Latest news with #Scamp
The National
2 days ago
- The National
£1m in funding announced for Scottish coastline restoration
The Solway Coast and Marine Landscape Connections Project (Scamp) will receive £1.4 million in funding, which will see natural habitats restored along the Dumfries and Galloway coast. The Scamp scheme will be delivered over 10 years, and five key habitats, including seagrass meadows, native oyster reefs, salt marsh, coastal woodland, and sand dunes, will be prioritised. The project will also see 120 miles of new coastal trails created, with 10 seaside 'gateway' sites developed. REA MORE: John Swinney defends 'two-horse race' comments after by-election loss to Labour Panels along the coast and trails will also be installed, allowing people to learn more about the Solway Firth and the surrounding area. Karen Morley, Scamp programme manager, welcomed the funding, adding it will help the team make a 'real impact' in their restoration efforts. 'It is rare for a nature restoration project to attract this level of investment over a prolonged period of time,' she said. 'But it is also essential for this ambitious innovative programme of work to be delivered by ourselves and our partners and ensure we can make a real restorative impact on our Solway land and seascape.' Scamp is the first project to secure support through the National Lottery Heritage Fund's (NLHF) £150m Landscape Connections initiative. The project is the first of around 20 across the UK which will benefit from the funding aimed at boosting nature recovery, helping rural economies, and attracting more visitors. NLHF chief executive Eilish McGuinness said it was the 'perfect project' to start the initiative. (Image: Cumbria Tourism) She said: 'The Solway Firth's rich natural heritage has supported communities along its length since the earliest settlement. 'The heritage of millennia of human habitation are reflected in the landscape and history of the people, places and communities. 'This will be enhanced with National Lottery player support to deliver large-scale, long-term, meaningful change for the environment and its people, furthering our vision for heritage to be valued, cared for, and sustained for everyone, now and in the future." Dumfries and Galloway Council is leading the Scamp initiative alongside a list of local partners. Council leader Gail MacGregor said: 'With a potential total investment of almost £8m from the heritage fund this commitment demonstrates the huge potential of our Solway Coast to become a leading light in coastal and marine nature restoration, playing its part in helping with the nature and climate crisis. 'By allowing our coastal and marine environment to thrive we will be bringing opportunities for learning, green jobs, wellbeing and nature-related economic development to our communities.'
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Solway coastline secures major restoration boost
The Solway coastline in south west Scotland has secured a major funding boost to help with its conservation, restoration and development. It is the first project to secure support through the National Lottery Heritage Fund's (NLHF) £150m Landscape Connections initiative. The Solway Coast and Marine Landscape Connections Project - Scamp for short - will receive £1.4m to shape plans which will help unlock a further £6.4m. It will work with the local community to deliver an extensive programme of habitat restoration right along the Dumfries and Galloway coast. The project is the first of about 20 across the UK which will benefit from the funding aimed at boosting nature recovery, helping rural economies and attracting more visitors. NLHF chief executive Eilish McGuinness said it was the "perfect project" to get things started. "The Solway Firth's rich natural heritage has supported communities along its length since the earliest settlement," she said. "The heritage of millennia of human habitation are reflected in the landscape and history of the people, places and communities. "This will be enhanced with National Lottery player support to deliver large-scale, long-term, meaningful change for the environment and its people, furthering our vision for heritage to be valued, cared for, and sustained for everyone, now and in the future." Dumfries and Galloway Council is leading the Scamp initiative alongside a long list of local partners. Leader Gail MacGregor said: "With a potential total investment of almost £8m from the heritage fund this commitment demonstrates the huge potential of our Solway Coast to become a leading light in coastal and marine nature restoration, playing its part in helping with the nature and climate crisis. "By allowing our coastal and marine environment to thrive we will be bringing opportunities for learning, green jobs, wellbeing and nature-related economic development to our communities." Karen Morley, Scamp programme manager, said it welcomed the funding. "It is rare for a nature restoration project to attract this level of investment over a prolonged period of time," she said. "But it is also essential for this ambitious innovative programme of work to be delivered by ourselves and our partners and ensure we can make a real restorative impact on our Solway land and seascape." The Scamp scheme will be delivered over 10 years including a two-year development phase. Five key habitats will be prioritised - seagrass meadows, native oyster reefs, saltmarsh, coastal woodland and sand dunes. It will also see 120 miles (195km) of new coastal trail created with 10 coastal "gateway" sites enhanced. Panels along the coast and trails will allow people to learn more about the Solway Firth and the surrounding area. How Solway seaweed rum came out of Covid job cuts
Chicago Tribune
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
With the sculptures of ‘Vivid Creatures,' the Morton Arboretum goes for color this time
As drivers on Interstate-88 zoom past the Morton Arboretum in the western suburb of Lisle, they can now glimpse a new creature overlooking the highway on the hill where Joe the Guardian, a giant wooden troll, previously stood watch from 2018 to 2021. The new sculpture, titled Spectra, is a 16-foot brittle button snail whimsically rendered in bright oranges and reds, with a metallic-accented rainbow spiraling across her shell. Spectra is one of five sculptures featured in 'Vivid Creatures,' a new exhibition by Portland-based artists and married couple Heather BeGaetz and Fez BeGaetz. Ranging from 8 to 23 feet tall, the figures are inspired by wildlife native to Northern Illinois and include Scamp (fox squirrel), Generosity (white-tailed deer), Cadence (sandhill crane) and Nimbly (blue dasher dragonfly). 'Vivid Creatures' opens to the public on May 17, with the final sculpture, Nimbly, set to be unveiled on June 2. The series represents the latest biannual outdoor exhibition the Arboretum has commissioned in recent years, following 'Troll Hunt' by artist Thomas Dambo, 'Human+Nature' by Daniel Popper (2021-23) and 'Of the Earth' by Olga Ziemska (2023-25). The overarching theme of 'Vivid Creatures' is the interconnectedness of all living things, or the fact that 'all of the elements of nature support each other's existence,' said Amy Scott, Morton Arboretum's head of exhibitions. Generosity, a white-tailed deer that stands 22 feet tall, exemplifies this idea. With his branchlike antlers and root-shaped legs, he plays a similar role to the trees of the forest by serving as host to smaller living things. Keen-eyed viewers will spot all four of the other animals from the exhibition perched in his antlers or painted on his body. Scott said that another goal of the exhibition is 'hopefully inspiring people to maybe slow down and take a breath and look around at the world, at nature around them. The Morton Arboretum really wants to inspire people to get more observant and curious.' When the Arboretum began planning this project more than two years ago, its team was drawn to the large scale of the BeGaetzes' work and their use of vibrant colors. 'Our environment here and our landscape is gorgeous and beautiful, but because it's so big, it tends to swallow up the pieces, so we really need pieces that are very large in order for it to feel impactful,' Scott said. The artists visited the Arboretum in March 2023 to gather ideas by observing local wildlife and learning about the ecosystem from the scientists on staff. Scamp was inspired by their young daughter, Calliope, feeding nuts to a squirrel and trying to play ball with it during their visit. The posture of the sculpture, which depicts a fox squirrel clutching a nut in her paws, is modeled after a photo of that interaction. Before becoming a visual artist, Heather worked as a theatrical writer, director, performer and mask-maker, and this background informs her sculptural works. 'I always lead in from a place of story, using all art to tell story, to create worlds, to invite people into other worlds,' she said. The BeGaetzes created a backstory for each of the five creatures — with overtones of fairytales and mythology about the natural world — and wove elements of these stories into the designs. For example, the sandhill crane's dancelike pose and the orange moon painted on her chest offer clues to her tale. 'Cadence's story is that her parents were dancing as cranes do when they're mating, and they were dancing in a pond where the full moon was reflected in the surface of the pond,' said Heather. 'And then the next day, they laid this egg. And so, she is a being through whom the moon can touch the Earth whenever she lands.' Working with a small crew at their Portland studio, the artists used 3-D modeling software to design the creatures, then built each sculpture by constructing a steel support structure, packing it with crumpled aluminum foil and applying fiber-reinforced concrete. After transporting the sculptures to Illinois in five semi-trucks, their process continues with assembling and installing the massive structures — which are supported by underground concrete blocks — and painting and sealing the surfaces for durability. On the opening day of 'Vivid Creatures,' a limited number of visitors will hear directly from the BeGaetzes about their creative process during a ticketed walking tour. Each weekend from May 24 through Sept. 1, the arboretum will offer free art workshops in the Children's Garden, where families can create artwork inspired by the exhibition. 'I really like to use art to inspire wonder, creativity, play,' said Heather. 'These are all qualities that we literally need to face hard things in our life, and so, I just hope that people will arrive before these creatures and kind of see them as an invitation to unwind, to play, to relax, to connect, to make a memory, and carry that with them.'
Edinburgh Live
07-05-2025
- Business
- Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh St James Quarter shop to close as 'large food chain' moves in
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A clothing brand are set to close their Edinburgh store after rising rents that they 'cannot match'. Scamp and Dude, which opened up in the St James Quarter back in September 2023, have said the 'time has come' to hand the space back. They confirmed that a 'large food chain' would be moving in. The clothing brand was launched back in 2016 by Jo Tutchener-Sharp after she was recovering from brain surgery and was missing her children. She was inspired to create a clothing line 'with superpowers' to give children confidence when away from their loved ones, which grew into a fashion brand for women and kids. While they're closing the doors on the Edinburgh store, Scamp and Dude have said the 'search continues' for a new home in Scotland and they hope to return 'soon'. The stores last day will be on May 11. They added that the team has been 'wonderful', and they've 'loved every minute'. The food chain moving in to the unit has not yet been confirmed. Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox A spokesperson for the brand told Edinburgh Live: "Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond our control, our Edinburgh store will permanently close on May 11. "The unit was generously provided to us by the landlord at a reduced rent, enabling us to afford such a fantastic space but sadly the time has come to hand it back, as a large food chain will be taking over the unit at a rent we simply cannot match. Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages. "The store in Edinburgh and our wonderful team there, has been an incredible showcase for our brand to our Scottish audience, and we have loved every minute of it. "Our search continues for a new home in Scotland, and we hope to return sometime soon. Until then our online store will look after our Scottish customers and our stores in Marlow, Battersea, Brighton and Cambridge will be there to welcome everyone."
BBC News
15-04-2025
- General
- BBC News
Falmouth daffodil grower wins Royal Horticultural Society award
A prolific daffodil grower has been given the highest honour by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS).Ron Scamp received the Victoria Medal of Honour for his decades of growing and showing daffodils across the award was named after Queen Victoria, and in recognition of her 63-year reign, only 63 medals are held at any one Scamp, from Falmouth, told BBC Radio Cornwall: "Truthfully, I was overwhelmed, it's the finest award... the best award that any grower of flowers or plants can have." 'Perfect in my eyes' He said his interest in daffodils began when he was eight or nine years old when he picked flowers for his grandmother on their farm in the Tamar Valley National Landscape (formerly known as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) in Devon and then, he said the interest "had never gone away".Of his and his wife Maureen's work, he said: "In our collection we peaked at 2,500 different varieties and that included many I had bred myself."The motivation was to create top show flowers. We used to send daffodils all over the world and we won several awards from the American Daffodil Society."Mr Scamp said the blooms were judged on their quality, definition and the way they were asked about his favourite variety, he said: "The very last daffodil I picked is my favourite. There are so many that are perfect in my eyes."
