The Conservation Volunteers
The Conservation Volunteers
For over 60 years, The Conservation Volunteers (TCV) brought people together to create, improve and care for greenspaces. These efforts span local parks, community gardens, Local Nature Reserves, Sites of Special Scientific Interest, as well as school and hospital grounds. TCV's work benefits not only the environment but also people and communities.
TCV volunteers
TCV have a long history of partnership working with the City of Edinburgh Council and delivering transformational outcomes for people and nature. Carrying out projects across Edinburgh, including large scale engagements at Blackford Hill, Corstorphine Hill, Cramond Foreshore, Gypsy Brae, Hermitage of Braid and Wester Craiglockhart Hill, in the last 5 years they have:
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Carried out 800 days of volunteering
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Contributing 7600 Workdays to local sites
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Planted 30,000 Trees
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Created or maintained 5km of wildflower meadow
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Planted 5000 Wildflower plugs and bulbs
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Removed 16.5km2 of Invasive Non-Native Species
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Maintained and improved 6.8km of local paths
Through the Urban Biodiversity Improvement plan, we’ve been collaborating with TCV’s Biodiversity Action Team to boost biodiversity and enhance nature connectivity across various greenspaces in the city. This includes tree planting, teaching traditional conservation skills like coppicing and hedge-laying, and creating new perennial wildflower meadows in parks and golf courses. We’ve also partnered with community groups and Park Friends to restore and rejuvenate older meadows in need of attention.
Our goal is to engage and upskill the community. By attending TCV events and supporting the Edinburgh Nature Network, you can:
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Learn new conservation skills
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Connect with nature and like-minded people
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Participate in habitat surveys and contribute to monitoring programs to help track the health of nature in Edinburgh.
If you are a community group or organisation currently operating in a City of Edinburgh Council greenspace and would like the support of the above programme to benefit biodiversity and nature. Please contact: thrivinggreenspaces@edinburgh.gov.uk