West Pilton Park is undergoing an exciting, new development after receiving a significant amount of charitable funding.
The Edinburgh and Lothians Greenspace Trust in partnership with City of Edinburgh Council would like to share with you the latest design proposals, to raise awareness of the development and build enthusiasm for the new park plan.
The aim is to make West Pilton Park the beautiful, bustling centre of a thriving neighbourhood community.
GET INVOLVED IN DEVELOPING EXCITING NEW PLANS FOR LOCAL GREEN SPACE
West Pilton Park Development Meeting
Tuesday 13th June, 5.30 – 7pmatWest Pilton Neighbourhood Centre
West Pilton Park has received significant funding for development. We need your help to guide issues such as paths & access, play & leisure, nature & wildlife, and security.
Come along, get involved, and help guide the development of your local greenspace.
Dylaw and Telford Community Council is delighted to announce that funding has been secured to carry out a community wide consultation to seek the views of local people on what can be done to improve the greenspaces in our area.
This work will build on a previous consultation carried out more than 15 years ago which saw more than £500,000 worth of investment in improving local open spaces.
The £5,000 funding from the Inverleith Neighbourhood Partnership’s Community Grants Fund will enable the community council to work with Edinburgh and Lothian Greenspace Trust (ELGT) again on this exciting project.
Over the next few months there will be a wide range of opportunities for local people to give their views on what could be done to improve some of the open spaces in our area.
Community Council Chairperson, Jimmy Galloway, said: “We are very fortunate in our area to have some great big parks and open spaces for locals to use. These areas are busy and well used and it is now time to see what else could be done to make them even better.
“This consultation will ensure everyone within the community gets the opportunity to give us feedback. That could be by completing an online survey or attending one of the many events that will be taking place.
“We are really looking forward to getting started in the coming weeks and I certainly can’t wait to see the results.
“We are working with the Edinburgh and Lothians Greenspace Trust on this – they have worked with us in the past and have a great knowledge of the area and a proven track record of delivering projects.”
Charlie Cumming, Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust Chief Executive, said: “We are delighted to be working with Drylaw and Telford community Council again to help develop plans to improve the local greenspaces.
“There are many opportunities to help make the area greener and more biodiverse which will mitigate against climate change. The aim being to create a great place for future generations and to encourage greater use of the greenspaces for local families.”
Three Wee Forests, including two in North Edinburgh, are to provide a range of benefits in the fight against climate change.
The City of Edinburgh Council, Earthwatch Europe, NatureScot and Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust kickstarted planting “Wee Forests” in the autumn, creating densely packed native forests – covering the size of a tennis court – built into urban spaces.
Edinburgh’s first three “Wee Forests” were planted over the last couple of months. These forests have been made possible through support from the BlackRock Charitable Trust, OVO Foundation – the charity arm of OVO Energy – and the Scottish Government.
The three Wee (or Tiny) Forests – which were planted at East Pilton Park, West Pilton Park and Mount Vernon supported by local residents and primary school pupils – will not only be attractive locations for wildlife, but for people too, and provide a range of benefits in the fight against climate change.
Wee Forests in Scotland are part of the global family of “Miyawaki Forests” or “Tiny Forests”. Following the method – with its emphasis on community engagement, co-design and careful soil preparation – means that Wee Forests meet a consistent global standard so their benefits can be measured and shared.
A Wee Forest is made up of 600 densely packed native trees in a space the size of a tennis court and is capable of attracting over 500 animal and plant species within the first three years. It also provides rich opportunities for engaging young and old alike with the environment and sustainability.
Culture and Communities Convener, Cllr Donald Wilson, said: “These new Wee Forests will allow residents to be directly involved in tackling the nature and climate crises by being involved in the planting, maintaining and development of the forests in their own community.
“The Wee Forests will also help us work towards our goal of being a Million Tree City by 2030 and contribute towards the Queen’s Green Canopy in celebration of The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee next year.
“For each Wee Forest, we look to engage a core group of volunteers called Tree Keepers to act as ambassadors for their local forest. Volunteering as a Tree Keeper is a great chance to get more involved in your Wee Forest’s development and track the amazing environmental impact of the site and I would encourage everyone to find out more by contacting Earthwatch.”
Culture and Communities Vice Convener, Cllr Amy McNeese-Mechan said: “Our green spaces are a hugely important part of our city and I’m delighted that we now have our first Wee Forests and are creating new spaces for people and wildlife.
“A Wee Forest brings the benefits of a forest – connecting people with nature, raising awareness of the environment, helping to mitigate the impacts of climate change, and supporting urban wildlife – right in the heart of our community within urban spaces in the city.
“I’m delighted that more Wee Forests are planned and encourage our communities to get involved.”
Louise Hartley, Senior Programme Manager said: “Wee (Tiny) Forests provide rich opportunities for connecting young people with the environment and sustainability. It’s vital that we give people the knowledge and skills to protect our natural world and inspire them to take positive action from a young age.
“We are delighted to be working with Edinburgh City Council, the BlackRock Charitable Trust, OVO Foundation and NatureScot to bring these inspiring spaces to Edinburgh and other communities across the UK.”
Gemma Gooch, Co-Head Global Social Impact at BlackRock said: “As more and more people live in urban areas, Wee (Tiny) Forests have the potential to help capture carbon emissions, increase biodiversity and contribute to a more climate resilient society.
“We are very proud to support Earthwatch Europe with this initiative, reminding us that there are ways we can help fight climate change in our own local communities.
Gaby Sethi, Head of OVO Foundation, said: “We’re passionate about educating the younger generation on how to reduce their carbon footprint, protect the physical environment, and limit their impact on the planet.
“Tiny Forests help children learn about the environment and sustainability in a really accessible way. By planting Tiny Forests in urban communities across the UK with Earthwatch, we will help connect children with their local green spaces and show them how they can protect it for future generations.
NatureScot Chief Executive Francesca Osowska said: “The Covid 19 pandemic has shown us just how important it is for people’s health and well-being to have opportunities to connect with nature close to where they live.
“These Wee Forests are not only a great way to make space for nature in our towns and cities, but they’ll also help communities become more resilient to the impacts of climate change, which is particularly important as we look ahead to COP26 and the huge challenges and opportunities facing us.
Charlie Cumming, Chief Executive, Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust said: “We are delighted to be a local delivery partner for the Wee Forest project. The creation of the Wee Forest is very important for people and wildlife, particularly with it being in an urban environment.
“It will provide the local community and schools with the opportunity to help tackle nature loss and the current climate emergency as well as contributing to Scotland’s tree planting targets.
“It will enable people to engage with nature on their doorstep and inspire young people to take an active interest in their local environment.”
Edinburgh has officially launched its ambitious target to become a Million Tree City by 2030 as part of its commitment to be net zero by the end of the decade.
Lord Provost Frank Ross was joined by representatives of the Edinburgh Million Tree Forum on Wednesday to plant a gingko tree in the grounds of Lauriston Castle as they pledged their commitment to making sure Edinburgh will be home to one million trees by the end of this decade. Edinburgh will join counterparts all over the world in becoming a Million Tree City.
The Edinburgh Million Tree Forum is made up of representatives from relevant Council services, the Edinburgh and Lothians Greenspace Trust, the Woodland Trust, the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Trees of Edinburgh, the Scottish Wildlife Trust, the Trust for Conservation Volunteers and the Edinburgh Living Landscape Initiative who are all working together on an updated vision for trees in Edinburgh and find ways of planting more trees, more quickly.
Following the planting of the gingko tree, the group were then taken on a tour of the grounds by volunteers from the Friends of Lauriston Castle where two more trees were planted.
Edinburgh already outstrips other Scottish cities by having more trees per head of population – there are currently more than 730,000 urban trees, compared to around 519,000 residents.
The move to increase the number of trees in the city will help Edinburgh lessen the impacts of climate change by providing cooling in heatwaves, surface water management for heavy rainfall as well as some carbon storage and a home for wildlife.
Woodland Trust has contributed a grant of £298,055 from its Emergency Tree Fund to support project delivery. This money will support project management and kick-start tree planting, fundraising, public engagement and volunteer activity between 2021 and 2023.
Before planting the tree, Edinburgh’s Lord Provost Frank Ross said: “We may have more trees in our city than people but to get to our city’s 2030 net zero target, we must plant more.
“Climate change will impact on all of us, and we all need to play our part to mitigate the effects. A key aspect of the proposed Climate Strategy is for us all to build upon our previous efforts, and Edinburgh Million Tree City Project, offers us all the opportunity to do just this.
“This is not a project for the Council, it is a project for our city, our communities, and for us as citizens, with a shared ambition for Edinburgh to have at least one million trees by 2030.
“While 75% of our trees are privately managed, we have a shared responsibility to manage our trees well, and to act when they get damaged or require treatment or replacement. I’m delighted to plant this gingko today and I am keen that this young tree symbolises, like a barometer, the growth of the project.
“Each inch demonstrates how our stakeholders and communities are coming together to plant more trees, delivering the millionth tree or more.”
Culture and Communities Convener Donald Wilson said: “We’re very proud that Edinburgh is already one of the UK’s greenest cities, with more trees than people, more green space and more green flag parks than any other place in Scotland for people to enjoy. But we want to do even better, especially as we strive towards our hugely ambitious target of making the city net zero by 2030.
“It’s impossible to overstate the benefits trees bring to the urban landscape. They help clean our air, reduce the risk of flooding, keep us cool in the summer and warmer in winter and give the wildlife in our city a home, as well as making neighbourhoods look and feel tranquil and appealing. They are essential to the wellbeing of our citizens.
“We estimate that Edinburgh needs around 250,000 more trees to be planted in the next 10 years on a both public and private land and I’m excited that our project has now officially launched and look forward to working with partners and citizens as we go forward. As the project continues we’ll be reaching out to residents and advising on ways they can help help and get involved.”
Culture and Communities Vice Convener Amy McNeese-Mechan said: “By joining other global cities such as New York and Shanghai, as a Million Tree City we’ll be able to reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to lessen the impact of climate change and help Edinburgh take climate action and make the city an even greener place to leave for future generations.
“Our dedicated Parks, Greenspace and Cemeteries service is leading a project to increase tree cover to help Edinburgh fulfil its Climate Emergency commitments and become a Million Tree City by 2030.
“It is an ambitious target but it is an achievable one and we’ll reach it if we continue to work together with our partners and citizens. Whether you live in the city, own land or property, if you are a business, charity or a school, or if you just love Edinburgh and want to see it flourish for future generations, we can all do our bit and I look forward to the project progressing.
Tim Hall, Head of Estates and Programmes with Woodland Trust Scotland said: “We launched our Emergency Tree Fund to support local authorities planting new urban trees needed to help tackle the climate and nature crises.
“I am delighted we are backing this ambitious bid to make Edinburgh a Million Tree City, which will bring huge benefits to people and wildlife.”
Charlie Cumming, the Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust Chief Executive said: “ELGT are delighted to be working in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council and the Woodland Trust to deliver such an ambitious and worthwhile tree planting project over the next 10 years.
“The benefits of this increase in tree planting will not only address the effects of climate change but will also encourage community participation with the residents of Edinburgh and will benefit people’s health and wellbeing.
“With so much focus this month on COP26 we appreciate that we need to start making an impact now; with more tree planting we will be able to improve our neighbourhoods and streetscapes and have a long lasting impact on our local environments.”
Two further community tree planting events took take place this week organised by partners.
School pupils helped Edinburgh & Lothian Greenspaces Trust to plant a “Wee Forest” of 600 whip trees in West Pilton Park funded by Nature Scotland yesterday and a further 400 whip trees were planted in Redwood Park in Colinton Mains by The Conservation Volunteers, organised and funded by the Council.
More details will be released about how citizens can get involved in the coming months or the team can be contacted via email.
A brand new scheme allowing people to donate towards Edinburgh’s trees was officially launched at the Inverleith Park this week.Continue reading Tree Time in Edinburgh!
A site previously earmarked for a new primary school on Edinburgh’s waterfront has been transformed into temporary community parkland thanks to a £50,000 investment.
The Central Scotland Green Network Development Fund and Edinburgh City Council have supplied funding, enabling the derelict two-hectare site on Windrush Drive, Western Harbour in Leith to be turned into temporary green space. This will be available for community use until such time as plans to build the primary school are confirmed at some point in the future.
What was an unsightly area last year has now been transformed – new top soil, trees, grassland and a wildflower meadow have been created to improve the local landscape for both local residents and the new community to enjoy.
Councillor Adam McVey, who helped spearhead the project, said: “Greening such a large site in Western Harbour has already improved the amenity for local residents and made it more likely new residential developments will be brought forward on neighbouring gap sites. The cooperation between the groups involved and consultation with local residents has made this one of the most effective projects of this kind and it can, and should, be replicated throughout Edinburgh.”
The greening initiative has been made possible by Port of Leith Housing Association temporary leasing the site from Forth Ports and taking on future maintenance, with Edinburgh and Lothians Greenspace Trust carrying out initial landscaping and sourcing funding.
Port of Leith Housing Association Chief Executive Keith Anderson said: “For many residents, seeing the derelict land day in and day out was becoming an eyesore. By transforming it into an area they can use and enjoy can make a real difference to their lives.”
Charlie Cumming, Project Manager at Edinburgh and Lothians Greenspace Trust, said: “Windrush Drive is the third temporary greening site undertaken by ELGT with CSGN funding in recent years. Other sites were located in Craigmillar and Granton and each of them has brought stalled development areas into positive management and accessible greenspaces for local people.”
We’re delighted to announce that we’re running the Innertubemap Postcode Challenge for the third year
on Sunday (28 April) from 11am-4pm.
The Challenge is a treasure hunt on wheels, where participants have to check in at 10 points on the North Edinburgh cycleway, for the chance to win some great prizes and to have lots of fun. We’re now also welcoming walkers (and runners), who can take part by checking in to a reduced number of stops along the route.
We have a couple of spaces for stall holders for the day – it’s a great opportunity to promote your organisation, not only to the participants (approx 500 took part last year) but also to the many people walking and cycling along the routes.
If you’d like to take part, or donate a prize for the Challenge, please get in touch with Ruth Wyatt at ELGT on 0131 445 4025 or email ruth@elgt.org.uk
This event is part of the Innertube project, funded thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery and to the People’s Postcode Trust.
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