Why we're standing up for nature
The Roseburn Path plays a vital role for nature and biodiversity in Edinburgh, delivering wider benefits for our health, wellbeing and ability to adapt to climate change. The proposal to put a tram down the Roseburn Path means these benefits could be lost forever.
The UK is one of the world’s most nature depleted countries in the world, we need to be protecting and restoring our green spaces, not tearing them down.
What is at risk?
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The loss of approximately 3,500 trees. That’s the equivalent of every tree in the Edinburgh Botanical Gardens being chopped down
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Many protected and priority species along the proposed route - rare plants and molluscs, mammals and fungi.
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Badgers, foxes, owls, bats, birds, pollinators as well as the plentiful trees and vegetation and many more species that live along the path.
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Birds included on the RSBP's conservation red list, meaning they are globally threatened or have seen rapid decline in the UK.
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Four Local Biodiversity Sites (SSSIs) and damage the connectivity of species across a far greater area.
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Water quality in the surrounding area, including the Water of Leith.
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The physical and mental benefits that we all receive from nature.
Why are 'nature corridors'
so important?
Connectivity of wild spaces is essential; loss of connectivity can lead to fragmented habitats that constrain wildlife movement. Populations get isolated and key ecological processes like plant pollination can be lost. Unimpeded movement through the landscape allows animals to find food and establish new home territories. Loss of nature corridors increases vulnerability to disease and can reduce resilience to threats, including the ability to adapt to climate change.
The Council’s own Nature Network acknowledges that preserving wildlife corridors and connecting habitats are essential.
