Nature & Biodiversity
Midlothian is the fastest growing region in Scotland. This means new homes, new communities, but it also means new pressures. As our communities grow, so does the pressure on our woodlands, our rivers and our green spaces.
How we manage this growth will shape what Midlothian looks and feels like for generations to come.
We are lucky. The Pentland and Moorfoot Hills rise around us. The Esk and Tyne carve magical wooded glens through the landscape. Gladhouse Reservoir hosts internationally important birdlife, and places like Fala Flow and Kitchen Moss hold ancient peatlands that lock away carbon and support rare plants.
Yet nature is struggling. Across the UK, 97% of wildflower meadows have been lost since the 1930s. Nearly half of Scotland’s monitored species have declined in the last decade. Fragmented habitats mean wildlife cannot move, adapt or survive.
Yet nature is struggling. Across the UK, 97% of wildflower meadows have been lost since the 1930s. Nearly half of Scotland’s monitored species have declined in the last decade. Fragmented habitats mean wildlife cannot move, adapt or survive.
The good news? Communities can make a real difference.
When people come together to restore and care for their local environment, nature recovers
What we're working towards
Nature is everywhere. It’s in our parks, our gardens and our waterways. When we make space for it, it comes back. And when it thrives, so do we. Access to green space is good for our mental health, our physical wellbeing and the resilience of our communities.
We want Midlothian to be a place where nature is valued, protected and given room to recover. Here’s what we’re focused on:
🌿 Community Gardens
Supporting community-led growing spaces that bring people together, support pollinators and connect people with nature on their doorstep.
🦔 Wildlife Corridors
Exploring opportunities to restore and reconnect fragmented habitats and create practical pathways for nature recovery across Midlothian.
We’ve supported projects restoring meadows, planting hedgerows and creating pollinator highways, run biodiversity learning days and hedgelaying workshops, and begun mapping natural spaces across Midlothian. This is just the beginning.
Our Projects
We’re actively working on two fronts to support the energy revolution in Midlothian.
Community Garden and Conservation Network
Our Community Garden and Conservation Network connects groups across Midlothian to share knowledge and swap resources. From experienced growers to groups just getting started, everyone is welcome.
Our Community Garden & Conservation Network
Greenspaces mean different things to different people: growing food, supporting wildlife or simply having a welcoming place to come together. Whatever brings people to them, they strengthen communities and bring nature into our towns and villages.
Our Community Garden & Conservation Network brings together local growers, community gardens and conservationists. It connects local groups tending to greenspaces across Midlothian, helps them share resources and knowledge, and builds capacity by applying for funding together.
Keen to join our Community Garden and Conservation Network? Whether you have an idea for a project or would like to get involved in existing opportunities in Midlothian, we'd love to hear from you!
Got an idea? We can help!