I received this in my email the other day, and realised that maybe some of you might be free to spend a couple of hours helping out. I expect to be there on Tuesday (park at the Govan Cross centre is probably easiest, and we could get a coffee there afterwards if folks want 
)
atb,
Mary
Plant hunters Govan Docks
Dear colleagues, Urgent call for plant hunters!
I have been searching for some ecologists/botanists/environmental enthusiasts to get involved with the plant hunting event detailed below. Perhaps there is someone at Natural History Society that might be interested?
The Govan Graving Docks, a Clydeside ship repair and fitting facility which has been succeeded by a wasteland ecology since its closure in the 1980s, is due to be stripped of its green mantle in preparation for the construction of a housing and commercial complex. Described as one of the most complete and evocative pieces of ship building history on the Clyde, the site hosts three dry docks, now open to the tidal waters of the Clyde estuary, which carve through a granite cobbled surface articulated with mooring posts, industrial tracks, and the last remaining edifice, the Graving Docks pump house. Today a pioneer urban ecology has emerged from the interstices, forming strange hybrid structures from living and non living material. The development company leading the works, New City Vision, have said that of course there is little of living value here because there are no Tree Preservation Orders on site. This workshop seeks to question this assumption and identify more complex markers of ecological value.
The news is breaking so there is not much scope for notice. Now I am extending an invitation to a number of ecologists, artists, geographers and archaeologists to spend a morning together on the Graving docks 9.30-12.30 on the 29th of October, to help me to identify and document the species of this wasteland ecology. On site, we will break down into 4 sub groups, and each will be assigned a territory to explore. Groups will be given plant guide books, secretors, magnifying glasses, plant presses, sketching paper and worksheets to help them with their efforts. At the end of our explorations, groups will gather in the Pump station (henceforth to be known as the herbarium!) where we will discuss our findings and think about the value of wasteland ecologies more generally.
Following the event, I will request all plant hunters to email me their top three photographs, with accompanying titles, which I will print as postcards (plant hunter name and title on back). I will then set up two postcard stands at Govan Cross on the first day of clearance, so that Govanites can take home a memento. Might be a nice way to meet people and start some conversations too.
So if you are keen to join, then please do get back to me as soon as possible. Ideally we will be on site for 9.30, so I propose that the group meets at 9.15 outside Govan Underground station. My mobile is 07796512738 just in case there are any problems. And if you know of any other plant or landscape enthusiasts who might be interested then please do let me know!
Many thanks,
Ruth Olden
School of Geographical and Earth Sciences
University Avenue
University of Glasgow
East Quadrangle R 301
Glasgow
G12 8QQ
Email: r.olden.1@research.gla.ac.uk<mailto:r.olden.1@research.gla.ac.uk>
)atb,
Mary
Plant hunters Govan Docks
Dear colleagues, Urgent call for plant hunters!
I have been searching for some ecologists/botanists/environmental enthusiasts to get involved with the plant hunting event detailed below. Perhaps there is someone at Natural History Society that might be interested?
The Govan Graving Docks, a Clydeside ship repair and fitting facility which has been succeeded by a wasteland ecology since its closure in the 1980s, is due to be stripped of its green mantle in preparation for the construction of a housing and commercial complex. Described as one of the most complete and evocative pieces of ship building history on the Clyde, the site hosts three dry docks, now open to the tidal waters of the Clyde estuary, which carve through a granite cobbled surface articulated with mooring posts, industrial tracks, and the last remaining edifice, the Graving Docks pump house. Today a pioneer urban ecology has emerged from the interstices, forming strange hybrid structures from living and non living material. The development company leading the works, New City Vision, have said that of course there is little of living value here because there are no Tree Preservation Orders on site. This workshop seeks to question this assumption and identify more complex markers of ecological value.
The news is breaking so there is not much scope for notice. Now I am extending an invitation to a number of ecologists, artists, geographers and archaeologists to spend a morning together on the Graving docks 9.30-12.30 on the 29th of October, to help me to identify and document the species of this wasteland ecology. On site, we will break down into 4 sub groups, and each will be assigned a territory to explore. Groups will be given plant guide books, secretors, magnifying glasses, plant presses, sketching paper and worksheets to help them with their efforts. At the end of our explorations, groups will gather in the Pump station (henceforth to be known as the herbarium!) where we will discuss our findings and think about the value of wasteland ecologies more generally.
Following the event, I will request all plant hunters to email me their top three photographs, with accompanying titles, which I will print as postcards (plant hunter name and title on back). I will then set up two postcard stands at Govan Cross on the first day of clearance, so that Govanites can take home a memento. Might be a nice way to meet people and start some conversations too.
So if you are keen to join, then please do get back to me as soon as possible. Ideally we will be on site for 9.30, so I propose that the group meets at 9.15 outside Govan Underground station. My mobile is 07796512738 just in case there are any problems. And if you know of any other plant or landscape enthusiasts who might be interested then please do let me know!
Many thanks,
Ruth Olden
School of Geographical and Earth Sciences
University Avenue
University of Glasgow
East Quadrangle R 301
Glasgow
G12 8QQ
Email: r.olden.1@research.gla.ac.uk<mailto:r.olden.1@research.gla.ac.uk>
