ELFHNP promotes WIAT across the Lothians
12 March 2009
The Edinburgh and Lothians Forest Habitat Network Partnership is working to promote participation in Forestry Commission Scotland’s highly successful Woods in and Around Towns (WIAT) initiative around the Lothians. The £24M programme runs up to March 2011 and aims to improve the quality of life in towns and cities. The aims of the project are;
- To create new woodland
- To bring neglected woodland into active management
- To work with people to help them use their local woodland
The scheme particularly hopes to target woods in deprived communities and in areas which are close to existing woodland to help in the creation and delivery of green networks. The focus is on everyday low key, informal settings rather than woods which are necessarily visitor magnets. The woodlands will be promoted as safe and accessible locations to enjoy the outdoors.
ELFHNP has been approaching local authorities, community groups and partner organisations with a potential to identifying possible locations for WIAT work.
Ian Whitehead, the Forest Habitat Network Officer said “WIAT provides a great opportunity to bring some of our neglected woods close to communities back to life. Better managed and maintained woodlands will encourage people to get out and become more active. This has got to be a good thing for people’s state of wellbeing in the present climate of gloom and doom”.
A couple of WIAT applications have already been announced for the Lothians at Harmony Woods in Balerno and at Cornbank in Pencuik. The potential for doing considerably more in the area is unlimited. Areas that ELFHNP are currently interested in include urban woods in Livingstone, Hermitage of Braid, the Esk Valley in Midlothian and locations around Walyford and Tranent.
If you would like to know more about the potential for WIAT in your area, please contact Ian Whitehead at ELFHNP