Background

The coastal and marine biodiversity of Scotland’s inshore coastal regions has declined due to – and is at continued risk because of – commercial activities such as aquaculture and dredging.

Projects that educate, and moreover involve people, with the land, sea, and living things therein, not only increase awareness of environmental challenges but also foster a sense of collective responsibility to protect and restore local biodiversity.

The project

Arnisdale and Loch Hourn Community Association was set up to manage the Ceilidh House, a community hall and heritage centre that hosts music, arts, and environmental events. They play a crucial role in addressing the challenge of social isolation on the remote Glenelg peninsula, with a population of 300, at a couple of hours drive to local amenities.

The idea for a photography and citizen science project was conceived through conversations within the community. In April 2024, HIEF awarded the Arnisdale and Loch Hourn Community Association a grant of £7600 towards workshop and equipment costs.

Update: November 2024

The project is aiming to map the biodiversity of the Glenelg Peninsula’s coastal areas through photography and citizen science. A series of community workshops, led by experts, brought to attention the abundance of wildlife on the Glenelg Peninsula, such as sea eagles, otters, wading birds, and seaweed. Experts included an Ornithologist, a local marine biologist studying at SAMS, and a representative from the Internation Otter Survival Fund.

These workshops, taking place either in the field, or in village halls on the peninsula, have also been followed by litter picking on the coastline.

Images from the first few workshops over Summer 2024, courtesy of Arnisdale and Loch Hourn Community Association.

Simultaneously, the photography element of the project is to be led by the local ‘camera collective’, who will lead two photography workshops.  Citizen science monitoring through the iNaturalist app is taking place across all workshops , forming a database of the region’s biodiversity. Anyone can log on and view recent wildlife recordings, building a collective understanding of species diversity and distribution.

The project will culminate with a photography competition inviting participants to submit photos of  the natural environment of the Glenelg coastline. An exhibition in the village hall, in late January, will showcase the abundance of wildlife, and emphasise the community’s commitment to protecting their environment.