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 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun | Sun 2 | Roslin Glen | Tree cutting and ivy control | |
| Sat 8 | Easter Craiglockhart Hill | Meadow management and pond work | ||
| Sun 9 | Holyrood Park | Himalayan balsam control | ||
| Sun 16 - Sat 22 | Taynish | Residential: Bracken bashing and scrub clearance | ||
| Sun 30 | Yellowcraig Beach | Piri-Piri burr removal (TASK CHANGED) | ||
| Jul | Sat 6 | Addiewell Bing | Tree weeding and path clearance | |
| Sun 7 | Springfield Mill | Meadow mowing and raking | ||
| Sun 14 | Holyrood Park | TASK CHANGED: Himalayan Balsam Control | ||
| Sun 21 | Falkland Estate | Cutting back overhangs from path |
Cutting back overhangs from path
2019-07-21
There are plenty of spaces remaining on this task. Please click to view booking information
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| Sun 28 | Falkland Estate | Cutting back overhangs from path |
Cutting back overhangs from path
2019-07-28
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| Aug | Sun 4 | Roslin Glen | Himalayan balsam control |
Himalayan balsam control
2019-08-04
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| Sun 11 | Holyrood Park | Himalayan balsam control |
Himalayan balsam control
2019-08-11
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| Sun 18 | Falkland Estate | Cutting back overhangs from path |
Cutting back overhangs from path
2019-08-18
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| Sun 25 | Gullane | Scything of meadows |
Scything of meadows
2019-08-25
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| Sep | Sun 1 | Cramond Foreshore | Turf removal for wildflower area |
Turf removal for wildflower area
2019-09-01
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| Sun 8 | Red Moss | Tree pulling |
Tree pulling
2019-09-08
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| Sun 15 | Portmoak Moss | Scrub pulling |
Scrub pulling
2019-09-15
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| Sun 22 | Longniddry Bents | Scything the meadow |
Scything the meadow
2019-09-22
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| Sun 29 | Vogrie Country Park | Meadow management |
Meadow management
2019-09-29
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| Oct | Sun 6 | Easter Craiglockhart Hill | Meadow raking |
Meadow raking
2019-10-06
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Task cancelled. This will only be done in extreme circumstances. |
| Space information last updated: Sunday 14 July |
If you would like to print out our task list, here is our current newsletter, The Puggled Mucker (265K) 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.
Roslin Glen is a 19 hectare reserve south of Edinburgh to the east of Roslin village and on the south bank of the River North Esk in Midlothian. The site is owned and managed by Midlothian Council. It is a relatively undisturbed mixed deciduous woodland largely made up of native sessile oak, wych-elm and ash, with a shrub layer of hazel and holly. There are also some introduced sycamore, beech and Norway spruce trees which are gradually being removed. The area boasts a rich woodland flora which includes dog's mercury, ramsons, wood-rush and various ferns. Dippers and kingfishers can be seen in the fairly clean waters of the Esk. The area has been put under a Millennium Forest for Scotland grant scheme to return the woodland to a native mixture of trees such as ash, alder, oak, pine and birch.
On this visit we will be undertaking various woodland management tasks and removing excessive ivy from the park.
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 meadows to ensure the habitat is not overtaken by denser vegetation and clearing the pond to encourage waterfowl and other wildlife.
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 control invasive himalayan balsam within the park
Find out how to book onto this task.
The ancient deciduous woodland at Taynish is one of the largest in Britain and thoroughly worth the long trip from Edinburgh. Oak trees have flourished here for 6000 years or more — a little longer than people have lived here. Once a source of timber and charcoal, these woods now form one of Britain's largest remaining native oakwoods. The importance of the site was recongnised in 1977 by designation as a National Nature Reserve and it is now managed by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH). Taynish lies on a scenic peninsula overlooking Loch Sween, which was scoured out by glaciers 11000 years ago and has an atmosphere all of its own.
The peninsula has a wide range of habitats, including shoreline, grassland, scrub, bog, heath and woodland, each home to a host of plants, insects, birds and mammals that thrive in the clean, humid air. In all, between the woodland's dripping ferns and mosses and the marsh and grassland, over 300 plant species and more than 20 kinds of butterfly are supported. To help the woods keep their near-natural character and rich wildlife, SNH is also removing rhododendron, which crowds out other plants.
Our summer residential this year will be at Taynish and Mhoine Mhor, removing bracken and clearing scrub from the peat bog to aid regeneration. Accomodation at the Kilmartin Bothy.
Find out how to book onto this task.
Yellowcraig is situated 23 miles east of Edinburgh just north of the attractive East Lothian village of Dirleton and is a Site of Special Scientific Interest. It comprises a variety of habitats, including mature and developing woodland, sand dunes, coastal grassland and rocky outcrops, as well as its long sweeping sandy beach with views to Fidra island.
On this visit to the beautiful dunes at Yellowcraig we will be removing invasive piri-piri burr to preserve the duneland habitat.
Please note that this is a change from the previously-advertised ragwort pulling task at North Berwick Law. The reason for the change is a lack of ragwort to pull! We've clearly done a good job there in the past
Find out how to book onto this task.
Addiewell Bing is a long, narrow reserve of 21 hectares 20 miles from Edinburgh just south of Bathgate in West Lothian, which is leased and managed by the Scottish Wildlife Trust. It is an excellent example of how a derelict industrial site--part of the oil shale industry--can be converted into an important wildlife refuge.
Most of the reserve is covered by woodland and scrub, but there are also patches of bracken, heather, open grassland and marshy ground with a rich variety of plants and birds. Originally, the area was planted with lodgepole pine to help stabilise the steep sides of this old spoil heap. More recently, these trees have been replaced with native species including oak and ash. In the past we have felled lodgepole pine, upgraded the footpath and cleared invading broom from areas of heather.
On this visit we will be weeding previously planted trees and clearing excess vegetation from the access paths within the reserve
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 meadows that we helped to sow a number of years ago and raking off the cut plants. This will help to keep nutrient levels low and preserve the important meadow habitat for insects and other wildlife.
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 or work removing the invasive himalayan balsam from the slopes below Arthurs Seat. This is a change from the previously-advertised task at Falkland Estate which will now take place in the subsequent Sunday
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 working on paths within the estate to enhance access to the woodlands on site. In particular this work will involve removing overhanging branches to widen the paths and make them accessible to all users
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 continuing our work to make the paths within the estate accessible to all users
Find out how to book onto this task.
Roslin Glen is a 19 hectare reserve south of Edinburgh to the east of Roslin village and on the south bank of the River North Esk in Midlothian. The site is owned and managed by Midlothian Council. It is a relatively undisturbed mixed deciduous woodland largely made up of native sessile oak, wych-elm and ash, with a shrub layer of hazel and holly. There are also some introduced sycamore, beech and Norway spruce trees which are gradually being removed. The area boasts a rich woodland flora which includes dog's mercury, ramsons, wood-rush and various ferns. Dippers and kingfishers can be seen in the fairly clean waters of the Esk. The area has been put under a Millennium Forest for Scotland grant scheme to return the woodland to a native mixture of trees such as ash, alder, oak, pine and birch.
On this visit we will be removing the invasive himalayan balsam from areas within the Glen.
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 or work removing the invasive himalayan balsam from the slopes below Arthurs Seat.
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 continuing our work to make the paths within the estate accessible to all users
Find out how to book onto this task.
Gullane Links are part of the beautiful and dramatic coastal scenery in East Lothian to the east of Edinburgh, which includes sand dunes, mudflats, sandy beaches, rocky headlands, steep cliffs and a scattering of small islands. Gullane Bay is about two miles north-east of Aberlady and is one of the finest and most popular sandy beaches within easy reach of Edinburgh. Pirri pirri bur is a low growing, evergreen perennial native to New Zealand. The plant has become invasive along parts of the East Lothian coastline, where it outcompetes native grasses on the dune system.
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.
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.
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 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.
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