Below you will find the latest news items. You can click on the title of any item to open it up and comment if you wish.
This year’s ‘Spring Clean’ will take place on Sunday 25th April 2010 from
2-4pm. As usual there will be the opportunity to get into the burn to clear rubbish but we will also try to cover the whole Park if we have enough people.
Waders, litter pickers and refreshments will be provided.
This year for the first time we will be sorting the rubbish for re-cycling where possible.
All Welcome!
This years AGM will be held on Sunday 7th March. We will be following a new format this year with the AGM starting at 2pm at the main gate for a series of short informal walks around the Park accompanied by a member of the committee. This will enable us to explain what we have achieved this year and allow you to tell us what you like or dislike in the Park.
We will then adjourn to the Greenbank Church hall for a short formal session and refreshments.
We hope as many of our members as possible will be able to come along to the event and also enjoy a spring walk in the Park.
After a long wait the new cycle racks for the Park have been installed. There are some at the main entrance, at the junction of Greenbank Crescent and Comiston Road, and more in the Park itself just north of the stage area next to the main path. Hopefully when the weather warms up these will be useful as somewhere secure to leave your bike while you enjoy the Park.
Leave the car at home and come by bike!
Many thanks to Mike Shields at the council for organising this work.
The 400 or more cherry trees towards the southern end of the Park were planted in 1935 by the Guides Association in the shape of their emblem – a trefoil. These trees are now over 70 years old, are in decline and are gradually being replaced with new Cherry Trees
Cherry trees in Braidburn Valley Park
To celebrate the centenary of Girl Guiding 100 new trees will be planted this spring. On Saturday 27th Feb at 2pm over 100 Girl Guides will help plant some of the new trees.
The event will begin at 2pm at the main gate next to the traffic lights and a piper will lead the Guides to the planting site. Refreshments will be available in Greenbank Church hall after the planting and the event is expected to finish around 4pm.
Please come along and help,and be part of this historic event.
The recent snowfalls have provided the best sledging conditions in the Park for many years. All runs have full cover of fresh powdery snow giving excellent conditions.
Sledging scene in Braidburn Valley Park
Bring you sledge, bivvy bag, inflatable dingy or whatever and enjoy yourselves. More snow is forecast for mid week and the conditions are expected to remain good all week.
The flood defence work within the Park is now complete and the southern entrance is open again. In the near future trees and shrubs will be planted in this area to replace those that were removed during the work. These will all be of native species to help the wildlife.
Southern Entrance on Oxgangs Ave
Following the installation of a new set of steps and a handrail by the council at this entrance the Friends group have now cleared back the vegetation to give better sight lines into the Park. The shrubs will soon grow back but will be kept pruned to a lower level to allow passers by to see into the Park. We also intend to plant some bulbs, probably snowdrops, at this entrance.
Comiston Springs Ave Entrance
On Wednesday 4th November we were pleased to welcome Professor János Apostol from Hungary to the Park to look at the Cherry Trees and the replacement programme. Professor Apostol is an expert in the cultivation of cherry trees.
Professor János Apostol visits Bradiburn Valley Park
He was accompanied by his partner and son as well as Ian Triall the consultant who arranged the visit. Professor Apostol discussed some of the issues around the replanting of the cherry tree trefoil with the tree wardens. The various fungal diseases that affect this species of tree was also talked about. It is hoped that the link with the Hungarian fruit growing institute will be maintained as the tree replacement programme continues over the coming years.
The Cherry Tree Trefoil towards the southern end of the Park was planted in 1935 by the Guides Association in the shape of their emblem – a trefoil. The large numbers of cherry trees (over 400) are planted as avenues alongside the paths and make a magnificent display of pink and white blossom in the spring. These trees are now over 70 years old and in decline.
A program of replacement is started in 2008 with around 50 new trees planted. To help commemorate the centenary of Girl Guiding we will be replacing another 100 trees early next year. In preparation for this some of the trees towards the north end of the trefoil will be felled in October. The council will cordon off the area for safety during the felling so some paths may be closed for a short time.
The replacement trees will be of sufficient size to enable them to flower in the first season and should soon give as good a display of spring blossom as the original trees. We hope to use some of the wood from the felled Cherry Trees to make benches.
If you have any questions about the work please contact either:
The Friends of Braidburn Valley Park tree wardens: TreeWarden@braidburnvalleypark.org.uk Tel: 0131 447 2138 or Mike Shields at Edinburgh Council south.team@edinburgh.gov.uk Tel: 0131 529 5151
For the third year running Braidburn Valley Park has been awarded a Green Flag by the Keep Britain Tidy organisation. We are one of only ten parks in Scotland to be given the award this year.
The Green Flag Award is the national standard for parks and green spaces. The award scheme is a means of recognising and rewarding the best green spaces in the country and creating a benchmark of excellence in recreational green areas.
The partnership between the City of Edinburgh Council and the Friends of Braidburn Valley Park was key to winning the award.
The wild flower meadow at the south end of the Park has really flourished this year. In the spring the Duke of Edinburgh award volunteers stripped off some extra areas of turf and plug plants from the Scottish Wildlife Trust Jupiter nursery were planted by a youth group from Greenbank Church. These included the magnificent Great Mullein (yellow spike of flowers up to 1 metre high), White campion and Evening primrose all of which are now in bloom. These complement the existing plants that have been planted and sown over the last few years. There are good displays of mauve scabious, mounds of yellow meadow vetchling and purple knapweed at the moment.
The species list on the Wild Flower meadow page has been updated.
Some photos of the meadow taken this month have been added to the Photos page.
This entrance has now been upgraded with a new set of steps replacing the old worn out and dangerous ones. This is especially welcome given that the Oxgangs Avenue entrance is currently closed by the flood defence work.
The new steps
Thanks to the City of Edinburgh Council for responding so quickly and effectively to our request for this work.
The annual fun day in Braidburn Valley Park will take place on Saturday 5th September from 2pm until 4.30 pm.
Come and join in the fun – bring a picnic – put the date in your diary now!
Fun Day 2009
Flood defence work (Oxgangs entrance Aug 2009)
During the week beginning 3rd August Carillion (the contractors undertaking the flood defence work) will begin erecting temporary fencing within the south entrance to the park and close access on Thursday. Notices have been posted at the affected entrance and on Thursday 6th August they will erect the diversion signs and post notices at all entrances to the park. This will allow tree clearance and access construction to start and pile driving will begin w/c 10th of Aug for a period of around 3 weeks. It is likely that the Oxgangs entrance will remain shut until the end of the year.
Flood defence work (Oxgangs entrance Oct 2009)
To help commemorate the centenary of Girl Guiding we will be replacing another 100 cherry trees early next year. In preparation for this some of the trees towards the north end of the trefoil will be felled in late July and August. By doing the felling work in the summer we hope to minimise any damage to the ground that could be caused by the heavy machinery required. For more information please contact the Tree Wardens at TreeWarden@braidburnvalleypark.org.uk
During the summer term, teams of Primary 7s from South Morningside Primary are visiting the park to carry out practical conservation activities. They have been seeding new grassy areas, litter picking and cutting back intrusive vegetation. Thanks very much for their help!
If you are interested in taking part in practical activities in the park, or would like something for your youth group to do, contact info@braidburnvalleypark.org.uk
You may have wondered what the concrete square near the grassy amphitheatre and stage was for. The Friends have been lobbying for bicycle racks in the park as often people arrive by bike but have nowhere to chain it whilst in the park. It is intended that there will also be a bicycle rack near the main entrance. However, having laid the concrete base for the cycle rack in the park, there has been a bit of a hitch with Council staffing and we will look forward to progress with this in due course.