© Keith Brame/Sustrans

Annual Review 2013/14 Chair’s Foreword It’s been a year of significant achievement and change planning and management decisions. We are also seeing for ourselves and our partners. an increasing use of green networks in masterplans for large developments (e.g. the suite of Integrating Green We have emerged from a Scottish Government Gateway Infrastructure studies by the & Clyde Valley Review with a new structure and new priorities. In April Green Network Partnership). 2014, we were formally established as the Central Green Network Trust (CSGNT). I offer my congratulations to all projects being taken forward through CSGN funding opportunities. This year As a sign of how committed the Scottish Government the Development Fund delivered just under £765,000 is to help make the new Trust a success, a CSGN to support 26 projects and the Community Project Programme Committee has been established with Fund delivered over £60,000 of support to local level representation from across Government departments. organisations such as community groups and nurseries. This is a welcome recognition that we are a cross cutting All these projects are delivering tangible differences initiative with interests in health, housing, regeneration, on the ground, helping to make the CSGN Vision into a tourism, the economy and not just the environment. reality. To ensure that we have the necessary resources to meet On the back of this success, I am pleased to say that a the challenges ahead, the Central Scotland Forest Trust Development Fund for 2015/6 has been agreed and the has been transformed into the CSGNT. Operationally, this details will be announced later in 2014. means that we now have 28 members of staff instead of the former 5. This is a crucial step in helping us to achieve There is more good funding news to report. In February the CSGN Vision along with continued engagement and 2014, it was announced that the European Structural action by our many partners. and Investment Fund would include support for Green Infrastructure developments. This opportunity came As I write this in June, I’m pleased to report that the about due to the rapid work of SNH in preparing a strong CSGN has been incorporated into the third National case for funding. An SNH application for LIFE funding has Planning Framework (NPF3) restating the Scottish also been successful. This will fund projects which will Government’s support for the initiative. This means that restore, create and improve natural habitats and wildlife CSGN will remain a national development with a broad corridors throughout the Central Belt. purpose to improve the quality of the environment across the central belt for business, people and wildlife. Looking towards next year, we are aware of the importance of the Scotland Rural Development The Framework also requests us to prioritise three key Programme and Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) themes - the remediation of derelict land, action in and SNH are working with partners to ensure that this disadvantaged communities and active travel. provides appropriate support to deliver CSGN objectives. Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) staff working with I would wish to take this opportunity to say thank you to landowners, Local Authorities, particularly East Lothian Helen Zealley, Iain McTaggart and Cllr John McDowall who Council along with other agencies spent the year demitted office this year from what was the Partnership completing the John Muir Way. The route was formally Board. Their experience and guidance was of great opened by the First Minister on 21 April - John Muir’s assistance to myself and to senior staff. birthday. The launch took place as part of a wider Festival which celebrated the astonishing achievements of this I look forward to working with the new CSGNT Board and pioneering Scot. Not only did some 3,000 people attend the Programme Committee to ensure that the CSGN goes the opening but there has