"Lothians and Fife will have attractive, biodiverse networks of woodlands, greenspaces, wetlands and semi natural habitats. These networks will contribute to the development of a strong local economy and provide diverse benefits for local residents including recreation, health and well being. Local people will be actively involved in the planning, creation and development of these networks, which will be key assets for the community."

About Us

Lothians and Fife Green Network Partnership was initially launched in 2008 by Scottish Environment Minister Michael Russell, as the Edinburgh and Lothians Forest Habitat Network Partnership (ELFHNP). The Partnership aimed to promote the economic, social and ecological benefits of green networks across the Lothians and to develop best practice on the ground.

In August 2010 the Partnership was rebranded to become the Lothians and Fife Green Network Partnership (LFGNP) following the inclusion of Fife Council and Fife Coast and Countryside Trust as partners. This reflected the wider development of the Central Scotland Green Network, as proposed in the National Planning Framework 2 (NPF2) and the incorporation of the green network agenda within SESPlan, the Strategic Development Plan for Edinburgh and South East Scotland.

The Partnership works across a wide range of partner organisations and is co-ordinated by a small team based in the offices of the Edinburgh and Lothians Greenspace Trust at Swanston, Edinburgh.

Working within a Framework

The partnership is developing its co-ordinated vision through influencing and inputting into local and regional strategies such as SESPlan, Local Development Plans, Public Open Space Strategies and Indicative Forestry Strategies.

Along with Local Authority partners, the Partnership is co-ordinating and assisting the development of Regional Forestry Frameworks for Edinburgh, the Lothians and Fife. These policy documents embrace the following key principles:

To link social, environmental and economic strands of sustainable development.
To complement and cross reference existing green infrastructure strategies and policies from Scottish, UK and European Government.
To add value to what is already happening through co-ordinating action on the ground and through facilitating examples of best practice.
To deliver real benefits through working effectively with existing partnership structures and across a range of implementation bodies.

Strategic Outcomes

The Lothians and Fife Green Network Partnership has five key strategic outcomes which link closely with Scottish Government Sustainable Economic Growth priorities: