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Calton Hill Conservation Trust @caltonhill.bsky.social · 2d

BUILDEDINBURGH substack featured the trust yesterday — and the EROSION EMERGENCY. Thanks. However please note our next LITTER PICKUP is on Saturday 18 October (NOT 11 October).
buildedinburgh.substack.com/p/in-the-new...

In the news, October 3-6

In today’s edition:

buildedinburgh.substack.com

Calton Hill Conservation Trust @caltonhill.bsky.social · 3d

“The footfall on CALTON HILL is unreal … We do need to have an extra special look at how we’re maintaining it, and NOT JUST ACCEPTING EROSION AS A FACT. We need some heavy machinery from parks to undo the decades of people stamping it into a dustbowl.” “ Cllr F McFarlane @finlaymcf.bsky.social 2/

Calton Hill Conservation Trust @caltonhill.bsky.social · 3d

STV NEWS on EROSION EMERGENCY at @edinburghcouncil.bsky.social Culture and Communities Committee ‘Action needed to fight erosion on Calton Hill amid fears over 'managed decline'. 1/
news.stv.tv/east-central...

Action needed to fight erosion on Calton Hill amid fears over 'managed decline'

Concerns were flagged about the condition of the park by the Calton Hill Conservation Trust early last month.

news.stv.tv

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Calton Hill Conservation Trust @caltonhill.bsky.social · 6d

From DEPUTATION to MOTION: The Council responded positively yesterday (2 October 2025) to the CALTON HILL EROSION EMERGENCY deputation. Here is the final text from the Edinburgh Council Culture and Communities Committee.

Motion 9.1 (final version) at the City of Edinburgh Council Culture & Communities Committee, 2 October 2025

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Reposted by Calton Hill Conservation Trust

Ella @ellatasm.bsky.social · 6d

Dusherra 2025 festival on Calton Hill cancelled this weekend due to the wind weather warning @edinburghminute.bsky.social @caltonhill.bsky.social @spurtle.bsky.social

Dusherra cancellation notice from Scottish Indian Arts Forum

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Calton Hill Conservation Trust @caltonhill.bsky.social · 6d

Careful ground preparation was vital — and just a little money. Unexpectedly reseeding was as successful as returfing. Unfortunately other parts of the hill still URGENTLY need attention. Hence the Calton Hill EROSION EMERGENCY.

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Calton Hill Conservation Trust @caltonhill.bsky.social · 7d

HERAS FENCING REMOVED. Delighted to report the test returfing/reseeding area done in May is at last reopened to the public. The grass is looking good and we hope it remains in good condition through the winter. We'll be monitoring it. @finlaymcf.bsky.social

Returfed and reseeded ground in front of the National Monument after the removal of fencing, Calton Hill, Edinburgh, 2 October 2025

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Calton Hill Conservation Trust @caltonhill.bsky.social · 7d

EDINBURGH REPORTER on EROSION EMERGENCY: ‘Calling for action this winter on Calton Hill’: Report /podcast by Phyllis Stephan published today (2 October) on the morning of our council DEPUTATION for action to combat erosion. Thanks! @edinreporter.bsky.social theedinburghreporter.co.uk/2025/10/call...

Calling for action this winter on Calton Hill

The Calton Hill Conservation Trust (CHCT) has declared an Erosion Emergency on the hill and will make a direct call to the council on Thursday asking for help to fix it. The area is designated a Site ...

theedinburghreporter.co.uk

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Calton Hill Conservation Trust @caltonhill.bsky.social · 11d

Dozens of SMALL WHITE BUTTERFLIES (Pieris rapae?) in the sunshine on the warm slope about Regent Walk today.

Small white butterfly (Pieris rapae), Regent Walk, Calton Hill, 28 September 2025

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Calton Hill Conservation Trust @caltonhill.bsky.social · 11d

THANK YOU @edinburghcouncil.bsky.social for removing almost all the GRAFFITI by (or before) today 28 September. Unfortunately 'PUNKS NOT DEAD' (on deep blue plastic) is still there — not dead?

Calton Hill Conservation Trust @caltonhill.bsky.social · 14d

PORTALOOS on Regent Walk now covered in GRAFFITI! We hoped this could be avoided by using the car park area where portacabins have usually been left untagged. FYI
@edinburghcouncil.bsky.social @edinburghwh.bsky.social @thecockburn.bsky.social @ntbcc.bsky.social @collective-edin.bsky.social

Portaloos on Regent Walk, Calton Hill, Edinburgh newly covered in graffiti, 25 September 2025

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Calton Hill Conservation Trust @caltonhill.bsky.social · 14d

PORTALOOS on Regent Walk now covered in GRAFFITI! We hoped this could be avoided by using the car park area where portacabins have usually been left untagged. FYI
@edinburghcouncil.bsky.social @edinburghwh.bsky.social @thecockburn.bsky.social @ntbcc.bsky.social @collective-edin.bsky.social

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Calton Hill Conservation Trust @caltonhill.bsky.social · 20d

GRASS CUTTING on CALTON HILL is all in-house: no outside contractors. Ironically we have lots of ivy growing over the wall/pavement on the north side of Regent Road which is becoming an obstruction— but the council have been "too busy" to cut it!

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Calton Hill Conservation Trust @caltonhill.bsky.social · 21d

There is also a report on the Erosion Emergency in the Telegraph today — “Unesco site left a barren landscape after grass cut too short: Edinburgh council will re-turf and re-seed Calton Hill after claims of over-mowing” — this is based on the BBC report.
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/09...

Access Restricted

www.telegraph.co.uk

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Calton Hill Conservation Trust @caltonhill.bsky.social · 21d

SCOTSMAN report by Dale Miller: 'Calton Hill: 'Erosion emergency' declared on much-loved Edinburgh Unesco landmark', 18 September 2025, here is the link:
www.scotsman.com/news/scottis...

'Erosion emergency' declared at much-loved historic landmark as council to 'rest' areas

Images have captured the extent of ‘severe’ erosion on Calton Hill.

www.scotsman.com

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Calton Hill Conservation Trust @caltonhill.bsky.social · 21d

Thank you. Where did you see it? It will help if you can give us a location. Is it a roe deer? A photo would also be good.

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Calton Hill Conservation Trust @caltonhill.bsky.social · 21d

BBC/EROSION EMERGENCY: The Trust appreciate the detailed report by Angie Brown published yesterday (17 September) explaining the combination of factors which lead to erosion in the summer: dry weather, footfall and over-cutting.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

'Erosion emergency' at Edinburgh's Calton Hill after grass cut too short

Edinburgh Council said it had now adjusted grass cutting schedules at the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Calton Hill Conservation Trust @caltonhill.bsky.social · 21d

Temporary restrictions can be effective at saving the grass. It soon recovers and fencing/roping can be removed. Also note that the existing paths were all laid out in the early 19th century and are a heritage feature. Desire lines can be ephemeral.

Calton Hill Conservation Trust @caltonhill.bsky.social · 21d

Temporary restrictions on high footfall grassed tourist sites are normal. We've already periodically 'rested' areas by roping them off which works perfectly well. Visitors respect the restrictions, there is plenty of space for them to go around them, and the grass soon recovers.

Calton Hill Conservation Trust @caltonhill.bsky.social · 21d

Calton Hill is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and we already have a rich natural flora. Our October 2024 Vegetation Survey (see below) explains this. However we don't want to introduce more non-native, non-local species.
caltonhilltrust.org/wp-content/u...

caltonhilltrust.org

Calton Hill Conservation Trust @caltonhill.bsky.social · 21d

Thanks to the EDINBURGH INQUIRER for reporting on the EROSION EMERGENCY on Calton Hill. As always we appreciate the Inquirer's accurate and timely reports by Sarah McArthur, Ilona Amos and their colleagues.

Edinburgh Inquirer on Calton Hill erosion, 18 September 2025

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Calton Hill Conservation Trust @caltonhill.bsky.social · 21d

DEADLINE TIMES: “Erosion is the result of a combination of factors in the summer. It can be prevented by moderating grass cutting regimes and ‘resting’ areas if footfall is very high. Erosion is not too expensive or too difficult to reverse...” Trust statement
www.deadlinenews.co.uk/2025/09/17/e...

"Emergency” declared atop famous Edinburgh hill as erosion creates barren landscape - Deadline News

WARNINGS have been released by a community trust that Calton Hill is facing extreme erosion due to an exceptionally dry summer.

www.deadlinenews.co.uk

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Calton Hill Conservation Trust @caltonhill.bsky.social · 22d

Much appreciated!

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Calton Hill Conservation Trust @caltonhill.bsky.social · 22d

Thank you for the mention in the Minute. We want to raise awareness that summer erosion is caused by a combination of factors NOT just footfall. When the grass is not protected, the soil is blown and washed and the grass can't re-establish. Where the grass is left long & thick this doesn't happen.

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Calton Hill Conservation Trust @caltonhill.bsky.social · 23d

The Trust are calling an EROSION EMERGENCY — asking the council @edinburghcouncil.bsky.social to re-bank, re-seed and re-turf CALTON HILL between now and the end of the year. @spurtle.bsky.social @edinburghminute.bsky.social @edinreporter.bsky.social
caltonhilltrust.org/wp-content/u...

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