Rullion Green Wood is a 30-hectare site, owned by the University of Edinburgh, near Flotterstone in the Pentland Hills Regional Park. We want to enhance biodiversity on the site by creating woodlands and improving habitats for plants and animals. Enhancing biodiversity at Rullion Green Wood We have planted a diverse mix of trees at Rullion Green to connect existing woodland and improve habitats, transforming land that was previously used for livestock grazing. The site covers a small part of the historic battleground of the Battle of Rullion Green (1666) – the only significant battle of the Pentland Rising, a brief revolt by Covenanters against the government. Rullion Green Wood provides a range of opportunities for local communities, students and researchers while sequestering some of the University’s carbon emissions. Over 37,000 trees Over 37,000 trees have been planted at Rullion Green Wood. A variety of species have been planted, including oak, birch, aspen, willow and Scots pine. Explore our storymap Learn more about Rullion Green Wood, including local bird and plant species, historical sites, the woodland design and recent volunteer activities. Get involved Volunteer Connect with nature, improve habitats and learn new skills. You can plant wildflowers, assist with tree maintenance, help with field surveys and more. iNaturalist (external website) Contribute to citizen science for biodiversity. Identify and record species you see in the Pentlands Hills Regional Park with the iNaturalist app. Education We love outdoor learning. Get in touch if you would like to arrange a school trip, site visit or community event.Community.Ranger@ed.ac.uk Feedback Survey Community Check In Thank you to everyone who came along to our community meeting on 12 February 2026. We are keen to hear from the local community and those that visit Rullion Green. We would like your views on how Rullion Green is changing and being managed by the University of Edinburgh. We also wish to understand how to improve community involvement and the best ways of informing the community about events, activities, and management on the site.If you would like to share your views, please complete the Community Check In Survey below. The survey will take 5-10 minutes to complete and will be open until Monday 30 March 2026.Thank you for taking time to share your views. If you have any questions or queries, please do not hesitate to contact the Community Ranger via email: Community.Ranger@ed.ac.uk Nature based learning Community activity area Part of the eastern area of Rullion Green Wood will be used as a community activity area, with the popular picnic spot, Daisy Dell, being maintained. We want this area to: be used for nature-based learning enhance sensory experiences provide volunteering opportunities and increase biodiversity.Using feedback gathered during our public consultation and community meetings, we hope to develop a plan for this area which could include additional tree planting, wildflower meadow areas and seating. Woodland design Find out about the trees we're planting and how the site might change to support this new woodland. Maps, surveys and visualisations MapsRullion Green map of viewpointsIssues and Concepts MapAccess and Protection MapOpportunities and Constraints MapWoodland DesignReports and visualisationsBaseline Archaeology ReportBaseline Ecology ReportLandscape visualisationsLocation in Google Maps Timeline February 2026Annual Community Meeting held in Penicuik.View the presentation from the meetingAutumn 2024 to Winter 2025Operations started on site, including ground preparation and fencing.Annual community meeting held at Penicuik Townhall on 25 Feb 2025.View the presentation from the meetingTree planting started in February 2025. Over 37,000 trees have been planted on site.Summer 2024Woodland creation proposal formally approved by Scottish Forestry.Spring 2024Analysed feedback provided through the public consultation.Updated the woodland creation proposal following the consultation with communities.Application submitted to Scottish Forestry and placed on the public register.Winter 2023 to 2024Drafted woodland design, taking into account social, archaeological and conservation aims.Early community engagement.Formal consultation with the local community and other statutory stakeholders on the draft woodland creation proposal took place between Monday 15 January and Sunday 25 February 2024.Summer to Autumn 2023Surveyed and analysed the site. Public consultation results We have reviewed the views of local people and users of the area.A summary of these and how we have incorporated them into our plans can be found here: Rullion Green Wood consultation summary. Get in touch To contact us, please email us using our contact details below. Please state that you wish to speak with the Forest and Peatland team in your message. Social Responsibility and Sustainability Contact details Work: +44 (0)131 651 3000 Email: SRS.Department@ed.ac.uk Social: Community.Ranger@ed.ac.uk Social: UoE_sustainability (Instagram) Social: University of Edinburgh Social Responsibility & Sustainability (LinkedIn) This article was published on 2024-10-01
