Ecological Sustainability

For thousands of years, indigenous peoples across the globe have believed in the inter-connectivity of all living things and of the harmony of earth, fire, air and water. Somehow our industrial society lost sight of all of that and pursued growth and profit regardless of impact. The challenge in sustainability terms is how we move from an industrial, consumer society to an ecological one.

a variety of wildflowers grow in a grassy roadside

Think Global

Act local

children dressed in warm clothing use spades to dig holes at the side of a field

Act now

a variety of wildflowers grow in a grassy roadside
Working with On the Verge local volunteers are sowing wild flowers along Gartness Road; nature restoration on the West Highland Way.

Think Global

Our impact on the planet is unsustainable. That is beyond questioning. Climate Change is real and beyond any intelligent questioning. What remains is what we do next – can we take actions to halt or even reverse this global destabilisation and destruction? 

Good news – we can; 
Bad news – we are starting very late and we need to win a lot more people over to doing the right thing in a short space of time.  

Most of the world, and the rich biodiversity it contains, is under threat as a direct result of our actions. Climate Change and Global Warming melt the ice caps and cause droughts, storms, and floods. 

However, the damage we do is often even more direct. For example:

  • We destroy rainforests in the Amazon basin to clear land for cattle ranching and animal foodstuffs (See this information from Greenpeace: ‘Soya and the environment: what you need to know’. 
  • Our demand for palm oil puts many species, including the orangutan, under threat (see this information from the Rainforest Action Network: ‘Forests’.)
  • The global oil and gas industry directly pollutes the planet with its extraction activities, while its products accelerate global warming. 

Yet this destruction of our environment doesn’t just happen on the other side of the world. It is happening now across the UK. The 2023 State of Nature report highlights the decline in biodiversity in Britain. This authoritative report is supported by over a dozen UK conservation organisations. Centuries of unsustainable farming and development, as well as direct actions and persecution, have had a massive impact. Since 1970 an average of 19% of UK species have been lost, while a further 16% (1 in 6) are currently under threat of extinction. 

Existential threats to the UK’s natural world:

  • The way we manage our land for farming, 
  • Our unsustainable level of fishing, 
  • The failure of our water companies to process pollution (although Scottish Water is rather better than many), 
  • Ongoing encroachment of the countryside through development; 

The damage done by these existential threats to our natural world is amplified by overall climate change. There is massive interdependency in our ecosystems. Much of our food production relies on pollinating insects or on insects that eat pest species. The State of Nature report indicates that both these categories of invertebrates are under severe threat. 

While the State of Nature report makes for shocking reading it also offers hope. Conservation actions are growing in number and impact. Supporting these actions locally and nationally is a great way towards furthering ecological sustainability.

a group of people is shown a selection of moths in a moth trap
The Killearn Heritage Trail Natural History ran a Moth Trapping event using lamp traps to attract them, identify the different types and then release them back into the wild.

Act Local

There are some genuine good news stories about local ecological sustainability and many of the organisations involved would love you to get involved and help. 

  • 80% of land in Scotland is used for some form of agriculture, with forestry at 12.5%. If we want a just transition towards ecological sustainability we need to encourage farmers to adopt more sustainable practices, even if that means we have to pay more for some foods Whilst also recognising the fact that many living in food poverty will need some assistance
  • We need farmers as allies not enemies. It is not sustainable to have cheap food that ‘costs the Earth’. (link to Food sustainability page). 
  • Two local farms improving their sustainability are Little Drumquharn Farm and Carbeth Home Farm. These are, hopefully, not the only local farms with a sustainable focus. If you are a local farmer promoting sustainability let us know. 
  • Some ‘tree – mendous’ work is being done to plant more native trees in our county. From the Woodland Trust’s work at Glen Finglas, Treelink Stirling’s bold Crown of Trees around Stirling city, and the work of The Conservation Volunteers (TCV) in supporting community planting at Buchanan Views in Killearn, to the work of the Loch Lomond Fisheries Trust in carrying out some riparian tree planting and tackling invasive non-native species on the River Endrick. 
  • On the Verge Stirling works with schools and local communities to establish pollinator patches with wildflowers. There are patches in Killearn at the primary school, the sports pavilion, and the village hall. There has also been some extensive sowing in Gartness Road along the West Highland Way route 
children dressed in warm clothing use spades to dig holes at the side of a field
In Spring 2024, families from Buchanan Views worked with TCV to plant almost 700 native hedging and trees to enhance biodiversity.

Act Now

There are lots of ways to get involved and work towards Ecological Sustainability. Becoming a member of, or donating to, some of the organisations on this page is essential to their continuing work. If you have time to be more actively involved there are lots of volunteering opportunities – see the State of Nature Partnership’s ‘There are ways you can help Nature’. Some of these are outlined below: 

  • Count
    There are volunteers across the country who help record and monitor wildlife.
    The organisation Amphibian and Reptile Conservation have downloadable identification guides and a range of survey options ranging from ad hoc recording of sightings, through to playing a role in the National Amphibian and Reptile Monitoring Scheme. Or perhaps you would like to help the Bat Conservation Trust with their survey programmes.
  • Volunteer
    Lots of conservation organisations depend on volunteers to help with a wide range of tasks from managing nature reserves to answering the phone. Whatever your skills, you could help nature by volunteering your time and support.
    You could support the organisation Butterfly Conservation with their Wild Spaces programme that helps create habitats for butterflies, moths, and a range of wildlife. Or if wild plants and fungi are more your thing, Plant Life needs volunteers to help with a range of tasks from practical conservation work through to surveys and data entry.
  • Campaign
    From protecting important sites for wildlife to defending the laws that protect nature you can make your views count. 
    Some of the more established organisations such as the RSPB and Wildlife Trusts have step-by-step guides covering everything from lobbying your MP to creating a local campaign to protect an endangered species or location.
  • Manage your own ecological environment 
    Nature needs your help. You can manage your space for wildlife; whether it’s in your garden, house, window box, school or office you can help nature thrive. 
    Bumblebee Conservation runs the Bee the Change programme, giving ideas and hints on how to create bee friendly environments in your own garden and in the wider countryside. NatureScot’s Make Space for Nature gives similar ideas and actions that you can take to have a direct positive impact on biodiversity.     

If you want to get more involved in one of the local conservation groups, use the contact details on their websites or follow Sustainable Killearn on Facebook to get early information on volunteering opportunities. Conservation volunteering not only helps our planet but is also good for your health and wellbeing (link to Wellbeing sustainability). 

You don’t have to join a group, if you have a garden you can make a difference. Ensure that there are routes for hedgehogs to forage widely. (See the Wildlife Trust’s information on How to create a hedgehog hole.) What about taking part in No Mow May to help butterflies and bees? Gardens that are too tidy are less hospitable for wildlife. We need old log piles and fallen leaves to provide natural habitats where insects and small animals can flourish. 

The process of helping everyone to be more ecology conscious may start by helping people be more nature aware. Understanding the local flora and fauna, including the insects, (see information from Wildlife Watch on Seasonal Wildlife) adds to the enjoyment we get from our surroundings and helps identify the actions we can take to protect them. The Woodland Trust (see ‘10 ways to help wildlife in Autumn’) is also a good source of ideas. A good place to start would be the Killearn Natural Heritage website (insert link). This will provide an overview of the habitats, flora, and fauna that surround us. We are so lucky to be in the midst of such biodiversity, let’s take the time to enjoy it and make the effort to protect it.