The Burdiehouse Burn Valley Park Local Nature Reserve Management Plan 2008 – 2018 Revised in 2010 D:\Ranger\My Documents\BBVP\Burdiehouse Burn Valley Park Management Plan 2008\green flag Management plan.doc 1 INDEX PAGE Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 3 SECTION ONE –Site description........................................................................................................... 3 Site maps I, II, III and IV…………………………………………………………………………………………...6-9 1.1 Management plan framework........................................................................................................... 10 SECTION TWO – Our vision ................................................................................................................ 11 SECTION THREE – Aims ..................................................................................................................... 12 3.1 Aims and links with Green Flag criteria ............................................................................................ 12 SECTION FOUR – Surveys .................................................................................................................. 13 4.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 13 4.2 Historical links .................................................................................................................................. 13 4.3 Community engagement .................................................................................................................. 17 4.4 Strategic context of the park............................................................................................................. 19 4.5 Management rules............................................................................................................................ 21 4.6 Park classification............................................................................................................................. 22 4.7 Surveys and assessments undertaken............................................................................................. 22 SECTION FIVE – Analysis.................................................................................................................... 25 5.1 Green flag criteria 1: A welcoming site ............................................................................................. 25 5.2 Green flag criteria 2: Healthy, safe & secure.................................................................................... 28 5.3 Green flag criteria 3: Well maintained & clean ................................................................................. 30 5.4 Green flag criteria 4: Sustainability................................................................................................... 34 5.5 Green flag criteria 5: Conservation & Heritage................................................................................. 35 5.6 Green flag criteria 6: Community involvement.................................................................................. 36 5.7 Green flag criteria 7: Marketing ........................................................................................................ 38 5.8 Green flag criteria 8: Management plan ........................................................................................... 39 SECTION SIX – Action plan ................................................................................................................. 41 SECTION SEVEN – Marketing plan ..................................................................................................... 50 7.1 Marketing plan ………………………………………………………………………………………………...51 7.2 Future marketing of the park ............................................................................................................ 52 Appendix I – Policy Context ……………………………………………………………………….................55 D:\Ranger\My Documents\BBVP\Burdiehouse Burn Valley Park Management Plan 2008\green flag Management plan.doc 2 Appendix II –Maintenance Plan………………………………………………………………………............62 Appendix III – Countryside Ranger Service workplan……………………………………………...........71 Appendix IV – Projects summary table………………………………………………………………..........85 ACRONYMS KEY: BBVPFG Friends of Burdiehouse Burn Valley Park BBVP Burdiehouse Burn Valley Park CCTV Closed Circuit Television CEC City of Edinburgh Council CON Contractor CPO Community Parks Officer CRS Countryside Ranger Service ELGT Edinburgh and Lothian Greenspace Trust GIS Geography Information System LEM Local Environment Manager LNR Local Nature Reserve MG Burdiehouse Burn Valley Park Management Group PC Project Coordinator PGS Parks and Greenspace Section SEHLI South Edinburgh Healthy Living Initiative SFC Services For Communities SEP South Edinburgh Partnership TF Task Force TW CEC Trees and woodlands Officer SG Burdiehouse Burn Valley Park Steering Group SNH Scottish Natural Heritage VOLS Volunteers D:\Ranger\My Documents\BBVP\Burdiehouse Burn Valley Park Management Plan 2008\green flag Management plan.doc 3 INTRODUCTION The Burdiehouse Burn Valley Park project began in 2002 when the South Edinburgh Partnership (SEP) responded to community concerns about the poor condition of the park. A Steering Group (SG) consisting of representatives from the local community and other stakeholders was set up and a seven year development plan commissioned. This provided the blueprint for a development programme, which to date has seen over £750,000 invested in the park from a variety of grant giving bodies. The park achieved Local Nature Reserve Status (LNR) in February 2007. One of the main objectives of the development plan was to obtain Local Nature Reserve designation for the park. The park was successfully declared as a Local Nature Reserve by the City of Edinburgh Council (CEC) in February 2007. A requirement of LNR status is to produce a management plan within six years of designation. SECTION ONE: SITE DESCRIPTION The Burdiehouse Burn Valley Park LNR is an elongated linear greenspace feature occupying the valley of the Burdiehouse Burn between the housing areas of Moredun, Gilmerton, Burdiehouse and Southhouse, located to the south of Edinburgh city centre, and can be easily accessed by most of the population of Edinburgh. The park contains a network of paths generally following the line of the burn while passing though the woodland features and amenity grassland. The park is orientated generally northeast to southwest. The Burdiehouse Burn also flows in this direction. The area is served by a system of paths. Most of the primary path routes have been recently upgraded and new access created in the form of ramps into the valley to cater for multi-user access. The paths cross the Burdiehouse Burn via a number of bridges proving access to both sides of the valley along the burn. D:\Ranger\My Documents\BBVP\Burdiehouse Burn Valley Park Management Plan 2008\green flag Management plan.doc 4 A number of schools are located nearby with Burdiehouse Primary School being located on the edge of the Park. The Burdiehouse Burn Valley Park LNR lies within the designated Greenbelt for the City of Edinburgh. The LNR covers the area mainly along the Burdiehouse Burn from Burdiehouse Road to Gilmerton Road - see maps I, II III and IV overleaf. Map I shows an overall view of Edinburgh to give an idea of the park’s location in the city, map II shows the LNR boundaries, map III shows bus routes and details of interesting features for the first section of the park and map IV gives the same information for the second section of the park. The park can be naturally divided into two main sections: • Burdiehouse/ Southhouse area: From Burdiehouse Road to Lasswade Road (including the Dip area) • Gilmerton area: From Lasswade Road (including Hyvots area and Ellen’s Glen hamlet) to Gilmerton Road Summary information: Park name: Burdiehouse Burn Valley Park Local Nature Reserve. National Grid Reference: The centre of the LNR is located at NT 283 682. Size of site: 26 ha Main contact telephone number: 0131 447 7145 Main contact e-mail: [email protected] Ownership: The City of Edinburgh Council Area Designation: South Neighbourhood, Liberton/ Gilmerton Ward Classification: Natural Heritage site Plan reviewed by: David Doig, Environment Manager [email protected] Tel: 0131 529 5187 Mike Shields, Community Parks Officer [email protected] Tel: 0131 529 5126 Jessica Morgado, Countryside Ranger [email protected] Tel: 0131 447 7145 Previous plan: 2008 D:\Ranger\My Documents\BBVP\Burdiehouse Burn Valley Park Management Plan 2008\green flag Management plan.doc 5 This map is reproduced from Ordnance Survey material with permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationary Office Crown Copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes © Crown Copyright and may lead to prosecution of civil proceedings. Licence number 100023420 City Edinburgh Council. Map I: Location of the park in Edinburgh D:\Ranger\My Documents\BBVP\Burdiehouse Burn Valley Park Management Plan 2008\green flag Management plan.doc 6 Map II: Boundaries of the LNR D:\Ranger\My Documents\BBVP\Burdiehouse Burn Valley Park Management Plan 2008\green flag Management plan.doc 7 Straiton Road: Lothian bus 3A, 3 Lasswade Road: Lothian bus 31 Map III: