LOW VALLEYFIELD. WEST FIFE WEE VILLAGE PORTFOLIO 2017 1
INTRODUCTION Low Valleyfield is a tiny linear village situated on the North bank of the River Forth on the site of the old hamlet of Valleyfield (some of the buildings date from the 18 th century). The village had a history of coal mining and fishing but is now effectively a dormitory area for Dunfermline, Edinburgh, Glasgow and other parts of Fife. In 1906 the land on the south side of the village was reclaimed from the river Forth to construct a railway link to Kincardine and subsequently a containment area for ash from the Longannet Power Station, known as the Ash Lagoons. As the Lagoons have been completed the land has been transformed into a beautiful nature reserve designated in 1996 as Torrybay Nature reserve, a wonderful asset of wide ranging habitat popular with most of the local residents Over the past 20 plus years the Community Council took the lead in organising the efforts of the village in this area with the principal aim of engendering the development of some community spirit in this rather scattered community, and encouraging their involvement in improving the local environment to ensure Low Valleyfield is and continues to be a pleasant and desirable place to live. The Village Improvement group was formed as a sub group of the Community Council in early 2016 and have met regularly since to plan work, maintenance and consider new projects. Planted Daffodils Lesser Cellandine Bulbs and Spring Flowers 2
Autumn During the autumn of 2017 a final grass cut and tidy up was carried out along the southern verge, cutting back any overhanging vegetation removing any stray litter and detritus Hanging baskets and Containers throughout the village were cleared of summer bedding and compost refreshed to await spring planting which would complement the spring bulbs existing and new. Given the proximity of the containers to the road we generally leave any planting until early spring to avoid the impact of salt on the displays. A pensioner in the village offered us the use of her greenhouse and this was fitted out with shelving and used to accommodate a selection of pansies, grown from plugs in 10 cm pots. This was a great success and allowed us to provide displays for the spring at a fraction of the cost. The small woodland area on the west of the village was tidied and the understory cut back to open up the ground for spring flowering plants, such as Snowdrops, Lesser Celandine and Garlic, and to encourage the expansion of Pink Campion, Fox glove and other summer flowering plants. September 2016 Pansy Plug Planting 3
Autumn Cleanup Spring Snowdrops Winter In early December, a Christmas tree was erected and decorated in the centre of the village. As we do not have an electrical supply for the tree, a new battery operated system was purchased which provides sufficient power to operate an effective LED display for 6 hours every night throughout the season A dangerous multi-stemmed willow tree was removed at the west end of the village and the main timber logged and used by the villagers. The brash was stacked to form a long habitat pile for insects, hedgehogs, etc. The remaining area will be allowed to develop as a wild flower area. Two additional apple trees were planted to increase the area set aside as Orchard. 4
Purple 4 Polio. It was agreed that the village would participate in this Rotary supported project, raising awareness of Polio and seeking to invest in its eradication from 3 rd world countries.the site chosen was the village car park and over 20 people attended on 29 th October to plant 5000 purple crocuses in the grass area and we all met again on 18 th of March to publicise the flowering, which for the first season was extremely successful October 2016 March 2017 5
Ground preparation and cultivation took place in preparation for a new bed and additional individual planting. Fife Council provided a large supply of recycled compost which was located at two sites in the village and used as a soil ameliorant and mulch for shrub planted areas. A few small hydrangea and Rosa rugosa were planted beside the railway fence as a trial and if successful, this will be expanded in future years. 700 Pansy plants were distributed throughout the village and planted selectively to provide a vibrant display across the village area. These were supplemented with Polyanthus and Primulas retained from past seasons. Spring and Summer In early March a new willow shelter was planted in the centre of the village by two of the residents using willow harvested from the nature reserve. Another resident built a planter seat using upcycled pallet wood. The finished product was stunning! A further new planter was built and installed in front of no 12. 6
Following discussions within the group it was agreed to grow a selection of summer bedding and supplement these with purchased material. 700 Petunia plugs, 100 Bidens and 350 Lobelia sapphire were planted and grown on in our adopted greenhouse for planting out in late May. The emphasis was again on flowers that were insect friendly The wild flower bed beside the orchard was cultivated and organic matter incorporated to improve the soil fertility (following mixed results last year). Fife Council assisted in the provision of a biodiversity seed mixture which was further improved with Borage and Nigella, all sown in early April. Preparation June 2017 Village planting day A village planting day was agreed for 28 th May and all the bedding plants grown and purchased were made available for general use. Villagers generally take responsibility for the planters near them and are allowed a degree of flexibility as to the planting arrangements. The removal of flowering pansies is always a difficult decision and some were allowed to remain for a few weeks but eventually removed and replaced with summer bedding. 7
A couple of hours were again set aside for the village children to meet at the play park, plant a few sunflowers, and sow a late batch of wild flowers. The aim has always been to encourage families and children to get interested in horticulture and in their local environment 10 hanging baskets were planted and set aside for display in early July. These are mounted at strategic locations in the village and maintained regularly by the group. Home Grown Help Yourself Enthusiasm Helps Kids have all the fun 8
Some of the Volunteers In 2016 we used runner beans (eats) to hide a rather unsightly wall. This was successful and has again been planted with a stringless variety which are free to harvest by villagers. Wall Bed 9
The Willow Bus Shelter Last years willow shelter at the Western end of the village has been a real success and is very popular with visitors and villagers alike. The first year was about establishing a 3 sided screen which could grow and reach a suitable height to allow the roof to be formed, In June a frame was formed from cut willow stems which were wired into the structure and woven by the existing live growth to form a living roof. The finished shape is surprisingly strong and will hopefully develop over the years requiring minimal annual weaving, trimming, and feeding to provide a permanent shelter. This is a very popular bus stop used mainly by School children and we hope its presence will further influence the interests of our younger villagers. Willow Frame Frame Installation Roof Weaving Finished Shelter 10
East End Project. The Eastern entrance to the village has always been a concern for the group. Planting here in previous years has had to be kept to a minimum as it is always vulnerable for theft. This was the focus of a large ambitious project which sadly was unsuccessful but as a group we felt that it still had merit and agreed to revise and develop a smaller project focusing on the car park and south east verge. Funding was provided by Fife Council Area Budget with some village contributions. The priorities agreed were for ; 1. Picnic area Pit stop with picnic bench and bin in the car park adjacent to our Crocus plantation.this will also include improved signage for the cycle network and nature reserve. 2. A permanent planting display which should provide a colourful entrance feature which supports biodiversity using a selection of flowering trees and shrubs, chosen to encourage Birds Bees and Butterflies. 3. Retention of the existing wild flowers and spring bulbs which should provide an early start and spring display. Once established it is intended to introduce Foxgloves and Campion. Preparation began over the winter but following our successful funding bid the planting took place in May and June 2017. Bed Cultivation Incorporation of Compost 11
Shrub and Tree Planting Environmental Responsibility Recycling is undertaken by most of the residents utilising the facilities provided by the local council. Many also compost much of the green waste arising through the village in their own gardens. Old compost from hanging baskets and containers is recycled into gardens rather than being disposed of. Fife Council has for the second year, provided a large batch of recycled green waste which was used widely as a soil conditioner and top dressing/ mulch throughout the village. The annual/wildflower bed situated beside the orchard is now a popular and colourful feature in the village, using plants that will encourage insects great and small. The environmental garden, which has brightened and tidied up what was a very unattractive wide section of the verge, is still regarded as an ongoing project. It provides year round interest, shelter for birds and is a valuable nesting and food source. The small section of woodland next to environmental garden has been partially cleared and a short woodland walk has been introduced. One member of the village group is a member of Fifes Buzzing group and is keen that we plant bee friendly species. The village is fortunate to host a wide diversity of bees including a colony honey bees. 12
Nettles and thistles are controlled to encourage Pink Campion, wild garlic, Bluebells etc. The East end shrub bed will be a valuable resource for wild life and will provide protection and food throughout the year Network rail continue to maintain their land, controlling Japanese knotweed and cutting back some vegetation where appropriate. We have written assurances from them regarding their weed control programme although Giant hog weed continues to appear from time to time.the screen fence remains an issue in places but residents have taken steps to attempt to screen it with climbing plants such as Honeysuckle, Rose, and clematis. The local primary school attended by the majority of the younger children is involved in Eco School programme Woodland north of village has been declared a protected area allowing wildlife to thrive. The diversity of wildlife here is remarkable with Deer foxes, a large range of birds including Woodpecker, Tawny owl, Buzzard and Wren and other mammals including bats. On the South side of the village on the other side of the railway line there is Torrybay Nature Reserve that is used and enjoyed not only by Low Valleyfield but also by all the surrounding centres of population and visitors to the area. This has a circular pathway, which gives access to a variety of wildlife. There are many species of moth and a nesting area used over the winter by wildfowl and wader birds. In summer other birds are to be seen roosting in the area include curlew, redshank and dunlin etc. Deer are often seen the area. There are views across the river and there are information boards on one of the early industrial sites Preston Island, formerly a salt panning industry before the Island was included in the Ash treatment area. The Meadow area Purple Orchid 13
The closure of Longannet Power Station means that this site will cease to be used for further ash containment and following a period of reinstatement, the land will become entirely a nature reserve. The management plans for this remain uncertain at this time but two members of our group represent the village on a liaison group and will make sure that this site is protected in perpetuity. A serious Ash blow earlier this year saw our strong representation having an impact, bringing this serious problem rapidly to a conclusion. This valuable feature is a key asset for Low Valleyfield village and the surrounding community. The village is well supported by Fife Council who maintain some of the grass areas, and the children s play area. This support is essential to the success of the village but we carry out regular inspections, weekly litter picks and additional maintenance to provide an attractive and welcoming area for all. Community Engagement Upcycled Planter from Pallet Timer The village improvement group has encouraged much wider participation and allowed everyone to have a say in the activities of 14
the village. This meets regularly and the discussions are recorded and reported to the Community Council. Regular village letters/ circulars have been distributed to every home in the village and feedback is generally very good. New participants have brought additional skills and knowledge. And in some cases additional funds The offer of a greenhouse by one resident has opened the door to wider involvement in horticultural activities. The children s planting event encouraged more families to participate and support our work, Representatives from the community attended the award ceremonies to collect the awards that marked the results of the community s efforts over the year. Good community relations and communication exist throughout the village. This results in a minimum of crime and vandalism in the area and ensures that any vulnerable elderly people are aware of any problems that may arise. It also ensures that others are aware if help or assistance may be required. Community Council meetings are held monthly which are open to any villager to attend Twice a year in autumn and spring cleanups are organised and these are well supported with community involvement from all ages. These can attract 20 to 25 villagers. More than a dozen villagers carry out regular weekly maintenance of grass cutting watering and deadheading. With less than 80 homes, this can be seen as a very high turn out Advice is offered if requested to inexperienced or younger gardeners. Residents are encouraged to look after the closest tub (s) to their property. Liaison with Scottish Power over issues of maintenance and access on the Ash Lagoons Liaison with Fife Council Parks and cleansing staff over street furniture maintenance and wildflowers etc. Management of the village notice board is important in keeping families informed of the activities in the village. 15
Maintenance Finance The principal source of funding is from a floral enhancement grant provided by Fife Council We receive some additional financial support from the Community Council for the purchase of plants. This year we applied for an area grant of 1900 for the East end of the village. This is work in progress. Our publicity within the village has resulted in a number of generous individual donations from residents Some villagers supply plants and compost either by planting up the containers close to them or to augment the plants supplied by the community council for use throughout the village. There are no businesses in the village to be approached for sponsorship Plans For the future Continue developing the woodland area for wildflowers etc. Extend and improve the areas to the east of the village. Manage and develop the new willow shelter as a mature feature. Monitor Network rail s performance to ensure that the treatment promised for invasive non-native plants is continued and any spread reported. Encourage younger residents to become more involved in village activities. 16
Continue the work of screening the boundary fence to the railway line with permanent planting along the fence line where possible. Continued Liaison with Scottish Power over the future of the Ash lagoons (due to the possible closure of the Power Station) to make sure that community concerns are communicated and addressed. Lobby Scottish Power and Fife Council over the maintenance of the Eastern plantations etc. Encourage more residents to become involved in the work of the village through questionnaire and regular communication. Private Gardens Individual Displays 17