Leswalt volunteers help transform wasteland into wetlands paradise
by Patrick Knox
Stranraer & Wigtownshire Free Press
July 2007

When an ambitious million- pound special needs project folded two years ago, Leswalt was left with a half-built eyesore.

Plans for the wetland and garden were dead and buried and the village feared the muddy site would become overgrown and inaccessible.

But villagers refused to give up and mobilised to save the area. Now Leswalt is reaping the benefits of having a real wildlife wonder on its door step.

Leswalt Community Association chairman Jane Sloan said: “Completion of the project is in sight and I feel that Leswalt area is all the richer for it.”

The luscious Wetland and Community Garden grew out of sheer determination to finish work started by a charity called Aldouran Glen Village in 2002.

The charity behind the original project, led by Leswalt resident Bernard Farroll Roberts, had planned to create a flagship educational facility for less-abled children.

The £1.3 million project would become a village set among gardens to provide nature and wildlife as a therapeutic and educational tool.

Over two years the charity cleared an 11-acre site and created wetlands and a garden with raised walkways.

But, in 2004, the project went bust and the project's goal withered away, leaving the garden far from finished.

At this point Scottish Natural Heritage and the Woodland Trust stepped in and began talks with the Leswalt Community Association, who then took on the challenge of saving the wetland and garden.

Jane said: “None of us wanted to see the place become completely inaccessible and we could see the potential for a good environmental and recreational project — with a lot of hard work.

“Our aim was to keep it as a nature reserve, while making it accessible to the public - including the people with special needs it was originally intended for - as well as publicising its existence.”

After winning more than £17,000 in grants, local volunteers got to work clearing paths and pulling weeds.

A boardwalk across the wetlands was made safe and wheelchair friendly and vandalism damage in the bird observation box was repaired.

Raised beds, plus seating and picnic tables, were also built in the garden area, which fronts the wetlands.

None of this would have been possible without wellies on the ground, yet raising support in Leswalt proved no obstacle, with the village providing the fertile ground for green-fingered volunteers - more than 30 answered the call.

The team included children and teenagers, who formed The Aldouran Wetland Watchers and will maintain, as well as keep an eye, on the park.

Leswalt's Rainbows and Brownies also adopted beds, and adults formed a crack weeding squad. Students from Stranraer's John Niven Campus also chipped in, helping to create the raised beds and other gardening projects.

Strimming was done by the people doing community service.

Although the project is nearing completion, Jane said it was still very much a work-in-progress and dependent on goodwill donations.

She said: “We have plans for the future - dependent on finding more funding - to bring a water supply into the garden area.

“We also want to support some of the raised beds with dry stone walling, as the slatted boarding is already beginning to break in places.

“But we would also like to encourage the public to come and visit the site which offers countryside access for all abilities.”

Signs are planned to inform visitors of the park's unique wildlife and plant species.

Leswalt villagers can now stand back and admire their new asset.

Jane said: “The past two years have been stressful at the same time as being stimulating.

“It's been a community effort, but we have a strong community here in Leswalt - we are very lucky.”

She added: “We have had some difficult times, but, yes, it been well worth it and people are now seeing the fruits of their labour.”

© 2007 Copyright
Stranraer & Wigtownshire Free Press
www.stranraer-freepress.co.uk

- Aldouran Wetland
- Community Garden
- Aldouran Glen Walk
- Wetland Watchers
- Getting Here