The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

Edinburgh – a Swift City

Swifts are wonderful creatures, loved by the public and a herald of summer. They are incredibly fast and are such adept fliers that they eat, sleep and mate 'on the wing', landing only to nest. Despite being only 16cm long and roughly the weight of a Cadburys Creme egg, each year swifts travel over 15,000 miles to overwinter in Africa.

Tragically swift numbers have declined by 57% in less than 30 years. ‘Edinburgh—A Swift City’ will turn Edinburgh into Scotland's first 'Swift City' and its people into swift advocates. A 'Swift Officer' will work with the community to establish a baseline of the number of swift nests in Edinburgh and will work with communities to develop 'swift streets' by encouraging public and private buildings to install swift boxes.

They will also educate and encourage developers in the city to incorporate swift bricks into building designs.

 Visit the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds website

Bumblebee Conservation Trust 

Saving the Great Yellow Bumblebee 

Saving the Great Yellow Bumblebee is working in Scotland to safeguard threatened populations of one of the UK's rarest bumblebees. The project has four main aims:

1. Establish the current distribution and abundance of Great Yellow bumblebee in Scotland
2. Increase knowledge of the needs of Great Yellow bumblebee and its use of the habitats where it is found
3. Create better habitats for the Great Yellow bumblebee, through agri-environment funding, crofting initiatives and/or voluntary measures
4. Develop key relationships, contacts and networks with stakeholders in Great Yellow bumblebee areas.

Visit the Bumblebee Conservation Trust website

Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust

Generation Wild

The 'Generation Wild' project aims to provide children across the UK, especially those from economically disadvantaged communities, with opportunities to experience and interact with wetlands and their wildlife. Through visits to their local wetland centres, children will take part in a range of 'wild experiences' such as den-building, tree-climbing, pond-dipping, barefoot walks and hand feeding of birds.

The project will provide further opportunities to extend their contact with nature, by offering free family visit vouchers to all participating children so they can return with their family. Simple activities for families will be designed with involvement from children, parents/carers and teaching staff, ensuring they are relevant and appealing to the children and their families.

Further nature-based activity back in the local community will be encouraged through a Generation Wild Award scheme.

Visit the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust website

Dynamic Earth Charitable Trust 

On-site and Mobile Planetaria for Earth and Space Observation 

Dynamic Earth is a science centre and educational charity dedicated to engaging people of all ages and backgrounds. Funding will help to create a new state-of-the-art Planetarium at Dynamic Earth; and Mobile Planetarium outreach programme that will transform the way we inspire diverse audiences with our planet and the environmental challenges we face.

A Planetarium can do so much more than show the stars, it can transport us on a tour through the Universe, exploring the planets and all known objects in the solar system along the way. Vitally, it can allow us to look back at our Earth from space – accessing satellite imagery to present in 360° the rich and varied natural world and human impacts on our planet. This will be the only Planetarium in Edinburgh and one of only two in Scotland. Shows will be tailored to the audience - depending on their interest, age or level of scientific understanding.

Shows are all delivered with a live presenter, making them truly adaptable and fully interactive. The Mobile Planetarium will deliver a tailored outreach programme across Scotland, addressing the urgent need for more inclusive science engagement across the whole of society. 

Visit the Dynamic Earth Charitable Trust website