Connecting People to the Fauna and Flora of the River Tweed
Instinctively Wild CIC aims to connect people with nature through Forest Schools, Outdoor Learning, Eco-Therapy and Nature journaling. With a grant from Destination Tweed’s Community Grants Scheme, they were able deliver an eight-week nature journaling course, supporting participants in observing, recording, and painting the rich biodiversity and seasonal beauty of the Tweed’s landscapes at Tweedsmuir, helping to build both artistic skills and a deeper appreciation for the local environment.
Instinctively Wild CIC offered a nature journaling course, free to participants, that provided opportunities to learn about flora and fauna while connecting more deeply with the River Tweed and its landscapes. It was delivered over eight weeks on Saturdays at the Tweedsmuir Village Hall, Broughton Village Hall and the Tweedsmuir Community Garden, with field trips to Fruid and Talla Reservoirs and the source of the River Tweed.
The structured eight-week course introduced participants to specific skills and artistic techniques, before going out into the landscape to put these learnings into practice.
The resulting images were displayed in an exhibition in Tweedsmuir Village Hall, which was attended by almost 200 people.
Total project costs: £6,414.61
Grant awarded: £5,535.00 (86% of total costs)
9 participants on the course
198 attendees at the exhibition
“Opened my eyes to the complexity of art. Good to focus on something else, other
than work.”“Botanicals are not easy, but letting go and getting into it. Experimenting with pressure on
brushes. Really enjoyed it.”“I am painting at home now”
“What an incredible opportunity – I met new
people and developed my art. Something I’ll continue doing.”“So glad I came, made me think about things differently.”
‘Golden moments’ from participants, collected throughout the 8-week course
Building on this project, Instinctively Wild CIC have gone on to secure further funding from other sources to enable them to introduce more people to nature journaling in 2026. Head over to their website to find out more:
The Community Grants Scheme was made possible by funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund Scotland.
Find out more about Destination Tweed’s Community Grants Scheme