A new partnership has been formed to help restore nature and address climate change in the Lothian Esk river catchment area.
The Lothian Esk Catchment Partnership (LECP) comprises the Forth Rivers Trust, East Lothian Council, Midlothian Council, NatureScot, SEPA, and Scottish Water.
Together, the LECP aims to harness collective expertise, collaborate and co-ordinate resources to build resilience against climate change and biodiversity loss, creating a healthier, more sustainable future for the catchment’s communities, wildlife, and habitats.
Stretching across local authority boundaries, the Lothian Esk catchment includes the North Esk, which begins in the Pentland Hills, and the South Esk originating in the Moorfoot Hills. These rivers converge in Dalkeith Country Park before flowing into the Firth of Forth in Musselburgh.
The catchment faces various environmental pressures, including invasive non-native species, water pollution, and urban and rural flooding. Historical modifications to the rivers - such as straightening - have compounded these problems, which are now exacerbated by climate change.
In collaboration with the Forth Rivers Trust, the LECP secured £91,000 from Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund, managed by Nature Scot, in late 2024, with funding contributions from East Lothian Council, Midlothian Council, and SEPA. This grant funding will enable the Partnership to develop a comprehensive ‘catchment route map’ to identify potential actions, tackle these challenges and lay the groundwork for restoration measures in the future.
Sustainable practices
Using tools such as drone surveys, habitat baselining, biodiversity recording, and flood modelling to identify opportunities for nature-based solutions, the project will also engage with community groups, land managers, and other stakeholders to ensure alignment with existing initiatives and ambitions.
A key focus of the LECP will be working with landowners to implement nature-based farming practices and sustainable solutions. The creation of wetlands, leaky dams, and agroforestry could combat flooding, biodiversity loss, and water quality issues while delivering diversified income streams and enhanced resilience to climate change.
A spokesperson for the Partnership said: “We are incredibly thankful to NatureScot for providing the funding to kickstart our ambitions for landscape-scale restoration in the Lothian Esk catchment.
Vital objective
"Working closely with landowners and partners is key to its success. We’re here to offer support and guidance on sustainable practices that can benefit both the environment and those who live and work in the catchment. We encourage any landowners or stakeholders interested in exploring nature-based solutions to contact the partnership through Forth Rivers Trust and become part of this exciting initiative.”
Councillor John McMillan, East Lothian Council’s Cabinet Spokesperson for Environment, Economic Development and Tourism, said: “We are very excited about the formation of the Partnership and its potential to deliver nature-based solutions and improvements.
“In 2023 East Lothian Council declared a Nature Emergency which recognised the decline in biodiversity and the impact of climate change on wildlife and the natural world. We are committed to tackling this crisis through a range of strategies and projects, working alongside partner agencies, community groups and volunteers, and the work of the LECP will further contribute towards that vital objective.”