Edinburgh Living Landscape

Nature in your neighbourhood

The Edinburgh Living Landscape is a collaborative project to create, restore, and connect green spaces throughout the city. This initiative helps build biodiverse, healthy, and climate-resilient landscapes for residents and visitors to enjoy. 

The Edinburgh Living Landscape is part of the Edinburgh Nature Network (ENN), a long-term strategy for managing and enhancing urban green spaces. 

What is a Living Landscape? 

This initiative introduces a range of enhancements to outdoor spaces, including: 

  • creating annual and perennial meadows 
  • reducing how often some areas of grass are cut and allowing natural grassland to thrive
  • mowing pathways through areas of longer grass so they can still be explored and enjoyed
  • planting trees and creating woodlands
  • increasing our use of herbaceous perennial planting
  • planting bulbs.

Adopting a more natural approach to urban green spaces offers many benefits: 

  • increased biodiversity: birds, mammals, and insects are attracted to these natural habitats 

  • more pollinators: flowering plants attract bees and other pollinators, boosting urban ecology 

  • enhanced cityscape: more colours and textures from diverse planting 

  • climate benefits: reduced mowing decreases CO₂ release and improves rainwater absorption 

Our Partners 

The project is supported by: 

  • City of Edinburgh Council 

  • Scottish Wildlife Trust 

  • Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust 

  • Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh 

  • University of Edinburgh 

  • Butterfly Conservation Scotland 

  • RSPB 

  • NatureScot 

It is a partnership project that creates, restores and connects green areas of the city to make attractive and biodiverse landscapes. Landscapes will be healthy, nature rich and resilient to climate change.Landscapes will be healthy, nature rich and resilient to climate change. Other organisations are also lending support to the initiative, including Edinburgh University, SEPA, the Cockburn Association, and the OPENspace Research Centre.

The programme so far 

So far, the programme has introduced: 

  • floral meadows 

  • reduced grass cutting 

  • mown pathways through longer grass 

  • more trees in urban areas and parks 

  • expanded herbaceous perennial planting 

The project also focuses on often neglected or challenging spaces, such as steep banks, areas under trees, and "green deserts." Working with local maintenance teams and residents, these areas are transformed into vibrant green habitats. 

New initiatives 

In 2024, we piloted a new mowing regime in residential grassland plots. In collaboration with the University of Edinburgh, this trial will assess its impact on pollinator species and biodiversity, building on the principles of the Living Landscape project. 

Resources and further reading 

Contact us 

For enquiries, reach out to your local team: 

  

Frequently Asked Questions 

What is the Edinburgh Living Landscape? 

The Edinburgh Living Landscape is a city-wide initiative to create, restore, and connect green spaces. It aims to build biodiverse, healthy, and climate-resilient landscapes that everyone can enjoy. 

The project focuses on areas often overlooked for recreational purpose and are labour intensive to maintain. These include steep banks, areas under trees, small fenced-off spaces, and large, seldom-used areas, often referred to as ‘green deserts’. Identifying these spaces involves collaboration between local grounds maintenance teams and residents through Neighbourhood Partnership meetings.

Reducing the frequency of grass cutting in these areas allows our teams to allocate more resources towards caring for shrubs, flower beds, hedges, and other greenery that require attention. Moreover, we are investing in better machinery and providing staff training to ensure these green spaces remain attractive and beneficial for wildlife.

These areas will not be neglected. Our dedicated local grounds teams will continue to monitor and maintain each site, conducting regular litter picking and weed control to uphold cleanliness and aesthetics. Some areas will receive more frequent cutting to ensure they remain visually appealing, while pathways will be carefully mown through longer grass to maintain accessibility.

Concerns about litter and dog fouling in longer grass are addressed through our commitment to maintaining all sites to current standards. Residents are encouraged to report any issues to their locality team for prompt resolution, with environmental wardens available to address concerns and enforce regulations regarding littering and pet waste.

How does the Edinburgh Living Landscape benefit biodiversity? 

This project helps attract birds, mammals, and insects by creating natural habitats. Planting flowering species also encourages pollinators like bees, which are essential for urban ecology. 

Who are the partners involved in this project? 

The project is supported by local organisations and groups including City of Edinburgh Council, Scottish Wildlife Trust, Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, University of Edinburgh, Butterfly Conservation Scotland, RSPB, and NatureScot. 

Can I get involved in the Edinburgh Living Landscape?

Yes! Residents can help by participating in local initiatives, supporting pollinator-friendly planting, and getting involved in community events. 

How is the Edinburgh Living Landscape improving green spaces? 

The project brings enhancements like planting trees, creating floral meadows, and reduced mowing. This approach supports natural habitats, makes the city greener, and reduces carbon emissions. 

 

Edinburgh Living Landscapes

If you have a suggestion for a new Living Landscape site or have any comments regarding existing sites please email us