Scottish Wildlife Trust’s (SWT) Jupiter Urban Wildlife Centre is one of the best known examples of the reclamation of ex-industrial land as quality green space for wildlife and people. Calachem is proud to support SWT’s work at Jupiter which includes leasing the land to the project. In 1991 SWT became involved in the piece of ground right in the heart of Grangemouth as part of joint project with the then owners of the site, ICI. The idea was to transform what had once been railway sidings into “Scotland’s biggest wildlife garden.”
Over the years a huge amount of work has gone into creating a number of habitats in the area such as wetlands, woodlands and flower filled meadows, as well as more formal wildlife garden areas to demonstrate simple things that people can do to make their gardens better for wildlife. Thanks to this rich mosaic of diversity, Jupiter supports a surprising wealth of biodiversity. Over 350 species of flowering plant have been recorded, as well as over 50 species of birds. The reserve also abounds with insect life, from butterflies to dragonflies and is visited by shier mammals such as stoats and hedgehogs.
Besides being a real urban oasis for wildlife, in such a built up area, Jupiter is an important resource for local people. Thousands of visitors come to enjoy being a little closer to nature. Scottish Wildlife Trust’s education programme is incredibly popular with schools, giving pupils hands on experience of their local environment, whilst fun events at weekends and during school holidays give people an insight into the natural world in a more informal setting.
For more information on Jupiter Urban Wildlife Centre, please contact the Jupiter Rangers on 01324 486475 or email jupiterranger@swt.org.uk