Building Climate Resilience Across the Inner Forth

Climate FORTH is the current project from the Inner Forth Futures partnership, supporting land, heritage and community resilience throughout the Inner Forth. Since 2023, the project has been working across Falkirk, Stirling, Fife and Clackmannanshire local authority areas to ensure heritage is valued, whilst inspiring action to meet Scotland’s Net Zero climate targets.

In addition, Climate FORTH wants to ensure that the area’s impressive natural and built heritage assets have an increased resilience to societal and climatic change – alongside the people and places of the Inner Forth – to support the economy and encourage healthy lifestyles, sustainable choices and a just transition. Climate resilience means helping buildings, landscapes, communities and heritage to adapt to a changing climate, whilst continuing to thrive.

We are delivering fifteen varied activities in total on the project and are taking a piloting approach to test what works and what does not. All our activities feature on our interactive Climate Action Map, alongside the actions of partners, communities and individuals in the area:  Inner Forth Climate Action Map – Active Maps

At Cochrane Hall in Alva, Clackmannanshire, we worked with the local development trust to improve the climate resilience of this C-listed building, which is a valuable and well-used community hub. It is also recognised for its unique architectural features dating back to 1929.

In recent times, however, the aging windows caused the building to lose heat and feel draughty – especially in winter. In November 2024, with funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund thanks to Lottery players, Climate FORTH and Alva Development Trust enlisted the help of Scottish Window Solutions to upgrade the old windows to new Crittall style windows.

The windows complement the look of the hall and will ultimately improve the energy performance of the building, too, enabling the community to keep using this vital space.    

The works were completed in time for winter 2024 and demonstrate how Cochrane Hall plays a part in shaping a route-map to achieving net zero carbon emissions, which could be replicated at similar critical community facilities across the Inner Forth and beyond.

In Fife, we worked with the council to consolidate the Gardener’s Cottage at Valleyfield Woodland Park. The Gardener’s Cottage was overgrown with vegetation and at risk from increasingly frequent extreme weather and heavy rainfall associated with climate change.

Following months of clearing the site of vegetation, and undertaking careful stonemasonry works, the cottage’s structure has now been consolidated. Whereas before, it was overgrown, hidden and deteriorating due to damp weather conditions, it is now more accessible, and the heritage has been unlocked for all to enjoy.

Soon, an upcoming audio tour will immerse visitors in the landscape and the history of the site, which has links to famous Scottish botanist, David Douglas, after whom the Douglas Fir tree was named.

Sharing learning is a key element of Climate FORTH and we are continually evaluating what has taken place, so we can extend this knowledge to other organisations, local authorities and groups keen to replicate similar work elsewhere.  Several tools and guides will be available for others to benefit from, as the project draws to a close in the winter of 2026. These will be located on our website IFLI Legacy | Inner Forth Futures  and recordings of our ‘Ask Me Anything’ webinars can be accessed now on our YouTube channel Inner Forth Futures – YouTube

As a way of building further capacity, we have created a Climate Action Map – which helps us create a live picture of climate action across the Inner Forth, showing where activity is already taking place, identifying opportunities for collaboration and highlighting areas where further support may be needed.  Projects such as Cochrane Hall and Valleyfield demonstrate the range of actions that can strengthen climate resilience. Our Climate Action Map now provides a way to capture and share similar activity happening across the region.

We are currently asking individuals, businesses, groups and organisations to add a pin – not just to show the amount of positive climate action taking place in the Inner Forth, but so they can utilise this platform for learning and collaboration.  

Furthermore, we hope it will build a clearer picture of how the region is adapting to climate change. Whether it’s planting wildflowers, managing habitat, creating a pond in your garden, using sustainable products in your business, or your involvement in a local climate project, we welcome you to add a pin and your actions to our map, sharing your contribution to helping tackle climate changes issues.

Throughout the Climate FORTH project, the team has learned that climate resilience is most effective when communities, organisations and local authorities work together.  Small actions, from improving historic buildings to restoring habitats and reducing emissions, can collectively make a significant difference. By contributing to the Climate Action Map, people can help build a shared picture of climate action across the Inner Forth, inspire others to get involved and support a more resilient future for the region.

Take part in the Climate Action Map

Add your pin here: Inner Forth Climate Action Map – Active Maps

‘How to’ guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CdcqfWHjPc&feature=youtu.be

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