CLIMATE campaigner Michael Sinclair is one of Glasgow’s youngest and most inspiring voices.

The 15-year-old was the brains behind a walkout at Williamwood High School in Clarkston amid the September 20 youth climate strike, during which 30 activists ceremoniously strode from the school gates to join 200 fellow pupils on the Glasgow march.

But it’s closer to home where the teenager makes the biggest impact.

He gives up countless hours to maintain the interior and surroundings of Linn Park, as well as raising hundreds for charity by building and selling bird boxes.

“I would describe myself as a young naturalist, climate activist and wildlife photographer” he said.

“I climate strike mainly in Glasgow, but I’ve also taken part in a major climate protest in Edinburgh.

“At my school on the south side, I’ve set up an environmental group and we have about 10 regular attendees.

“We’re working on environmental improvements around the school, including a wildflower area and areas to grow our own food and produce.”

Along with the work that he does at his school, he has a special affinity with Linn Park – one of Glasgow’s largest and most picturesque.

“I volunteer at Linn Park with a community group called Friends of Linn Park.

“We do loads of stuff – tree planting, wildflower planting, butterfly counts and bat surveys are just some that come to mind” he said.

One of the schoolboy’s most profitable passions is his bird boxes, which have so far raised more than £1,500.

“I build bird and bat boxes which I then de-assemble to let school children and others in the community build back up,” he said.

“We make them from totally sustainable materials, and they’re sponsored by the park so we put them in there.

“It’s self-sustainable because the profits from sponsorship pay for more materials to make more boxes, like a cycle”.

It may be an different way for a teenage male to spend his time, but he doesn’t let one minute go to waste – his work in the park goes above and beyond for natural science.

“There’s a team of nest recorders who monitor the bird boxes, so we can keep an eye on the progress of the boxes and we send the information to the British Trust for Ornithology for their records.

“I also record loads of wildlife and send the information to relevant recorders, to help build up a scientific database.

“We use bat detectors to run bat walks in conjunction with volunteer groups and we show people how epic bats are along with recording the species we see.

“Moth trapping is also done to catch moths alive to be released without any harm.”

The teen’s good work hasn’t gone unnoticed.

He is currently the youth ambassador for Scotland at the Big Picture and the Cameron Bespolka Trust. 

One day, he says he hopes to work in nature conservation.

And his work sees him join the ranks of other inspiring young activists in the Glasgow area who are working to make massive changes in the city – it was a fellow south-sider Erin Curtis who organised the youth climate strike, while Extinction Rebellion Youth’s ‘Die In’ was arranged by 16 year-old, Aislinn Hastings.

“People need to make sure they keep protesting and taking direct action to keep our voices heard” he added.

“We all need to do our bit at home to help the environment.”

He added: “Going vegan is one positive step.

“But also doing environmental volunteering for organisations, tree planting, wildflower planting and recording wildlife species is great.

“This is important so we can understand the changes taking place in our environment over time”.