Community Ranger Service

LBCP were eager to address the antisocial issues caused by pandemic at Lunan Bay but also were keen to develop a sustainable tourism and environmental strategy for Lunan Bay.

Scotland Has World Class Access Laws, Scottish Outdoor Access Code (SOAC)

But it was clear from the behaviours exhibited during the pandemic that many people were unaware that these rights of access came with conditions, mainly through ignorance on their part.

SOAC is nearly 20 years old, yet this guidance is not taught in schools in Scotland and generally education on SOAC to locals and visitors is poor plus numbers of Countryside Rangers had been dramatically reduced over the years. For rural Scotland to flourish as visitor destination, it requires both infrastructure and personnel.

Rangers

the first community-managed Ranger Service in Scotland

In response, The LBCP came up with the idea to offer a community-led Ranger Service at Lunan Bay to educate visitors on SOAC and the benefits of the outdoors, while reducing stress and anxieties for the residents.

Proposals to mitigate this include: natural regeneration of woodland on established dunes, ongoing monitoring the effects of climate change and maintaining relatively low key development and recreational provision.

Lunan Bay is privately owned by multiple landowners and not managed by wildlife charities, local authorities or NGOs like main nature reserves in Scotland.
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Although our Community Rangers are responsible for conservation activities, their main focus is community and visitor education at Lunan Bay.
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The feedback from visitors has been tremendous

Rangers

A Collaborative Project

The LBCP were awarded £29k from NatureScot‘s Better Places Green Recovery Fund to employ two seasonal Rangers from July to Oct 2021 and have had to build the whole service from recruiting the Rangers to furnishing their office and project development. Angus Council are our partners on this project, with the LBCP responsible the day-to-day management of the Rangers.

Rangers

assessing SOAC-compliant camping

It is an enormous voluntary team effort from LBCP and the Rangers, along with support from Angus Council and landowners. The feedback from visitors has been tremendous, many are benefitting from the Ranger impact socially, educationally and environmentally.
Within the project, we have developed an innovative tool to assess SOAC-compliant wild camping called Wild-CAT, which is used to collate data to affect policy change.

Our Rangers run weekly classes which are free and open to all

As the Ranger project evolved it was clear from their visitor surveys that there was a demand from visitors for education in SOAC, outdoor and nature skills. So our Rangers run weekly classes which are free and open to all. Their most popular is our Junior Ranger Club, which is held outside at Lunan Bay every Saturday, come rain or shine.
Families who come along not only learn important skills such as fire safety, tree and plant identification and wildlife spotting but this experience gives them the opportunity to slow down and enjoy quality family time in nature. The Rangers now offer a full portfolio of outdoor educational workshops for families, local schools and vulnerable groups.

Spotlight

Rangers

We need your help

Help Us Provide a Permanent Ranger Service at Lunan Bay and Beyond

Please Donate

The Ranger Project day-to-day management is provided by the voluntary contribution of the LBCP Board of Trustees

The initial Ranger project was funded by NatureScot’s Better Places Green Recovery Grant, applied for and awarded to the LBCP which allowed us to offer the Ranger Service from 1 July to 31 Oct 2021, in collaboration with Angus Council. The Ranger Project day-to-day management is provided by the voluntary contribution of the LBCP Board of Trustees. Much of the infrastructure was donated by LBCP members. The LBCP have applied for several grants to support a long term Ranger Service at Lunan Bay, and our ambition is to roll this community-led Ranger Service across Angus and throughout Scotland. If you would like to support us, we can also accept donations.

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The LBCP relies on crucial funding to uphold and deliver on our Aims, Events and Projects which protect and benefit Lunan Bay, the surrounding and immediate community and visitors from all over the world.

COME ALONG TO OUR FREE RANGER-LED EVENTS
Junior Ranger Club – Every Sat
Bird Trails – During School Holidays
Seasonal Events
Our Community Ranger-led Junior Ranger Club at Lunan Bay.

With the Global UN Climate Change Conference, COP26, which is held in Glasgow, our priority is to continue educating children in Angus about the importance of nature through our Community Ranger-led Junior Ranger Club at Lunan Bay.

We are running this free family club every Sat from 12-2pm. Our Junior Ranger Club outdoor education classes is also available for Angus primary schools. We are also running a kids club over the Tattie holidays.

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