A digital exhibition imagining Edinburgh’s new green spaces

British Ecological Society is presenting a new digital exhibition as part of this year’s Science Festival.

They teamed up an artist with a scientist and each pair was asked to imagine a greener future for Edinburgh and demonstrate how problems like carbon emissions, drought, heatwaves and even social justice can be tackled with nature-based solutions in our most familiar green spaces.

https://www.sciencefestival.co.uk/event-details/british-ecological-society-online-exhibition-six-predictions-for-edinburghs-future-green-spaces-

What they’ve come up with is very impressive – Leith on Sea (rising sea levels), tree-lined Nicolson Street (the most polluted street in Edinburgh and second-most in Scotland).

These visions – as well as audience’s own ideas – will directly inform the City of Edinburgh Council plans for Edinburgh’s future green spaces: Thriving Green Spaces project (see below).

As part of this year’s Edinburgh Science Festival, the British Ecological Society (BES), in collaboration with SMASH-UK, are presenting a virtual gallery of art created by local artists and ecologists, predicting the green future of Edinburgh – these visions will directly contribute to work by the City of Edinburgh Council in envisioning the future of the city’s green spaces.

This free event, running from 26 June to 11 July 2021 transports visitors to a fully explorable 3D virtual gallery overlooking the iconic Arthur’s Seat, displaying visions for Edinburgh’s future green spaces.

Exhibition artworks include a vision of Leith, successfully defending against sea level rises and extreme rain events (now ‘Leith-on-Sea’), to a resilient and renovated tree covered Nicolson St, known to the most polluted street in Edinburgh and second-most polluted in Scotland.

Local artists have collaborated with ecologists from Scottish Wildlife Trust, the City of Edinburgh Council, Nature Scot, Architecture & Design Scotland, Forest Research and Bangor University to imagine a greener future for Edinburgh and demonstrate how problems like carbon emissions, flooding, heatwaves and even social justice can be tackled with nature-based solutions in our most familiar greens spaces.

Read more about the people involved here.

Visitors to the digital exhibition will also be able to contribute their own ideas for future green spaces, which will be displayed alongside the artwork in the gallery. Their visions will also inform the Council’s plans for the future of Edinburgh’s green spaces.

Dr Chris Jeffs, Senior Education & Engagement Officer at the British Ecological Society and curator of the exhibition said: “This cutting-edge exhibition is the first-time local artists and ecologists have been brought together to envisage the future of Edinburgh’s green spaces.

“It offers a way for the residents of Edinburgh and beyond to have their say on how green spaces should look like in future, and how they can tackle environmental challenges in their local area.

“Ecologists are on the front lines in our battle against climate change, and nature-based solutions in our green spaces, like those depicted in the exhibition, offer enormous hope. We want everyone to understand the climate crisis and the role ecology and nature-based solutions can play in a greener, sustainable future.”

On the interactive element of the exhibition, where visitors can contribute their own ideas, Chris Jeffs said: “It’s important that we give people a voice in shaping their green future, so we are delighted to be working with the Scottish Wildlife Trust and the City of Edinburgh Council, giving all our exhibition visitors the chance to share their ‘visions of future green spaces’ directly with the council to help them in their ‘Thriving Green Spaces’ project.”

Donya Davidson, Ecologist and Project Development Officer at Scottish Wildlife Trust for the ‘Thriving Green Spaces Project’ in Edinburgh’ said: “Working with local artists has been incredible.

“I think communicating through the medium of art is a really impactful way to demonstrate the work we are doing as ecologists. This exhibition has opened my eyes to how beneficial and exciting it can be to collaborate with artists and those outside of the environmental sector.

“Our work at the Scottish Wildlife Trust with the City of Edinburgh Council has shown that our existing green spaces already provide so many benefits to both people and wildlife and the right interventions in the right places can improve even more areas to provide these benefits.

“The artwork I collaborated on, Leith Walk on the Wild Side, shows Leith Walk, but not as people know it now! It is thriving with wildlife and residents are out enjoying all the new greenspace they now have on their doorsteps.

“The nationally scarce northern brown argus butterfly, previously only found in Holyrood Park, now moves freely down the street from planter to planter. Although it is an aspirational vision, I hope it is something we can see in the not-so-distant future, for a connected, biodiverse and sustainable Edinburgh.”

Sarah Hannis, illustrator of ‘Leith Walk on the Wild Side’ said: “It was great working with Donya and learning about all the green initiatives in Edinburgh. At a time when so much news is negative it has been really uplifting to be involved in this project – learning about connecting up habitats in urban areas, and the small but significant ways that local residents can contribute.

“Leith Walk is currently one of the least green parts of Edinburgh so I re-imagined it totally green! Green paths with wildflower areas lie to either side.

“Building eves are lined with swift nesting boxes and each window has its own planter with pollinator-friendly plants. Nest boxes and bug hotels hang on every wall and there’s even a small pond.

“The whole street becomes a thriving green wildlife corridor, boosting biodiversity and all the human wellness benefits that come from immersing ourselves in nature and coexisting alongside it.”

Diane Cassidy, Green Spaces Development Officer for Edinburgh’s Thriving Green Spaces Project at the City of Edinburgh Council said: “We’re excited to be part of this fantastic exhibition with the British Ecological Society.

“The artworks’ inspiring visions of nature-based solutions, combined with the voices of visitors to the exhibition will be incredibly valuable to us in our ongoing ‘Thriving Green Spaces’ project which aims to improve Edinburgh’s green spaces and ultimately the lives of local people.”

BES is planning to introduce the idea in other UK cities later this year and present the exhibition as part of COP26.

Other BES events at the Edinburgh Science Festival

Alongside the virtual gallery, the BES will be hosting five other online events and contributing to an outdoor photography exhibition, all completely free to attend.

12 June – 21 July. Human Nature exhibition. Experience giant images in the photography exhibition along the picturesque location of Edinburgh’s Portobello Promenade, featuring contributions from the BES ‘Capturing Ecology Competition’.
Tuesday 29 June. Flea Circus: the smallest show on Earth. Dr Tim Cockerill talks audiences through the history of flee circuses, a genuine spectacle, made up of live fleas pulling chariots, riding tricycles and even fighting duels with miniature swords.
Saturday 3 July. NatureCast. A family friendly interactive broadcast where participants can take part in fun activities, they can do at home or outside, while discovering fascinating connections between nature and people.
Sunday 4 July. The Big Ecology Draw-along. Join our presenter, zoologist and science communicator Sophie Pavelle, and nature-artists Hana Ayoob and Lauren Cook to learn how to draw incredible plants, fungi and animals, following their simple step-by-step tutorials.
Wednesday 7 July. ECOmedy night. An online comedy night where audiences can laugh and learn as you watch real scientists showcase their knowledge about animals, plants, and their interactions with our planet.

Thriving green spaces project

The City of Edinburgh Council is leading on a project to create a new vision for the city’s green spaces. This will be captured in a 30-year strategy which aligns with Edinburgh’s 2050 city vision.

The project is being achieved by a £899,500 grant from the Heritage Fund and the Natural Trust. They have joined together to provide funding to local authorities to develop bold, innovative and financial management solutions for their green spaces. You can read more about this on the Heritage Fund Website or see Future Parks Initiative or National Trust

What will we do

The project will run for two years until May 2021. The funding is being used to recruit a project team and buy in professional expertise to

carry out research and studies
start pilots
gather robust baseline information

which will create thriving green spaces 2050 vision and strategy for Edinburgh.

To deliver this project we are working with our project bid partners

greenspace Scotland
Scottish Wildlife Trust
Edinburgh and Lothians Greenspace Trust
University of Edinburgh
Edinburgh green spaces forum

who are the group for the city’s various Friends of Groups.

Our work will determine how our green spaces need to change so that they play an active role in delivering greater benefits in areas such as

health and wellbeing
active travel
biodiversity
recreation
social cohesion.

Download our information briefing for more details

Five city schools recognised with Eco-Schools Green Flag Awards

Environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful, is delighted to award five schools in Edinburgh City with an Eco-Schools Green Flag.

The international award recognises nurseries and schools which have demonstrated a commitment to the Eco-Schools Scotland programme and over two years have engaged their whole school community in local environmental action.

The five schools are: Brunstane Primary School (which has held a Green Flag since 2016), Liberton Nursery (which has held a Green Flag since 2011), Carrick Knowe Primary School (which has held a Green Flag since 2007), St John’s Primary School (which has held a Green Flag since 2013) and George Heriot’s Junior (a Green Flag school since 2007).

Brunstane Primary School was recognised for carrying out regular community litter picks and forming a pupil parliament group to address road safety concerns near the school.

Children at Liberton Nursery carried out regular litter picks in the woods where they have nature play time, recorded types of litter in a survey and carried out extensive work on biodiversity.

Pupils at St. John’s Primary School carried out an anti-litter poster campaign and whole school assembly and organised regular litter picks in a new park near the school ensuring it stays clean and welcoming. They also worked with the Woodland Trust to plant native trees around the school.

At Carrick Knowe Primary School, pupils organised litter picks with every year group, and ran class workshops on single use plastics.

George Heriot’s pupils increased the effectiveness of the school’s recycling and explored possibilities of hosting renewable energy sources at the school.

Through the Eco-Schools Scotland programme, Keep Scotland Beautiful aims to make environmental awareness and action to tackle climate change an intrinsic part of the life and ethos of schools, for both pupils and for staff.

The programme provides a framework to engage the wider school community in action and support aligned with the purposes of Curriculum for Excellence and Learning for Sustainability.

To complete the Green Flag journey each school has a choice of ten topics to engage with, from food and the environment, to litter, to energy. The schools also choose one of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to link their Eco-Schools work to.

Barry Fisher, Chief Executive of Keep Scotland Beautiful, said: “Congratulations to the Eco-Committee, pupils and staff at each of these schools, who have worked so hard schools, who have worked so hard to achieve their Green Flag Award, particularly during a time of unprecedented adjustment and change to education caused by the Coronavirus pandemic.

“This is a great achievement and testament to the resilience and creativity of both pupils and educators.

“Keep Scotland Beautiful is committed to supporting all our children and young people to develop the capacities, skills and attributes required to protect our planet for the future.”

More information about the world’s largest sustainable schools programme and Eco-Schools Scotland can be found at:

www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/eco-schools

Lothian’s on the road to net zero!

Arriving now: Edinburgh’s first fully electric double decker buses

Today sees the official launch of Edinburgh’s first fully electric double decker buses, thanks to major funding from SP Energy Networks working in partnership with Lothian buses.

The £1.7million project was funded as a flagship project of SP Energy Networks’ £20million Green Economy Fund to enable Edinburgh to take a major step in its journey towards the city becoming Net Zero by 2030.

These buses will bring immediate benefits to the city and the communities in which they operate, helping improve the city’s air quality and delivering multiple health benefits.

Lothian’s four brand new all-electric double decker buses will be introduced onto route 10, which connects outlying parts of the city, Western Harbour and Bonaly with Edinburgh’s city centre.

The City of Edinburgh Council has committed to establish a Low Emission Zone (LEZ), reducing the carbon footprint of public transport and the new Lothian electric buses are a statement of intent for the city’s transport network.

The launch of these buses will play a big part in the city’s green transport infrastructure.

Through the Green Economy Fund, SP Energy Networks is investing in the communities that it serves to support the UK and Scottish governments’ green energy ambitions. It also contributes to government plans to meet climate change targets, boost local economic growth, improve air quality across the country and deliver a better future, quicker for our communities.

SP Energy Networks is part of the ScottishPower group, a Principal Partner for the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) to be held in Glasgow in four months’ time.

It is developing an energy model that will play a significant role towards reaching the UK’s world-leading climate change targets and is investing a total of £10billion in the clean energy generation and networks infrastructure needed to help the UK decarbonise and reach Net Zero emissions.

The new electric buses were built by Alexander Dennis, Britain’s biggest bus builder, at its Falkirk factory and will benefit from a smart management system which allows reduction in well-to-wheel greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption.

Transport Minister Graeme Dey, who attended the official launch of the new electric fleet at Dynamic Earth, said: “Scotland was one of the first countries in the world to declare a global climate emergency and with projects like this we continue to show our commitment to reducing emissions.

“As the country comes out of the pandemic and restrictions continue to ease, it is essential that our recovery is a green one, which has returning to public transport at its heart. This all-electric service is welcome news both for Edinburgh bus users and the environment.

“It’s also fantastic to see private sector organisations collaborate to tackle climate change. The funding from SP Energy Networks to support Lothian’s electric fleet with buses made in Falkirk is very much an initiative to be welcomed and encouraged.’’

Guy Jefferson, Chief Operating Officer at SP Energy Networks, said: “This is an historic moment in Edinburgh’s journey to Net Zero. The four new electric double decker buses will serve one of the busiest bus routes in the capital and provide a blueprint for other routes across the city.

“Edinburgh has ambitious plans to be a leading UK Net Zero emissions city by 2030 but for that to happen there needs to be big changes. The introduction of this new technology will improve air quality and noise pollution while supporting the city’s green recovery from the pandemic.

“We are committed to collaborating with government and industry to harness the knowledge, skills and resources we need to tackle climate change. Net Zero is now the prism through which we take all our business decisions. It’s one of the key drivers of our decision to become a Principal Partner of the COP26 global climate change conference, which is taking place in Scotland later this year.

“By working with our partners in Edinburgh and across Scotland through initiatives such as this we can deliver the cleaner, greener and better future we all want, quicker.”

Nigel Serafini, Interim Managing Director at Lothian Buses, said: “Across the last decade, Lothian has removed around 15,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide from our carbon footprint through our fleet replacement strategies, and the introduction of Edinburgh’s first fully electric double decker buses allows us to continue on this journey, further reducing our impact on the environment.

“These new buses are fitted with the most advanced zero emissions technology and the introduction of these vehicles across our Service 10 further cements our commitment to meet the requirements of the Scottish Government and The City of Edinburgh Council’s climate change strategies.

“We’re delighted to have been able to partner with SP Energy Networks’ Green Economy Fund on this project and look forward to working with them again in the future.”

Transport and Environment Convener Councillor Lesley Macinnes said: “This is a really exciting step forward for the city’s public transport network, and our own ambitions to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030.

“We want to make a green recovery from the pandemic and to do this we need to encourage more people to make sustainable transport choices. These buses offer a clean, reliable and environmentally-friendly alternative to the car.

“As we work towards the introduction of a Low Emission Zone in Edinburgh too, electric and other low emission buses will be essential for transporting people to the city centre while maintaining clean, breathable air.

“In the coming months we’ll be playing an important supporting role when Glasgow hosts the major COP26 climate change conference, and it’s innovations such as these that signal our firm commitment to tackling the climate emergency.”

The new vehicles also have USB charging points, on-board audio-visual next stop announcements and free Wi-Fi to provide a better overall customer experience.

So far, 35 projects have been awarded funding from SP Energy Networks across Central and Southern Scotland.

To find out more about the Green Economy Fund and the projects it supports, please visit:

www.spenergynetworks.co.uk/pages/green_economy_fund.aspx

National Trust for Scotland: ‘Love this place, leave no trace’

New campaign asks for visitors help to protect the places we all love

The National Trust for Scotland is urging visitors to ‘Love this place, leave no trace’ in a new campaign which aims to protect areas of scenic beauty near Edinburgh and encourage visitors and campers to minimise their impact on these places.

Scotland’s national conservation charity launched the campaign in a bid to address some of the serious issues faced at the properties and wild locations it cares for.

Over the past year, when lockdown restrictions have lifted, National Trust for Scotland staff have been delighted to welcome record numbers of visitors to world-renowned areas of natural beauty, including St Abb’s Head on the east coast.

People have been able to explore and discover the treasures on their own doorstep with the national conservation charity, which for 90 years has cared for and protected many of the country’s most loved places, following Government advice on Covid-19 and social distancing.

With international travel still uncertain, Trust staff and volunteers anticipate high-levels of visitor numbers in the months ahead.

The cumulative effect of large numbers of people visiting the countryside can lead to unintended damage and the Trust has addressed this with campaigns highlighting the impact on local wildlife and ecosystems and providing advice on how to visit safely and responsibly.

However, staff have witnessed a rise in anti-social behaviour which is endangering the natural environment, harming local communities, and having a devastating effect on long-term conservation projects.

Fences and trees have been uprooted and used for firewood. Trust teams have been forced to deal with an unprecedented rise in littering and both human and animal waste. Livestock and wildlife have been attacked and ‘worried’ by dogs running loose and irresponsible parking has seriously impact on the landscape and local people.

The charity is now launching a new campaign urging people to ‘Love this place, leave no trace’ and raise vital funds to support repairs and also help people understand how to minimise their impact on these beautiful places.

Ciaran Hatsell, Head Ranger at St Abb’s Head explained: “As the restrictions ease, we’ve seen a dramatic increase in visitors to our coastal nature reserve, resulting in mass amounts of litter being left behind.

“Not only is litter awful for the planet and keeping our spaces green, but it is also very dangerous for the beautiful seabird colonies we have at St Abb’s Head, in addition to many of the wildlife and sea creatures that call St Abb’s Head home.

“It’s not just litter being left behind, but human waste too. Clearing this up was not a task I ever thought I’d add to my job description! An immediate biohazard for other walkers and campers, human waste also pollutes the land and bacteria can leach into the local water table.”

Ciaran added: “In truth, it takes an enormous amount of work to conserve Scotland’s iconic mountains, woodlands and coastlines, which we all love. As a charity, we can only protect these places with your support.”

The National Trust for Scotland is urging people to get out and visit the locations and properties it cares for responsibly. To help, rangers have drawn up ten top tips – which you can read below.

You can donate online and find out more about ‘I love this place, leave no trace’ and the work being done in your local area at: www.nts.org.uk/leave-no-trace

The Top Ten Tips from National Trust for Scotland rangers to ‘Love this place, leave no trace’:

1. COME PREPARED WITH A PLAN B

Move on if it’s too busy or car parks are full.

2. PARK WITH CARE

Please do not damage verges or obstruct other vehicles, narrow roads, passing places or field gates.

3. LEAVE NO TRACE

Take your litter home and never leave rubbish beside a full bin.

4. STAY ON PATHS TO HELP PROTECT HABITATS

By avoiding bypassing muddy patches, you’ll reduce the risk of erosion spreading.

5. REMEMBER FOOTPATH ETIQUETTE

Need to let someone past? Step to one side, then step back onto the path again.

6. THINK YOU MAY NEED TO ‘GO’ WHILE YOU’RE OUT?

Come prepared with a bag and sealable container to take away human waste and soiled tissues safely.

7. CHOOSE YOUR CAMPING SPOT CAREFULLY

Give busy areas a rest and take as long to clear up as you take to set up.

8. USE A STOVE INSTEAD OF LIGHTING A FIRE

This will help prevent wildfires, scorched earth and tree damage.

9. KEEP DOGS UNDER CONTROL OR ON A LEAD

This ensures your dog will avoid disturbing wildlife or livestock.

10. LEAVE SOMEWHERE EVEN BETTER THAN WHEN YOU FOUND IT

Bring a litter picker and collect rubbish while you’re out.

We hope you have a great time exploring Scotland’s beautiful landscapes. Please share these tips with your family and friends!

Letters: The threat to life from greedy Money-Makers

Dear Editor

Most everyone is aware of climate change and the great threat it poses for humankind as the changes sweep around the world. Livestock, all animals, birds, fish and sea creatures are all under threat.

The human race is threatened by water shortage, crop failures that are associated with drought and continued destruction of the world’s forests by financial interests acting solely in their own selfish interests of making money, despite knowing that the amount of oxygen needed by humans to live is dropping from 100% to 70%. Yet companies and financial interests continue to operate climate polluting industries.

These polluters, bug and small, must go. There is no alternative. These are polluters of air, water and the oceans which are not theirs to destroy to maximie money making.

Tony Delahoy

Fort Kinnaird joins the Great British Spring Clean

Volunteer litter pickers from Fort Kinnaird recently joined the Keep Britain Tidy Great British Spring Clean in a bid to help tidy up Edinburgh.

A team of nine volunteers joined forces on Thursday 10^th June for its first community litter pick, where they conquered the stretch from Fort Kinnaird to The Jewel.

In a team effort, William Grigg, Lindy Watson, David Overton, Liam Smith, William Urban, Colin McEwen, Kevin Dargavel, James Stevenson and Alan Mcgoldrick from the Fort Kinnaird team collected 15 bags of mixed waste and bottles.

Following the success, volunteers from Fort Kinnaird will continue with their community litter picks on a monthly basis, as the centre continues its commitment to minimising the impact it has on its local community.

Liam Smith, Centre Director at Fort Kinnaird, said: “We’re really proud to be participating in this year’s Great British Spring Clean, joining thousands of people across the UK to clear litter from our streets, parks and benches.

“It’s been great to help tidy up our local area and to give back to our local community in Edinburgh.”

Let’s commit to cleaner air

Councillor Lesley Macinnes, Transport and Environment Convener, explains Edinburgh’s proposals for a Low Emission Zone:

Every year, Clean Air Day gives us pause for thought. Is it acceptable that poor air quality affects the health and wellbeing of some of our most vulnerable members of society, linking to hundreds of deaths across Scotland each year?

On the eve of the annual event, we’re preparing to ask that question as Transport and Environment Committee considers the preferred option for a Low Emission Zone (LEZ) in Edinburgh.

This moment has been years in the making and follows a great deal of evidence-led research, in close partnership with Transport Scotland, the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) and a range of other organisations.

In 2019, when we consulted on our initial proposals, people told us how important cleaner air is to them, reinforcing the need for action. But they also shared concerns and questions about the original proposals for city centre and citywide LEZs, and how they’d be implemented.

We’ve taken this feedback into account to develop objectives for the LEZ scheme, notably a reduction in NO2 and greenhouse gas emissions, but also to minimise any resulting traffic displacement and, importantly, to align with our broader sustainable transport ambitions.

Working to these objectives and in line with the National Modelling Framework set by SEPA, officers have spent months appraising LEZ options for Edinburgh, incorporating traffic, emissions and air dispersion modelling to assess the impacts of any scheme.

As a result, a city centre LEZ, applying to all motor vehicles except motorcycles and mopeds, has been put forward.

This is different from our original proposal in that it doesn’t include a citywide option affecting only commercial vehicles. This decision wasn’t taken lightly but was led by the evidence. For a start, air quality is getting better across the city, which is having a positive impact on Air Quality Management Areas outside of the centre.

Analysis of commercial-type fleet shows improvements are already being made – in 2020 up to 95% of Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) were compliant, while smaller vans had increased in compliance from 7% in 2016 to 48%. Buses are becoming more efficient too, with a commitment from Lothian Buses to be fully compliant by the end of this year and 60% of all other companies’ coach and bus fleet currently meeting LEZ requirements.

These findings are promising and reflect the air quality benefits experienced in other cities, where LEZs have had a knock-on effect on the surrounding areas, with cleaner vehicles entering the zone and travelling further afield, spreading the benefits.

The preferred option means we can focus resources on the densely populated city centre, where traffic pollution is highest and where many people are subject to its negative effects.

If approved by committee (it was – Ed.), we’ll be carrying out a public consultation in the coming months, with a view to introducing an LEZ by spring next year. To help people adjust to the changes we’ll be allowing a grace period, which has been extended from one year to two to support the city’s economic recovery post-pandemic. Exemptions for blue badge holders and other essential vehicles will be in place too.

Though the LEZ will mean a step-change for the way we tackle poor air quality in the Capital, it’s just one of a range of tools to reduce air pollution. As part of our City Mobility Plan we’re focused on facilitating and promoting healthy, sustainable travel, while City Centre Transformation, along with associated projects to improve walking and cycling infrastructure, will create a truly people-friendly city.

It’s through initiatives like these that we’ll be able to enjoy an environment worthy of Clean Air Day in years to come.

This article first appeared in the Edinburgh Evening News

Edinburgh and Lothians Greenspace Trust (ELGT) celebrate 30th anniversary

The Trust has reached an exciting milestone this month and celebrated its 30th Anniversary on the 17th of June.

We would like to acknowledge the extraordinary achievements of the team as demonstrated by it’s staff, volunteers, partners and the local communities across Edinburgh and the Lothians.

Over the past 30 years, the Trust’s mission has been to provide quality greenspaces for people of Edinburgh and The Lothians and to improve mental health and wellbeing.

ELGT run an inspiring, ground-breaking, and imaginative programme of environmental and community projects that enables them to work for the benefit of people, wildlife, landscape, and heritage.

We would like to thank our board members for their videos wishing the Trust a Happy 30th Anniversary and outlining the extraordinary achievement of the Trust over the past 30 years.

You can watch our 30th Anniversary videos on our Twitter or Facebook page.

City council agrees programme of improvements for green spaces

Plans for how over £4m will be invested in parks, green spaces and cemeteries in a programme of priority works being rolled out across 2021 and 2022 have been approved by councillors.

The Parks and Greenspace Investment report follows the allocation of additional capital budget earlier this year and provides updates on projects either planned, already under way or already completed. The approved report also outlines how funds will be prioritised to make key improvements across the city.

Parks, green space and cemetery structures across the city are being surveyed to ensure that the investment is allocated where need is greatest and to ensure that features remain safe.

As well as hearing about completed and ongoing projects, councillors gave approval to progress works that have been identified as priority rated category 1 urgent (within one year) and priority category 2 (essential within one to two years). The works include making improvements to walls, fences, gates, paths, roads, drainage, bridges and tunnels.

Culture and Communities Convener Councillor Donald Wilson said: “In Edinburgh we’re fortunate to have nearly 200 parks, including 34 with green flag status, recreational green spaces and cemeteries to visit across the city and we want to make sure that they all remain accessible, safe, sustainable and of course open to the public for generations to come.

“Through this capital investment programme we will be able to make immediate and important improvements to the places most in need. Funding will be used to help with landslips, mend walls and fences and improve accessibility.

“I’m delighted that we are able to progress with this work and following further detailed surveys will aim to ensure the spread of investment across the city.

Culture and Communities Vice Convener Councillor Amy McNeese-Mechan said: “We’ve seen over the past year just how important our parks and greenspaces continue to be and it’s so important that we invest in them – for us, now and for future generations.

“We want to make sure Edinburgh remains the beautiful green city that it is and this commitment will bring those most in need of urgent investment back to looking their best. I’m excited that work can get under way and these surveys give us a plan for the next stages, which will help keep us focused as we make improvements throughout the city.”

Progress on the programme of improvements will be reported to the Culture and Communities Committee in its regular business bulletin.

Edinburgh Cycle Hire customers pedal 1.5 million kilometers

Yesterday – Clean Air Day – Edinburgh Cycle Hire announced that their customers have cycled a staggering 1,500,000km, pedalling around the Earth nearly 38 times!

A recent study undertaken by scientists at Oxford University found that those who switch just one trip per day from car-driving to cycling reduced their carbon footprint by about 0.5 tonnes over a year.

In 2020 Edinburgh Cycle Hire Scheme totalled 234,470 trips, almost double from the previous year. In one day alone 1,438 people used the scheme. So far in 2021 nearly 60,000 trips have been made with the summer period expected to busy again with locals using the scheme as part of their staycation.

With access to bikes being one of the biggest challenges to cycling, the scheme is planning to upgrade its hire points later this year, as well as reviewing the network to meet the growing customer demand.

The new infrastructure is already being used within the Transport for West Midlands scheme and is a hit with customers. This work is supported with funding from Sustrans and the City of Edinburgh Council.

George Lowder, Chief Executive of Transport for Edinburgh said: “The Edinburgh scheme is key to supporting our city’s sustainability and active travel plans, cutting emissions and congestion.

“Providing access to bikes in an easy to use, affordable and safe way will encourage people to leave the car at home and take shorter journeys by bike.”

Alex MacDonald, General Manager of the scheme said: “We’re gearing up for another busy summer and we’ll have more bikes available across the city.

“Customers can explore on our e-bikes and pedal bikes by simply downloading the app and finding their nearest hire point.”

John Lauder, Deputy CEO Sustrans and National Director, Sustrans Scotland said: “Studies have found that switching from the car to cycling, even just for one day a week can make a real difference to reducing personal carbon emissions from transport.

“Cycle hire schemes, like Edinburgh’s makes cycling more visible, and more normal. Cycle hires remove the first barrier to making that decision to cycle, and help people understand how convenient and easy cycling is. It’s the first small step to changing habits that can make a huge difference.”