Gartmorn Dam Country Park Development Trust
WELCOME
News
23 Oct 23: Launch of Gartmorn Dam Trust Lottery
Working in conjunction with the excellent CTSI Clacks Community Lottery, the Trust launched its own lottery page. 50% of all ticket sales purchased via our own page goes to help the Trust with its work. You can find more information in our website by following this link.
19 Oct 23: 2024 Calendar
We successfully launched our first ever Gartmorn Dam calendar. Featuring photographs submitted by local people the calendar will help raise funds for our activities. Click on 2024 Calendar to learn more.
19 Sep 23: Board Meeting
Murray Dickie stood down as Treasurer. The board would like to thank Murray for his contributions to the Trust not only as Secretary but as someone with specialist and historical knowledge of the dam and park. Murray is a member of the Clackmannanshire Field Studies Society and has produced a book about the dam for the Trust. We're looking to do a second print run of the book as our first batch has sold out. Linda Fletcher was nominated and voted to take on the role as Treasurer.
LOOKING FOR HELP
We would very much like to ask someone in the wider membership / interested community to help and join the board. We need to spread the load over more shoulders.
The Trust
The Gartmorn Dam Country Park Development Trust is a group of interested individuals and organisations who see the benefits of working together to develop the area around the dam. We are keen to engage as many individuals and organisations as possible in supporting the trust and invite you to become a member.
The trust aims
- to work in collaboration with local landowners to support the protection, conservation and enhancement of the environment of the park and its surroundings.
- to develop outdoor recreation, education and learning facilities which are consistent with and sensitive to the country park and its surroundings.
- to promote the benefit of the Gartmorn Dam Country Park and surroundings for all sections of the local community and all visitors to the park.
For more detail, please refer to our constitution.
Natural History and the Country Park
The reservoir is based on a natural loch that occurred here before the damming took place and as such was always home to water-loving wildlife, from very small as insects to larger like otters.
Gartmorn Dam was recognised as a nationally important site of special scientific interest (SSSI) in 1971 with a variety of rare pond weeds and part of it is also designated as a Local Nature Reserve (LNR) as it is an important site for migratory wildfowl in the winter months. Many birds also live at Gartmorn all year round and breed here in the summer time, like the Great Crested Grebe.
Wild brown trout are at home in the water body and often shoals of young perch can be seen. They live in high densities as it helps them to avoid being eaten by larger fish, such as local pike.
In 1982 it became Clackmannanshire’s first and only Country Park with the old pump house behind the dam serving as a visitor centre. A purpose-built visitor centre was added in 1996. The council’s Ranger Service is looking after life in the park and runs events for visitors and volunteers.
The 170 acre reservoir is now owned by Scottish Water and the lands making up the rest of the 370 acre Country Park surrounding the reservoir are owned by Clackmannanshire Council, the Forestry Commission and private landowners. It is an important local nature refuge and an area of wildlife sensitive recreation and exercise that is open to everyone in all seasons.