Tag: Edinburgh and Lothians Greenspace Trust

Planning award for green group

Edinburgh and Lothians Greenspace Trust, a project which has been instrumental in working with communities to transform vacant and derelict land, has been honoured in the prestigious Landscape Institute Awards 2012.

Optimised Environments (OPEN) scooped the Strategic Landscape Planning award for its pilot temporary greenspace study, which it conducted in partnership with the Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust (ELGT), following the Trust’s successful funding application to the Central Scotland Green Network (CSGN) Development Fund.

The feasibility and mapping research study aimed to explore the potential for bringing vacant, derelict, and ‘stalled’ land back into beneficial use in the short or medium term, by using the spaces as temporary greenspace sites and other interim land uses.

OPEN identified actions which achieve environmental and social benefits and proposed landscape solutions that are fundable and maintainable on a temporary yet self-sustaining basis.

Keith Geddes, Chair of the CSGN Partnership Board, said: “A key priority of our Development Fund is to support strategic greenspace projects which help to address the prevalence of vacant and derelict land across Central Scotland. The OPEN study in partnership with the Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust represents a huge step forward in this field.  The ideas for site usage for amenity, recreation and growing food are creative and innovative and effectively promote the value of landscape architecture.  I have no doubt that the impact of the study will extend far beyond Edinburgh and inspire landscape architects across the CSGN.”

Liz Stewart, Fundraising and Communications Manager at ELGT, said: “After over two years of work with OPEN and other partners in pursuit of this project, we are delighted that the study has been recognised by The Landscape Institute.  As we continue to go forward beyond the feasibility study, to identify and deliver real projects on the ground, the study has been influential in garnering support from partners citywide – local authority departments, developers, housing associations and community – helping us to establish credibility and buy-in to vacant land improvement.  The challenges of working on vacant and derelict land are many and varied, but the support from the CSGN Development Fund has been vital in unlocking opportunity and funding in the development of these projects.”

Pol MacDonald, Director at OPEN, said: “We are delighted to receive this award for a truly ground breaking study which has revealed an outstanding opportunity to help regenerate redundant and vacant spaces in Edinburgh.  These spaces have a huge potential to enhance the city and to enhance the communities which live within and around the sites.  We hope that a good number of the proposals actually come forward to fruition.”

The next round of the CSGN Development Fund is now open for applications.  For more information, please visit www.forestry.gov.uk/csgndevelopmentfund

The Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust works to make a positive difference in quality of life for Lothian communities, by improving local environments and green network. Since 1991, the Trust has carried out over 500 projects worth over £11million, ranging from the restoration of Victorian viaducts and local landmarks, to the creation and improvement of community parks, cycleways, community gardens, woodlands, business premises and other open spaces.

ELGT also works to engage people in their local greenspaces through community growing, conservation volunteering, outdoor activities to benefit health and wellbeing, and environmental education. Locally, ELGT has worked with both Drylaw Telford Community Council and North Edinburgh Trust on environmental projects. For further information about ELGT, please visit www.elgt.org.uk

The CSGN is one of the 14 national developments set out in the Scottish Government’s second National Planning Framework.  With a wide-ranging remit, far beyond just a ‘green initiative’, it aims to improve the social, physical, cultural and environmental health and well-being of Central Scotland, as well as assisting the area to meet the challenge of climate change.

Stretching from Ayrshire, Inverclyde and Dunbartonshire in the west, to Fife and Lothians in the east, the CSGN encompasses 19 local authorities across 10,000 sq km and has the potential to benefit 3.5million people, equating to 70 per cent of Scotland’s population.  For further information about the CSGN, please visit www.centralscotlandgreennetwork.org

Edinburgh Greenspace Project

 

Postcode Challenge was ‘wheelie’ great!

Last year’s event was a hard act to follow, and we all know what the ‘summer’ weather has been like this year, so the signs weren’t promising – but this year’s Postcode Challenge proved to be a great success with hundreds of keen cyclists and enthusiastic walkers taking part in the 1 July event.

Although billed as a ‘challenge’, the Postcode Challenge is really a fun event and an opportunity to discover – or rediscover – your local natural habitat, by bike or on foot. Participants of all ages and abilities set their own pace, checking in at ten pit-stops along the cycle path routes and collecting stamps to be in with a chance of winning  prizes. There were also loads of goodies to collect along the way, including high-visibility cycle vests from People’s Postcode Lottery, and flower and seed packets from the Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust team.

Zero Waste Aware Scotland, State Street, Drylaw Community Centre, Drylaw Community Garden, Spokes and MYDG (Muirhouse Youth Development Group) also had stands along the Postcode Challenge route.

Liz Stewart, of organisers Edinburgh and Lothians Greenspace Trust said: “The Postcode Challenge was a great event and we were so lucky as it must have been about the only sunny day in the last month! We believe that there were at least 300 participants – walkers and cyclists. Although cyclists had to pick up a stamp from each of the 10 ‘postcode stops’, walkers only had to collect 5, which made it easier to include them. The day went really well and it was such a happy, good-natured event and loads of great feedback – helped of course by some good weather for a change!”

It took a mighty team effort to make the Challenge such a success, Liz said.

“There’s a huge list of people to thank! The Postcode Lottery and their players for funding the event in the first place, for manning a postcode stop on the day and for providing prizes. Other stall holders were our co-organisers, The Bike Station, who also provided bike repairs on the day and kept all the wheels turning; Spokes, State Street, MYDG Muirhouse Youth Development Group, Drylaw Community Centre and Drylaw Community Garden. We also had the following prizes to give away and were very grateful to all donors:

· 37 bike themed Goody Bags from The Bike Station

· 2 Tickets to see a Film of your choice at The Filmhouse

· 2 Vouchers for Greenyonder Tours

· Lunch for Two at Hula Juice Bar

· Grow your own veg & wildflower seed packets from ELGT

· 1 of 4 cycling maps of in and around Edinburgh and the Lothians from Spokes

· 2 Herb planters, 2 bird nests & 2 nectar feeders from ELGT

· An assortment of prizes from the Postcode Lottery

· A £50 Alpine Bikes gift voucher donated by State Street

· Two tickets for a free tour of Royal Yacht Britannia.

I think that’s everyone, but it’s quite a list so apologies if we’ve missed anyone out!”

“We were delighted to support the Postcode Challenge Treasure Hunt again this year,” said Clara Govier, Head of Charities, People’s Postcode Trust. “It’s a great event and it gets everyone outside and learning a little more about the beautiful environment right here in the city.”

Organisers also encouraged participants to leave messages on the Edinburgh Innertube blog (which can be found at: http://innertubemap.com/.) and comments were very positive. One person wrote: ‘As good as anything I’ve ever done in Edinburgh – great for all the family/all ages and all abilities. You all deserve medals and loads of funding for this!’

 

 

Postcode Challenge was 'wheelie' great!

Last year’s event was a hard act to follow, and we all know what the ‘summer’ weather has been like this year, so the signs weren’t promising – but this year’s Postcode Challenge proved to be a great success with hundreds of keen cyclists and enthusiastic walkers taking part in the 1 July event.

Although billed as a ‘challenge’, the Postcode Challenge is really a fun event and an opportunity to discover – or rediscover – your local natural habitat, by bike or on foot. Participants of all ages and abilities set their own pace, checking in at ten pit-stops along the cycle path routes and collecting stamps to be in with a chance of winning  prizes. There were also loads of goodies to collect along the way, including high-visibility cycle vests from People’s Postcode Lottery, and flower and seed packets from the Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust team.

Zero Waste Aware Scotland, State Street, Drylaw Community Centre, Drylaw Community Garden, Spokes and MYDG (Muirhouse Youth Development Group) also had stands along the Postcode Challenge route.

Liz Stewart, of organisers Edinburgh and Lothians Greenspace Trust said: “The Postcode Challenge was a great event and we were so lucky as it must have been about the only sunny day in the last month! We believe that there were at least 300 participants – walkers and cyclists. Although cyclists had to pick up a stamp from each of the 10 ‘postcode stops’, walkers only had to collect 5, which made it easier to include them. The day went really well and it was such a happy, good-natured event and loads of great feedback – helped of course by some good weather for a change!”

It took a mighty team effort to make the Challenge such a success, Liz said.

“There’s a huge list of people to thank! The Postcode Lottery and their players for funding the event in the first place, for manning a postcode stop on the day and for providing prizes. Other stall holders were our co-organisers, The Bike Station, who also provided bike repairs on the day and kept all the wheels turning; Spokes, State Street, MYDG Muirhouse Youth Development Group, Drylaw Community Centre and Drylaw Community Garden. We also had the following prizes to give away and were very grateful to all donors:

· 37 bike themed Goody Bags from The Bike Station

· 2 Tickets to see a Film of your choice at The Filmhouse

· 2 Vouchers for Greenyonder Tours

· Lunch for Two at Hula Juice Bar

· Grow your own veg & wildflower seed packets from ELGT

· 1 of 4 cycling maps of in and around Edinburgh and the Lothians from Spokes

· 2 Herb planters, 2 bird nests & 2 nectar feeders from ELGT

· An assortment of prizes from the Postcode Lottery

· A £50 Alpine Bikes gift voucher donated by State Street

· Two tickets for a free tour of Royal Yacht Britannia.

I think that’s everyone, but it’s quite a list so apologies if we’ve missed anyone out!”

“We were delighted to support the Postcode Challenge Treasure Hunt again this year,” said Clara Govier, Head of Charities, People’s Postcode Trust. “It’s a great event and it gets everyone outside and learning a little more about the beautiful environment right here in the city.”

Organisers also encouraged participants to leave messages on the Edinburgh Innertube blog (which can be found at: http://innertubemap.com/.) and comments were very positive. One person wrote: ‘As good as anything I’ve ever done in Edinburgh – great for all the family/all ages and all abilities. You all deserve medals and loads of funding for this!’