Business Profile
Walking the Talk is a partnership between Chris York and Tamsin Morris. It aims to provide high quality project management and consultancy services to the environment sector. The business is based in Tarves, Aberdeenshire but can undertake work across Scotland, and beyond. Where additional capacity is required, Walking-the-Talk is able to draw on a small network of specialist subcontractors, but quality assurance is managed by the business partners.
As the name suggests, Walking-the-Talk also aims to work in an environmentally conscious way and therefore the business practices reflect this. We will, for example, use public transport as first choice and seek to reduce all business travel to an absolute minimum.
Projects
Arran Access Trust: contracted to undertake a fesibility study for paths on the isle of Arran, including strategic, condition and specification surveys of the Coastal Way and upland paths, prioritisation of repairs and development of a major funding bid.
Yummy Science: the third installment of Science Snaps, funded by the Scottish Government and delivered in partnership with the Rowett Institute. This time we recorded a series of experiments that were broadcast on Northsound1 radio.
The Upper Deeside Access Trust: acted as Project Manager on a part-time basis from September 2006 to March 2008 to oversee the running of core business and led the transition of the organisation into the Cairngorms Outdoor Access Trust.
Countryside Council for Wales: developing a funding bid for the restoration of the Afon Teifi river in mid Wales.
Cairngorms National Park Authority: developing technical guidance for directional signposts and intermediate waymarking within the National Park.
Scottish Natural Heritage: wrote the site descriptions for 56 National Nature Reserves in Scotland for use on the National Nature Reserve website (due to be loaded soon) and a brochure for the Cairngorms suite of NNRs.
The University of the West of England: researched and wrote materials for a Climate Change activity for schools. The materials produced have been incorporated into a conference-based package used by the British Council across the world to highlight the issues relating to Climate Change causes and impacts.
Lochaber Forest Disctrict (Forestry Commission Scotland): developed effective signage and waymarking for the Witch's Trails mountain bike trails at Anoch Mor, by the Nevis Range Centre, for the World Mountain Biking Championships in 2007.
ScienceSnaps II: an innovative science communication initiative funded through the Scottish Executive's Science in Society scheme, delivered in partnership with The Rowett Insititute. This project developed a series of web-based “podcasts” for National Science and Engineering Week 2007.
The National Trust for Scotland: prepared access plans at a number of properties including Brodick Country Park, Culzean Country Park, St Kilda and Brodie Castle. The work also involved developing a “handbook” of the Access Planning process for the Trust, for use by staff and contractors at other properties.
7Stanes Project: a signs audit on behalf of the Forestry Commission Scotland. The work involved auditing existing signage at Scotland's premier mountain biking trails and developing a strategic plan for signage as part of Phase II of the EU funded 7Stanes Project.
3Dee Vision Project: provided project coordination, during the final seven months of the project. This was a multi-agency partnership project that investigated ways of implementing the European Water Framework Directive.
Paths for All Partnership: wrote the Community Resource Directory. This online resource forms part of the new website that was launched in Autumn 2006.
If you would like to know more about any of these projects, please get in touch:
contact@walking-the-talk.co.uk
