INVESTING in a landscape partnership has been an "outstanding success" for the Wee County, according to council documents.

The first ever sitting of the Place Committee this week will hear about the many achievements of the Inner Forth Landscape Initiative (IFLI).

Councillors will be told how the equivalent of more than £1.3million of work was delivered in the Clackmannanshire area by the initiative, against the £100,000 which local authority invested between 2014-2018.

The scheme was looking to enhance, restore and celebrate the landscape in the local and winder area along the River Forth in Clackmannanshire, Stirling, Falkirk and Fife with the project now entering a 10-year maintenance and management phase.

Council documents, which will be tabled at the meeting tomorrow, Thursday September 13, detailed how IFLI has delivered 54 projects across the wider area, including the development and maintenance of 13km of paths.

More than 4,000 people participated in more than 400 activities, including 154 training courses and the involvement of 850 school children.

Around 1,000 volunteers gave up £225,000 worth of their time.

Locally, one of the larger projects saw developments at the Black Devon Wetlands (pictured) near Alloa with partners RSPB.

There is now a boardwalk, raised viewing area, viewing screen and a new area of wetland to get people closer to nature with a number of events having taken place over the past years.

Access was also improved to Clackmannan and Alloa towers with sections of new paths.

Clackmannanshire Council’s investment in the partnership amounted to £20,000 per annum over four years as well as a further £27,860 for trainees hosted by the local authority and funded by the Coastal Communities Fund.

Papers to be tabled at council tomorrow said: “The project has been an outstanding success, exceeding all target outputs, and has been nominated, shortlisted or highly commended in six national awards schemes.

“IFLI has delivered outstanding value for money, providing a return of nearly 13 pounds for every pound invested by the council in Clackmannanshire, while exceeding all of the original targets.”

The Inner Forth Futures project is now looking to build on those successes with Fife Council joining to expand its scope upstream of the bridges on the Forth.

Funds are already being raised for the next two years to deliver a strong IFLI legacy and ensure management and maintenance requirements are met.