Arts Centre, a member of Fife Climate Hub’s network, FCCAN, will use their funding to hold Climate Action Workshops and Climate Conversations during the festival.

Funded groups

Here is a list of all the groups that received a Community Climate Grant:

All of the projects will be delivered by 3rd March 2024. Find out more about Community Climate Grants.

Related Event

What will the session cover?

Who is the event for? Who is delivering it?

Funded groups

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