The Green Team Blog - the year 2006

Welcome to the Green Team Blog, the place to get the low down on what the Green Team was up to in 2006. Please also visit this years blog!

Been on a Green Team project in the past? Read about the Green Team in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005. We've also got a Green Shoots Update page.

19 November 2006 - sent in by Rhona

Water of Leith

Sunday 19th saw the Green Team minibus head off once more although this time the destination was The Water of Leith Centre. Upon arrival we were surprised to hear we weren’t heading straight out to fight the wilderness just yet. But slightly relieved as it was freezing! There was time for a quick get to know you session and a game of ‘Eco-Bingo’, which was quite a laugh. Charlotte, the Water of Leith ranger, filled us in on the facts about the Water of Leith and the many wildlife species you could find. After the all important tool talk we were off.

Our group chose to remove the graffiti from the ancient stone buildings by the water’s edge while others volunteered to widen the path and fix a logjam up river. After exhausting scrubbing the building eventually looked clean and it was back to the centre for a well-earned lunch.

Next on the agenda was preventing the evil spread of ‘Japanese Knotweed’! This plant seemed to be everywhere and wouldn’t come up without a fight. However we got stuck in and cleared enough to create a huge bonfire. Our work was done and with no time to toast marshmallows they had to be eaten on the way back!

A job well done and another fun day with the Green Team.

12 November 2006 - sent in by Iona

Lochore Meadows

After a delayed start - due to various missing hire cars and a trail of deception – we set off in the mini bus to Lochore Meadows in Fife. Despite being nervous at the outset we all got talking and made friends on the journey over. Having a restorative cup of coffee (or lack of, considering it was spilt……) at our destination set us up for the hard day’s work ahead!

When reaching our final site with our accompanying ranger, we set about gathering some fire wood (a hard task seeing as it was all either soaking or living!). Eventually we amassed a pile large enough to start a fire with. We were split into 3 groups; 1 to tend the hungry fire, 1 to fell trees so that light could reach the undergrowth and 1 to build a hedge on the perimeter of the wood (using only natural materials). I busily set about gathering more wood for the fire as various shouts of “timber…… TIMBER!!!!!” came echoing around the countryside. The thudding from hedge builders knocking in fence posts must have been heard from across the Forth Road Bridge. The poor old ground was shaking with fear as Leigh wielded the mel! After a good morning’s work we sat down to lunch (Mmmmmm…… lunch…) and toasted marshmallows around our blazing fire. We swapped roles for the afternoon and a new group took on the fire while my comrades and I felt the full wrath of Leigh and the hedge building! After an hour or so finishing off the work we tidied up and started playing arty games. In new groups we were set the task of making a wild animal sculpture…

My group made a squirrel (called Bob) out of orange leaves, dead bracken and soft orange wood with the nose out of Leigh’s special conker! The next group had a fabulous new invention that was part hedgehog, part rabbit, part mud monster etc. you get the idea! It had great spikes on its back made from wood chips and mud. As added extras there was a white hand-wipe on its head (as an obscure religious symbol??) and also a salvaged beer can from the bushes… which you’ll have to ask them about!

The last (but not least) group also had a squirrel which was quite ingenious. It was up of the ground and had a fabulous tail that could have been mistaken for a peacock’s, made out of bracken! As the final touch there were some red berries hung on the frame as googly eyes!!! We talked about our experiences and about the John Muir Award at the end, sharing our thoughts and feelings from the day. Apart from being cold we were all happy and positively beaming with satisfaction! Loading into the minibus once more we left with a good feeling after a great day! Thank you Green Team, it was an excellent day! xxxxx

08 October 2006 - sent in by Alan

Straiton Pond

The Green Team group set off for Straiton Pond to cut back the evergrowing weeds around a pathway used by the general public. When we arrived, we played a name game by passing balls to each other and enjoyed a game of crows and buzzards (tag). The Green team leaders then showed us a tool safety lesson and then we went to work clearing the area around last years Green Team's trees that they planted. Unfortunately, a large amount of them had died but many had kept alive. After we cut back the weeds, we started to plant our own trees. We dug a hole then placed a plant and covered it with soil. The next step was to hammer in a post to support the trees which then connects to a plastic tube, useful for keeping away the rabbits that chew on the trees. We managed to get planted all of the plants we had. Many members of the public passed us by and were glad to see someone looking after the environment. During lunch we sat next to the pond which was very peaceful. Luckily the weather was farily dry although a slight drizzle was seen right after lunch. The leaders introduced us to a game which reminded me of 'what is under the blanket'. Basically, one of the leaders pulls of a cloth from the ground to reveal an arrangement of natural objects. They then quickly covered it and we had to copy what we saw exactly to get full points. Another cracking day out with the Green Team. I hope to accelerate the process of nature in the future...

30 September 2006 - sent in by Alan

Vogrie

This was my first residential trip for two days at the weekend from 9:00am on Saturday to 5:00pm on Sunday. We started by loading the vans up with the necessary tools for the weekend and made sure we had our sleeping bags with us. We started in a convoy to Vogrie Country Park where we were allocated out rooms. We were staying in the Guides and Brownies house behind the main park building. The residence we were staying in was creepy at night. The ranger greeted us called 'Alan'. He introduced us to the park and told us some interesting background information. We had the pleasure of company from another group of people who were training to be leaders. Everyone played a number of games while we were at Vogrie including one where two teams of participants play a game of rock and sissors with a style. (lions, simon and mosquito). There was one funny moment where both teams had a simon and we were making 'pop' sounds to each other - people were running in all directions. Another activity we took part in was to sit near a tree and write a poem which describes it as if it were a real person.

Our main task for the weekend was to clear rhododendron (a plant that prevents other species from growing) and burn the leaves on our own campfire. We attempted to make a fire on Saturday with no luck and we had to cut short when the ranger told us that a fire alarm had gone off in the main building so he was anxious about any fire making on that day (nothing to do with us by the way). Our artistic talents were put to the test when we were asked to create a collage of natural objects to symbolise what we had acheived that day. We used objects such as feathers, twigs, leaves and other plant forms to tell out story. In the evening the Green team participants and the Leaders enjoyed a Mexican style meal. My highlight of the evening, strange as it may seem was when everyone helped each other to clean up and do the dishes. I felt as if I was getting to know people really well by simply doing this everyday activity together. At around 9:00pm we set out on a 'Night Life' mystery which involved everyone being blindfolded and taken out to an unknown place. Our hands were coupled togther until we were left alone to follow a rope. This was one of the strangest experiences of the night as we were feeling for a way to get around tree stumps and stumbling over path edges (the best!). After the main activities of the day, I enjoyed getting to know the other participants and am making new friends. We all had games of cards and roulette and then went to bed.

Later on the residential weekend, we were cleaning out a pond which had overgrown with reeds. Three of the groups members wore waders which kept them dry when they entered the pond. I felt sympathy for them as the smell was disgusting (sulphur). Well done everyone for your hard work on this one. Another game we played was dog and master where the person playing the dog would be blindfolded and the other would shout their name to guide them to their master. (some bruised knees after this).

We finally managed to get a fire going and start burning the rhododendron along with eating cooked marshmallows, yum. Upon reflecting on the weekend, there was so much that we did and hopefully out efforts will have helped until next year.

24 September 2006 - sent in by Alan

Hopetoun House

We left New Parliament house at 9:30am on Sunday 24th September which poured down with rain. After helping each other to load the tool van and get together our waterproofs, we went on the the bus for an hour to Hopetoun House in South Queensferry.

Once we arrived nobody wanted to get out the van because of the increasingly heavy rain. We met two Guides called 'Nigel' and 'Richard' who told us a some of the background history about the house. Nigel then took the group on a small walk to a building where we helped each other to load a trailer with planks of wood and posts for creating path supports. We all then marched through the grounds until we reached a windy path while Richard speeded by in his sophisticated tractor. Our job was to build wooden supports on one side of a path which was crumbling away because of the water coming from the hill during the year. The tools had to be taken out of the back of the trailer and over a wall, down a slope until eventually reaching the path.

Firstly, we were given a tool talk about the safety and use of them which is always needed but is kept quick and simple to understand. The whole group created a chain line and passed the tools to each other, great teamwork. We split into two groups to build two pieces of the support at the one time. We then assigned some of the single groups to measure half way on a plank of wood and then hammer two nails onto each side of the plank. This task seemed more difficult than it sounds as the plank kept wobbling up and down, one of the planks split, hope no one noticed. We had to use a large sledge hammer to position the wooden posts into the ground where the planks would join. The hammer was very heavy and required three of us to take turns to use it. We had to use spades to make sure there was enough room between the ground and the planks for to position them correctly.

Once we had created the supports for the path we walked through the compound and Nigel pointed out various pieces of artwork which representing something in the main house. The ideas were made up of a hanging chandelier, a wire connected to two trees with blue and red colours, a bed and a cannon covered with 'knight' era texture. The team was then challenged to produce our own artwork by collecting natural objects from around the grounds of the house. One of the tasks involved representing the four main elements; fire, water, air and earth. Groups came up with using objects such as feathers, sticks and leafs to make their masterpieces. The other groups were given tasks such as representing the human way of living and how significant humans are in impacting the world issues such as conservation which we all helped with today. At the end of the session, we had all worked hard as a team and managed to get through more work than if we had less people to help. Great job everyone!

Must have been the hot chocolate ...

09 September 2006

Hermitage Woods

07 September 2006

Wild thing I love you - the Green Team goes to Puffin Island

In what was probably the strangest Green Team project ever, a group of volunteers (and lots of Green Team tools) got involved in the filming of a Channel 4 wildlife series on Craigleith Island in the Firth of Forth. The 'Wild Thing I Love You' series is being shown on Channel 4 in the autumn, and the programme makers had set the task of saving the puffins of Craigleith, who are being crowded out by an invasive plant called the tree mallow. This was no match for the Green Team and other volunteers, who set to work and cleared a good patch of the island (when they weren't preening in front of the cameras or waiting while everything got set up). Look out for the Green Team stars on a TV near you in December!

03 September 2006 - sent in by Fiona

Almondell

We left the Green Team building at 9:30 on a very rainy and dark Sunday morning. After about an hours drive and a few missed turnings, we ended up at Almondell Country Park. We meet the ranger - Kirsty, and told the group a little bit about ourselves. After the infamous 'tool talk' we walked along to a set of steps which were very overgrown and had a dead tree hanging over them. We split into two groups, with one clearing the path and the other cutting down the trees. It was quite hard work but we clearly made a difference as in no time, the steps were looking sparkling. In the usual Green Team style we rewarded ourselves with some biscuits for our work!

The group then moved to a clearing up the hill to play some games - dodge ball with an acrobatic Ian (he definitely got points for style!) and an interesting sheepdog game. Lunch was had at the visitor centre where there were lovely picnic tables and even some games. We then headed down the hill to make some bird boxes. The results of this were interesting with some slightly squint and very artistic new homes for the birds. The sun had now come out and it was a lovely day. We finished with a slightly competitive game of rounders,
which' rounded' off the day nicely!

06 August 2006 - sent in by Mhairi

River Esk

One of the great things about the Green Team is that it gives many people the chance to explore wild habitats that they did not know of beforehand. This project was located on a secluded cycle path in the town of Musselburgh. The task for that day was to get rid of invasive plant species that aren't native to our country. The first main plant species was Himalayan balsam - a large plant with pretty, pink flowers - which strangles out all competition by growing to huge heights and so absorbing all the available light. And the second was Japanese knotweed.

We were given the tools and instructed to chop down both varieties of plant as close to root as possible, bag it and then leave it to be collected by the ranger later that day. Unfortunately everything didn't run as smoothly as we first thought…

Firstly it was very warm and so the Himalayan balsam in particular was swarming with bees, of all types. This was definitely a reason to be extra cautious. The second problem we did not discover until later that afternoon. We had started off the work with great determination and in some ways it was quite relaxing slashing though the great jungles of knotweed and balsam. So we continued to work hard. At lunch time we rested and played a few familiar games and even made an attempt at making a shelter: with little success. In fact, it wasn’t until two o’clock that we had realised that we had cut down far too much and hadn't started bagging it yet!! We had to down our tools immediately and begin to bag our refuse.

By the end of the day we ended up running out of bags and so finished up by making handy ladybird nests out of the remaining Japanese knotweed. It was definitely a thoroughly enjoyable project and, by the end of it, we all had the usual sense of achievement and fulfillment at doing something good for the environment.

04 August 2006

Mar Lodge

Every year the Green Team runs a week long project of conservation activities in partnership with the John Muir Trust Summer activities Programme. This year we sent a group of 8 young people to the National Trust for Scotland's Mar Lodge Estate in the Cairngorms. Armed with 4 excellent volunteer leaders the group carried out a variety of conservation tasks with the local rangers. They completed a section of path which needed a drainage channel dug at the side of it and some rather bulky boulders moved. They also dismantled a derelict deer fence on the neighbouring estate at Invercauld. They had a glorious week filled with summer sunshine and saw some stunning highland scenery. They also were part of the John Muir Trust's Journey for the Wild, which was moving through the Cairngorms on its journey west to Ben Nevis to meet up with the other 3 batons that had come from the furthest reaches of the British Isles.

11 June 2006 - sent in by Penny

Niddrie Mills

A very warm day was spent clearing the jungle at Niddrie Mills wildlife garden. A small but crack squad set to work exposing the path around the garden that had become hidden by rampant vegetation. They also planted some trees and were careful to work around the giant hogweed and its skin irritating stems. Several mature trees must have breathed a sigh of relief as they became once more visible.

The children of this school will be very grateful to be able to walk around their garden and sit amongst the plants and trees once more.

04 June 2006 - sent in by Penny

Craigmillar Castle Park, Breathing Places

As part of the BBC's Breathing Places day the Green Team took part in tree planting and path clearance at Craigmillar Castle Park. Lots of people turned out for this day of conservation and other activities to celebrate the importance of Breathing Places in our local towns and cities. The main volunteering event took place at Chatelherault Country Park, South Lanarkshire where over 10,000 people turned out to get involved in practical conservation and environmental activities.

The numbers involved at Craigmillar Castle Park didn't quite approach this but we got some valuable work done all the same. The Green Team continued with conservation work started on a day project the previous Sunday.

14 May 2006 - sent in by Anna

Meadow's Yard, Edinburgh

The Green Team set off, rather late, to Meadows Yard, a nature reserve I didn't know existed next to the dump on Seafield road! To start off our day the ranger, Fergus, showed us around the site and the area where we were to be making a pond later on. After a few classic Green Team games we headed up to start digging the pond. A few people stayed behind to do a litter pick. It took a good hour to clear all the brambles, nettles and bushes off the ground before we were able to start digging at all, but it was good fun. To start off the pond we dug around the edge of the clearing - making sure it wasn't too 'pond-shaped'! We took a well deserved break at about 11 to eat biscuits and sunbathe, then it was back to work digging that pond. We swapped around the litter pickers too. After some back -aching work we had totally dug out the pond, if a little well-like in certain areas. After lunch we played a few more games and sat back while one of the leaders ran off to buy nails.
Once she he had returned we set about to make bird boxes to take home! All in all a really good day, with nice weather and good food!

30 April 2006 - sent in by Iona

East Lothian Woodlands

Bright and early at 10 o'clock we all gathered together outside the lovely Binning Wood. Saying farewell to the relevant family members we were then set loose to roam the woods..... well almost! We played a few "getting to know each other" games before all rushing back to the van to collect our weapons of mass destruction (loppers, bow saws etc!) and of course our all important armour (bright yellow hard hats). After a few hours hard graft, rodie bashing – and numerous tea and biscuit breaks, it was time to meet the ranger and her two lovely dogs.

Now ready after our squirrel pep talk we split into two teams, heading out into the woods to look for evidence. We found masses of stumps with chewed cones lying on top of them like tiny dinning tables, squirrels do like to eat in style! Once back in the clearing beside the many defeated  rhododendron bushes we played a few games of "stag and doe" which resulted in some Green Teamers getting lost for a while! Never the less we were all united again before it was time to drive to Innerwick Outdoor Centre, our residence for the night.

Much activity at tea time (preparing food, setting the table etc.) resulted in a fabulous meal- with a very special apple crumble- preparing us for a fun filled evening! Firstly we took a trip down to white sands beach and found loads of fascinating fossils whilst being serenaded by the boys singing proudly beside a rescued armchair perched on a rock. As the night wore on and one by one the Green Teamers retired to bed still a group of us stayed up just to finish the last round of Spoons - the legendary card game of Green Team Origin I'm sure! With the last Spoons champion proudly waving a soup spoon in the air this was generally taken as the final signal for bed!

After a hearty breakfast we set off for Pressmennan Wood, retrieving the key before playing "Wildcat, Salmon and Midge" (what a name for a game!). Brandishing all manner of sharp tools we clambered into the newly planted woodland, it's floor thick with brambles, gorse and broom. After about an hour of eradicating the suffocating gorse and broom which posed a threat to the new trees we sat down for a biscuit or two! Leigh, our Green Team leader introduced us to the idea of 'map sticks', she had collected loads of lovely looking branches and sticks that had been lying on the floor and armed us with some string to tie on anything that caught our eye along our journey that day.

Here is how my map-stick goes:   Small conifer branches: when we chopped down invading, foreign conifers  Squirrel eaten cone: found by the side of the path when heading for a lunch spot Sprig of Holly: it reminded me of my best friend Holly who couldn't come because of her standard grades (found on path after lunch) Fallen leaf: from when we cleared the ditches beside the path of leaves so the drainage would be more effective. (We also found loads of really interesting minibeasts there but I doubt they would have appreciated being tied to my map stick!) White feather: found on the path down to the lake White Blossom: found beside the lake while we were waiting for group leader, Melanie who had gone missing in her white van! (Don't worry she was found again!)

As a last activity we all wrote or drew lots of things on a sheet of paper about how the weekend had been, the general consensus was that it had been BRILLIANT! Thank you Green Team for a wonderful weekend!

26 March 2006 - sent in by Andrew

Muiravonside Countryside Park

On the morning of the 25th of March, we all gathered in the car park of New Parliament House in anticipation of what was to be a fantastic weekend. On Saturday we went to the grounds of Linlithgow Palace. We were given a guided tour of the palace first, and then played some team building games. After that, we went around to the other side of the loch to thin some trees and bushes, and of course, to do some rhody-bashing. We traveled to our home for the weekend, a scout hut on the Union Canal by minibus, where we cooked some dinner, then settled down to a good night’s sleep.

We got up early next morning and went out to Muiravonside Country Park to chop down more rhododendron. We went at it with loppers and bow-saws, and before midday, had cleared a veritable forest of the stuff. We had a short break, then had a run about in the rain, then loaded back onto the minibus sopping wet and covered in mud. We arrived back in the afternoon to the horrified glances of parents hoping none of us was wearing new clothes.

Overall, it was a top quality weekend which was well worth going to.

26 February 2006 - sent in by Iain

Wiston Lodge

We met in Edinburgh at New Parliament House where we found out that there were two more groups going to Wiston Lodge with us; Duke of Edinburgh and Green Team leader training groups. We played the famous Name Game and, with everyone acquainted, we set off to Wiston Lodge. When we arrived, a cold day greeted us, so we had a walk around the ground to see what needed to be done. But we also played some fun group games like "Man Over Board!" and the Blind Trail. After a delicious lunch, our group and the Green Team leaders joined forces to do some Rhody-bashing! Some of us built up a fire (after two attempts!) to burn the cuttings. We worked as a great team with people tearing down the Rhododendron and dragging it to the bonfire. So by the end there were clearings of woodland and a roaring bonfire to keep people warm. Then we all did another game called "Stag and Doe"!

The lamb curry for dinner went down very well with everyone, with vegetarian options of course! For the evening, all the people at Wiston Lodge joined together and enjoyed an energetic ceilidh. We danced away into the night!

The next morning, our group went out to start laying down a path. Not before warming up by playing another group game of course! We split into two groups; one prepared the foundation while the other shovelled the wood chips into wheelbarrows and carted them off to the path. The sun was shining and we had made amazing progress to the path. Sunday lunch was the best meal of the weekend with roast chicken, potatoes, followed by lemon drizzle cake. Afterwards we headed for the fireplace from yesterday where we learned how to make fire the traditional way. At the same time we made shelters using the surrounding materials. By that time the day was over and all of us headed back to Edinburgh.

The weekend was great fun with the mixture of games, excellent food and our charismatic group leaders motivating everyone. With the added bonus of the ceilidh, this weekend was something to remember

05 February 2006 - sent in by Anna

Musselburgh Lagoons

On Sunday the 5th of February a group of Green Teamers took the mini bus along to a chilly Musselburgh Lagoons where the ranger Leigh met us. Arriving at about 10.30 we played a few games to get to know each other and mostly to warm up! First off we walked along to the sea shore to remove some of the old stakes and plastic covers that had been put down to protect previous attempts to plant trees. These trees had mostly not grown well because, next to the sea, it was too exposed. We also got a chance to look at some of the birds out on the sea. After clearing most of the area from the debris we sorted out the stakes to recycle as many as possible to help with planting the trees later that day. At about 12.30 we took a stop for lunch, which we ate in the mini bus due to the cold! After lunch a few games, including 'touch' rugby, got us warmed up for the rest of the afternoon. We split up into two groups to plant trees in two different areas around the bird reserve.  One group were planting trees such as hawthorn and holly outside the edges of the bird reserve to keep it sheltered, while the other group were planting smaller shrubs like gorse inside to keep visitors from disturbing the birds. We were able to reuse a lot of the stakes from earlier in the day which was really good, it kept wasting new materials to a minimum.

At the end of a shivery day, we took some time out to go into the bird reserve and take a look at the wildlife. Ranger Richard was able to tell us some interesting facts about the birds we could see. Apart from the cold, it was overall a good day, even without the tea and biscuits we were promised!