Residents fight to save nature reserve

Jul 19 2006 By Shona Mitchell, East Kilbride News

CONCERNED residents are setting up a campaign group to save the only nature reserve in South Lanarkshire.

Friends of Langland Moss is looking to attract more concerned locals to join their campaign.

The last two weeks in July is Wake Up To Wildlife fortnight and the campaigners have chosen this as their ideal time to launch.

The group plans to launch on July 30 and its aim is to play a part in protecting Langland Moss for the benefit of both people and wildlife now and into the future.

Langland Moss is reported to have carnivorous sundew plants, cranberries, lizards, skylarks, otters and stonechats.

Kirsten Robb, one of the leading voices behind the campaign, said: “Langlands Moss is South Lanarkshire’s only local nature reserve and in the future could be a network of bogs in the area creating a National Nature Reserve for lowland bogs, a very valuable habitat which takes 10,000 years to form.”

She added: “Peat bogs lock up carbon, which if disturbed is released into the atmosphere adding to the problem of climate change.

“It’s also home to a wonderful array of wildlife and a vital breathing space in our busy lives”.

Colin McKay from EK Action Against Test Beds (EKAATB) thinks that protecting any of East Kilbride’s wild areas is incredibly worthwhile.

He said: “The danger is that Langlands Moss is close to the test bed site. Building these test beds here would mean draining the moss and once this happens it is dead for good as it affects the hydrology.

“The moss is not protected like it should be and it is very rare. It is only 270 metres from the test bed site and even if they are not building on the moss itself, the pollution alone will affect it.”

He added: “So many animals will be affected. The otters that live there have been displaced so this is likely the reason for them venturing into people’s gardens and emptying their ponds of fish. Their food source is disappearing so they travel down the burns into residential areas.

“Other wildlife affected will include the only breeding group of hare in East Kilbride as they live in that area and also bees, which have an ever-declining population”.

On July 30, the group has organised guided walks and children’s activities to take place at Calderglen Country Park.

The walks, which will be led by Calderglen Countryside Ranger Service, begin at 11am, 12.30pm and 2.30pm. The children’s activities begin at 11.30am, 1.30pm and 2.45pm.

To book a place or for more information contact the Calderglen Ranger Service on 236644.