Countryside Ranger service acclaimed

Jan 29 2010 by Gordon Bannerman, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

PERTH and Kinross Countryside Rangers attracted plaudits from councillors for their sterling work over the last three decades.

Reflecting on the past 12 months in a report to the local authority’s environment committee , highlights included the handover of the highly regarded Loch Leven Heritage Trail to the Ranger Service for annual maintenance.

It was the last annual report to be lodged with Scottish Natural Heritage, with grant aid from the body drawing to an end.

Successful partnerships with community groups and schools over the last 30 years were also flagged-up.

The eight-strong Rangers team manages a vast network, including 18 different sites in Perth and Kinross.

Four formal path networks and more than 200 bridges have been built and maintained by the countryside team and Community Greenspace.

High visitor use is being reported as access opens up to the countryside.

Education has been a key aspect of the Rangers’ role and over the last 30 years they have connected directly with more than 30,000 people.

Several of the sites are of high bio-diversity value, with officers monitoring specific species as the years go by.

Another spin-off benefit was that the equivalent of 12 years of volunteer time facilitated by the service since it was created.

Councillor Bob Ellis said: “They do a tremendous job, out in all weather. They impart a lot of knowledge to the public.”

Councillor Ann Cowan said the service was invaluable in teaching children about nature.

A three-strong Countryside Squad was also given a pat on the back for working in tandem with the service.

The Rangers Service’s territory ranges from Kinnoull Hill Woodland Walk to the Falls of Acharn, Birks of Aberfeldy and the Knock at Crieff.

More than 250 miles of rights of way also come under their watchful eye.

Path counter have revealed that 120,000 visits are made to the Kinnoull Hill woodland every year, with an estimated 30 per cent of them visitors to the Fair City.

In the past three years a further 20km of paths have been built in Perth and Kinross.

And leaflets are available for all the major sites and networks.

Looking ahead, alternative interpretation techniques are being explored as part of a wider strategy to promote Perth and Kinross as a visitor destination, and to stimulate the local economy.