ECCAN Spring Assembly: Nature where we live - green space and biodiversity

Thank you so much to everyone who joined us at the ECCAN Spring Assembly last week - it was fantastic to have everyone in the same room on Earth Day to discuss green space, biodiversity and what we can do together as a network to make Edinburgh greener, wilder, and more welcoming for all.

The day was centred around the theme nature where we live: green space and biodiversity, with a focus on opening up conversation, sharing ideas and exploring what community-led action could look like across the city. From local green spaces and flood resilience to creative practice and social connection, the sessions were designed to offer different entry points into the same question: how do we better support nature in the places we live?

We began with a shared lunch, giving time to connect and settle into the space and explore North Edinburgh Arts’ beautiful garden before moving into a short welcome and framing for the day. From there, we moved into a key note and film screening, workshops and a Town Hall capturing heaps of exciting updates from across the network (keep reading for the big juicy list!)

🎬 Featured film
Simon Dures shared his inspiring film on rewilding at the NMS archives in Granton, featuring entomologist Ashleigh Whiffin. Watch the film here.

You can explore more of Simon’s work on his YouTube channel. He is also the founder and director of the Edinburgh Conservation Film Festival, with applications now open for 2027. 

The film references the iRecord app - a quick and simple way to become a citizen scientist and support conservation in Edinburgh. Download it and give it a go! 

🌿 Your opportunity to re-green the city: apply to Depave
Is there a patch of unnecessary tarmac or paving in your area that’s crying out for greenery? Through the Depave programme, ECCAN can support community-led projects to remove hard surfaces and bring nature back into urban spaces. Get in touchif you have an idea you’d like to explore.

💡 Workshop highlights
We split into four workshops on the day - here’s a quick reminder and future opportunities from each. The sessions ran in parallel and gave space for more focused discussion, hands-on activity and shared thinking in smaller groups.

• Gill Hatcher, Scottish Wildlife Trust - Reimagining our local spaces for nature and community
  This session took a practical approach, inviting participants to step outside and explore a nearby ‘forgotten’ green space. Working in groups, people imagined how it could be taken on and transformed by a community, thinking about skills, challenges and opportunities. Gill is planning a Nature pioneers gathering on the 2nd June, a friendly workshop open to anyone who wants to organise action for nature where they live. Explore the Trust's online resources for community action here.

• Jessie Lindsay - Where does the water go? Designing a flood-resilient Edinburgh
  Jessie’s research looks at how urban planning and climate adaptation can reduce future flood risk in the city. Through mapping exercises and discussion, participants explored how water moves through urban spaces and where nature-based solutions could be introduced. To find out more get in touch and we can connect you with Jessie.

• Emma Bush, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh - Where diversity flourishes: exploring nature and belonging
  This co-mapping session explored how different communities experience and value nature, and how recognising this diversity can strengthen both social and ecological resilience. RBGE offers an in-depth range of resources and courses, including their online resource bank and Biodiversity Skills Centre training opportunities.

• Sara Gough, Art Buds Collective - The wonder of elder: foraging and creative making
  A slower, more reflective session combining foraging, storytelling and creative making. Participants worked with natural materials to create small pieces, while exploring cultural and seasonal connections to plants. Art Buds have a fantastic programme of sustainable arts education, including a Professional Development Programme for educators and 3-day summer art camp for children this July.

📋 Opportunities and links from the Town Hall

We closed the day with a Town Hall discussion, bringing everyone back together to share opportunities, events and initiatives. All sorts of amazing items were raised - reflecting the breadth of work already happening across the network and the many ways to get involved in community climate action. This is the really juicy stuff - get stuck in to it below.

Events 

• Climate Film Club - Walk with Me: 28th April - A free, positive climate focused screening and discussion event. Register here.

• Reducing Energy Costs for Community Groups - free webinar: 29th April - For community groups looking to reduce their energy bills, join this free webinar for practical support from Utility Aid.

• Community Buildings Fund CARES information session: 11th May - Free online session for community groups to learn how the fund could help reduce your building's energy costs and emissions. Register here.

• The People’s Emergency Briefing - film screening ECCAN: 13th May - Upcoming community screening of this urgent and necessary film, followed by a discussion with local community organisers. Register here.

• E-cargo bike session: Friday 16th May - try out an e-cargo bike with BANZAI at Bruntsfield Links.

• Visit a heat pump: 24th May - Visit Florance's home to learn more about a real home installation and have your questions answered. Register here.

• Inchcolm Ark: Tuesday 9th June - Become part of a unique living artwork on Inchcolm Island exploring future sea rise levels. All are invited to participate.

Opportunities

• Sustainable Services Directory for the Fringe - Jessie Lindsay is developing a new resource to help make the Fringe greener and it's open to contributions - this is your chance to get involved.

• Shrub Coop - a zero-waste hub in Edinburgh, currently looking for trustees and volunteers. Discover more.

• Scran Fir Bees - an artist-led project creating food sources for pollinators. Community groups and individuals are invited to learn about pollinator and food system interrelationships.

Initiatives 

• Granton Goes Greener - A brilliant local initiative focused on sharing and community. Find out what's coming up and get involved.

• Hidden Door Festival - Visit their unique indoor garden installation at the Paper Factory.

• Clean Heat Edinburgh Forum (CHEF) - is a community led initiative aimed at local individuals, groups and organisations interested in making the transition to low carbon heating. Learn more.

Consultations

• Local Place Plan: Southside - If you live, work, study, or spend time in Southside share your views on the future of your neighbourhood.

• Local Place Plan: BANZAI - The community consultation led by BANZAI is still open for contributions from those based in Fountainbridge, Marchmont, Merchiston, Bruntsfield, Sciennes.

Stay in touch

Phew, that was a lot!  With so many amazing ideas and opportunities in the room on the day, we don't want to leave it there.

We'll be sharing more in our next newsletter, along with next steps and ways to stay involved with the themes of the day. If anything came up on the day that you'd like to share: a project, an idea, a connection you made - please do get in touch, we'd love to see if there's appetite to focus further on Edinburgh's green space and biodiversity.

A huge thank you to everyone who came - and to our newest Trustee Agi awa Kaira for her warm introduction, our workshop leaders and keynote, and to North Edinburgh Arts for hosting us so thoughtfully.

Until next time,
The ECCAN team 🌿