The Carse of Stirling Partnership (COSP) was set up in 2012. Its aim was to bring people together from across the Carse to work co-operatively on issues that might otherwise have been tackled in isolation. These included a real range of interests from farming and the environment to recreation and heritage.
Now in its fourth year, its dedicated committee, who are all volunteers, still meet regularly at the Inn at Kippen to discuss on-going projects and ideas. The group’s initiatives so far have included a scheme encouraging local schoolchildren to plant clover for bees and hoverflies, and farm wildlife surveys. They’ve also been involved with a natural flood management study – with four case study farmers on the Carse – carried out by the James Hutton Institute and Heriot Watt University. The COSP has been recognised with an Award for Planning Excellence from the Royal Town Planning Institute, and was nominated for an RSPB Nature of Scotland Award.
Already this year, the partnership was part of ‘Resolve to get Involved’ held at the Inn in January and then held an open evening in Gargunnock in March aimed at local communities, with presentations and displays from other organisations such as SNH and the Inner Forth Landscape Initiative. They also had a stall at the Gargunnock show in June, and recently held their annual general meeting.
Looking to the future, the COSP, supported by SNH, aim to continue their work to promote and preserve local heritage, improve information about local access, and undertake schemes to benefit wildlife.
If you’d like to find out more about the COSP, or get involved, please check out our Facebook Page.
The Wee Vine 