Spring in the Stinchar valley

This spring brought not only new life and lambs to Southern Ayrshire’s Stinchar valley, but a new project. Since March, we’ve been working with Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere to research land use, conflicts, and opportunities in the Stinchar valley and catchment area, and develop tools that can be used to explore their impacts and interactions.

Over the course of a month, we interviewed people including farmers, representatives of national NGOs, anglers, community members, and many others from the area, attended local events and meetings, and conducted research into the area. 

The May weather left fields dry, but the gorse in full bloom

Our research was focused on how people interact with the landscape, but also how they understand land use in it - who holds power, who influences how land use changes, where the issues lie, what’s most important to people, and what could do with changing. We spoke to people about their concerns and interests, and how they would like to see the landscape. 

The aim is to produce a picture of the landscape that’s informed not just by its physical and ecological characteristics, but also by the human influence and interactions that can so significantly influence how a landscape functions. Talking to people from as many backgrounds and perspectives as possible informs that picture, producing a model that acknowledges the complexity of people’s attitudes and interactions. 

For now, we’re turning the information we collected into a game that serves as an interactive model of the Stinchar - one where players can test out different actions, collaborating or competing with others, exploring how land use changes affect them across time and space. 

We’re working closely with the Biosphere to make that game useful and impactful - something that feels real, that can stimulate discussion and bring people together. Exploring landscapes and possibilities in this way can make real change more accessible, and can start discussions that turn into action.

We’ll be back in the region in late July, and look forward to testing the game.