Pilrig Park Millennium Community Woodland

Pilrig Park Millennium Community Woodland

Woodland enhancement activities to improve the Pilrig Park Millennium Community Woodland for the community and for nature

Edinburgh and Lothians Greenspace Trust are working in partnership with Friends of Pilrig Park, with support from City of Edinburgh Council and Police Scotland to enhance a strip of Millennium Community Woodland in Pilrig Park, which has in recent years suffered from anti-social behaviours. Thick scrub and brambles had reduced sightlines into the wooded area and made it feel unwelcoming.

This project aims to:

  • Increase feelings of safety in the park and woodland (by improving sightlines)
  • Reduce incidences of anti-social behaviour in the park and woodland (by removing undergrowth screening)
  • Increase biodiversity of woodland
  • Improve paths through the woodland
  • Increase positive community connection with the woodland
  • Enable the Friends of Pilrig Park to take small actions to maintain the woodland       

A recent programme of work undertaken by City of Edinburgh Council has cleared scrub, brambles and lifted the tree canopy of the woodland. This has dramatically changed the feel of the area; opening up sightlines and the woodland area, it is on its way to becoming a more welcoming community space.

ELGT have been working with Friends of Pilrig Park to deliver workshops over the winter period that will improve the woodland and provide them with the tools and skills to look after the woodland as it continues to grow.

April 2025 – Reflecting on the changing woodland

Summer 2024

October 2024

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

February 2025

April 2025

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

February 2025 – Woodland bulb planting

Sandwiched between two days of high winds and rain, we were lucky enough to catch a break in the weather to planting 1250 woodland bulbs with over 30 volunteers from the community. Bulbs included snowdrops, native bluebells, winter aconite and wood anemone which will provide flowers with pollen and nectar for our earliest pollinators all the way through to the summer months.

ELGT are continuing to work with Friends of Pilrig Park to develop plans to further enhance the woodland for nature and people, which is being funded by a successful application to Police Scotland Deputy Commisoner’s Fund in partnership with the local Community Liaison Officer.

 

January 2025 – Woodland Management and Safe Tool Use

A second workshop carried forward our learning from before Christmas and allowed tools and storage to be given to Friends of Pilrig Park for them to continue their care for the woodland.


October 2024 – Woodland Management and Safe Tool Use
A group of volunteers from Friends of Pilrig Park joined us to learn about safe use of hand tools; secateurs, loppers, shears and folding hand saws to manage young sapling growth in this well established Millennium Community Woodland.

Before undergrowth thinning – October 2024

After undergrowth thinning – October 2024

 

 

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Funded by: City of Edinburgh Council

Outputs:

  • Woodland management workshops
  • Tools and equipment for woodland management
  • 1250 native woodland bulbs planted
  • Corporate volunteering opportunities

 

Outcomes:

  1. Bring the local community together through engagement sessions
  2. More accessible greenspace by opening up paths and points of interest
  3. More biodiverse habitats for local wildlife
  4. Create a safer and welcoming environment to encourage greater use
  5. Increase knowledge and confidence to enable the local community to look after its greenspace in the longer term

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