High Life Highland’s Puddles to Ponds project wins environmental award
A freshwater conservation project that has delivered both habitat and heritage benefits has been recognised with a Green Apple Award.
Representatives from High Life Highland’s Countryside Rangers and Museum teams were in Edinburgh earlier this week to pick up the National Green Apple Gold Award, celebrating the project’s outstanding contribution to environmental education, biodiversity enhancement, and community engagement.
The Green Apple Awards ceremony took place at the Scotsman Hotel in Edinburgh, marking national recognition for a project that has inspired communities, schools and young people to connect with freshwater habitats and take practical action for nature.
Imogen Furlong, High Life Highland’s Head of Countryside Services explained: “Puddles to Ponds focused on creating, restoring and learning from ponds and small freshwater habitats. The project combined hands-on outdoor learning with wider conversations about nature recovery, climate resilience and environmental stewardship. And we were delighted to have the project featured in the International Pond Conference in 2024 and BBC Scotland’s Landward TV programme.
“The Puddles to Ponds project was delivered by the Ranger team but we also worked closely with High Life Highland’s Museums & Visitor Attractions service with the nature restoration of the old curling pond at the Highland Folk Museum being a highlight of the initiative. This restoration has enhanced biodiversity while sensitively preserving the cultural and historic significance of the site, demonstrating how heritage spaces can play an active role in nature recovery.”
Through the Puddles to Ponds project, over 1,400 children and young people have taken part in pond creation, pond dipping, freshwater ecology sessions and long-term monitoring, helping them to understand the value of ponds as wildlife-rich habitats and accessible spaces for learning and wellbeing.
Judges praised the project for its strong educational impact, inclusive approach, and measurable biodiversity benefits, as well as its ability to empower communities and partners to make lasting environmental improvements.
High Life Highland chief executive Steve Walsh commented: “We are incredibly proud of our Countryside Rangers for achieving another Green Apple Award, following on from their success last year, which also saw them awarded gold for the Highland Wildflower Meadow Mosaic project. It is also great to see our various services team up to deliver these positive outcomes for the natural environment, our heritage and communities across the Highlands.”
The National Green Apple Gold Award is one of the UK’s leading environmental awards, recognising excellence in sustainability, climate action and environmental best practice across the public, private and voluntary sectors.
Image shows Lorna Cruickshank, Curatorial Manager at the Highland Fold Museum and Imogen Furlong, Head of Countryside Services with the Green Apple Award
