Water of Leith Conservation Trust
@wolct
Working to protect and improve Edinburgh's river, for the benefit of wildlife and our community. A healthy river cared for by its community
We had volunteers out litter picking the in Leith today, & in the boat pulling rubbish out of the water. We counted a new record of 312 cans collected! We also gave some attention to maintaining paths & removing graffiti, while the survey team surveyed our 4 managed meadows🤘😎
Many thanks today to our highly skilled plant ID volunteers who are helping further our own plant knowledge as we plan for a possible schools biology field study in the Pentlands.
Another session on the Murrayburn at Heriot-Watt, hitting one of the hotspots for Himalayan Balsam before the seeds start popping and travelling downstream into the Water of Leith. We'll have to keep returning to get it all but perseverence is the key!
Monday morning in Dean Village was most productive. The wading team covered a long stretch of river from Rocheid to Miller Row pulling out rubbish and balsam. On Dry-land, the team weeded around the millstones and buildings, removed gaffiti, and cut invasive buddleia. Brilliant!
While the survey team were out surveying the Juniper Green meadow, we waded from the bypass bridge to Baberton Loan looking for rubbish and invasives, and had a team doing path work on the same stretch, trimming back edges and removing graffiti. Thanks to everyone who came along!
The battle of the grasses. The round or rough ligule holds us back from certainty when it comes to identifying hairy broom Bromopsis ramosa. But the debate is great.
We welcomed families from The Welcoming to the Centre today to make art in the woods and to explore the Dells, a green space owned by Edinburgh Council for everyone to enjoy.
A productive morning at West Mill Road. The dry land team cut back invasive Laurel, litter picked and tidied up the walkway. Our waders cleaned up the river and destroyed invasive Himalayan and Small Balsam.
A stunning morning on the Murrayburn by Saughton Prison. Teams in the burn and on dry land litter picking, hunting invasives and cutting back encroaching vegetation. We also gave the trees we planted earlier in the year, funded by the CMS Law social impact fund, some love.
Team Two covered from Newhaven Bridge up to the Gormley statue at St Marks Park, pulling balsam, and treating Giant Hogweed and Japanese Knotweed. A co-ordinated effort with Team One to sweep a huge stretch of river in one session.
Team One on the hunt for Himalayan balsam this morning was staff from Veolia UK. They helped by wading from Canonmills to St Marks Park taking out some huge specimens before they had chance to seed.
Our monthly volunteers were out this morning making a difference at Roseburn/Murrayfield. Walkway trimmed. Area cleared of rubbish Himalayan balsam destroyed on the river banks. Tea break in the 🌞 ☀️
Preseason kicked off this morning for the BroughtonRugby ladies team as they used the walkway for their annual prosecco run. Starting at our visitor centre they did refreshment stops along the way to stay hydrated and reached Leith in time for the internationals.
Trouble 2 task complete up by Riccarton Garden centre hunting Giant Hogweed and litter picking. Hundreds of plants dug or sprayed, we even found a dishwasher and tractor tyre along the way.
Trouble 1 task complete up above Balerno on the Larchgrove estate bashing Himalayan balsam. Approx 600 plants pulled to stop this invasive species getting chance to seed further down the river
Double trouble for invasive species on the river and Murrayburn tributary this morning. Sophie is up at Riccarton hunting for Giant Hogweed, whilst Johnny is at Balerno pulling Himalayan balsam.
A full morning of activity for our volunteers down at Bells today. Himalayan Balsam pulling Meadow scything Walkway maintenance Litter picking Giant Hogweed digging Amazing the difference trained and resourced volunteers can make.
A morning of invasive species control for our rangers. Beheading flowering Giant Hogweed plants at Riccarton Garden centre. One left in the emu enclosure as we were informed Milo isn't friendly. Himalayan balsam pulling at a disused site at Kinleith. #upstreambattle #inns
A positive start to the new financial year with 2,595 hours of practical volunteering recorded in the 1st quarter That's 66 practical tasks and 186 river patrols completed. Almost half of those hours were spent keeping it litter free as part of our spring clean of the river and tributaries.
Another successful Leith Clean-up today with a fantastic turn out and lots acheived! Thanks to everyone who came along to help clean up the river and surrounding area, and weed out various parts of Coalie Park and Sandport Place. Persistence is key!
A successful morning for a small team of volunteers up at the Heriot Watt Uni campus. They destroyed several hundred Himalayan balsam and Giant Hogweed plants to check this seed source on the Murrayburn tributary A wee pile of rubbish as well for good measure #inns
A busy morning down at Dean Village as our volunteers worked around tourists galore to give the walkway a good trim back. Whilst waders hunted for rubbish and Himalayan balsam in the river and around Edinburgh sports club
A view of the River Esk for Johnny our ranger today. He was over lending a hand with other Lothian based scythers to cut back bracken at Three Hare Community Woodland as part of a regular meet and mow program across central Scotland. More details here - scytheassociation.org/events/
From the Athens of Ohio, to the Athens of the North, Edinburgh Since 2011, students from Ohio University have been coming to Edinburgh for 4 weeks as part of their urban sustainability course. We've been blessed to have them for a day of volunteering each of those years to improve the walkway
Early morning tasks before it gets hot. Coalie Park flower beds watered and litter picked. Flowering Giant Hogweed beheaded at Redbraes allotments Site visit to the Rocheid path ready for a trim back on friday
A guided tour to round off the working day for CMS Law staff after the hard work in the morning. A perfect way of escaping the heat of the day and enjoying a game of pooh sticks.
First part of the day complete for staff from the Edinburgh office of CMS Law at Longstone. They've been helping to tend trees planted earlier in the year through their social impact fund, digging up creeping thistle and looking after the local paths.
Loads to do at Ford's Road today with our wading team sweeping for Giant Hogweed & Balsam, whilst on dry-land we cut back and widened several paths, removed loads of litter, and our Scottish Power cohort scrubbed all the graffiti from the victorian footbridge. Great job everyone! #INNSweek