Scottish Countryside Access Network

Central Scotland Green Network (CSGN) January 2012

A look at a practical example of the effects of climate change and extreme weather on paths

SCAN, in conjunction with SNH, has organised an event looking at the effects of climate change and extreme weather on paths, to be held on Tuesday 28th February 2012 on the Dysart to Buckhaven section of the Fife Coastal Path.

 The objectives are:

- to gain an understanding of the path managment challenges being faced

- to undertake a ‘climate change risk assessment’ of this section of path (a particpatory exercise!)

- to bring together practitioners to share experiences of these situations

- to promote the use of ‘climate change risk assessment’ in long term path management

Background information is available at http://www.walking-the-talk.co.uk/scan-climate-change-workshop

The meeting point and time will are still to be confirmed; the event will cost £20 per person.

If you would like to attend the event please complete and return the attached booking form by Tuesday 21st February.

SCAN minutes October 2011

Ramblers Scotland’s Medal Routes project is running for 12 months from October 2011 and aims to establish “medal” routes of 15, 30 and 60 minutes in length (bronze, silver and gold medal routes) based in walking hubs across Scotland.  Hubs could be a community centre, library, centre of employment, etc, and volunteers will help to map and promote the routes in their local areas.  This project will help to leave a lasting physical activity legacy from the 2012 Olympic and 2014 Commonwealth Games.  For more information see the Ramblers Scotland website

SCAN and SNH are planning a networking day in March to look at the impacts of climate change on path management and to work through a climate change risk assessment process for a coastal path/network.

If you are interested in attending please let us know which of these locations you would be able to attend – East Lothian, Fife, South Aberdeenshire . If there is sufficient interest we may consider running a second networking day later in the year.

There will be a fee of £20 for the day. We will provide tea and coffee, but those attending would need to bring their own packed lunch.

The presentation on climate change that Chris York gave at our Access Fair is now available online at http://www.walking-the-talk.co.uk/scan-climate-change-workshop

S.N.H has organised a ‘’Dealing with Dogs’’ workshop on the 8^th December 2011 at Battleby. Click here for details and booking form.

ONLINE TECHNICAL INFORMATION NETWORK LAUNCHED TO PROVIDE GOOD PRACTICE ADVICE AND SUPPORT FOR ACTIVE TRAVEL AND OUTDOOR ACCESS PROFESSIONALS

Members are being sought for www.satinonline.org a new online information portal which has been launched this week (26^th October 2011) to allow Active Travel and Outdoor Access Professionals, Planners, Engineers, Access Officers, Cycling Officers and Mountain Bike Trail Designers to share and promote good practice and provide support for design, construction and maintenance of infrastructure for active travel and outdoor access in Scotland.

Created by the Scottish Access Technical Information Network (SATIN), which was set up in 2009 as an initiative to support the needs of those involved in the development of infrastructure for outdoor access and active travel, the website will be the beginning of a series of initiatives to aid the way professionals engage, research and network.

The SATIN working group, which includes individuals from Cycling Scotland, Forestry Commission Scotland, Paths for All, Scottish Natural Heritage, Falkirk Council (SCAN) and Sustrans Scotland, were aware that individually they were regularly approached by professionals looking for advice or support for design, construction and maintenance of infrastructure for active travel and outdoor access, and recognised that creating a central location for professionals to access technical information and advice, while also providing an opportunity for them to network and share their good practice, would greatly benefit all professionals.

While the new website will be maintained by members of the working group, its success will rely heavily on the professionals sharing their own knowledge and experience.

Peter Leslie, Secretary of SATIN commented: “A key objective set by the members day in 2009 was to create a website that would allow professionals to share good practice, exchange ideas, research and innovation while also providing an opportunity to network and develop their skills, so we are delighted to officially launch the new website. We are confident that it will quickly become a ‘one stop shop’ for various groups of professionals, however we cannot stress enough how vital it is for them to share their own knowledge and experiences to ensure that the website provides a wide variety of technical information and advice.”

To become a member, please visit www.satinonline.org and click on the Members Space button at top right of the screen. Membership is free. From the Members Space, members can join specific discussion groups to talk about popular topics and share their views in a professional environment, and forward any technical information they would like to see included on the network to the working group for insertion. SATIN Online provides opportunities to tell others about case studies and to advertise any relevant news or events such as networking or training days, site visits and project launches, free of charge, using the ‘online’ forms.

For further information contact the SATIN working group via the website.

http://www.satinonline.org/satin/about-satin/contact-us.html

LINK’s new report on Scottish governance reviewing the environment movement’s experience of working with all branches of government since the 1999 re-establishment of the Scottish Parliament.  LINK offers a series of recommendations on reforms and improvements to the methods and processes of government which they hope will lead to a wider debate on governance within Scotland’s policy community.

LINKGovernanceMatters

Friends of the Earth Scotland intervention leads to change in Scots law on who has the right to have a case heard in court.

Friends of the Earth Scotland today (12 October 2011) celebrated a ruling (1) from the UK Supreme Court in London, which changes the interpretation of ‘title and interest’ in Scots Law, and will now allow campaigning groups to more easily and effectively challenge poor decisions in the courts in the public interest.

Full details at http://www.foe-scotland.org.uk/news121011

SCAN minutes September 2011