CENTRAL SCOTLAND GREEN NETWORK

TRANSFORMING PLACES FOR PEOPLE AND NATURE

Covering 10,000 square kilometres and with a 40-year timeframe, the CSGN is one of the largest and most ambitious green infrastructure programmes in Europe. Through the support of the Scottish Government and over 80 partners, its focus is to address climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental inequality by connecting people to greenspace where it is needed most.

What we do

The CSGN takes a holistic approach to solving the biggest issues facing the environmental wellbeing of central Scotland. A huge number of partners are involved in delivering projects that are grouped into four interconnected workstreams:

Developing Natural Climate Solutions

Delivering projects that use natural solutions to adapt to and mitigate climate change impacts. These include initiatives to increase carbon capture particularly through woodland creation, peatland restoration and improved wetland and coastal management.

Making Liveable Places

Promoting the role of high quality green infrastructure in placemaking and urban design. These projects create multifunctional greenspaces in new developments and existing places, while improving biodiversity and habitat connectivity.

Promoting Health and Wellbeing

Focusing on the positive role that access to quality greenspaces has on people’s health, wellbeing, and overall quality of life. This includes embedding community growing as part of local food growing strategies, encouraging outdoor physical activity and green active travel.

Supporting a Green Recovery

Encouraging the incorporation of low carbon energy generation into the design and management
of greenspace and green infrastructure. Includes creating green uses for Vacant and Derelict Land that benefit local communities and economies.

AN INTEGRAL PART OF SCOTLAND’S ENVIRONMENTAL REGENERATION

87%

OF SCOTLAND’S MOST DISADVANTAGED AREAS

Tackling environmental inequality where it is needed the most.

The CSGN has some of the highest rates of social and economic deprivation in Europe.

9,000

HECTARES OF VACANT AND DERELICT LAND

THE CSGN AIMS TO ADDRESS VDL WITHIN ITS BOUNDARY BY 2050.

This accounts for 78% of Scotland’s total area classified as Vacant and Derelict Land.

20 Million

Trees Planted And Counting

Creating new woodland, greenspace and habitats.

This connects people with nature and addresses biodiversity loss and the climate emergency.

Featured Project

INNER FORTH LANDSCAPE INITIATIVE

The Inner Forth Landscape Initiative (IFLI) was a Heritage Lottery Funded Landscape Partnership Scheme focusing on the upper Firth of Forth and ran between 2012 and 2018. IFLI covered an area of 202 square kilometres including: the river, estuary and inter-tidal zone; the floodplain and coastal margins; and the settlements on both sides of the Forth from the historic Old Stirling Bridge to Blackness Castle and Rosyth.

IFLI became the first CSGN Flagship project in 2013, after being recognised for its contribution to a wide number of CSGN aims and objectives, from landscape scale climate action to community focused education, skills and training.

Latest news

Help for farmers in the CSGN area to branch out into tree planting

Farmers and land managers are being offered free assessments from Scottish Forestry.

December 14, 2023

CSGN Growing Food Together Fund

Eight Scottish Groups To Receive Funding for Growing Projects

The recipients of the 2023 round of funding for community growing have been announced.

August 16, 2023

CSGN Growing Food Together Fund 2023 Now Open

Community growing projects across Scotland are invited to apply for funding by 14th July.

June 1, 2023

HOW TO GET INVOLVED

We can help your organisation deliver its environmental objectives by making a positive contribution to the CSGN. Whether you have a project proposal, a funding question, or you simply need advice on how to take an idea forward, we’d like to hear from you.