15 December 2025 – Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
In my final talk of the year, on Monday, I spoke to delegates of the British Ecological Society, at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.
The talk was titled – ‘The Water of Leith: From Industrial Powerhouse to Wildlife Haven’ – the aim was to talk about the river’s history and then do a photo presentation of the wildlife we have on the river today. The topic I had chosen, made me stop and think quite a bit.
As I was doing my research over the weekend, it helped remind me that this amazing river we have here in Edinburgh was heavily industrialised and polluted for hundreds of years, with little or no wildlife to speak of.
The evidence of heavy industry is clear to see all along the river but I guess, I had become a bit blind to it. I walk past mill stones, mill lades, weirs and old mill buildings almost every day on the Water of Leith & after 5 years of photographing wildlife on the river, I have taken its past for granted.
The river powered 76 mills, in the 18th century and also served as the city’s main sewer. Although enclosed sewers arrived in the late 19th century, pollution persisted until industry declined in the mid-20th century.
A major turning point came in 1988 with the creation of the Water of Leith Conservation Trust, Scotland’s first river charity. The aim of the Trust was to improve and protect the river and its wildlife.
The Water of Leith Conservation Trust team have been working to improve and protect the river relentlessly, week after week, year after year, for the last 37 years. Over those years, the Trust has been supported by volunteers and last year volunteers recorded over 11,500 hours helping, improving and protecting the Water of Leith.
I was able to tell the British Ecological Society delegates that this river has been completely turned around and this success story really is about people and nature thriving together.
Without the Trust and the work of the volunteers, there probably wouldn’t be a walkway for walkers, joggers & cyclists. There probably wouldn’t be any otters, kingfishers, dippers and much more!
I am very grateful to the Water of Leith Conservation Trust team & all the volunteers for their time and effort, in turning this industrial powerhouse into a wildlife haven, for all of us to enjoy!
