Lothians Conservation Volunteers
Please book with our Transport Secretary before the task. First you will need to learn how to book, then read about what to bring and finally where to meet us on the day,
If you would like more information about whether a task is suitable for you then please check our information about volunteering with us or if you prefer contact us by email.
Hover (or double tap on touchscreen devices) the mouse pointer over the coloured square next to the task you are interested in for information about the spaces remaining.
| Date | Site | Task and availablity | ||
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| Aug | Sun 25 | Traprain Law | Ragwort removal (TASK CHANGED) | |
| Sep | Sun 1 | Cramond Foreshore | Turf removal for wildflower area | |
| Sun 8 | Red Moss | Tree pulling | ||
| Sun 15 | Portmoak Moss | Scrub pulling | ||
| Sun 22 | Longniddry Bents | Scything the meadow |
Scything the meadow
2019-09-22
Unfortunately, there are no spaces remaining on this task. Please click to register your interest and find out how to join the waiting list!
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| Sun 29 | Vogrie Country Park | Meadow management |
Meadow management
2019-09-29
There are plenty of spaces remaining on this task. Please click to view booking information
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| Oct | Sat 5 | Springfield Mill | Scything meadow |
Scything meadow
2019-10-05
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| Sun 6 | Easter Craiglockhart Hill | Meadow raking |
Meadow raking
2019-10-06
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| Sun 13 | Greenrigg Community Woodland | Woodland management |
Woodland management
2019-10-13
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| Sat 19 | Springfield Mill | Raking meadow |
Raking meadow
2019-10-19
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| Sun 20 | Bawsinch and Murder Acre | Pond work |
Pond work
2019-10-20
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| Sun 27 | Holyrood Park | Wildflower sowing and plug planting |
Wildflower sowing and plug planting
2019-10-27
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| Nov | Sun 3 | Greenrigg Community Woodland | Woodland management |
Woodland management
2019-11-03
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| Sat 9 | Gifford Community Woodland | Rhododendron control |
Rhododendron control
2019-11-09
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| Sun 10 | Granton Castle Walled Garden | Wildflower meadow creation |
Wildflower meadow creation
2019-11-10
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| Sun 17 | Greenrigg Community Woodland | Woodland management |
Woodland management
2019-11-17
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| Sun 24 | Corstophine Hill | Salmonberry control |
Salmonberry control
2019-11-24
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| Dec | Sun 1 | Leadburn Community Woodland | Path work |
Path work
2019-12-01
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| Sun 8 | Spottiswoode | Beech thinning |
Beech thinning
2019-12-08
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| Sun 15 | Corstophine Hill | Salmonberry control |
Salmonberry control
2019-12-15
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| Sun 22 | Falkland Estate | Rhododendron removal |
Rhododendron removal
2019-12-22
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| Sun 29 | Vogrie Country Park | Pond clearance |
Pond clearance
2019-12-29
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| Jan | Thu 2 | Vogrie Country Park | Pond clearance |
Pond clearance
2020-01-02
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Task full. You can still book and put
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Task cancelled. This will only be done in extreme circumstances. |
| Space information last updated: Monday 16 September |
If you would like to print out our task list, here is our current newsletter, The Puggled Mucker (683K) which contains a task programme.
The map below shows the sites in the work programme this quarter
There is also an interactive map of all our work-sites.
At 221m Traprain Law is a distinctive, dome shaped hill, which overlooks the East Lothian town of Haddington just to the east of Edinburgh. First occupied about 3500 years ago it has a long history of human activity - there is evidence that the site was used for burial as well as for manufacturing bronze tools. In the early twentieth century archaeologists working on the site uncovered a cache of Roman silverware. It is believed that the mythical King Loth of the Goddodin, from whom the Lothians take their name, ruled from the hill in the first half of the fourth century.
On this visit we'll be removing toxic ragwort plants. This helps to protect the health of the herd of Exmoor ponies that are used for conservation grazing on the hill. Please note that this is a change from the previously advertised scything task at Gullane. We hope that this task will be rescheduled for a later date.
Find out how to book onto this task.
Cramond is one of Edinburgh's oldest villages and has been inhabited since pre-historic times. The walk along the shoreline provides views across the Forth to the Fife coast and, in the distance, North Berwick Law can be seen. A walkway links the foreshore to Cramond Island at low tide. The path along the shore is fringed with sycamores, hawthorn, elder and ash trees.
Leonie Alexander of the Royal Botanic Gardens of Edinburgh is planning to establish a wildflower meadow within an area of Cramond which will naturally benefit wildlife. To help do this LCV will be removing the turf which will then be sent to Social Bite village in Granton where it will be used as a recreational area. The exposed soil will then be seeded with a native meadow mix from Scotia Seeds.
Find out how to book onto this task.
The main feature of Red Moss, which is an Scottish Wildlife Reserve above Balerno on Edinburgh's south-west corner, is a raised bog. Over time, the sphagnum moss has built up. It now acts like a sponge as the water level at the centre of the raised dome is considerably higher than the nearby Bavelaw reservoir. To prevent the bog drying out, over the past 15 years we have pulled up any birch which has self-seeded. This site can be wet so wellies are recommended if you have them.
On this visit we will be removing birch scrub from the moss to help preserve the bogland habitat
Find out how to book onto this task.
Portmoak Moss is a Woodland Trust managed site near Loch Leven in Fife. It I s a woodland of mixed conifer plantation and native broadleaved woodland with a large raised bog at its core. The mixed habitats make this site valuable for a variety of wildlife including red squirrels, brown hare, green woodpeckers and green hairstreak butterfly.
This is our first visit to this site and we will be working alongside the local management group helping to remove birch and cot's pine regrowth to maintain the raised bog habitat.
Find out how to book onto this task.
Longniddry Bents is part of the Firth of Forth Site of Special Scientific Interest. It is 15 miles east of Edinburgh, north of the village of Longniddry and is known for its many sea and wading birds. Due to low nutrient levels and exposure to sea winds, which make it difficult for large, vigorous plants to become established, there are a large number of wildflowers, including cowslip during spring and bloody cranesbill in summer. Forming part of the John Muir Way, which runs from Dunbar to Musselburgh, Longniddry Bents is a popular spot for many users, from walkers and birdwatchers to horse riders.
On this visit we will be cutting the meadow with traditional Austrian scythes. This is a low-impact method of mowing, helps to distribute the seeds of the plants and is great fun too.
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Vogrie is a popular country park half an hour from Edinburgh and four kilometres south-east of Dalkeith. It is run by Midlothian Council. About half the area is covered by woodland and scrub, with smaller patches of grassland, three ponds, an alder coppice and a conifer plantation. Over the years we have cleared the ponds, cut meadow grass, repaired part of a drystane dyke, cleared scrub, coppiced alder and planted trees.
On this visit we will be maintaining the meadow areas within the reserve to help preserve this important habitat from encroachment by other plants
Find out how to book onto this task.
Springfield Mill is a site in the North Esk Valley between Loanhead and Bonnyrigg just south-east of Edinburgh. A paper mill until the late 1960s, the site has now been reclaimed and restored as a wildlife area for use by the public. It has been seeded with wildflower mixes and planted with various native trees. Located at a bend in the River North Esk there are two seasonal ponds, areas of birch and willow woodland and grasslands.
On this visit we will be scything the meadow which we cut earlier this year to reduce the growth of thistle and other thuggish plants and allow a more diverse plant mix
Find out how to book onto this task.
Craiglockhart Hill is above Craiglockhart Sports Centre and as one of Edinburgh's seven hills, offers excellent views across the city towards the castle and Arthur's Seat. The area is owned jointly by the City of Edinburgh Council and Napier University. We will be working with the Friends of Craiglockhart Nature Trail - a local group supported by the Scottish Wildlife Trust - who have produced a management plan and a trail leaflet, and continue to manage the site for wildlife.
In previous tasks on this LNR LCV has raked two cut meadows and cleared rubbish from the habitat enhancement pond areas - two large areas of vegetation have been planted to add to the biodiversity and give cover for the breeding birds.
On this visit we will be raking the meadow in the reserve to reduce the nutrients available and so preserve the important meadow habitat
Find out how to book onto this task.
TODO: Description to follow. Location uncertain too!
On this visit we'll be helping to maintain previously-planted trees and other aspects of the woodland
Find out how to book onto this task.
Springfield Mill is a site in the North Esk Valley between Loanhead and Bonnyrigg just south-east of Edinburgh. A paper mill until the late 1960s, the site has now been reclaimed and restored as a wildlife area for use by the public. It has been seeded with wildflower mixes and planted with various native trees. Located at a bend in the River North Esk there are two seasonal ponds, areas of birch and willow woodland and grasslands.
On this visit we will be continuing the work begun on the 5th by raking up the cut material and removing it. This will help to spread the seeds from the cut plants and remove fertility from the meadow area, helping to improve biodiversity
Find out how to book onto this task.
Bawsinch and Duddingston Loch are found in the heart of Edinburgh on the southern edge of Holyrood Park, just below Arthur's Seat and only three kilometres from the city centre. Formerly a derelict industrial site, Bawsinch is a triangular area next to the south shore of the loch. This 26 hectare reserve, partly owned and managed by the Scottish Wildlife Trust, is a bird sanctuary and has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The area boasts breeding and wintering wildfowl, marshland with reedbeds and willow, patches of scrub and woodland, some freshwater ponds and an area of grassland named Goose Green. In the past LCV has felled trees, cleared ponds, built log bridges and cleared invasive vegetation. In recent years an additional area of land known as Murder Acre has been leased from Historic Scotland to extend the reserve.
On this vist we will be clearing the ponds on this local nature reserve to preserve the habitat.
Find out how to book onto this task.
Holyrood Park is the Koh-i-Noor in the crown jewels of Edinburgh's stunning landscape. Comprising 650 acres of mixed grassland and encompassing Arthur's Seat, the iconic Salisbury Crags as well as some of the oldest exposed rocks in Edinburgh this is a vital island for wildlife in the heart of our majestic capital.
On this visit we will be continuing our work to establish wildflowers in part of the grassland at the foot of Arthur's Seat. This will be achieved by seeding wildlowers on squares of turf that have been flipped over and planting small plugs of other grassland species. This approach is successful (as volunteers will see if they attend) but there is still plenty to do
Find out how to book onto this task.
TODO: Description to follow. Location uncertain too!
On this visit we'll be helping to maintain previously-planted trees and other aspects of the woodland
Find out how to book onto this task.
Gifford Community Woods was purchased by the local community in April 2017 with the support of the Scottish Land Fund and various other donations. It is an approximately 55 acre woodland near the East Lothian village of Gifford and comprises mixed and plantation woods on an ancient woodland site.
The Gifford Community Land Company is seeking to restore the area to native woodland supporting broad biodiversity which will be an asset to the local community now, and for generations to come.
On this visit we will be continuing our work removing rhodendron from this attractive woodland to enhance the habitat.
Find out how to book onto this task.
This site is a category B-listed medieval walled garden that once belonged to Granton's lost castle. Whilst the castle may be gone its two acre walled garden has survived through many centuries of change thanks to its fertility and the unique microclimate created by its high stone walls.
On this visit we will be creating a wildflower meadow in part of the former market garden. This will provide habitat for pollinators and pest-controlling insect species, as well as looking attractive
Find out how to book onto this task.
TODO: Description to follow. Location uncertain too!
On this visit we'll be helping to maintain previously-planted trees and other aspects of the woodland
Find out how to book onto this task.
Corstorphine Hill Local Nature Reserve is a natural heritage park with large areas of mature oak and birch woodland and grassland. The Hill is a Regionally Important Geological and Geomorphologic Site (RIGS) because the rocks and other interesting landforms are easily accessible.
On this visit we will continuing to remove invasive salmonberry bushes from the hill. This native of North America has naturalised in some areas of Scotland and pushes out native species
Find out how to book onto this task.
Leadburn Community Woodland, 13 miles south of Edinburgh, was recently purchased from the Forestry Commission by a small group of individuals known as the Friends of Leadburn Community Woodland. The group intend to replace the previous plantation of conifers with native trees such as silver birch, ash, oak and rowan, among others, and planting at the site has recently begun. The area is boggy in places, so wellies are recommended if you have them.
On this visit we will be working to enhance the paths within this popular community woodland.
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Dr David Long from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh, has purchased land near Lauder that contains a spruce plantation. He has gradually removed the spruce and replaced it with natural broadleaf woodland to increase biodiversity. LCV has visited Spottiswoode a number of times in the last few years, clearing and burning spruce and planting trees.
On this visit to spottiswoode we will be thinning out beeches to encourage the growth of understory and to ensure the trees mature well.
Find out how to book onto this task.
Corstorphine Hill Local Nature Reserve is a natural heritage park with large areas of mature oak and birch woodland and grassland. The Hill is a Regionally Important Geological and Geomorphologic Site (RIGS) because the rocks and other interesting landforms are easily accessible.
On this visit we will continuing to remove invasive salmonberry bushes from the hill. This native of North America has naturalised in some areas of Scotland and pushes out native species
Find out how to book onto this task.
Falkland Estate covers around some 1900 hectares, just under one-fifth of which is wooded, with the rest divided between arable farmland on the low ground and rough grazing on the hills. There have been settlements here from at least the time of the Iron Age people who built hill forts. It was a favourite royal hunting ground of the Stuart monarchs and home to Victorian leaders of rural and architectural style.
On this visit we will be removing invasive rhododendron from the estate to aid in regeneration of the woodland habitat
Find out how to book onto this task.
Vogrie is a popular country park half an hour from Edinburgh and four kilometres south-east of Dalkeith. It is run by Midlothian Council. About half the area is covered by woodland and scrub, with smaller patches of grassland, three ponds, an alder coppice and a conifer plantation. Over the years we have cleared the ponds, cut meadow grass, repaired part of a drystane dyke, cleared scrub, coppiced alder and planted trees.
On this visit we will be removing excess plant material from the pond to preserve the habitat
Find out how to book onto this task.
Vogrie is a popular country park half an hour from Edinburgh and four kilometres south-east of Dalkeith. It is run by Midlothian Council. About half the area is covered by woodland and scrub, with smaller patches of grassland, three ponds, an alder coppice and a conifer plantation. Over the years we have cleared the ponds, cut meadow grass, repaired part of a drystane dyke, cleared scrub, coppiced alder and planted trees.
On this visit we will continue our removal excess plant material from the pond to preserve the habitat