Sighthill Woodlands

 

​Sighthill Woodlands is a council-owned neighbourhood community woodlands for Sighthill, Broomhouse and Parkhead areas in the south-west of Edinburgh. Roughly 12.38 hectares in size. The Millenium Acre Community Wood, planted at the start of the new Millennium, runs right along the boundary of Sighthill Park. Community woodlands provide a local greenspace resource with benefits such as improved physical and mental health and wellbeing, supporting biodiversity and creating education and training opportunities.

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History & Origins

In 1992, the ‘Edinburgh Urban Forest Strategy’ identified a need to protect and extend the city’s ageing stock of trees. The Edinburgh Urban Forest Project was rolled out across the city to address this, establishing new areas of woodland cover with the full participation of local communities.

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Between 1995 and 2000, some 250,000 trees were planted under the scheme at more than 70 locations across the city.

 

As well as improving amenity for future generations, these new woodlands contribute to biodiversity thanks to the Project's strong focus on planting a mix of species native to Scotland. Introducing these woodlands has helped transform featureless grassland parks and open spaces into diverse wildlife habitats. One of these areas, the 'Millenium Acre Wood', runs right along the boundary of Sighthill Park as well as large cluster near Bankhead Avenue.

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Trees

The trees at Sighthill Park are all mostly native mix of birch, alder, rowan, oak and pine with some smaller hazel and hawthorn.

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Promoting Local Biodiversity

We desire people to be able to easily access, learn about and engage with their local biodiversity directly contributing through conservation action to protect and enhance it.

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Our aim is to contribute in making Edinburgh a greener city with more opportunities for wildlife, enabling people to engage with nature, and raise awareness of the rich biodiversity in Edinburgh; as well as encouraging others take positive action to protect and enhance our natural environment.

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We also aim to identify where positive management, projects or management plans that should be implemented, and engage with local communities about the ecological importance of our local woodlands.

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Tree Planting

Trees bring so many potent and lasting benefits to where we live, our health and our wellbeing. Scotland is already feeling the effects of climate change, which brings more pests and diseases which affect trees. Redhall Park already has a range of trees, but we could do more to plant a range of tree species. 

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A wider range of tree species will create more healthy woodland habitat for urban wildlife, build resistance to pests/disease, and make the park a more interesting place to be! In addition to the existing range of trees, Sighthill Park could host new trees native to Scotland. This could include walnut, ash, birch, oak, and even a community orchard such as the one currently being nurtured at Saughton Park. A corner of the park could grow apples, plums, pears... but what matters is what you want to see as a local resident and user of the park.

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