“Friends Of” Project Flourishes: A Community Triumph for Angus Country Parks

Since its launch in spring 2024, ANGUSalive’s Friends Of initiative has become a thriving hub for community-driven conservation, enhancing the natural beauty and ecological health of Monikie, Crombie, and Forfar Loch Country Parks. This volunteer-led program has drawn participants of all ages, uniting nature enthusiasts under a shared goal: to preserve and improve ANGUSalive’s cherished green spaces.

Throughout 2024, volunteers have contributed to a variety of projects, including:

Native tree planting
Stopping the spread of non-native Himalayan Balsam at Forfar Loch
Removing invasive Rhododendron from the woods at Crombie Country Park
Removing and reusing old tree planting tubes from the woods in all our Country Parks
Clearing overgrown vegetation from viewpoints and paths
Managing and maintaining a community orchard
Litter picking

These activities not only benefit the parks’ ecosystems but also offer participants the chance to develop new skills and forge connections with fellow nature lovers.

Huw Streater, Countryside Ranger said of the project ‘The Friends of Forfar Loch and Friends of Monikie & Crombie volunteer groups have been a great help to the Ranger Service since the groups formed in Spring 2024. We have been able to achieve so much with the help of our dedicated volunteers that we wouldn’t have managed alone, and it has been a pleasure getting to know the local people who care deeply about their local greenspaces. We are looking forward to a great year in 2025 and hope that even more local people can get involved with taking care of our beautiful Country Parks.’

The venture has promoted a sense of community and environmental stewardship among participants. Monthly gatherings have grown into anticipated events, with volunteers returning regularly to build on previous successes. ANGUSalive’s Countryside Rangers provide expert guidance at every step, ensuring activities are both impactful and educational.

Looking ahead to 2025, the Ranger Team has ambitious plans, including exciting new projects at all three parks including:

Development of a wildlife garden at Monikie Country Park
Beaver activity monitoring at Forfar Loch Country Park
Red squirrel surveying at Crombie Country Park
Planting even more trees and creating more woodland corridors in all the Country Parks
Tackling the invasive non-native species issues that our Country Parks are currently facing by expanding our methods and removing even more invasive plants from our woodlands

Whether you’re a seasoned environmentalist or a first-time volunteer, all are welcome. Discover more and join the movement to keep Angus’s natural spaces thriving for generations: