Greetings to all our friends across the Biosphere and beyond! Hard winter weather is upon us, and there's no better time to hunker down and kickstart the GSAB newsletter again.
Between our monthly updates, don't forget you can contact any of our team at info@gsabiosphere.org.uk and find us on social media via the links at the bottom of this page.
Wintery pic from our Director Ed in the Lowther Hills to wish everyone a Happy Biosphere Christmas in advance!
We are extremely proud to announce that Melanie Allen has been elected as the new Chair of the GSA Biosphere's Partnership Board. Melanie will be known to many of you as a fellow Proud Supporter and owner of Nithbank Country Estate, a Biosphere Certified Business since 2019. As the Biosphere enters its second decade with dynamic growth in our core team, our programme of delivery, and even our geographical area, we are thrilled to have Melanie on board. Let it be known that all of us will be utilising her expansive knowledge and experience of living and working in south-west Scotland to its utmost potential!
This month GSAB has welcomed Ochiltree as our newest Biosphere Community - the first to be designated in Ayrshire, joining Dalry, Glentrool, Whithorn and Gatehouse in D&G. Our Biosphere Communities embody the Biosphere ethos of celebrating our passion for living in a way that benefits people and nature.
The Wool Gathering on Facebook has welcomed more than 140 members since its launch in September - and there's always room for more!
Marie, Business Development Manager: ‘The Wool Gathering is going from strength to strength, bringing partner organisations together with farmers and creatives from across the region. Wool has moved from by-product to waste product in recent years, so we're exploring opportunities for developing ‘sheep to finished products’ in south-west Scotland: tracking the journey of the wool, retaining its provenance, finding uses that are sustainable, and minimising waste. One area being explored is how we can create added value to the Black Face sheep fleece – if anyone has ideas on this, or is already using Biosphere wool for creative projects, or if you want to know more about the wool group please do get in touch.' - marie@gsabiosphere.org.uk
For anyone with an interest in sustainable food...
A photo from Glenkens Food Month to illustrate the latest update from the Fork to Farm Dialogues, in which we partnered with Propagate and Nourish Scotland to guide local input to the global conversation about how heathy, fair and sustainable food systems should look in the years ahead. Please also check out Machars Docs, a local production company working with farmers in D&G to share how our farming community is responding to climate change impacts and regulatory demands.
Looking for somewhere new to explore in our UNESCO Biosphere? How about this recommendation from Jenna, our Community & Education lead:
"A set of beautiful new ‘Walk the Whithorn Way’ maps and apps have been released this year. These maps detail the entire Whithorn Way from Glasgow Cathedral to the Isle of Whithorn, a pilgrimage route of 143 miles that has been used for over a thousand years, by far one of the most spiritual ways to experience the Biosphere."
