Wester Ross sitooterie visitor attraction in Gairloch scores top awards
A Wester Ross community garden has again achieved the rare accolade of achieving two more top national awards.
Keep Scotland Beautiful, for the fifth successive year, has given its ‘Outstanding’ award to the Sitooterie Wildlife Viewing Garden in Pier Road, Gairloch, under the ‘It's Your Neighbourhood’ initiative.
In recognition of the continuing annual achievements, a Certificate of Distinction has also been awarded.
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Which Ross-shire High Life Highland staff were in the awards’ spotlight?
Gairloch garden volunteers, 95 and 90, final hang up their trowels
The Sitooterie began in 2015 when members of the local community funded the clearing of a small area amid the totally overgrown gorse that dominated the verge alongside Pier Road.
Since then the garden has steadily expanded to become its current 206-metre length.
Keep Scotland Beautiful Assessor, Wendy Murray, praised the great work carried out by the Sitooterie recognising its contribution this summer to a programme on BBC TV's Beechgrove Garden broadcast throughout the UK.
She also praised the Sitooterie's Facebook page which has well over 2000 followers, providing not only a record of activities, but also education and awareness about plants and gardening activity in coastal areas.
Juliette Camburn, senior officer for community initiatives at Keep Scotland Beautiful said: “We’re absolutely delighted to recognise the incredible achievements of everyone involved in the Gairloch Sitooterie Wildlife Viewing Garden project with a Level 5 – Outstanding certificate and a Certificate of Distinction in our It’s Your Neighbourhood initiative, which is part of our Scotland-wide Climate and Nature Friendly Communities Network.
“Our volunteer assessor who visited said: ‘The success of the Sitooterie is undoubtedly due to the enormous effort, commitment, vision and dedication of the volunteers who all play their part in making such a difference in the community.
“They make Gairloch a great place to live and visit and people are very grateful for their hard work. The quality of planning, plant choice, design and maintenance are exceptional.
“The gardens provide an exemplar for other coastal communities to follow. I am also impressed by the way in which you share learning and are willing to test out new ideas and designs.
“All of our groups in the network are making lasting contributions to help combat climate change, restore nature and biodiversity, tackle litter and improve the places they care for.
“I’d like to congratulate and thank all involved in the project in Gairloch, for all you do to make your community a cleaner, greener and more sustainable place.”
