How to get started

What do you want to do? Plant wildflowers to attract pollinators; create a space for outdoor learning; or just make your area greener and more welcoming? Think about what your community needs and how your project can help. Start small if you’re not sure—even a small patch of wildflowers can make a big difference!

Check out 'Help wildlife and create resilient greenspaces' or 'What have other groups done' for ideas and inspiration.

Join a group or start a new one. Find out if there are local groups that are doing the same or something similar. Are there other community groups that could help you with insurance or make grant applications on your behalf for example a Community Council or neighbourhood centre? To find your local groups visit 'Join a group' 

Find out all about your greenspace. This is important as it will let you know what will work and what won’t. See Step 5: location/venue.

For more information:

• Help to set up a group in North Lanarkshire
• Help to set up a group in South Lanarkshire

Talk to your neighbours, local schools, community groups and businesses to get everyone excited about the idea. The more people involved, the better your project will be. Plus, they might have ideas, skills, or resources to share. Try and speak to as many people of different ages and abilities. Ask everyone how they’d like to keep up to date with what’s happening. 

Find organisations that can help, for example, Local Authority officers (Biodiversity, Greenspace, Parks, Grounds maintenance, Restorative Justice etc.) or wildlife/greenspace organisations.  

Once you have a group of people together make sure everyone is clear about who’s doing what and when!  

Remember to look after yourself and volunteers. People give their time for many reasons, but most of us need to feel valued.  

For more information:

The Wildlife Trust’s has some advice about running a groups session.

Find your local groups:

• North Lanarkshire
• South Lanarkshire

Agree a project plan:

Having a plan means that everyone is clear about what's happening and when. You can also include it with funding applications. Make it as simple or complicated as you like. Below are some templates and guidance that you can adapt for your project. 

To help you make decisions tools, like the Learning Evaluation Action Planning (LEAP) model, are useful.

Some things to consider:

Agree your values/mission:

Values are guiding principles. They describe what is important to your group. They influence how members interact, make decisions, and pursue goals. For example, a value like "respect" would encourage members to listen actively and consider each other's perspectives during discussions. “Sustainability” is a core value of Tullibody Community Garden which means they try to care for the health and long-term future of the environment in all they do. In other words, they always think about what's best for the climate and biodiversity.

How will you record change?

Your wildlife and/or greenspace project will change things for wildlife and for your community.  Think about what these changes might be and how you can record them. This information will help you: 

• Evaluate whether what you’re doing is working
• Demonstrate impact to funders or future funders
• Share and celebrate your successes with your local community

How will you look after your project?

Whatever you do - whether you’ve planted a flower bed for pollinators, sown a meadow or put in some seating - the project will need to be looked after. It makes sense to work out how you’ll do that right at the start, so you don’t get any surprises!

Funding:

Projects need resources. The good news is there’s plenty of help out there! You could apply for grants, ask local businesses to sponsor your project, or run a community fundraiser. Remember to ask for donations of tools, plants, or volunteer time. It’s even better for the climate and biodiversity when you can reduce, reuse (repair) and recycle! Check out the funding page for more details.

For more information:

• Voluntary Action South Lanarkshire’s document library has a project plan template that you can adapt.
• Scottish Borders’ Project Plan Template has a useful checklist of things to think about.
• Cairngorms National Park Community Action Planning Toolkit goes into depth, guiding you through a whole project.
• Evaluation Support Scotland offers support to third sector organisations

Find a Greenspace 

You might have a place in mind. If not, look around your neighbourhood or check 'Find local greenspaces'  

Find out who owns it. 

Ask around and/or contact your local authority Greenspace officer: 

• North Lanarkshire Council, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 
• South Lanarkshire Council, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  

If no-one knows visit the Registers of Scotland. Please note this costs a small fee.

Get permission from the landowner, for your project. 

If you need to have a formal agreement, on private or council-owned land, support is offered by the Community Land Advisory Service. You can contact them via Social Farms and Gardens.

Check with your Council Greenspace Officer if you need other permissions:  

• Planning Permissions: Check if planning permission is needed for any developments (e.g., tree planting, structures). 
• Protected Areas: Ensure compliance with laws protecting wildlife and habitats (e.g., Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations). 

Find out about the land: 

What's there already? 

• Get hold of a plan/map or draw one yourself. 
• Take photographs/videos of different areas. 
• Describe what your place is like: What’s the weather like? Make a note of the local climate: where is it windy or sheltered; sunny or shady; free draining or holding water? What condition are any buildings, the ground or trees?  

This information will help you to work out the best places to make changes. It’s also a great way to show what a difference you’ve made (before and after).

How's it used now?  

• Ask and/or watch how people use the space. Where do they sit, play, drink, walk, sunbathe, litter, cycle etc.
• Do a wildlife survey. A survey will help you plan the best things to do for the creatures that share your space. You could also check with the Council if they know anything about what lives there (see contact email details under 'find out who owns it' above). 

How’s it been used in the past?   

Most land in Lanarkshire has a history? Find out about your patch by: 

• Asking your community for stories and old photos
• Visit the National Libraries of Scotland (online) to see their historic maps.  
• Contact your local authority contaminated land team to see if there are any things you should know about. 

For more information:

Concerned about soil contamination?

Contact your local authority's contaminated land team for advice:

• North Lanarkshire Council
• South Lanarkshire Council

Get Growing Scotland have a guide for growing on contaminated land.

Even with the best plans things can change. Think about what could (reasonably – we're not talking asteroids and earthquakes here!) go wrong with your project. What can you do to reduce that risk? Here are some examples:

Risk assessments:

If you are making changes to a greenspace or running a group or public event, then do a risk assessment. It’s a straightforward, easy way to: 

• Identify hazards (something that could cause you or a visitor harm) e.g. uneven ground, sharp tools, litter etc.
• Look at how dangerous they are and how likely they are to happen.
• Take action to minimise that risk. 

If you're new to risk assessments, this video explains what risk assessments are and how they are done.

For more information:

• The Wildlife Trusts’ guide to health and safety for community groups.
• TCV Community network membership (which is free) provides groups with advice and access to specialist public liability insurance.
• What is a risk assessment, how do you do one and how do you manage risk (Wildlife Trust)
• RHS example risk assessment sheet

If people haven't heard about your project or event, they won't be coming along or getting involved. Consider how you can best reach your target audience to ensure as many people know about your event/project as possible.

Options include using social media, newsletters, website or posters to share project or event details. Also don't underestimate the power of word of mouth in local communities. Go along to community events and talk to people about the project/events coming up.

When it comes to planning events or activities to support the project, make it fun! Organise planting days, workshops, or guided nature walks. Involve schools or invite local artists to create signs or sculptures for the space. The more people feel connected to the project, the more they’ll want to help. 

Make sure you highlight any benefits for taking part such as improved mental well-being, increased biodiversity, and community spirit. It's also worth sharing and celebrating your successes - both big and small. It’s good for your community to hear but also your supporters and funders. 

Think about the gaps in your group's knowledge or experience and look for training. It could be a training course, learning from another group or getting expert advice! 

To help you decide what you need you could carry out a skills audit 

1. List all the things that need doing e.g. joinery, gardening, surveying, fundraising, spreading the word.
2. Put a call out for local volunteers and ask for help from organisations and businesses. 
3. If there are gaps, then look for training opportunities.

Here are some examples of the skills and people you might be looking for. Remember there are many ways to achieve something: 

Some training providers: 

Group management and funding courses in: 

• North Lanarkshire, VANL
• South Lanarkshire, VASLAN
• Wildlife and greenspace management with TCV

Make sure to gather feedback from participants, volunteers and local community members. This will help you improve the project/greenspace and ensure you receive continued support from your community.

While it's useful to ask people what they thought of the project/event, we advise you give people the option to answer anonymously through a survey. You will often find people are more honest that way and you will get more accurate feedback on how you can improve the project.

If you would like more help and guidance, please contact us by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - we are here to help!