Mavis Wainman, Kemnay - 2000
Mavis has worked hard for the environment for many years. She serves on the Forum and is our spokesperson for Waste Minimisation and is our
representative on the Blackdog Environmentally Friendly Houses project. At home her garden is full of organic vegetables and she has a range of
composters at different stages of production
A superb area of the coast close to Fraserburgh has been conserved for future generations through the creation of this local nature reserve. The area
encompasses a tidal river, adjacent dunes and foreshore, all extremely valuable wildlife habitats and important public access
West Edingarioch Farm - 1992 (Green Gordon Award)
A lot of hard work put into creating an organic farm by two young ladies, fully committed to helping people enjoy good fresh food, free from
additives of any kind.
They have, in partnership with public agencies, upgraded the coastal walk between Whitehills and Banff Links. This, while improving the overall
environment along the walk and adjacent to the harbour, has created a leisure and educational facility to help tourists, local people and young
people discover, and appreciate, the wildlife, history and cultural heritage of the area.
This group was formed to save an important site from quarrying. There was old planning permission for the site which the owner had intended
reactivating. Local people got together to protest - with the support of SNH who had designated the site a SSSI and Aberdeenshire Council. They were
successful in raising money to purchase the land from the Lottery Land Fund and the owner agreed to sell it. The local community had to raise part of
the money themselves and held numerous events to do this.
The site is a geological SSSI - it has quartz pebbles and is (I think) the only one of its kind in Britain.
Although it's early days we were really impressed with the enthusiasm of the Group and the way they have undertaken a project to purchase a substantial
area of land with considerable implications for future management. The area is mostly wooded and although it is a planted woodland it has developed in a
very natural way.
WAA has helped to create two fields of Allotment Gardens behind Woodend Barn Arts Centre in Banchory. These are now independently run by Woodend
Allotments, a new volunteer group (114 plot holders as of August 2010). WAA also created a wild garden in previously derelict agricultural land behind the
Barn. This involved digging out part of the original mill pond and planting many trees and bushes, also, recently installed a biomass boiler,
replacing its oil usage with wood pellet.
A very innovative scheme that was begun 18 months ago to address the problem of re-using timber, and providing work training for disabled people.
The company takes delivery of wooden pallets, cable drums and other sources of used wood, and produce chips from the broken material and softwood
timber from the recoverable material.
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