The Green Team Blog - the year 2008

Welcome to the Green Team Blog, the place to get the low down on what the Green Team has been up to - if you've been involved in the Green Team, send us your story ...

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10 February 2008 - sent in by Calum
Vogrie Country Park

Once again a team of enthusiastic teenagers set off from New Parliament House ready for a day of tree hugging and hard work at Vogrie Country Park. After the inaugural Green Team warm up we were introduced to our task for the day, cutting branches off trees at head height and felling smaller trees. In addition the leaders started the traditional Green Team bonfire where we would burn the trees and branches we cut down (further increasing the Green Team’s sizeable carbon footprint, odd for an environmental organisation). All the participants got on with the task in hand and worked hard up till lunch by which time we had made significant in-roads into our task.

After lunch there was time for a few games before getting back to the task in hand and the hard work continued throughout the afternoon. As a reward for our efforts we were treated to bananas stuffed with chocolate, marshmallows and dough balls all of which we cooked on the now smouldering bonfire. After the food all that was left to do was to collect our tools and jump back into the minibus for the journey back to Edinburgh. A great day was had by all and thanks are due to the leaders and the park ranger for making an enjoyable and fulfilling day.

16 February 2008
East Lothian Woodlands

As the robin watches us work
The moon shines down on her
Buds on the branches signals new life
Spiderwebs inter-connecting the branches
Moving gently in the breeze

River of sludge, flowing down
Sprawling arms outstretching across the forest
Growing beacon reaching for the sun
Gnarled, old, majestic
Warped and sprawling, twisted toward the sky

The Green Oasis
Silence, stillness and soft dappled light
Thick green shelter in a bare winter forest
Green curtain with the sunlight coming through
Leaves framed by the sun and the moon
Emerald fronds reaching for the crystal blue sky
Silken threads against a golden brown crust

24th February
West Cairns

This time we were off to a new site managed by the Forestry Commission to help them with some tree staking of newly planted trees. A lovely woodland that we hope to go back to again next year.

2nd March - sent in by Ciaran
Vane Farm, Fife

At Vane Farm we were helping to build proper steps along the path to help people to get around the area easier. This involved clearing the old steps and making new steps. The new steps were made by hammering stakes in the ground in front of where the step was going to be, putting a wooden pole against the stakes and then filling in the step with mud. It took a while, but it was good to see how much progress was made at the end.

We did not spend the whole time working though. We played some games, such as the knot game (where we had to get out of a knot!). We also went bird watching but I am not particularly interested in birds so that was not my favourite bit. Vane Farm was good fun, even though I was not interested in the bird watching.

9th March
Cammo

Working with the City of Edinburgh ranger we cleared a huge amount of rubbish that had collected in the bushes of this estate and made the ranger very happy! We treated ourselves to a lovely fire and toasted marshmallows.

15-16th March
Lochore Meadows Fife

A weekend in the company of the Fife rangers. Our first day was spent at Lochore Meadows country park carrying out some woodland tasks including coppicing and making hurdles.

13th April
Binning Wood

This trip was planned for Craigleith Island to help to save the puffins but we were disappointed not to be able to go. The volunteer who was going to be taking us to the island was stuck on the Isle of May, another island in the Firth of Forth. So we set off for plan B, Binning Wood to clear some of the rhododendron that is swamping the wood. We also spent time making shelters out of the cut rhododendron as it isn't much use for anything else!

26-27th April
Muiravonside Country Park, Linlithgow

A busy weekend re-routing a path which involved brashing over the old one and taking out the path edging and then defining the new path.

11th May
Gullane

We dug out the roots of sea buckthorn which is taking over a bit too much of the dunes. This was really hard work as the buckthorn has runners that go under the ground and connect to other bushes. In the afternoon we made sand sculptures. And of course the poems....

Ode to Sea Buckthorn
Long ravenous roots eating into the soil
The lush grass revealed underneath
Giant network of roots
Falling over backwards from the strength of the roots
Lopping and sawing, pulling and twisting, the roots left a mental scar
A pile of destruction from a hard day's work.

The View
Horses galloping along the shore
The sea fading into the mist
Sounds of people enjoying themselves
Waves breaking on the shore
Birds cheep a lullaby at the close of day.

May 17-18th

We ran an additional residential for a group of young people from Wester Hailes Education Centre who were keen to do a project together. They were already working towards their John Muir Discovery Award and we sent them off to Muiravonside to work with the ranger there. During the weekend they constructed a willow dome and did some woodland work. They did an amazing night walk with the bat detector which found lots of bats flying beside the Union Canal where they were staying overnight at a bunkhouse.

May 25th Rosyln - sent in by Rebecca

On the 25th May, our group set off for Roslin Glen, following a crazy game of the group juggle, to improve the paths. After getting lost on the way and having to turn around and drive in the opposite direction a couple of times, our group finally made it to Roslin Glen, where we met the friendly warden who was going to help us throughout the day. At the start we were split into pairs, because our group was quite small, and went off to do some lopping and sawing. I worked around the carpark with Jamie, lopping off any overhanging branches, and sawing off the thicker ones, while the two other pairs worked around the river.

After a long morning's work, we sat down to eat our lunch before playing yet another crazy game, but this time it was chain tig, and I was proud to be one of the last people to be caught! In the afternoon, we worked along one of the main paths, leading up to the ancient castle. It was very busy, so we often had to stop while other people were going past. We finished just in time to make some natural art, mine being of "the circle of life", before we talked about the John Muir award and went back home. All in all, I would say it has been my favourite GreenTeam so far!

August 24th - sent in by Andrea
Craigleith Island: what a glorious day out!

The weather gods were with us this time, we finally made it to the island. It was great. Sunshine, adventure and ice-cream! Can you ask for more?

To get to the island we had to go by boat; not just any, but a really fast one, which was very exciting. This was probably my favourite bit of the day, speeding across the water surface incredibly fast, making the journey to the island seem to last only seconds.

To get onto the island was a bit of an adventure too, getting all our rucksacks, tools and ourselves onto the rocky steep shore. (I wonder how the seals manage, that come here in late autumn to give birth to their pups, without a rope to hold onto and being pretty heavily pregnant too!)

Oh yes, and we did some work as well, helping Puffins to find their breeding burrows again by removing the invasive tree mallow, or rather a forest of it. It grows in quite dense stands with pretty much nothing in between, slowly but surely taking over most of the island. So we came to the rescue, or rather we contributed to what is actually a MASSIVE task. Continued effort of many days work is needed to keep the plant under control until other vegetation gets a chance to grow again, we learned from John, the local who organises the tree mallow removal. We did our best to cut it down with loppers and shears, and were rewarded with a little guided tour learning about the sea birds living or breeding on this island and on Bass Rock nearby.

August 31st - sent in by Tina
Wiston Lodge

Our task was to take down a fence and we used the fence parts to make a fire! It was a good Green Team, me and Imogen enjoyed it more than the last one (not that we didn’t enjoy the last one). After a while of de-fencing we made a bonfire and BBQ- and had some well nice burgers and sausages & the such nice banana chocolaters. NICE!

After that some hardcore games of football and piggy in the middle. We also saw quite a lot of mushrooms. Before that we had pitched up the tents, this went fairly well apart from the fact that our tent was pegged the wrong way round. We gathered in the big tent in the evening after an attack from the midges and had some pretty good chat, and one by one the peeps left the tent.

The next morning, me and Imogen were up last, followed by a quick make-up sesh and some nice breakfast. Our activity was taking up the fence which was hard but good fun, by this time it was chucking it down, and we took refuge in the tent for a nice lunch. A few games then a hasty take down of the tents before going in the Green Team bus back home.

September 7th
Almondell

Today we visited Almondell Country Park in an effort to create habitat piles for mice and bugs. We cut up deadwood using saws and loppers and piled it together. Despite the weather everyone enjoyed their day.

My favourite part of the day was the playing stag and doe game and taking part in a team effort.

Sunday 28th September - sent in by Andrew
Hopetoun House

The Green Team visited Hopetoun House Estate in South Queensferry in an effort to cut back vegetation that was growing onto the footpath. Saws and loppers were used and all the chopped plants were piled high to be burned. With the help of a ranger a controlled fire was started to burn the unwanted plants. At lunch time we walked down to the nearby beach and collected materials for a scavenger hunt activity. We then made these materials into 'boats' and floated them out to sea. In the afternoon more hard work was done by everyone and the area cleared gradually grew bigger. All in all, a fun and constructive outing for all involved!

Saturday 11th October - sent in by Jamie
Vogrie Country Park

Eleven green teamers with 3 project leaders enjoyed a residential weekend at Vogrie Country Park. Our main task for the weekend was to cut down trees in the staff/disabled car park so that more light could reach the ground to let ground vegetation grow. We all had a great time sawing down trees, though it was pretty hard work. Everyone got on really well with each other and bonded with all the Green Team games (nightline, environmental art). In our free time, we also got the chance to chill in the park. We were also really lucky with the lovely sunny autumn weather – chopping down tree after tree might not have been quite so much fun in the rain. After a weekend of hard work, we got the chance to explore Vogrie on a train.

I really enjoyed the weekend, which was the first residential for all eleven of us. It’s a terrific opportunity to meet people from different schools, make new friends and help look after the environment. The project leaders were super and helped contribute to an awesome weekend. I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone.

Sunday 2nd November - sent in by Jo, Emily and Honor
Lord Ancrum's Wood, Newbattle

On Sunday 2nd November a group of enthusiastic 11-18 year olds went out to Lord Ancrum’s Wood at Newbattle. We started with some ice breaker games. We were split into two teams; we were then given various things to find like someone with a blue jumper and glasses. That person then had to run to a hula hoop and go through it and run back. Our team won!
We then had a safety talk and picked up our equipment. We then started chopping down rhododendrons or as they called it ‘Rhodi Bashing!’ We all had about an hour chopping and then we were split into 2 groups, one went acorn collecting and the other continued chopping down the rhododendrons.
We then stopped for lunch, and tucked into our packed lunches. We also got Marshmallows courtesy of the Green Team. The other group then went acorn walking. After around half an hour we headed back. After 15 minutes of tiding up we decided to take the scenic route to the bus. When we got there we played a few more games. They were electric wire and find a tree.
I think everyone's favourite was electric wire as it involved team work as well as physical strength. We all then rambled into the bus and were sad it was ending but glad to be going home to our bed as we were all very tired!

We would like to thank all the Green Team leaders for giving us the best time possible.