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Future Woodlands Scotland

A community orchard and tree care project | Edinburgh

Friends of Inch Park in South East Edinburgh are set to make the local area a dynamic hub for environmental care and education. This ambitious project will plant 90 fruit trees and 250 additional trees, joining a network of community orchards within a 20-minute neighbourhood radius.

With funding from our Urban Forestry Programme, local residents will have the opportunity to engage with nature, including planting and caring for trees visible from their homes, while contributing to the area’s growing tree cover.

Led by Friends of Inch Park (FOIP) and supported by groups like the Inch Community Association and Edinburgh Communities Climate Action Network (ECCAN), this project develops the local community’s abilities to actively engage in environmental stewardship.

“It’s about enabling the community to help design and care for their environment,” says Ian Robertson, Secretary of FOIP. “Tree cover in this area is lacking, but this grant will enhance local beauty, boost biodiversity, and support climate resilience. By creating a fully integrated community orchard, we can bring people of all ages together to learn, grow, and strengthen our connections. This project will elevate our work to a new level.”

The orchard and tree care project will be delivered by Every Inch Matters, an environmental art project based within the Inch. It will feature arts-based activities that highlight the importance of ecological and climate literacy.

Jonathan Baxter and Sarah Gittins, lead artists with Every Inch Matters, say: “Through creative art practices and ecological education people can better understand the importance of trees, whilst also making tree care more accessible and enjoyable.

“As environmental artists living in the Inch, we know how important Inch Park is for the local community. Working with Friends of Inch Park on this project as a wonderful opportunity and something we truly relish. Engaging with Liberton Primary School and the local community will be key to the project’s success.”

The project is expected to begin in March 2025 and run until December 2026.