- Over 80 young people taking part in Citizen Science learning Workshops on Water health and Saltmash Science.
- The ImMerse Festival helped build knowledge and a sense of pride in the merse (Saltmarsh) and its potential to thrive into the future.
- Nature based organisations share the crucial work they are doing to help Scotland’s nature survive and thrive.
- Thought provoking films on the health of Scotland’s natural world.
The ImMerse Festival helped reconnect people with Annan’s incredible Saltmarsh, its wildlife and beauty though a serious of fascinating walks and talks and citizen science activities and over 12 environment organisations celebrated nature through fun craft activities in the festival hub at the harbour.
ImMerse also ran water testing workshops and Saltmarsh School on the Friday with Brydekirk School testing the water quality of the river Annan for the Great UK Waterblitz. The great UK Water blitz which was running over the weekend as part of World Rivers Day and working with the ImMerse Festival on a UK wide citizen Science project.
Gail Macgregor, Leader of Dumfries and Galloway Council said,
“It was wonderful to see a nature/environment based festival coming to Annan and celebrating Annan’s unique “Merse” or saltmarsh which is so important for wildlife, flood mitigation, water purification and locking in carbon. I met so many people and organisations committed and passionate about helping our natural environment recover and thrive into the future helping with the NatureClimate crisis which is impacting us and our natural world now. The saltmarsh was alive with groups of interested people taking part in walks and talks with experts, learning saltmarsh science, sketching on the saltmarsh, children taking part in Saltmarsh school and Galloway fisheries Trust sharing their knowledge about the merse as an important nursery for young fish. With educational workshops, about Saltmarsh and the health of our rivers, taking place in Brydekirk and Elmvale Primary Schools on the Friday and the Monday of the ImMerse Festival, we are hopeful our natural world will be in good hands in the future.”
Olena Kadochnikova-Yashkina, project Officer of the Annan Harbour Trust said
“The ImMerse Festival was a fantastic experience, offering a great opportunity to share our knowledge with the community and school children, while showcasing the River Annan, brimming with life, health, and the beauty of the Merse. We were honoured to screen our first film, In Nature, giving young people a platform to be heard. It was inspiring to see the support they received and the enthusiasm for continuing our environmental work and citizen science projects, engaging the local community. It was heartening to see so many like-minded individuals come together, asking important questions and drawing valuable conclusions. We extend our heartfelt thanks to SCAMP, DG Climate Hub, and Biosphere for their cooperation, the volunteers for their dedication, and the participants for their interest and ideas. This is just the beginning – we are proud that Annan has become a hub of green initiatives. Together, we can achieve much more to preserve a healthy environment for ourselves and future generations.”
Elmvale School brought along primary 5, 6 and 7 to learn about the science of water, saltmarsh science and all the wee creatures and incredible wildlife who live in this special nurturing habitat. These young scientists of the future discovered crabs, fish and even a huge jellyfish!
Elmvales’ young peoples shared their experiences of ImMerse’s Saltmarsh workshop,
“The Saltmarsh was fun!
I liked when we were picking up creatures with our nets.
It was an adventure and we learned which creatures live in Saltmarshes.
I never knew that creatures could live in mud.
I liked to see the way that the crabs walked. “
And on the water testing they said:
“It was very interesting learning about the various invertebrates.
I loved looking at the insects under the magnifying glass!
I never knew that there were so many invertebrates living in the river!
It was interesting looking at the invertebrates and what they look like!”
Annan Cinema hosted a showing of In Nature a moving film by young filmmakers from Annan followed by the film Why Not Scotland? Which followed Flo a young person from Scotland that looked to the places in Europe to see how nature thri and comes how asking the question, “Why Not Scotland?” The film was followed by a lively panel discussion with McNabb Laurie from Dumfries and Galloway Woodlands and ecologist, Nick Chisholm from the SCAMP project.
Steven Clark one of the organisers from the D and G Climate Hub said:
“Creating a brand new climate and nature event is very much a step into the unknown, we are so grateful for so much interest and to all the people who came along to the festival. With the saltmarsh playing central stage, the climate hub and all the citizen Science Annan Harbour Action Group are leading on, Annan is fast becoming a thriving centre for citizen science and community climate awareness. The D&G Climate Hub was therefore privileged to work alongside AHAG and Solway Coast and Marine Project (SCAMP) to co-create and develop ImMerse. The festival’s Public Relations exercise generated exceptional media coverage that may have been beyond the creators’ wildest dreams, the preciously protective nature of Scotland’s unsung Merse; protection that we as a species now desperately need to return in order to save the incredible biodiversity that our magnificent Merse-lands support.”
Note to Editors
- The Festival was supported by SCAMP Community engagement funding from the Facility for Investment Ready Nature in Scotland (FIRNS 2), which provided grants to organisations and partnerships to help develop a viable business case and financial model, to attract investment in projects that can restore and improve the natural environment.
- FIRNS 2 is delivered by NatureScot in collaboration with The Scottish Government and in partnership with the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
About SCAMP
The Solway Coast and Marine Project (SCAMP) is led by Dumfries and Galloway Council and the Solway Firth Partnership, and follows on from one of the Borderlands’ natural capital pilot projects.
SCAMP is an ambitious project that seeks to restore the coastal and shallow sea habitats of the Solway, covering the entire 210km of the Dumfries and Galloway Coastline. Our aim is to increase biodiversity, sequester carbon where possible and support our coastal and marine habitats to adapt to the effects of climate change. In addition, and essential for the project we will be helping our coastal communities to adapt and be more resilient to predicted sea level rise.
It is addressing five key habitats, maritime/coastal woodland, sand dunes, salt marsh, sea grass meadows and oyster reefs. As part of the delivery of the project we will be able to help inform and develop the blue carbon private capital markets. In addition to this it will ensure that our coastal communities derive economic, wellbeing benefits from the work we do. It expects the delivery of SCAMP to be over a 10-year period and cost approximately £20 million from a blend of public sector, third sector and private sector sources.
It seeks to explore community-driven initiatives to enhance and restore biodiversity both underwater and along the coast –benefiting people, nature, and the planet.
- See www.solwayfirthpartnership.co.uk.
- Eventbrite: DGCEnvironmentteam
- Facebook: @SolwayMarine
About DG Climate Hub
The D&G Climate Hub is part of the Scottish Government’s new national network of Community Climate Action Hubs. Climate Hubs are committed to supporting community climate action on a regional basis through funding and resources embedded in our local communities.
It is run by the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere.
About Annan Harbour Action Group
Annan Harbour Action Group was set up to develop Annan harbour and surrounding area as a community asset; promote water-based and shore-based activities linked to the maritime environment and acquire and regenerate historic buildings and land bringing these into purposeful use for the benefit of all. Education and citizen science is embedded into the work of the group.
About World Rivers Day
World Rivers Day is a celebration of the world’s waterways and highlights the many values of rivers and strives to increase public awareness and encourages the improved stewardship of rivers around the world.
For more see World Rivers Day – Millions of people in more than 100 countries participate in World Rivers Day
Earthwatch Europe’s Great UK WaterBlitz
People across the UK are invited to help measure the water quality of their local rivers and streams.
Data scientists use the results to build a snapshot of our freshwater systems
Results from the first Great UK WaterBlitz , 7-10 June 2024, saw over 2,600 people across the UK measure the water quality of their local rivers, streams, lakes and ponds. 75% of data points across the UK showed poor ecological health with significant regional variation.
- The Anglian and Thames regions have the worst water quality with up to 89% of data points showing poor ecological health.
- The Solway Tweed area in the North West showed the best health with only 50% of data points showing unacceptable levels of nutrient pollution.
- See earthwatch.org.uk. Great UK WaterBlitz – Earthwatch