Water Cycle: Call to Intrepid Explorers on Wheels

Take part in Crichton Carbon Centre’s Citizen Science project to gather baseline water quality data.
Free
Peatland Connections invites cyclists willing to rise to the challenge of a venture to cycle up the Blakwater of Dee water catchment to take part in our Citizen Science project, which is part of our multi-disciplinary Water Quality research initiative, Water Cycle.
Taking advantage of National Cycle Route 7, we are inviting cyclists to cycle 23 kms with us, along the forest gravel track to:
• Collect water samples and temperature data at eight out of the thirteen sample sites,
• Test the water samples for pH levels
• Discover more about this landscape, for example, landscape use, Natural Capital, nature-based solutions, biodiversity and conservation, and landscape restoration (from Forest to Bog),
• Engage in conversations triggered by the project and this landscape en-route and over lunch.
Picnic lunch and hot drinks provided.
Bring your own drinking water.
Meeting at Clatteringshaws Visitors Centre Carpark, from where we’ll make our way (by bike or by vehicle) to the layby just past, what was, the Craigencallie Outdoor Centre (DG7 3SH). From Craigencallie and back is roughly a 23km bike ride.
Aware of the Climate Changes occurring in Galloway, and a concerned curiosity about what that means in terms of water quality, Crichtion Carbon Centre’s Peatland Connections project, working in partnership with Galloway Fisheries Trust, have developed the multi-disciplinary water quality project, Water Cycle, which has three elements:
1. Physical Science to collect baseline water quality data at thirteen sites along the Upper Blackwater of Dee catchment: pH levels, conductivity, Particulate Organic Matter (POM )and Particulate Organic Carbon (POC), water colur, and water temperature.
2. Citizen Science to actively involve people in the process of data collection and analysis, and conversations arising from the project and the landscape.
3. Contemporary Art to contextualize the catchment and landscape dynamics.
Given the impacts of Climate Change we are experiencing in the region, notably: warmer, wetter, winters; increasingly frequent deluges; and hotter springs and summers, establishing baseline water quality data is very important in order to develop and support monitoring so the impact of Climate Change in conjunction with land use can be better understood. Data collected within this project will serve as a baseline against which robust research and comparisons can be made in the future.
The cycle, a total of 23 miles along an active forestry track, traverses through a terrain of (predominantly) Sitka afforestation, including clear felled sites; peat bogs, including the RAMSAR site, Silver Flowe; and peatland restoration sites (from forest to bog). In places, the landscape is open and exposed, which can make weather conditions feel quite extreme. Appropriate outdoor ware you can cycle in is a necessity and at this time of year, suncream and insect repellents are recommended
At the end of our uphill route, with eight samples in the bag, we’ll rest for lunch at the Backhill of Bush Bothy, where we will take live data recordings of pH levels and conductivity from all thirteen samples (samples 9-13, further up the catchment, collected by the support crew), before heading back down the track and home.
Sunday 13 August
10.30am Meet at Clatteringshaws Visitors Centre Carpark
From the carpark we’ll make our way (by bike or by vehicle) to the layby just past, what was, the Craigencallie Outdoor Centre (DG7 3SH).
1.30pm or there abouts: Lunch and live data collecting at the Backhill of Bush bothy before our downhill cycle back to the Visitors Centre.
4.00pm or there abouts: End
Those participating can park for free at the Visitors Centre
Pease note: We positively welcome rain. If it’s raining, we’re more likely to gather the data we’re searching for. So, we hope you’re up for cycling and sampling come rain or shine and have kit that enables you to participate in comfort.
We’re looking forward to your joining us and heading full stream ahead to feel the burn.